How to deal with disturbing and traumatic news?
The 26-year-old is accused of abusing eight children at a centre in Point Cook, but authorities advised the families of 1,200 children to seek testing for infectious diseases, based on his work at 20 centres across the city.
The disturbing details of this story have been tough listening for most of us this week, but they can also trigger trauma for survivors.
The Blue Knot Foundation provides help for those with complex trauma.
President Dr Cathy Kezelman spoke with ABC NewsRadio's Laura Tchilinguirian.
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News.com.au
32 minutes ago
- News.com.au
ASX June Health Winners: Sector falls 1.05pc but Amplia up 300pc after positive trial news
The ASX 200 Health Care Index fell 1.05% in June and remains the worst performing sector YTD down 6.64% Morgans healthcare analyst Iain Wilkie said June likely saw some tax loss selling before EOFY Amplia up 300% in June after complete responses in two advanced (metastatic) pancreatic cancer patients in ACCENT trial While the broader market showed resilience to global geopolitical and economic pressures in June, the ASX 200 Health Care index remained in poor shape, falling 1.05% for the month. The sector remains the worst-performing ASX sector year-to-date and the only one in the red, down 6.64%. Morgans healthcare analyst Iain Wilkie told Stockhead the first half of 2025 had been highly volatile for the global healthcare sector, driven by policy uncertainty in the US. He said Donald Trump's policies were impacting the sector including funding cuts and shakeups to regulatory agencies such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In addition, Trump is advancing the 'Most Favored Nation' (MFN) drug pricing policy, which seeks to align US prescription medicine prices with the lowest levels paid in other developed nations. While the policy's full implementation remains pending, it has already created uncertainty for pharmaceutical companies, with no clear path yet on how it will be enforced or the potential market ramifications. Wilkie said the sector likely also saw some tax loss selling in June – the final month of the Australian financial year – with many investors crystallising losses in this space to offset gains made in other parts of their portfolios. "We often view this month as a potential opportunity to stock up on some companies at a discount if we continue to see long term value in them and approaching significant catalysts," he said. How ASX biotechs performed in June CODE COMPANY PRICE 1 MONTH RETURN % MARKET CAP ATX Amplia Therapeutics 20 300.0% 91.17 NSB Neuroscientific 8.7 50.0% 36.58 OSL Oncosil Medical 120 50.0% 17.06 EZZ EZZ Life Science 234 49.5% 116.05 NYR Nyrada Inc. 24 45.5% 50.62 CGS Cogstate Ltd 174.5 33.7% 295.62 ALA Arovella Therapeutic 10 31.6% 112.91 AHX Apiam Animal Health 52 28.4% 92.89 PEB Pacific Edge 9.6 28.0% 81.19 IRX Inhalerx Limited 3.8 26.7% 7.90 NC6 Nanollose Limited 6.7 26.4% 20.74 VLS Vita Life Sciences 225 23.6% 123.28 SHG Singular Health 37 21.3% 120.68 CSX Cleanspace Holdings 52 20.9% 39.89 IPD Impedimed Limited 3.5 16.7% 79.07 ALC Alcidion Group Ltd 10 16.3% 147.72 IVX Invion Ltd 11 15.8% 8.49 CU6 Clarity Pharma 250 15.7% 763.53 NUZ Neurizon Therapeutic 15.5 14.8% 76.31 ARX Aroa Biosurgery 58 13.7% 193.22 SOM SomnoMed Limited 65 11.1% 138.31 COH Cochlear Limited 30042 10.7% 19,917.31 CTQ Careteq Limited 1.1 10.0% 2.61 ACW Actinogen Medical 2.3 9.5% 73.07 EBR EBR Systems 119.5 7.7% 523.20 DVL Dorsavi Ltd 1.5 7.1% 12.62 PYC PYC Therapeutics 129.5 7.0% 755.32 COV Cleo Diagnostics 39 6.8% 31.82 OCA Oceania Healthc Ltd 63 6.8% 456.27 CMB Cambium Bio Limited 21 5.0% 3.84 IDX Integral Diagnostics 254 5.0% 904.56 RMD ResMed Inc. 3935 3.8% 23,160.79 EMD Emyria Limited 2.8 3.7% 16.51 EBO Ebos Group Ltd 3559 3.5% 1,919.95 TRP Tissue Repair 19 2.7% 11.19 EMV Emvision Medical 174 2.4% 149.23 SNZ Summerset Grp Hldgs 1044 2.3% 2,414.13 NEU Neuren Pharmaceut. 