Tuesday, 25 August 2026
National TB strategy priorities, Skin cancer removal burden, Women’s health PBS options
- 01
National TB strategy prioritises elimination, surveillance and equitable outcomes
Australia’s 2026–30 tuberculosis strategy has set national priorities to strengthen TB management and reduce inequities in outcomes. Australia recorded an overall TB incidence of 5.9 per 100,000 in 2024, compared with the 2030 target of 4.8 per 100,000. Incidence among Australian-born Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was 3.8 per 100,000, versus 0.7 per 100,000 among Australian-born non-Indigenous people. The plan aims to establish nationally consistent post-migration services, a national model of TB care that can be implemented in primary care, stronger surveillance and genomic review, and measures addressing long-term and financial impacts. Implementation details remain undetermined, with coordination to occur through national committees and stakeholders across Indigenous health, migration services, primary care, and clinical and public health practice.
- 02
Half a million Australians undergo NMSC removal each year
Around 2% of Australians—approximately half a million people—had a common non-melanoma skin cancer surgically removed each year between 2020 and 2024, new AIHW estimates showed. Annual surgical removal services ranged from 772,000 to 853,000, with higher age-standardised rates among males, older people and non-Indigenous Australians. Queensland recorded the highest removal rate in 2024 at 2282.6 per 100,000, while Victoria had the lowest at 895.0 per 100,000. An estimated 5200 people died from common NMSC between 2011 and 2021, equivalent to about two deaths per 100,000 people annually, with mortality increasing markedly with age. NMSC was the third most expensive cancer for the health system in 2023–24, costing about $1.9 billion.
- 03
PBAC backs new women’s health options for the PBS
The PBAC backed new PBS options for medical abortion, threatened miscarriage and menopause in its July decisions. The decisions have implications for GPs, but the source gives limited detail about the treatments, recommendations or timing of any PBS changes.
- 04
Dr Ramya Raman elected next RACGP President
Following her previously reported campaign, Dr Ramya Raman has been elected the next RACGP President and will take over from Dr Michael Wright in November. The Perth-based GP, who has served as RACGP Vice-President since 2024, received 5386 votes, ahead of Dr Anita Muñoz with 3611 and Dr Gavin Colthart with 869. A total of 9866 eligible votes were cast, representing 24.8% of the 39,712 ballots issued. Dr Raman identified Medicare rebate indexation, remuneration for longer and more complex consultations, an independent pricing authority, mental health item numbers and workforce support among her priorities. She will assume the presidency at the RACGP Annual General Meeting on 19 November 2026.
via RACGP newsGP
- 05
FDA again halts Hunter syndrome gene therapy trial
The FDA has placed another clinical hold on testing of Regenxbio’s Hunter syndrome gene therapy RGX-121 after investigators detected spinal MRI abnormalities in five trial participants. Likely benign masses were found three to six years after treatment, although the patients had no symptoms and continued to do well clinically, with overall stable to improved neurocognitive and neurobehavioural assessments, according to the company. Regenxbio said there was no clinical or pathological evidence confirming the nature or cause of the findings, and no brain masses or nodules were identified. The company no longer plans to resubmit its application in the near term after the FDA paused testing over separate safety concerns in January and rejected the application the following month. Regenxbio and partner NS Pharma are evaluating the data and FDA feedback to inform their future development strategy.
via BioPharma Dive
- 06
FDA adds AI mental health services to TEMPO pilot
The US Food and Drug Administration has selected Limbic and Sondermind for its TEMPO pilot, bringing the program to four participants. The pilot allows companies to collect real-world device data while exempt from premarket authorisation requirements. Limbic will offer clinician-supervised cognitive behavioural therapy via telephone calls with an AI voice agent for English-speaking people with anxiety or depression who have telephone access, while Sondermind will offer adults a smartphone application adjunctive to therapy or medication. Both devices have specified contraindications, and the companies can offer them through a new Medicare payment model that rewards providers for improved patient outcomes. Patient groups have called for broader oversight of generative AI use amid FDA discussions about digital mental health technologies.
via MedTech Dive
MDDR is a news digest for medical professionals. It is not medical advice and should not be relied on for clinical decision-making.