Healthcare
Don’t desex the language: Doctors warn of danger over gender-inclusive terms
Medical language is being “desexed” to accommodate transgender and gender diverse people – but doctors say it can confuse health data and lead to serious clinical errors.
- by Michael Bachelard
Latest
Easy as visiting the GP: Doctors push for accessible hormone treatment as children’s waitlist swells
The doctor in charge of the Royal Children’s Hospital gender clinic has given a rare insight into the practice’s vision, telling an inquest that demand for gender-affirming care will only continue to increase.
- by Michael Bachelard
Exclusive
Science
Scientists slam pain report funded by group linked to makers of spinal cord stimulators
A leading physician has resigned from the board of Australia’s peak pain body after it published a report painting a rosy picture of a device used to treat chronic pain.
- by Liam Mannix
Exclusive
Healthcare
Five million were promised a free shingles vaccine. Two months later there are not enough doses
The federal government promoted that over-65s would be able to receive a new shingles vaccine from November, but GPs have only received a handful of shots.
- by Mary Ward and Rachel Eddie
Pay rise for Royal Flying Doctor Service nurses still up in the air
Nurses working for the famous service will not receive the Christmas Eve pay rise they bargained after nine months of wrangling stalled.
- by Tony Moore
How a jogging accident saved Andrew’s life – from lung cancer
Lung cancer used to be rare among non-smokers, but that’s changing. Andrew Ure, who has never smoked, was diagnosed after he broke his arm.
- by Henrietta Cook
What’s open in Sydney over Christmas and New Year
Whether you’re planning on attending Christmas mass or keen on some last-minute shopping, here’s what’s open in Sydney over the holiday period.
- by Harriette Maguire and Millie Barter
Exclusive
Health
Henry Bryant is a Christmas miracle 25 years in the making
The first woman to receive a uterus transplant in Australia has given birth, another milestone in a trial unlocking a ‘missing piece’ in fertility treatment.
- by Angus Thomson
COVID-19 hotline quietly shuttered as more Australians seek boosters
Callers to the National Coronavirus Helpline, still promoted on state and federal health department websites, now hear a message saying it has closed.
- by Mary Ward
Exclusive
Healthcare
When a day in the sun ends in the emergency room
Hundreds of Victorians are presenting to hospitals with sunburn so bad they require medical treatment, and children and teens make up almost half the cases.
- by Henrietta Cook
Charlotte was just 19 when she had breast implants. These new rules would have saved her years of discomfort
Cosmetic surgery is now subject to new regulatory standards, including a referral process for anyone considering going under the knife.
- by Laura Banks