This week's top health stories

Rudd pledges doctor training funding boost

Lateline - 15/03/2010
Kevin Rudd has promised a huge financial injection into doctor training to massively boost the number of qualified GPs and specialists.

Rudd promises more doctors

7.30 Report - 15/03/2010
The Rudd Government has promised to spend more than $600 million over the next four years to employ more General Practitioners. But will the latest government health promise deliver doctors where they're needed?

First ever treatment guidelines for perinatal depression

PM - 15/03/2010
Clinicians should soon have more help treating depression in young people, pregnant women and new mothers with the development of new guidelines. It's the first time there have been guidelines for young people for many years and the first time ever mental health in pregnancy has been given such priority.

Govt promises $632m in training to address doctor shortages

PM - 15/03/2010
The Prime Minister's promised $632m over the next 10 years to train a record number of doctors to address the problem of shortages across the nation. The Government hopes the new money will help convince state and territory leaders that they should support Mr Rudd's national health and hospital network.

New standards for disabled access

The World Today - 15/03/2010
New standards to make public buildings more accessible to disabled people are expected to come into force in May next year. The Disability Discrimination Commissioner and the Master Builders Association have welcomed the Government action, despite what they've termed a difficult process.

Cancer linked to CAT scan

The World Today - 15/03/2010
The Federal Government's Professional Services Review says the high rate of CAT scans in Australia could be increasing the rate of cancer. The Medicare watchdog is warning doctors to carefully consider the risk of cancer-causing radiation to patients before prescribing CT scans.

NHMRC reassures scientists over grants

The World Today - 15/03/2010
The National Health and Medical Research Council is urging Australian scientists to persevere with the new electronic grant application system. The deadline for submissions has been pushed back to cope with outages and crashes that have prevented researchers from completing their applications.

Researchers uncover thalidomide mystery

Science Online - 15/03/2010
Japanese scientists have uncovered how thalidomide led to deformities in children born to mothers taking the drug in the 1950s and 1960s, according to a study.

Doctors ordering too many CT scan tests

AM - 15/03/2010
There's concern about the overuse of CT scans in Australia and doctors are being urged to stop the indiscriminate ordering of scans. The Medicare watchdog says there's an alarming trend of doctors using the scans without clinical justification and not understanding the health risks. The scans can lead to an increased risk of cancer. The peak group for GPs concedes doctors should scale back their reliance on CT scan tests.

Boy or Girl: Aust parents could soon choose

AM - 13/03/2010
Prospective parents in Australia could soon be able to choose whether they want a boy or a girl via IVF. The National Health and Medical Research Council is considering whether to overturn its guidelines banning the practice. Several other countries do allow the choice.