Health Report

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory condition that mostly affects people over 65 years of age but can happen earlier. Learn what to look out for and when you should get it checked out. A health law expert talks through the regulations that may apply to the LillyDirect platform, which now facilitates dispensing of the pharmaceutical company's own GLP1 medicine in Australia. The Fijian government recently declared a national emergency in response to the rising number of HIV cases in the country. How will that help residents who already have HIV to stay healthy, and prevent further transmission? References Weight loss drug will be easier to access as Eli Lilly disrupts the pharmacy model ABC News: Doctors condemn Eli Lilly move to dispense GLP-1 medication Mounjaro direct to door Lilly Australia told ABC News that LillyDirect operates within existing regulatory frameworks and that the service would improve affordability and convenience for Australians. A spokesperson said: "Australian doctors prescribe the medicine, Australian pharmacists review and dispense prescriptions, and Australian healthcare, pharmacy, privacy and regulatory requirements apply at every stage." A systematic review of epidemiological studies into daylight-saving time & health identifying beneficial & adverse effects Trial of a Maternal Diet Rich in Eggs and Peanuts to Reduce Infant Allergy Astrazeneca to extend PBS access to Zoladex® (goserelin) monthly (3.6mg) implant

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 of medicines to consumers". It provides a pathway via third party providers that people can use to get prescriptions filled and even home delivery. While diagnoses for adult ADHD are on the rise, we look at medications and other treatments for ADHD in children. Emergency room visits and unplanned hospitalisations occur more often for those being cared for in privately run aged care homes. A study investigating the potential link between the use of hormonal contraceptives and colorectal cancer finds using these medications does not affect your chance of getting this type of cancer, nor does it provide protection against the disease. References Lilly Direct consumer press release A Randomised Open-Label Comparison of Dexamphetamine and Methylphenidate in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Symptom Response, Adherence and Weight Impact Over 12 Months Association of long-term care facility ownership and location on residents’ mortality and hospitalisations: A population-based retrospective cohort study in Australia Contemporary hormonal contraception and colorectal cancer in premenopausal women: nationwide cohort study Fijian government declares national HIV emergency as cases soar WHO continues to support Fiji as it declares HIV a national emergency Keeping HIV under control is increasingly challenging Andrographis removed from listed medicines framework because of allergy risk

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 a year after they lodged a formal complaint with AHPRA. Rachel hasn't been updated on the status of the complaint. Disrupted sleep during pregnancy and the post partum period can increase the risk of cardiovascular events for mothers, and it's now understood these risks can be transferred to the baby as well. PBS listings for medications for three separate conditions have run up against President Trump’s most favoured nation pricing policy this year. New research on this policy and its impact shows there will likely be more of these disruptions to come. References Why is it so easy to get weight loss injections, if they could cause you harm? GLP-1 drug prescribed to woman with eating disorder via telehealth sparks calls for regulation The implications of maternal sleep disruption on cardiovascular adaptations and cardiometabolic outcomes Most-favoured-nation pricing for prescription drugs in US Medicare: a cohort study Better transparency and choice in health care Medical Costs Finder Blood test to detect Alzheimer's disease will be trialled in Australia Social Media Claims About Blood Tests for Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia: A Cross-Sectional Content Analysis

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 pace. The pharmaceutical company closest to getting a drug to market to reduce Lipoprotein (a) levels announced that while it reduces levels of these molecules, that didn’t translate into fewer cardiovascular events. A gene study provides further evidence that cerebral palsy may be a collection of symptoms, rather than a disease and indicates doing a genetic panel early on could improve treatment of affected children. References Combinations of stepping intensity and daily step counts against all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality: insights from a device-based prospective study Novartis announces Lp(a)HORIZON Phase III topline results for pelacarsen in patients with elevated Lp(a) and established cardiovascular disease (CVD) A phenotypic paradigm for cerebral palsy genetics Salpingectomy for the Prevention of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Ovarian cancer doesn't start in the ovaries Study on degenerative brain disease finds CTE in 31 former rugby league players BMJ: Prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy at death in National Football League players: retrospective population based cohort study, 2008-21 Brisbane Coroner's Court: Non inquest findings into the death of Conor Dean

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 disorders including CFS/ME and long COVID. Women of reproductive age are getting iron infusions at an increasingly high rate. What’s causing the numbers to rise so sharply and who is missing out? Cuts to USAID are having big impacts on spread of HIV in Africa, according to a leading South African expert. What can we learn from their experience about how to manage the growing spread of the disease in Fiji and elsewhere in our region? References Nature Medicine: The genetic architecture of fibromyalgia across 2.5 million individuals Increasing utilisation of intravenous iron among Australian women of reproductive age, 2013–2024: an Australian population-based study Pacific Beat: Australia boosts Fiji's HIV crisis response with new $8 million funding Maternal RSVpreF Vaccine Effectiveness Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Hospitalized Infants New England Journal of Medicine: Atorvastatin, Cardiovascular Events, and Disability-free Survival in Older Adults The BMJ: Measles: CDC refuses to record Pennsylvania fatalities in “measles associated deaths” row