Australia's pharmaceutical benefits scheme is being challenged by lobbying from US industry, writes Patricia Ranald. Giant US pharmaceutical and tobacco corporations are setting the agenda at negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement (TPPA) between Australia, the US, New ...

Survey findings confirm the need for a national policy framework to support educational development, writes Linda Belardi. Cost, release from work and time are the greatest barriers to further education, Australia's first national survey on the education and career pathways ...

New agency must tackle nursing shortage, says union. The new National Workforce and Productivity Agency will provide a pathway to help address Australia's critical shortage of nurses, the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) has said. Minister for Training and Skills, Senator ...

Legislation to create the National Health Performance Authority has passed the Senate but the new watchdog will be reviewed in a year. A new watchdog keeping an eye on Australia's health services will itself be independently reviewed after a year, ...

Doctors say proposed legislation to legalise euthanasia offers no protection for patients. Opposition is mounting to the latest moves in South Australia to legalise euthanasia. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) and the Law Society of South Australia have already opposed ...

Next year’s roll out of individual electronic health records could be stalled by an opt-in system, doctors have warned. Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon has hit back at critics of the "opt in" system for setting up individual electronic health ...

Armed security officers in emergency departments could incite not minimise risk of violence, parliamentary inquiry told. Two of Melbourne's biggest hospitals have rejected Victorian government plans to have armed officers in emergency departments. Security and nursing directors at St Vincent's ...

Health groups have praised Gillard’s commitment to tackle chronic disease in the Pacific Island nations. Leading Australian and international health groups have welcomed the Australian Government’s announcement that it will increase its assistance to the Pacific to tackle chronic disease. ...

Rising numbers of families living under financial stress to receive public education on money management. Community service provider Wesley Mission has partnered with St George Bank to launch a financial literacy program to support struggling families in NSW to manage ...

The government and its financial regulator have failed people in distress who need early access to their superannuation funds, the opposition said. Regional Development spokesman Bob Baldwin told parliament that changing responsibility for deciding on compassionate early release of super ...