Chewing gum myth busted by expert as ‘old wives’ tale’
If you’re one of many people who have swallowed a whole piece of chewing gum by accident, one question likely popped in your head right after that startling sensation. How…
Adelaide woman one of 30 cases worldwide of broad ligament leiomyosarcoma
An Adelaide woman has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that has been reported in less than 30 other cases worldwide. Mother of two, Lara Hall, 38, was…
Perth FIFO worker Adam Edwards takes his life while grieving stillborn twins
A beloved “larger than life” FIFO worker has taken his own life at a WA mine site while mourning his stillborn twins. Adam Edwards, 32, died suddenly last week at…
Health officials speak on human metapneumovirus as cases surge in NSW
A potentially deadly but little-known respiratory virus is picking up momentum in Australia’s most populated state, with more than 1100 infections recorded in one week. Many who have contracted human…
Brayden Chater was young and healthy but meningococcal B left him completely defenceless
Strapping young Brayden Chater was a great defender for his local rugby league team who loved to tackle. Which is ironic, because the lack of a meningococcal B vaccine on…
COVID-19 third-leading cause of Australian deaths in 2022: ABS
COVID-19 has emerged as one of Australia’s deadliest diseases, surpassed only by heart disease and dementia. Nearly 10,000 Australians – 9859 people – died from the virus last year and…
Methamphetamine traces detected at multiple Brisbane parks, in 7NEWS investigation
Parents are being warned about the prospect of methamphetamine contamination in public spaces after a 7NEWS investigation found traces of the drug at multiple southeast Queensland parks. Of the 15…
Third gastro outbreak reported at Melbourne venue The Park
A popular Melbourne venue has recorded a third gastro outbreak and says it will now temporarily close as it investigates whether the incident is linked to two previous outbreaks. At…
Bupa announces $75 million cash boost before Christmas for 1.8 million Australians
A neat $75 million in profits will be shared between health insurance company Bupa’s 1.8 million eligible policyholders this year. Payments of between $47 and $344 will begin hitting bank…
Victorian family’s six months of agony before discovering tiny battery was behind daughter’s sickness
A Victorian family has launched legal action after it took doctors half a year to find a button battery swallowed by their daughter. Shaylah Carmichael’s parents were sent on an…
New Zealand woman dies from cancer weeks after visiting doctor
A woman who went to her doctor with deteriorating symptoms didn’t have her vital signs checked and died a few weeks later from esophageal cancer that went undetected. The woman,…
Rachel’s best friend of 20 years took his life. She’s putting ‘one foot forward’ for mental health support
Rachel Lee remembers the last time she heard from her best friend of two decades, Daniel Stone. “He sent me a message just full of hope and happiness, and he…
Aspiring Adelaide rapper with epilepsy remembered for generous soul
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this story contains images of people who have died Friends and family have paid tribute to aspiring Adelaide rapper Tyrone Anthony…
Tasmanian woman Janette MacLeod’s warning since becoming a quadriplegic
Janette MacLeod had ridden in the back of a ute before — in fact, she said it was fairly common for people in country areas. But after an accident at…
Ozempic shortage in Australia sparks new supply rules
The national medicine regulator has introduced restrictions on the prescription of diabetes drug Ozempic to help manage an international shortage. Danish company Novo Nordisk advised the Therapeutic Goods Administration that…
Victorians warned as cases of infectious skin disease Buruli ulcer increase
Victorians have been urged to stay on high alert as cases of a flesh-eating bacterial infection increase in the state. Coburg grandmother Fiona Wordie first felt an itch on her…
Abortion decriminalised in WA amid sweeping reforms
Abortion has been removed from Western Australia’s criminal code and access will be easier for women, in sweeping reforms passed by the state parliament. The amended laws to address inequity…
Jenay and Aaron went through five years of IVF to conceive Kyson. Within an hour of his birth, he died
Jenay Berg and Aaron Hilton went through five years of IVF treatments, undergoing multiple treatment rounds and procedures. Finally, the New Zealand couple discovered on Christmas Day in 2022 their…
Angelina had dreams of working in the beauty industry. Now her life is forever changed by an ‘old person’ disease
Most people think dementia is only something to worry about in old age, but the disease is surprisingly common in children, placing a devastating burden on kids and their families.…
Chicken product blamed for three-state listeria outbreak
Shredded chicken sold to restaurants, cafés and hospitals is being blamed for a listeria outbreak across three states following an investigation by Queensland authorities. M&J Chickens’ easy serve breast fillet…
Bunnings urged by CMFEU boss to pull engineered stone from shelves amid safety concerns
Bunnings has been urged to pull engineered stone bench top products from its shelves over concerns about the presence of silica and corresponding health issues. The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining…
Melbourne cyclist Christiaan Nyssen almost loses eye after magpie swoop at Yarrawonga near the Victorian-NSW border
A Melbourne cyclist who almost lost an eye after being swooped by a magpie is encouraging other riders to wear sunglasses this season. Sunbury man Christiaan Nyssen was riding his…
Warning after Aussie beauty queen Tirah Ciampa’s devastating pancreatic cancer diagnosis
For months, Tirah Ciampa struggled with excruciating stomach pains she dismissed as cramps — until she discovered she was actually suffering from pancreatic cancer. Ciampa, from Hobart, started penning “goodbye…
CRPS patient Jazmin Farr’s family seek treatment in US while new trial awaits funding in Australia
Jazmin Farr, 11, can no longer enjoy the small things in life that most kids can because of a chronic pain condition that has her wheelchair-bound and anxious about its…
Major investigation into listeria outbreak after cases reported at Queensland health facilities
A major investigation is underway into an outbreak of listeria across health facilities in Queensland, with cases also reported in three other states. A Mater Hospital Brisbane spokesperson confirmed cases…
