Health

A recent systematic review led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) has sounded an alarm over the widening immunity gap in infants during the current global measles outbreak. Published on May 29, 2025, in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, the study underscores that maternal antibodies, which confer passive protection to newborns, wane far earlier than previously assumed—leaving a substantial proportion of babies vulnerable long before they become eligible for routine vaccination at nine months of age.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a groundbreaking framework that links the twin challenges of climate change and tuberculosis (TB), calling for urgent and coordinated action to prevent a resurgence of the world’s deadliest infectious disease. According to the report, rising temperatures, extreme weather events and environmental degradation are converging to create conditions that will worsen TB transmission, delay diagnosis and disrupt treatment—particularly among the world’s most vulnerable populations.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) affects more than one in ten adults worldwide and drives over four million ambulatory visits annually in the United States alone. Patients with CRS endure persistent nasal congestion, facial pain, discolored drainage, and a diminished sense of smell for 12 weeks or longer. Beyond nasal symptoms, CRS can profoundly impair sleep quality, cognitive function, and emotional well-being. Many sufferers experience “brain fog,” depression, anxiety, and fatigue that cascade into missed workdays, strained relationships, and reduced quality of life. Recognizing the broad systemic effects of this once-underappreciated disease, the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) convened an expert panel to develop evidence-based recommendations for surgical intervention.

The New South Wales government today unveiled landmark reforms that will allow up to 1,000 general practitioners (GPs) to manage attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) care for both children and adults. Historically, patients have needed referrals to specialist paediatricians or psychiatrists—often facing long wait times and high costs—to receive assessments, diagnoses, and ongoing prescriptions. The new measures aim to decentralise ADHD services, particularly benefitting families in regional areas who travel extensively or pay thousands for private assessments.

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has officially approved donanemab, a monoclonal antibody therapy, for use in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Developed by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, donanemab has already secured approval in the United States and other jurisdictions. Its entry into the Australian market marks a significant milestone in dementia care—offering the first disease-modifying treatment option for individuals in the initial phase of Alzheimer’s.

In a remarkable departure from the typical expectations of neurodegenerative disease trials, an experimental therapy targeting a rare genetic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has yielded unprecedented functional recoveries in some patients. The therapeutic agent, ulefnersen—formerly known as jacifusen—was developed by Columbia University neurologist Dr. Neil Shneider in collaboration with Ionis Pharmaceuticals. Data published online in The Lancet reveal that two of the 12 patients treated for juvenile-onset FUS-mutant ALS experienced dramatic improvements, including the restoration of walking ability and respiratory independence, while another asymptomatic carrier has yet to develop disease signs after three years of continuous treatment.

Australia is currently experiencing record-breaking inter-seasonal influenza activity, with more than 83,000 laboratory-confirmed flu cases reported between January and May 2025. This figure surpasses the previous year’s total at the same point by over 10,000 cases, raising alarm among public health experts who warn that winter has not even begun. Health authorities and clinicians are urging all Australians to prioritise flu vaccination and take simple precautionary measures to curb transmission.

In a landmark move coinciding with the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the World Health Organization (WHO) unveiled its first-ever Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) Dashboards on 21 May 2025. The new digital platform transforms previously static survey results into a real-time, interactive data hub that empowers Member States, researchers and health professionals to monitor TCIM policies, regulations and service integration at both global and national levels.