What works (and what doesn’t) for lower back pain
Lower back pain is a common presentation in general practice, and with many treatments available, knowing which ones are effective — and which are not — can guide better care.
Opinions
What is responsible for the extraordinary melioidosis season in Cairns this wet season?
Melioidosis is endemic in Cairns, with the number of cases increasing since 2015 (here and here). This year, however, there has been an extraordinary season, with more than four times the number of cases in Cairns already than in any prior year. One hundred cases of melioidosis have been reported in the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service from 1 January to 13 April 2025.
Mandatory reporting: still a barrier to treatment for mental health
Despite changes to mandatory reporting obligations in 2018, many Australian doctors remain hesitant to seek treatment for mental health concerns, fearing they might be reported to the regulator. Dispelling this perception is vital to ensure doctors seek treatment when they need it.
Health sector could address high prevalence of intimate partner violence
This week, the MJA published new evidence of the national prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV). The survey of a representative sample of 8500 Australians adds new knowledge about the prevalence and nature of physical, psychological and sexual violence between intimate partners aged 16 years and over in Australia. The study confirms that substantial proportions of Australians have experienced physical violence (29.1%), sexual violence (11.7%), and psychological violence (41.2%) by an intimate partner. These findings are relevant to a range of policy makers and sector stakeholders, and are significant for medical practitioners and regulatory bodies.
People are ‘microdosing’ weight-loss drugs. A GP explains what to watch out for
Injectable medications originally developed for the treatment of diabetes are also effective for weight loss, and have surged in popularity for this purpose around the world.
Prison needle programs could save double what they cost – our new modelling shows how
Needle and syringe programs are a proven public health intervention that provide free, sterile injecting equipment to people who use drugs. By reducing needle sharing, these programs help prevent the spread of blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis C and HIV and minimise life-threatening bacterial infections.
Médecins Sans Frontières and Doctors for the Environment call for climate action to protect health
Médecins Sans Frontières Australia (MSF) and Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) have written an open letter to all federal election candidates, calling for climate action to protect human health.
People dying in pain while we wait for action on critical end-of-life medication shortages
Australia is grappling with significant shortages of essential medications, including opioids, posing severe consequences to the people and families we care for as palliative care specialists — and it has been like this for over two years.
Raising awareness of frailty after heart disease
When we think of heart disease, the primary concern for most people is about survival. But it is also important to know what happens after someone survives. New research reveals that a significant number of older people who survive a cardiovascular disease (CVD) event become frail.
