Author: Bianca Nogrady

Bianca Nogrady is an Australian freelance science journalist, broadcaster and author - www.biancanogrady.com - @biancanogrady

Motor neuron disease: Australian state makes condition notifiable disease in world first

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From BMJ, 1 July 2026: The Australian state of New South Wales is set to be the first jurisdiction in the world to make motor neuron disease (MND) a notifiable condition. Classifying MND in this way means that any new cases must be reported to the state health authority.1 Experts hope that this will create … Continue reading Motor neuron disease: Australian state makes condition notifiable disease in world first

Australia’s new lung cancer screening enjoys high uptake

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From Medscape, 26 June 2026 The first year of Australia’s lung cancer screening program has seen nearly 100,000 current and former smokers take up the offer of free low-dose CT screening. As a result, more than 230 primary lung cancers have been detected. The program, which was launched on July 1, 2025, aimed to recruit … Continue reading Australia’s new lung cancer screening enjoys high uptake

10-Year data confirm no benefit from arthroscopy for degenerative meniscal tear

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From Medscape, 30 April 2026: Ten-year follow-up data from the FIDELITY study of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) in patients with symptoms of degenerative meniscal tear found the procedure offered no benefits and was even associated with worse outcomes. The FIDELITY study used sham APM as the placebo control. The study involved 146 patients, aged 35-65 … Continue reading 10-Year data confirm no benefit from arthroscopy for degenerative meniscal tear

Tobacco and Vapes Act: What can UK learn from Australia’s nicotine crackdown?

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From the BMJ, 8 May 2026 The UK’s landmark Tobacco and Vapes Act, which became law last month, creates a “smoke-free generation” by making it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone in the UK born after 2008.1 It also aims to reduce young people’s use of other products containing nicotine, such as vapes, while … Continue reading Tobacco and Vapes Act: What can UK learn from Australia’s nicotine crackdown?

Why is there still no cure for Alzheimer’s?

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From The Saturday Paper, 25 April 2026: Over the past three decades, tens of billions of dollars have been spent on research to identify, develop and test drugs to remove from the brain plaques that are understood to cause Alzheimer’s disease – the neurodegenerative disorder that is now the leading cause of death in Australia. … Continue reading Why is there still no cure for Alzheimer’s?

Australia’s space program stuck in low orbit

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From The Saturday Paper, 19 April 2026: When it comes to space, Australia has long been seen – and seen itself – as a support act who, with telescopes and technology, makes the bigger nations and space agencies look good as they undertake headline-grabbing missions to the moon, Mars and beyond. Australia has done very … Continue reading Australia’s space program stuck in low orbit

Australia bans use of genetic testing information by life insurers to deny or restrict coverage

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From Medscape, 8 April 2026: Australia has passed a law banning life insurance companies from denying or restricting coverage based on the results of genetic tests or even based on whether an applicant or their genetic relatives have undergone or been recommended for genetic testing. The legislation received support from both major parties and many … Continue reading Australia bans use of genetic testing information by life insurers to deny or restrict coverage

Australia once again losing the rabbit war

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From The Saturday Paper, 4 April 2026: Vinny O’Loughlin goes out rabbit shooting at night, but he could just as easily do it during the day from his front door in the small South Australian town of Willalooka. “We’ve got half-a-dozen rabbits in our front yard in the morning when we get out of bed,” … Continue reading Australia once again losing the rabbit war

Genetic testing: Australia bans life insurers from discriminating against applicants

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From the British Medical Journal, 8 April 2026: Life insurance companies in Australia will no longer be able to use genetic testing to discriminate against potential insurees, with a new law banning the practice. The Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance and Other Measures Bill was passed by both houses of Australia’s federal parliament on 1 … Continue reading Genetic testing: Australia bans life insurers from discriminating against applicants

The ‘astounding’ rise of semaglutide — and what’s next for weight-loss drugs

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From Nature, 12 February 2026: What do tennis star Serena Williams, television personality Oprah Winfrey and actors Kathy Bates and Whoopi Goldberg have in common? They are some of the many celebrities who have spoken publicly about using GLP-1 receptor agonists to lose weight. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists — which bind to GLP-1 receptors … Continue reading The ‘astounding’ rise of semaglutide — and what’s next for weight-loss drugs