Category: Australia news
The move would allow for cheaper generic versions to be manufactured and distributed among developing nations faster Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates Get our free news app; get our morning email briefing Global powers have inched closer to an agreement to waive patents for Covid-19 vaccines, a move that would […]
Australia’s government is hoping the protein-based vaccine – approved by the TGA – will sway the hesitant to get the jab Australia’s medicines regulator has approved the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine for use in adults. Nuvaxovid received provisional approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration on Thursday, making it the fourth vaccine to be included in Australia’s […]
Evusheld could offer higher protection against variants and help vulnerable people ward off virus Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates Five reasons NSW Covid case numbers have stayed low since reopening Vaccine rollout tracker; Cases and data tracker NSW Covid restrictions; Victoria restrictions Download the free Guardian app; get our morning […]
As more Australians get vaccinated against Covid-19, pharmaceutical companies and researchers are already turning their focus towards what many believe will be the next big public health crisis – superbugs, or antimicrobial resistance. Described by the CSIRO as ‘the biggest human health threat, bar none’, a recent discovery by a team of Australian researchers has […]
Two applications were made to amend poisons legislation so that the pill would not need ongoing prescriptions from doctor Download the free Guardian app; get our morning email briefing A push to make the contraceptive pill available over the counter has been dismissed by Australia’s drugs regulator. In an interim decision, now open for further […]
Exclusive: Australian professor Thomas Borody’s failure to widely declare that he could potentially profit from treatment he is promoting raises ethical concerns Get our free news app; get our morning email briefing A Sydney gastroenterologist who has been enthusiastically promoting an unapproved Covid-19 treatment, including to Australian politicians and general practitioners, has filed a patent […]
After positive clinical trials for antiviral drug Molnupiravir, it joins other medicines that have shown promise Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The first clinical trial results showing a positive effect for a pill that can be taken at home has been hailed as a potential gamechanger that could provide a new […]
John Frewen says company advised the government on Friday they would deliver the full 9m doses in October Australia will get its full supply of Pfizer next month, with the head of the country’s rollout saying the company had confirmed it would provide 9m doses in October as planned. After days of uncertainty over Pfizer […]
Covid vaccination status of hundreds in limbo because the US company’s jab is yet to be approved in Australia Vaccine rollout tracker; get our free news app; get our morning email briefing Australians who participated in clinical trials of the Novavax Covid vaccine are being told their vaccinations cannot currently be recognised on Australia’s immunisation […]
Initially touted as a ‘primary’ vaccine to help immunise Australia by the end of this year, Novavax will now form part of the booster strategy One of the federal government’s key vaccine deals has been hit with major delays, with 51 million doses of Novavax originally due to arrive in the second half of this […]
Under fire for his government not reaching out to the pharmaceutical giant’s international head, health minister Greg Hunt also avoided naming the former Labor PM Scott Morrison and federal health minister Greg Hunt have not denied claims that they failed to press Australia’s case for more vaccine doses directly with Pfizer’s global chief, after revelations […]
Sandoz Australia is threatening to withdraw patches from public subsidy list if government does not agree to price hike Pharmaceutical company Sandoz Australia is in a standoff with the federal government over the pricing of hormone patches relied on by thousands of women. There is a risk that if an agreement is not reached the […]
Company says 10m could arrive by year’s end as it eyes local manufacturing opportunities Australians will have another vaccine option after the pharmaceutical company Moderna announced it has signed a deal with the federal government to provide 25m doses of its mRNA-based vaccine to the nation. The announcement was made overnight in a press release […]
The pharmaceutical giant argues waiving intellectual property protections could see scarce inputs snapped up making it harder to produce vaccines Full Story podcast: Is Australia stopping the world’s poorest nations from accessing cheap vaccines? What is patent waiving and will it solve the global shortage? Pfizer has warned Australia against joining a growing push to […]
More than 100 countries are pushing for a temporary waiver of IP rules to boost vaccine access for developing nations. Why hasn’t it been approved? As India grapples with a devastating Covid wave that has overwhelmed its hospitals, offers of aid, including from Australia, have flooded in from around the world. The help on offer […]
