Australia has its first new cancer screening programme in 20 years, this time for lung cancer. Today we’ll be discussing this new programme in depth as well as the role of primary care and the supports available in delivering the programme.This podcast is Sponsored by the Australian Government National Lung Cancer Screening Program.Professor Vivienne Milch is Medical Director, at Cancer Australia. Professor Milch is also Medical Advisor to the Australian Commonwealth Department of Health, Disability and Ageing on cancer screening policy.Professor Milch holds a Master’s degree in Health Policy and is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Medicine, Sydney Campus at The University of Notre Dame, Australia and Professorial Fellow at the Caring Futures Institute at Flinders University in Adelaide. Prior to joining Cancer Australia, Professor Milch was a General Practitioner and clinical researcher at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney. Relevant links:the Investigating Symptoms of Lung Cancer guideHealthcare Provider ToolkitThe NLCSP websiteProgram GuidelinesGP guide resourceReducing stigma in the programLow-dose CT Scan request formeLearning modules developed by Lung Foundation AustraliaActionable additional findings guidelines

Today we are exploring cardiac surgery in elderly patients.This podcast is sponsored by Macquarie University Hospital, part of Macquarie University Health – a trailblazer in healthcare, education and research.Professor Michael Vallely is a leading cardiothoracic surgeon who has clinical and academic interests in minimising the invasiveness of cardiothoracic surgery and is a world authority on total arterial, anaortic, off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery. He also has interests in minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS and Da Vinci robotic surgery), transcatheter (TAVI and Mitra-Clip) cardiac surgery, thoracic aortic surgery, geriatric cardiac surgery, and hybrid procedures including the use of ECMO.Dr Nargis Shaheen is a consultant geriatrician with a special interest in perioperative medicine working at Macquarie University Hospital and Concord Hospital. She is a member of the ANZCA perioperative care working group and is involved in perioperative medicine teaching.

Welcome to this podcast from the Medical Journal of Australia. My name is Sally Block, the MJA’s news and online editor. “The MJA acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which we live and work across Australia.  This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present.” Between 1968 and 1970, Australia was hit by a pandemic known as the Hong Kong Flu. The MJA is publishing an historical piece about the pandemic and its impact. Dr John Gerrard is the Infectious Diseases Physician at the Gold Coast University Hospital and  former Chief Health Officer of Queensland.

Today we are exploring advances in glaucoma and age-related macular disease. This podcast is sponsored by Macquarie University Hospital, part of Macquarie University Health – a trailblazer in healthcare, education and research.Dr Helen Do is an ophthalmic surgeon with a specialising in medical retina and cataract surgery with a focus on diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration at Macquarie University hospital. She is a clinical lecturer at Macquarie University and Sydney University. And Dr Aparna Raniga is a glaucoma and cataract specialist surgeon with a focus on diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration at Macquarie University Hospital. 

A little over 10 years ago the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care released its first national clinical care standard.A perspective on the subject is published in the MJA today and a webinar is being held tomorrow where the Commission will showcase the five stories of excellence discussed in today’s podcast. The link to the webinar will be is hereThe Chief Medical Officer of the Commission Conjoint Professor Carolyn Hullick  and its Clinical Care Standards Director Dr Alice Bhasale join me on today's podcast.

The likelihood of a man or woman dying of coronary heart disease is much less than it was half a century ago with better treatments and a reduction in smoking. However, as our special guests will explain today, the overall burden of coronary disease continues to grow and it still remains the single leading cause of death in Australia.  Professor Will Parsonage is Clinical Director at the Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation and Senior Staff Cardiologist at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and St Vincent's Private Hospital. Associate Professor Sarah Zaman is an Academic Interventional Cardiologist at Westmead Hospital and the University of Sydney. They are co authors on  the The Lancet Commission on rethinking coronary artery disease and they have written about it for the MJA’s InSight+ and they join me now.

Australia’s privacy regulator has recently updated its guidance to clinicians about contacting their patients’ relatives about their genetic risk of disease. The MJA is featuring an article on the subject by Dr Jane Tiller as an Online First this week, ahead of its publication in the Journal in August. Dr Tiller is a lawyer, genetic counsellor and public health researcher. She’s the Ethical, Legal and Social Adviser in Public Health Genomics at Monash University.

It’s NAIDOC week and the MJA’s – special issue on Indigenous Health “The MJA acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which we live and work across Australia.  This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Wangal people and pay my respects to their Elders past and present.” Associate Professor Paul Saunders is a proud Biripi man whose family comes from the mid north coast of New South Wales. He is the associate professor and academic lead for Indigenous Health in the Graduate School of Medicine at the University of Wollongong. He is one of the Guest editorial team and is our podcast guest today.

Today we are joined by Dr Brandon Baraty and Associate Professor Viraj Kariyawasam, two leading experts in gastroenterology, to discuss the latest in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management and bowel cancer screening. They’ll share insights into the most recent advancements in diagnostic techniques and cutting-edge treatment options shaping the future of patient care.This podcast is sponsored by Macquarie University Hospital, part of MQ Health - a trailblazer in healthcare, education and research.Dr Baraty is a senior Gastroenterologist, Hepatologist, and Endoscopist. He is the Head of Discipline of Gastroenterology at Macquarie University Hospital and the Director of Endoscopy at Ryde Hospital. Dr Baraty specialises in IBD care and is a leading expert in transabdominal ultrasound for IBD assessment in New South Wales.Associate Professor Kariyawasam is a Senior Gastroenterologist, Hepatologist, and Endoscopist at Macquarie University Hospital and Concord Hospital. He holds a PhD from Sydney University and has completed international fellowship training in IBD. He is dedicated to advancing IBD diagnosis and management while actively supporting patient advocacy and education.

