Health Report - Separate stories podcast

In the news:
Modelling on the impact of Victoria's Covid vaccinations during the Delta wave shows the effects of herd immunity, with non vaccinated individuals being protected as well.
Studies and reports out this week have shed light on the impact on different parts of the health system as one of the larger sections of the population (boomers) reaches an age where their health is in decline. Is this a permanent crisis or a temporary blip, and how should it be managed?
References
Journal of the Royal Society Interface: Quantifying the direct and indirect impact of COVID-19 vaccination: evidence from Victoria, Australia
AIHW: Health Expenditure Australia 2024-2025
Australian College of Emergency Medicine: State of Emergency
JAMA Neurology: Global Incidence of All-Cause Dementia, A Meta-Analysis

Patients say prescribed treatment can vary when it comes to two of the most widely experienced effects of menopause, vasomotor (hot flushes) and genitourinary symptoms. 
New guidelines for clinicians will clarify when to use hormone therapy over other medicines, and what options are available for those with a history of breast cancer.
Guest/s
Dr Catriona Melville, specialist gynaecologist and sub-specialist in sexual and reproductive health and Guideline Development Group Chair, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 
References
RANZCOG Management of vasomotor and genitourinary symptoms of menopause clinical guideline

The author of a study investigating what goes on in the gut microbiome of people who have and are being treated for cancer, says there are some surprising results. 
They looked at whether or not there is an association with gut bacteria and several different types of cancers and what they found could lead to treatments that reduce the side effects of cancer treatments and potential links between some early onset cancers and the gut microbiome.
Guest/s
Dr Purna Kashyap, Professor of Medicine and Physiology at Mayo Clinic and the Bernard and Edith Waterman Director of the Microbiome Program
References
Cell: Microbiome signatures linked to cancer and treatment adverse events in a real-world cohort

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.
You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

In the news:
1.9 million Australians are taking more than five different medicines daily. And the number of medicines you take increases with age. What are the implications of 'polypharmacy' on your health?
Being vaccinated against HPV before pregnancy has benefits for pregnancy outcomes.
An unconfirmed case of pneumonic plague in Russia has caused international concern. Do you need to be worried?
 
References
AIHW: Polypharmacy in Australia in 2025
BMJ: Quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccination before pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes: nationwide, populationbased case-control study
ABC News: Russia rails against online 'plague' claims, but few in Irkutsk trust authorities