Why you’re (probably) not allergic to penicillin

Are you allergic to penicillin? Perhaps you have a friend or relative who is? With about one in ten people reporting a penicillin allergy, that’s not altogether surprising, but in reality only 1 person in 50 actually is intolerant of this life saving drug.

A little exercise goes a long way

People who spend much of their day sitting may need to move around less than previously thought to counteract their sedentary lifestyle, according to new research.

Policing on the front line of mental health emergencies

Police and mental health professionals must work together and ‘mind the gap’ when called to deal with people suffering mental health issues.

10% of Aussies consume half the nation’s alcohol

La Trobe University researchers have found the heaviest drinking 10 per cent of Australians drink over half the alcohol consumed in Australia, downing an average of six standard drinks per day.

Surgery can pave the way to opioid addiction

New research from the University of South Australia has found more than 13,000 Australians each year may be at risk of developing a persistent opioid habit following elective surgery.

Bringing the power of genomics to patients

Associate Professor Clara Gaff explains her life long interest in genetics and the potential for genomic testing to unlock exciting new treatments in the future.

How the “superhero” immune system of newborn marsupials could help save premature babies

Understanding how marsupials can survive outside the womb at a very early stage of development could help researchers devise new ways to support premature human babies.

Steer clear of wild mushrooms this autumn

The Food Safety Information Council has warned people not to pick or eat any wild mushrooms this autumn.

Premiums up, rebates down, and a new tiered system for private health insurance

If you have private health insurance, or are considering getting it, a series of changes coming into effect on April 1 are worth knowing about.

Boosting “respect” doesn’t improve indigenous healthcare

A year-long program, designed to improve cultural respect and improve health outcomes for Aboriginal patients, has failed to either increase the rate of Indigenous health checks or improve cross-cultural behaviours, according to Australian researchers.

Data sharing by popular health apps is “routine”

Mobile health apps are a booming market targeted at both patients and health professionals. However these apps also pose unprecedented risk to consumers’ privacy given their ability to collect sensitive user data of great value to commercial interests.

Tackling the ‘toxic trio’ behind coeliac disease

The current treatment for coeliac disease is a gluten-free diet, but researchers want to ‘train’ the body to tolerate the toxic gluten protein as a new way to treat the disease.