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Medicine · ABC Australia

Health Report

by ABC Australia

Covering the health stories that make a difference. Dr Norman Swan and Dr Preeya Alexander dissect the latest and breaking news in the medical world. 

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Should weight loss injections be easier to access? 

#38 trending · Medicine

After failing to negotiate a way for their weight loss medicine to be listed on the PBS, Eli Lilly has launched an online platform to "facilitate dispensing and delivery

Sep 25
45 min

Is AHPRA doing enough to curb unsafe prescribing?

Rachel has lived experience of an eating disorder and came across ads for a telehealth weight loss company on a podcast. The ads continue in their podcast feed, more than

Sep 18
43 min

Why you should speed up your steps, even just in short bursts.

A study looking at step intensity and step count provides helpful advice for those who are limited in their time and ability to increase the number of steps and their pac

Sep 11
44 min

Validation for people living with chronic pain

An international study of the genes of 2.5 million people confirms fibromyalgia as a nervous system disorder. A rheumatologist explains the relationship to other disorder

Sep 4
45 min

Same work but no training pathway for unaccredited registrars

It's become harder for medical students to qualify as a fully accredited specialist. This delay is having a profound impact on the wellbeing of doctors and on access to s

Aug 28
48 min

Will this help more men get prostate checkups?

New clinical guidelines for early detection of prostate cancer make big changes to screening, with an end to the digital examination and more frequent PSA tests in older

Aug 21
42 min

BMI fails the test as a predictor of disease risk

A study shows waist to hip ratio (WHR) and waist circumference (WC) should be included with BMI when assessing patients with abdominal fat for risk of cardiovascular dise

Aug 14
44 min

Kate has a history of anorexia. Why was she prescribed weight loss jabs?

‘Kate’ has a history of anorexia nervosa and was once hospitalised for the condition. Yet she was able to access GLP1s to control her weight via a telehealth provider, wi

Aug 7
52 min

An Alzheimer's blood test is on the way. What could that mean for you?

Clinicians, researchers, government and industry partners have come together in a new arrangement to trial a blood test that uses biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease, in t

Jul 31
43 min

When is a child ready for their own smartphone?

A new study looks at the health benefits of holding off on a child's smartphone by one year. Is there a "best" age to let them have their own device? Despite the lack of

Jul 24
43 min

What can you really learn from a biological ageing test?

There's a race going on in Silicon Valley to find ways to slow down ageing and monetise longevity. Some of the tools used to measure this are biological age tests that gi

Jul 17
43 min

Who should be allowed to prescribe medications?

A review of the evidence for community pharmacist prescribing has reopened the debate about who should be able to prescribe, and a legislative change means some registere

Jul 10
43 min

Could a sleep supplement help reduce chronic pain?

While looking for ways to treat pain in those with musculoskeletal disorders, researchers examined studies in which sleep supplement melatonin had been used.  A study in

Jul 3
44 min

Should we ban the use of controversial herbicide, paraquat?

A movement disorder specialist says the APVMA decision on the use of herbicide paraquat ignores evidence of the link with cases of Parkinson's disease. Analysis of patie

Jun 26
42 min

Bird flu has reached Australia. Now what?

The first cases of H5N1 bird flu have been confirmed following the discovery and rescue of a sick bird on a remote beach in Western Australia. Since then more sick birds

Jun 22
19 min

Good and bad news on alcohol and disease risk

A new review brings together data from studies worldwide and shows that the impact of alcohol has been underestimated, but that changing drinking habits can reverse and s

Jun 19
44 min

A crackdown on unregulated peptides

Genomic testing is cheaper than ever and can pick up a risk of disease in people with no family history. Should we expand it nation-wide? IUDs are a highly effective for

Jun 12
45 min

Does exercise lower your biological age?

Australia's specialist medical college for obstetrics and gynaecology is raising the alarm over proposed changes to abortion access in three Australian states. How physi

Jun 5
39 min

The habits that protect your mental health

This week, an update on the diphtheria outbreak across multiple Australian states. What's changed to allow the spread to occur? How to build healthier housing for remote

May 29
42 min

Peptides: who's using them and what's in them?

The popularity of peptides appears to be growing in Australia - what do we know about who is using them, what's in them and the risks? A large study of Australians with

May 22
44 min

Chart trend

Position in the Medicine chart (US), last 90 days.

#38
all-time peak
2
days in the top 50 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where Health Report ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 28, 2026).

#149 ▼ 5 Medicine US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

This podcast is one of my top three to follow from the many I listen to. Norman Swan knows a lot about health generally and researches episode subjects in depth. The caliber of his guests indicate Swan is respected as an interviewer in health subjects. He keeps the interviews interesting, informative and moving along.

ricstra · Oct 2019

The Health Report gets into each topic with enough depth to be educational and thought provoking. I regularly find myself printing off the transcripts to share with friends that don't have an Ipod. It's well produced and easy to listen to.

jgzm · Apr 2008

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.

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About Health Report on Reason.fm

Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Health Report, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.

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