New research confirming that older men have a much higher risk of dying in the first 12 months post hip fracture than women, University of Adelaide researchers have said. [ + ]

Dental disease was the second most common reason Medibank policy holders needed a visit to the hospital, making up 18% of admissions in the 2014, new data from Medibank Private has shown. [ + ]

The prospect of an MRI scan is, for many patients, something that induces a lot of fear and anxiety. [ + ]

The National E- Health Translation Authority (NEHTA) has announced that it will offer funding to private hospitals in order to integrate their systems to the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR). [ + ]

The Australian Research Council's  (ARC) chief executive officer professor Aidan Byrne has welcomed the opening of the new ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics at The University of Adelaide. [ + ]

Adult survivors of retinoblastoma, a type of eye cancer that usually develops in early childhood, have few cognitive or social problems decades following their diagnosis and treatment. [ + ]

Research showing how immunity-protecting cells band together and create pathways, or ‘immunological memory’ could lead to more specific and improved vaccination strategies. [ + ]

Young adult cancer specialists have banded together to highlight to GPs the growing network of age-specific dedicated cancer services for 15 - 25 year olds in Australia. [ + ]

Research on brain training by the University of Sydney's  Regenerative Neuroscience Group shows computer-based systems can boost memory and thinking skills in older adults. [ + ]

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)  has issued a final decision re-authorising policies that  govern the selection and interviewing of applicants to study medicine at Australian graduate-entry medical schools. [ + ]

With very little information on how and why people with cancer visit an emergency department available,  a new report by the Bureau of Health Information (BHI) and the Cancer Institute NSW has shed light on the subject. [ + ]

As part of the National Prescribing Service’s Antibiotics Awareness Week (17–23 November), the Australian Dental Association (ADA) is calling on health professionals and patients to take the pledge to exercise care in the prescription of antibiotics. [ + ]

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A new, low impact low energy laser treatment for patients with early age-related macular degeneration has produced positive results by reducing indicators of the disease.    Researchers from the University of Melbourne found unlike other laser treatments, this new faster laser did not result in damage to the retina, the sensitive light detecting tissue at the back of the eye.    Associate Professor Erica Fletcher from the university's department of Anatomy and Neuroscience said this was the first report detailing how this new laser treatment may improve eye health in those with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In the early stages, the disease is characterised by the presence of small fatty deposits called drusen and thickening in a membrane at the back of the eye.   Published this week in Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), the study explores how this laser may help in limiting retinal disease, showing that it improved the health of important supporting cells at the back of the eye.     “These findings suggest treating people with AMD  with this new nanosecond laser reduces signs of the disease. Importantly, unlike other lasers currently used to treat eye disease, the nanosecond laser does not result in damage to the sensitive retina,” she said.   The study also showed evidence that nanosecond laser treatment in one eye can also produce positive effects in the other untreated eye. This raises the possibility that monocular treatment may be sufficient to treat disease in both eyes.   AMD affects one in seven people over the age of 50 with the incidence increasing in age. It is responsible for 48 per cent of severe vision loss in Australia with an estimated 17,700 new cases each year.    This research was conducted in collaboration with the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) through the ongoing Laser intervention in Early Age-related macular Degeneration (LEAD) study and the laser is manufactured in Australia. [ + ]

Research which shows that misconceptions about antibiotics continue to drive inappropriate patient and doctor behaviour has drawn comment from NPS MedicineWise in Antibiotic Awareness Week. [ + ]