Pharmaceuticals

One in seven Australians are taking antidepressants, but some of them only find out about the adverse withdrawal symptoms called "brain zaps" through online forums and TikTok.

The only pharmaceutical company in Australia which supplies the critical ADHD drug Vyvanse is in the grips of a global shortage, plunging some Australians into fear and uncertainty.

Doctors hold growing concerns about a significant shortage of opioid pain medicines given to some of the sickest Australians.

Since January 1, Victorians have no longer had access to any 24-hour pharmacies as cuts to government funding shrink the opening hours at local chemists.

Prescriptions may be subsidised but the cost of over-the-counter pharmacy products is adding up for the chronically ill.

The culmination of birth control content on social media gives the distinct impression that young women today are well and truly fed up with the pill. In Australia, however, the research suggests a different reality.

Not since Viagra has the world of medicine seen a bigger "accident" but if Ozempic can tackle the challenges obesity has presented in recent decades, there could be a profound impact on the global economy, writes Ian Verrender.

Australia's medicines regulator issues a public safety warning over unauthorised replicas of the popular weight loss drug Ozempic, after an ABC investigation revealed hundreds of patients have been ordering off-brand versions online.

After months of speculation, the retail pharmacy juggernaut that is Chemist Warehouse will merge with Sigma Healthcare to create the biggest pharmacy company in Australia. Here's how the deal came to fruition, and what it means for their hundreds of stores.

New COVID booster shots are now available in Australia. So who should get one, and will it protect against the virus in time for Christmas?

More people are using medical cannabis than ever before, but some health professionals are concerned that the explosion in clinics and online services may not meet the holistic approach to healthcare.

Since a surprise decision by Australia's drug regulator to approve the use of psychedelic drugs MDMA and psilocybin in treatment of mental illness, public interest has spiked. But those working in the field are calling for their concerns about the rollout to be urgently addressed.

Artist Trish Jackson, a survivor of the Thalidomide scandal says an apology should have happened years and years ago and called for actions to simplify health funds for survivors. 

Single-use vapes will be banned from being imported into Australia from January in the first stage of a government crackdown against recreational vaping.

Antimicrobial resistance is corroding one of the core pillars of modern pharmaceuticals, and it is rampant. Yet we do not know how many AMR incidents are occurring across Australia, nor how many antibiotics are in circulation, writes Linton Besser. 

Lisa McManus was born with deformities after her mum took a morning sickness drug during pregnancy. She's been waiting years for the government to apologise for allowing thalidomide on Australian shelves.

Probiotics that fill supermarket shelves promise to boost your digestion and immune system. Some even claim they can help people with an irritable bowel or low mood. Let's look at the evidence.

Five ACT pharmacies will take part in a trial letting chemists resupply some oral contraceptives, but with tight requirements — including that patients have been prescribed the medication for over two years, are aged between 18 and 35, and are using it for contraceptive purposes.

As floodwaters cut off towns and Aboriginal communities during the devastating Kimberley floods this year, pharmacist Mary Baker had one main concern: How to get critical medications to those in need. She's since been nominated for the National Rural and Remote Health Award.

The first-ever bill to create a legal recreational marijuana market in Australia was lodged in federal parliament earlier this year — but not all cannabis enthusiasts are on board with the proposal to legalise it.

Women are being thrust back to the most severe stages of menopause amid long-running shortages of hormone replacement therapy patches.

An investigation into the business practices of a podiatrist who describes himself as probably the highest-paid practitioner in Australia has exposed some deep failings in the health system that open it up to rorting and privacy breaches.

It's Australia's worst pharmaceutical disaster. Now, more than 60 years later, thalidomide survivors and their families will receive a national apology.

A young pharmacy student never imaged a serious golfing mishap would lead to a lifelong business and romantic partnership.

Wouldn't it be handy if we could be vaccinated against influenza and COVID-19 with a single shot? Early clinical trials indicate that could be possible in a few years.