 In this episode we are exploring advances in pulmonary hypertension as well as symptoms, treatments, and its connection to rheumatological patients and much more.This podcast is sponsored by Macquarie University Hospital, part of MQ Health – a trailblazer in healthcare, education and research.Associate Professor Martin Brown is a cardiologist specialising in advanced heart failure, complex structural heart disease, and pulmonary hypertension. A Clinical Associate Professor at Macquarie University, he currently leads several international trials on heart failure and pulmonary hypertension and has developed the right heart catheter virtual reality training program being used worldwide.Associate Professor Fred Joshua is a physician specialising in rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis. He pioneered rheumatological ultrasound in Australia and developed a degree for rheumatologists through the Australian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine. He is an Associate Professor of Medicine and the Rheumatology Clinical Discipline Head at Macquarie University.

This week is the General Practice issue of the MJA. One of the authors featured is Dr Michael Wright, the President of Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. He is a co-author on the paper "The impact of patient enrolment in primary care on continuity and quality of care around the world, 2014–2024, and lessons for Australia: a scoping review."

The Menzies School of Health Research is celebrating its 40th anniversary.It’s Australia’s leading medical research institute for improving health outcomes for First Nations people and its reach now extends beyond our shores to the Asia Pacific region.To commemorate this milestone, Menzies has chosen a collection of papers published in the MJA to highlight their research.Professor Alan Cass AO is the Director of Menzies and joins me now to discuss its work, its history and its future.

Osteoporosis, which is characterised by low bone density and bone tissue deterioration, affects two thirds of Australians over the age of 50.Healthy Bones Australia has been contracted by The Department of Health and Aged Care to update the 2017 guidelines for osteoporosis management.A summary of this update has now been published in the Medical Journal of Australia.Professor Peter Wong is a rheumatologist and head of Rheumatology at Westmead Hospital and the honorary medical director of Healthy Bones Australia.He is one of the co-authors of the guidelines and joins me now.

Today we are exploring Respiratory Syncytial Virus in infants including its spread, its treatment and impact on families.This podcast was created with the support of our sponsor Sanofi. Dr Rama Kandasamy is a paediatrician working at the Sydney Childrens Hospital network and the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance.

Today we are exploring the topic of Translational Orthopaedic Research in Practice.This podcast is sponsored by Macquarie University Hospital, part of MQ Health - a trailblazer in healthcare, education and research.Joining me is Associate Professor Sumit Raniga who is an award winning sub-specialist internationally recognised. orthopaedic shoulder and elbow surgeon. He is the Director of the Translational   Orthopaedic Research Lab and Head of Upper Limb Surgery and Therapy at Macquarie University Hospital. Dr Michael Dan is a lower limb orthopaedic specialist with further formal subspeciality training from the Lyon Knee School in France. 

It’s coming up to this year’s International Women’s Day, and today’s guests will talk about continuing gender in equality in health. In an article published today in The MJA’s InSight+,  PhD candidate Rachel Mather who is a committee member of Women in Global Health Australia and Associate Professor Meru Sheel who is chair of the organisation state that women occupy 70% of frontline health positions and only 25% of leadership positions in global health. 

Suicide is the leading cause of death for women during the perinatal phase of pregnancy. And one in 10 men suffer from perinatal depression according to Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia or PANDA.As healthcare practitioners – what signs should you be on the look out for when you’re seeing patients.To explore this, PANDA CEO Julie Borninkhof joins me now.

Today we are exploring an MJA supplement on ethics in health and medical research in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It’s called Murru Minya and I’m joined by two of the co-ordinating authors Felicity Collis, a Gomeroi woman and Associate Professor Michelle Kennedy a Wiradjuri woman. 

Today we are exploring advanced  back pain management and robotic advances in spinal surgery.  This podcast is sponsored by Macquarie University Hospital, part of MQ Health - a trailblazer in healthcare, education and research.Today I am joined by two guests, my first is Associate Professor Tillman Boesel.  He is a pain management specialist who practises at Macquarie University Hospital and Macquarie Neurosurgery and Spine. He Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University’s Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Human Sciences.The second guest is Dr Matthew Tait is a neurosurgeon who specialises in spinal disorders and cerebrovascular diseases. He practises at Macquarie University Hospital and Macquarie Neurosurgery and Spine. He is a Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University’s Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Human Sciences.

Today we are exploring male infertility, from causes to treatment options.This podcast is sponsored by Genea Fertility. Genea has been helping create families for almost four decades. Their world leading IVF science and technology delivers success rates consistently higher than the national average, ensuring your patients have the best chance of a healthy baby. Referral and patient resources can be found at genea.com.au’Dr Chandrika Parmar is an immensely experienced fertility specialist and gynaecologist, practicing fertility medicine and IVF in Melbourne for the last two decades.She operates from Epworth Freemasons Private Hospital in East Melbourne and performs clinical fertility services from Genea East Melbourne.