[caption id="attachment_8246" align="alignright" width="133"] Professor Warwick Anderson[/caption] [ + ]

Scientists have sequenced the genome and characterised the genes of the Asian liver fluke, Opisthorchis viverrini, which causes diseases that affect millions of people in Asia and is associated with a fatal bile duct cancer.  [ + ]

The need to fast track real-time prescription reporting for some drugs has been given renewed impetus in a study highlighting the increasing risks of opioid misuse. The study, “An overview of the patterns of prescription opioid use, costs and related harms in Australia”, published in the June edition of the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, finds that between 1992 and 2012, opioid dispensing increased 15-fold (500,000 to 7.5 million) and the corresponding cost to the Australian government increased 32-fold ($8.5 million to $271 million). [ + ]

General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) has announced the candidates for the 2014 Board elections. [ + ]

News of a long-running failure in the routine x-ray reporting of Gold Coast patients’ will be the centre of an independent investigation, ordered by Queensland Health Minister, Lawrence Springborg. [ + ]

Western Australian GP, Adjunct Associate Professor Frank Jones was today announced President-elect of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and has vowed to place general practice at the heart of public dialogue. [ + ]

Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, the first integrated Cancer Centre in Australia, has been recognised with two significant global healthcare design awards, and is one of four shortlisted health projects at the 2014 World Architecture Festival. [ + ]

Following this week’s announcement by Health Minister, The Hon Peter Dutton, regarding the legalisation of HIV self-tests in Australia, the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) calls for a cautious introduction of these tests and a comprehensive education campaign for potential users. [ + ]

Today the use of ionising radiation for medical imaging and radiation therapy is such a core part of both diagnosis and treatment that much is taken for granted.  It is commonly seen as a small part of the total hospital experience and yet there has been an extraordinary evolution both in the technology available and the techniques used by trained practitioners. The impact of these advances is significant, with new imaging techniques being constantly applied across the medical specialties, writes David Collier. [ + ]

A new national electronic donor record system to streamline organ and tissue donation processes across Australian hospital networks has been announced by Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash. [ + ]

From 26 May – 15 June, 2245 junior doctors who applied for entry into the Australian General Practice Training program (AGPT) undertook the first stage of their selection process online for the first time. [ + ]

Scientists have succeeded in identifying the major underlying mutations in pancreatic and ovarian cancers, two of Australia’s most ruthless cancers. [ + ]

Twenty-six small hospitals and nursing posts in the Central Wheatbelt and Great Southern regions of Western Australia will be upgraded as part of a major $325.8million healthcare infrastructure boost.  Health Minister Kim Hames and Regional Development Minister Terry Redman today announced $108.8million of funding for a range of health projects as part of the State Government’s Southern Inland Health Initiative (SIHI).   Dr Hames said work on the hospital upgrades and nursing posts was expected to start before the end of the year and be complete late in 2016.   “Community consultations and planning will continue to be undertaken to determine what works will be carried out to the small hospitals and nursing posts,” he said. “In some cases the works may involve infrastructure upgrades and may include an upgrade to the existing facility, this will be determined during the planning and consultation phase.”   Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said planning for health reform has been under way since 2011 and a number of milestones had been reached to date.   “These include the installation of Telehealth strategy across the region, an attraction strategy to increase the number of General Practitioners in regional towns, a 24/7 roster in larger emergency departments and an Emergency Telehealth Service,” Mr Redman said.   The $325.8million SIHI investment will involve $173.7million worth of upgrades to six district hospitals, $108.8million for upgrades and refurbishment of small hospitals and nursing posts and a further $43.3million towards the Primary Health Care Demonstration Site program, with the first two sites in Pingelly and Cunderdin under way.   The towns to benefit from the small hospital and nursing post refurbishment are:   Wheatbelt Lake Grace; Wagin; Dalwallinu; Jurien Bay; Moora; York; Southern Cross; Boddington; Dumbleyung; Beverley; Wundowie; Wyalkatchem; Goomalling; Wongan Hills; Bruce Rock; Kellerberrin; Kununoppin; Quairading; Corrigin; Narembeen; Kondinin; Mukinbudin and Williams   Great Southern Kojonup; Gnowangerup and Tambellup   [ + ]

One quarter of all injury hospitalisations were Australians aged 65 and over according to the report Hospitalised injuries in older Australians: 2011-12, released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). [ + ]

A new educational resource, designed to improve the lives of people living with chronic hepatitis B, is now available in Australia. [ + ]