Pfizer boss flags likelihood that extra jabs will be required – raising prospect of increased global demand Covid booster shot could be needed after nine to 12 months, White House says Experts say suggestions that a third dose of Pfizer may be needed within 12 months again show why Australia “urgently” needs to develop an […]
Woman in her 40s in Western Australia reported to be in hospital in a stable condition after developing clot Health authorities have concluded a second case of a rare blood clot syndrome in Australia “is likely” linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine. The case occurred in a woman in her 40s who received the AstraZeneca Covid-19 […]
Experts say the development of blood clots after getting the jab is still an ‘exceedingly rare’ side effect. So what triggered the government’s change in position? Australia’s vaccine rollout is facing a major shake-up after the federal government heeded the advice of its independent health expert advisory body to avoid giving the AstraZeneca vaccine to […]
Downing Street will not confirm or deny report that more than 700,000 Covid jabs were sent after EU blocked export Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage British ministers and officials did not deny that more than 700,000 shots of the AstraZeneca vaccine were secretly dispatched from the UK to Australia a few […]
Worldwide focus on Covid-19 means a ‘minor issue’ is getting media attention, experts say Australia’s Covid vaccine rollout would be ‘dire’ without local AstraZeneca production, health chief says Australia’s drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, has dismissed questions raised about “outdated information” in AstraZeneca vaccine data by the US Data and Safety Monitoring Board. On […]
Italian government said the 250,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine must be kept in EU Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Australia has asked for a review of Italy’s decision to block the export of 250,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to its shores. In the first such intervention under the EU’s controversial […]
Row continues between EU and drug firm after shortfall in vaccine deliveries to bloc Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Italy has blocked the export of 250,000 doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine to Australia in an escalation of a row with the Anglo-Swedish company. In the first such intervention under the EU’s […]
Australia has secured 54m doses of the vaccine some experts say is inferior to Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine, which Australia has bought just 10m doses of Covid hotspots Victoria; NSW hotspots; Queensland hotspots NSW and Sydney trend map: where cases are rising or falling Follow the Australia coronavirus live blog Australia’s chief medical officer Professor Paul […]
Increase in women being diagnosed with depression partly behind rise in use An increase in women being diagnosed with depression is partly behind a significant rise in prescriptions of the antidepressant sertraline – sold under the brand name Zoloft – which is in the list of Australia’s most commonly prescribed drugs for the first time. […]
Interim results show vaccine to be 90% effective, but findings have not been peer-reviewed, Australia has only secured enough for five million people, and there are concerns around its storage temperature • Pfizer says vaccine is 90% effective • What has Pfizer’s vaccine trial found? • Vaccine announcement is cause for cautious celebration News that […]
Healthcare workers and health departments will be among the first to use the rapid antigen tests Full Australian Covid stats; Covid restrictions state by state Follow our global live blog Vic cases map; NSW cases map NSW hotspots list; Qld hotspots list Australia’s drugs regulator has approved four rapid antigen Covid-19 tests for distribution throughout […]
A spokesman for AstraZeneca, the company working on the coronavirus vaccine, said pausing trials was common during vaccine development The development of a promising Covid-19 vaccine has been put on hold due to a possible adverse reaction in a trial participant. A spokesman for AstraZeneca, the company working with a team from Oxford University, told […]
The vaccine is designed to mimic the coronavirus and train the immune system to react if a person is later infected Sign up for Guardian Australia’s coronavirus email Download the free Guardian app to get the most important news notifications The vaccine developed and tested by a team at Oxford University is one of the […]
Reasons for shortages are often unclear and substitutes, which are not subsidised by PBS, are prohibitively expensive Australia is experiencing a critical shortage of key drugs including antidepressants, contraceptives and hormone replacement therapies, a situation that experts say highlights systemic problems with medicine supply in the country. Most of the shortages appear unrelated to coronavirus […]
Evidence given to parliamentary committee sparks new calls to develop national capability to manufacture medicines and key supplies Australian companies were “shocked” to experience price-gouging and had trouble accessing critical supplies to make medicines and personal protective equipment at the height of the pandemic, a parliamentary committee has been told. It has prompted fresh calls […]