Obesity is a disease but not diagnosed with BMI alone, says Lancet Global Commission
BMI can be used to diagnose obesity but only in conjunction with other measures of body fat, according to a landmark international statement. A Lancet…
Australian Doctor
The latest political and medical news
Fresh guidance makes premature ovarian insufficiency diagnosis ‘easier and faster’
Only one elevated FSH result is necessary to diagnose premature ovarian insufficiency in the presence of disordered menstruation, according to updated international advice. It says…
Queensland hints it could restart physician assistant recruitment
Doctors have warned health officials against hiring more physician assistants to work in public hospitals after a senior bureaucrat hinted it was on the agenda.…
Healthcare system faces meltdown after 200 hospital psychiatrists resign — AusDoc speaks with one of them
The clock is ticking on one of the biggest crises in the Australian public hospital system. In seven days, more than 200 staff psychiatrists in…
Mark Butler rules out private health insurers subsidising GP visits, warning of ‘two-tier system in basic general practice’
The Minister for Health and Aged Care has “no plans” to let private health insurers subsidise GP care to compensate for Medicare’s shortfalls. Journalists asked…
PBAC wants nurse practitioners to initiate PBS medicines
Restrictions on nurse practitioners initiating PBS medicines should be scrapped with few exceptions, the PBAC has recommended. For nurse practitioners with PBS prescribing rights, most…
Pharma pushes for GLP-1 receptor agonist to be listed on the PBS for obesity
Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is readying a PBAC application for tirzepatide, which if successful, would become the first GLP-1 receptor agonist publicly funded for obesity…
One-fifth of GP practices still offering universal bulk-billing, survey suggests
A fifth of GP practices bulk-bill all new non-concessional adult patients, compared with a quarter of practices a year ago, according to a survey by…
Dr Nick Coatsworth warns of ‘specialist pay arms race’ as 200 public hospital psychiatrists threaten to quit
Dr Nick Coatsworth has attacked threats from more than 200 of the 260 psychiatrists working in NSW public hospitals to quit next week, saying the…
Referral service halts plan to charge GP practices $1000 subscription fees after backlash
The country’s largest secure messaging service has put on hold its plan to charge practices up to $1000 a year to make digital referrals using its platforms. GPs were outraged by…
