Going to the naturopath or a yoga class? Your private health won't cover it

Apr 03, 2019 10:31 am UTC| Insights & Views Health

Starting this week, private health insurers are prohibited from providing benefits for a number of natural therapies. This includes aromatherapy, Western herbalism, homeopathy, naturopathy, pilates, reflexology, Rolfing...

Alcohol misuse is more common in the armed forces than post-traumatic stress disorder

Apr 03, 2019 10:30 am UTC| Insights & Views Health

Alcohol has historically been used in the UK armed forces to encourage bonding and to deal with difficult experiences. And while alcohol use is now on the decline, harmful drinking in the forces is still double that of the...

A new drug promises to lower risks of asthma attack

Apr 01, 2019 17:31 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

A recent study shows that a gamechanger drug called Fevipiprant promises to lower patients risks of suffering an asthma attack and being admitted to a hospital. This is the first time a drug reducing airway smooth...

Making more drugs available 'over the counter' would be a win for the public and the health care system

Apr 01, 2019 17:30 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is currently looking to expand the list of medicines available over the counter that is, via a pharmacist without a prescription. If these changes get off the ground, we could...

How social media is helping Big Tobacco hook a new generation of smokers

Apr 01, 2019 17:27 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

Big Tobacco is increasingly using social media to find new ways to hook young people on smoking, circumventing decades of laws restricting the marketing of traditional cigarettes to minors. In major cities around the...

Healthy, happy and tropical – world's fastest-growing cities demand our attention

Apr 01, 2019 17:24 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

What does it take to be a happy and healthy city? In any city, myriad factors go into the mix and of course we are not dealing with just one kind of city. But, due to the world history of colonisation, models are still...

An unexpected pathway to treating neurodegenerative diseases

Apr 01, 2019 17:24 pm UTC| Health

Scientific success stories can sometimes occur when therapies being studied for one disease can be used to treat another. In the case of the drug we have been studying in my lab, this is especially important because it...