Govt to stop autism ‘overservicing’ in NDIS and consider GP rebate for development checks
The Federal Government will consider a Medicare item for GP health checks for three-year-olds after announcing it will restrict National Disability In…
Antony Scholefield
Antony is a medical reporter with a special interest in technology and pharmacy.
Older patients on SSRIs at fourfold increased risk of postural hypotension, landmark study finds
Older patients prescribed antidepressants are at increased risk of postural hypotension during the first month of treatment, a study has found. The self-controlled case series…
WA Govt to let pharmacists diagnose asthma and 16 other medical conditions
Pharmacists with 12 months' additional training will be able to diagnose and prescribe S4 medicines for asthma and 16 other conditions from late 2026,…
RACGP asks TGA to remove isotretinoin prescribing restrictions
The RACGP has lodged a TGA application to let GPs prescribe isotretinoin for moderate to severe acne or treatment-resistant rosacea. While an S4 drug, isotretinoin…
Cardiologist ordered to repay $1.9 million in Medicare rebates
A cardiologist will repay $1.9 million in rebates after a committee found they had inappropriately billed initial attendance, multichannel ECG and stress echo Medicare items.…
Australian-developed model predicts second primary cancer in CRC survivors
A new model can help identify the risk of colorectal cancer survivors developing a second primary tumour. Writing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the Australian and…
Maternity care access at crisis point ‘in some areas’, Mark Butler says
Parts of Australia are facing “a crisis of access” in maternity care, the Minister for Health and Ageing has told doctors at the AMA National…
This Olympian turned politician has a mission: encouraging men to see a GP
Two metres tall with a red-and-white skunk-striped beard, the Federal Government’s “minister for men” looks like a man’s man. Dan Repacholi hopes being “a normal…
Journalists treating Medicare modelling like Watergate revelation, Mark Butler says
The Minister for Health and Ageing has slammed “bizarre reporting” of government modelling that suggests 23% of GP practices will not switch to universal bulk-billing…
Patients dislike GPs advertising their AI use, JAMA research suggests
GPs who promote their use of AI, even for administrative tasks, appear less trustworthy and empathetic, according to a research letter in JAMA Network Open.…