Arkansas toddler dies of rare brain-eating amoeba infection likely contracted at local pool
An Arkansas toddler died of a rare brain-eating amoeba infection, which was likely contracted at a splash pad at a country club, according to health officials and the county coroner.…
The pinky promise to Lily Thai behind Annaliese Holland’s City to Bay walk
A young South Australian woman with a terminal illness is set to honour the legacy of her friend, who ended her life through voluntary assisted dying earlier this year. Lily…
Australian traveller discovers thick layer of dust on her chair while on Qantas flight: ‘It’s a disgrace’
Lalo Hadley couldn’t figure out why her asthma was flaring up so badly while on board a packed Qantas flight from Jakarta to Sydney on September 1. Then she turned…
Health funds slugging single parents more than couples to add kids to insuarance
Single parents are being charged more than two-parent families by health insurers when they add children to their policies. According to new research by consumer advocacy group CHOICE, couples who…
Queensland family moves 1000km after seven-year-old’s swollen gland diagnosed as Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Seven-year-old Mack loved nothing more than enjoying life barefoot at his family farm, “playing and exploring with animals”. But a lifestyle of outdoor adventure was soon cut short when the…
Tourist warning after dozens of harmful bites from ‘wild and feral’ animals carrying diseases
More than a dozen NSW residents each month are seeking treatment for bites and scratches from animals sustained while travelling overseas. The state’s health department has issued a warning to…
Coronial investigation launched into death of Queensland man Kyle Gallagher at STARS in Brisbane
A Queensland family is expected to face a torturous months-long wait for answers over the unexplained death of their son at a Brisbane rehabilitation facility. Kyle Gallagher, 22, died while…
Euky Bear Warm Steam Vaporiser recalled due to overheating problems
A vaporiser used to help children with nasal congestion and sold at Chemist Warehouse has been recalled due to fears it could overheat. A number of Euky Bear Warm Steam…
Lola was given Panadol and sent home from hospital. Hours later, her parents found her dead in her crib
A Queensland family is demanding answers after their baby girl was discharged from hospital while experiencing breathing problems – and found dead in her crib hours later. “Lola got sick…
‘Dinner plate-sized’ medical tool found inside woman 18 months after she gave birth
A woman has suffered crippling pain when a medical device the size of a dinner plate was left inside her abdomen for 18 months after she gave birth via cesarean…
3200 deaths a year: One of many reasons air pollution demands urgent action in Australia
This article first appeared in The Conversation. Australia is holding its collective breath ahead of a bushfire season that may bring a return of the smoke linked to 400 deaths…
Strep A symptoms misdiagnosed as common cold after NSW child rushed to ICU
Justin Sutton was told his five-year-old daughter’s symptoms were simply part of having a common cold. However, just days later, his daughter Cassie would pass away from a dangerous but…
Two babies die while homeless during WA housing crisis
A WA mother whose child died while she battled to secure housing said she did everything possible for her baby boy. Ten-month-old Kenneth’s lifeless body was found in a bed…
TB outbreak in APY lands results in more confirmed cases
More than 700 people have been screened and 13 cases confirmed in a tuberculosis outbreak on South Australia’s northern Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands. The outbreak was first detected in March…
Uranium ‘yellowcake’ found at Castle Hill High School in Sydney amid asbestos investigation
Uranium has been discovered at a high school in Sydney’s northwest, amid an investigation into asbestos, which was previously found onsite. The material was found on August 30 in a…
Staff to be moved out of mouldy Adelaide unplanned pregnancy centre
Staff who work at a Pregnancy Advisory Centre in Woodville will be moved out of the building after complaints it contained mould, was prone to bug infestations and had a…
Victorian State Coroner John Cain calls for drug testing after MDMA death follows Melbourne’s Karnival music festival
Victoria’s top coroner has repeated a plea for the state to offer drug testing following the death of a 26-year-old, suspected to have overdosed after taking a notorious “blue punisher”…
WA tradie Stephan Giersberg reveals how nail was shot into his eye while working on Boyup Brook home
WARNING: Graphic content A WA handyman has been labelled a “medical unicorn” and is miraculously set to retain 100 per cent of his vision after doctors delicately removed a nail…
Adelaide man Carlo Onorato paralysed from rare neurological condition
Carlo Onorato could never have predicted or prevented a health condition that would leave him paralysed from the waist down, he said. But ultimately, it taught him he is capable…
Roundup blamed for cancer pain in landmark class action
A landmark class action over a widely used weedkiller will come down to science as hundreds of Australian cancer patients seek reparations. The case, launched by Maurice Blackburn Lawyers on…
Perth woman Jasmine De Mamiel-Clapp opens up on battle with large arteriovenous malformation
A young Perth woman faces an uncertain future because a basketball-sized growth is placing extreme stress on her heart and causing her crippling pain. Jasmine De Mamiel-Clapp lives with a…
Health professionals warn of potentially deadly asthma during Australian thunderstorm season
A mix of high pollen counts and the beginning of thunderstorm season could be a deadly combination, health professionals have warned. Australia is one of the world’s more allergy-prone countries,…
Millions of Aussies can now get prescriptions for half the price in first stage of federal government’s 60-day dispensing policy
Millions of Australians living with ongoing health conditions can now get cheaper medicines under the first stage of the federal government’s 60-day dispensing policy. From Friday, consumers with chronic conditions…
Queensland government scraps COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health workers
Healthcare workers without the COVID-19 vaccination will return to Queensland hospitals as the government begins consultation to scrap a pandemic-enforced rule. Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the decision to enforce…