1411 1.7% 1,811.96 SPL Starpharma Holdings 8.8 1.1% 36.39 PME Pro Medicus Limited 28508 1.1% 15,301.07 MYX Mayne Pharma Ltd 500 1.0% 381.86 SHL Sonic Healthcare 2679 0.4% 12,836.39 1AD Adalta Limited 0.2 0.0% 2.14 AGH Althea Group 2.5 0.0% 20.56 ANR Anatara Ls Ltd 0.5 0.0% 1.07 CHM Chimeric Therapeutic 0.4 0.0% 9.07 DOC Doctor Care Anywhere 10.5 0.0% 42.16 DXB Dimerix Ltd 57.5 0.0% 346.85 EOF Ecofibre Limited 2 0.0% 7.58 EPN Epsilon Healthcare 2.4 0.0% 8.29 ICR Intelicare Holdings 0.7 0.0% 2.92 MEM Memphasys Ltd 0.5 0.0% 8.93 TD1 Tali Digital Limited 0.1 0.0% 4.10 CTE Cryosite Limited 74.5 -0.7% 36.36 FPH Fisher & Paykel H. 3363 -0.9% 6,557.10 SDI SDI Limited 83 -2.4% 97.47 ACL Au Clinical Labs 278 -2.5% 388.89 MSB Mesoblast Limited 165.5 -2.6% 1,810.36 NXS Next Science Limited 6.7 -2.9% 32.14 CSL CSL Limited 23948 -3.0% 115,358.67 AHC Austco Healthcare 29 -3.3% 107.40 CBL Control Bionics 2.9 -3.3% 9.43 LDX Lumos Diagnostics 2.7 -3.6% 19.46 CUV Clinuvel Pharmaceut. 1038 -3.7% 451.46 REG Regis Healthcare Ltd 784 -3.8% 1,167.64 ANN Ansell Limited 3029 -4.0% 4,490.73 SIG Sigma Health Ltd 299 -4.2% 17,142.40 RHC Ramsay Health Care 3669 -4.2% 7,017.07 IXC Invex Ther 8.9 -4.3% 6.69 PTX Prescient Ltd 4.4 -4.3% 33.02 PAR Paradigm Bio. 30.5 -4.7% 146.04 OCC Orthocell Limited 117.5 -5.2% 305.40 AYA Artryalimited 72 -5.3% 79.35 AVR Anteris Technologies 614 -5.5% 92.84 ONE Oneview Healthcare 25 -5.7% 190.96 FRE Firebrickpharma 6.2 -6.1% 14.37 AGN Argenica 76 -6.2% 95.43 TYP Tryptamine Ltd 3 -6.3% 43.06 TLX Telix Pharmaceutical 2442 -6.4% 7,003.27 AFP Aft Pharmaceuticals 243 -6.5% 254.83 CDX Cardiex Limited 4 -7.0% 22.00 PGC Paragon Care Limited 36.5 -7.6% 620.74 AVH Avita Medical 171.5 -7.8% 113.37 MVF Monash IVF Group Ltd 70.5 -7.8% 280.54 RAC Race Oncology Ltd 117.5 -8.2% 203.28 1AI Algorae Pharma 0.55 -8.3% 8.44 RAD Radiopharm 2.2 -8.3% 53.21 PNV Polynovo Limited 119.5 -8.8% 829.01 NAN Nanosonics Limited 405 -8.8% 1,155.80 VIT Vitura Health Ltd 6.2 -8.8% 41.72 IMC Immuron Limited 6.1 -9.0% 15.21 ATH Alterity Therap Ltd 1 -9.1% 91.27 PER Percheron 1 -9.1% 10.33 VHL Vitasora Health Ltd 3.9 -9.3% 61.50 TRJ Trajan Group Holding 71.5 -9.5% 111.24 ECS ECS Botanics Holding 0.9 -10.0% 11.66 LGP Little Green Pharma 9.9 -10.0% 33.44 HLS Healius 78.5 -10.3% 544.60 M7T Mach7 Tech Limited 33 -10.8% 82.02 MDR Medadvisor Limited 8.1 -11.0% 53.11 CVB Curvebeam Ai Limited 7.1 -11.3% 23.76 RHT Resonance Health 3.9 -11.4% 18.84 IBX Imagion Biosys Ltd 1.1 -12.0% 2.42 IME Imexhs Limited 29 -12.1% 15.56 BMT Beamtree Holdings 25 -12.3% 69.64 MX1 Micro-X Limited 4.9 -12.5% 32.69 IMR Imricor Med Sys 152 -12.6% 496.69 ZLD Zelira Therapeutics 44 -12.9% 5.23 IMU Imugene Limited 44.2 -13.3% 104.54 LTP Ltr Pharma Limited 29 -13.4% 36.39 BOT Botanix Pharma Ltd 32 -13.5% 605.72 CMP Compumedics Limited 25.5 -13.6% 49.02 GLH Global Health Ltd 6.8 -13.9% 3.92 PSQ Pacific Smiles Grp 154.5 -14.4% 239.20 RGT Argent Biopharma Ltd 8.1 -14.7% 5.77 AT1 Atomo Diagnostics 1.4 -15.2% 10.32 IDT IDT Australia Ltd 8.9 -15.2% 40.82 EYE Nova EYE Medical Ltd 11 -15.4% 32.68 CC5 Clever Culture 1.6 -15.8% 30.03 UCM Uscom Limited 1.6 -15.8% 4.01 IMM Immutep Ltd 24 -15.8% 350.49 IIQ Inoviq Ltd 37 -15.9% 41.30 BDX Bcaldiagnostics 6.3 -16.0% 24.52 MVP Medical Developments 54.5 -16.2% 61.40 CYP Cynata Therapeutics 15 -16.7% 38.41 PCK Painchek Ltd 4.5 -16.7% 73.68 RHY Rhythm Biosciences 5.4 -16.9% 15.34 UBI Universal Biosensors 3.5 -18.6% 10.43 RCE Recce Pharmaceutical 29 -19.4% 82.19 BIT Biotron Limited 0.2 -20.0% 2.65 BP8 Bph Global Ltd 0.2 -20.0% 2.10 SNT Syntara Limited 5.3 -20.9% 82.87 OIL Optiscan Imaging 11 -21.4% 100.24 PIQ Proteomics Int Lab 32.5 -23.5% 59.69 GSS Genetic Signatures 36.5 -24.0% 86.31 CYC Cyclopharm Limited 91 -24.2% 102.25 VFX Visionflex Group Ltd 0.15 -25.0% 6.74 NOX Noxopharm Limited 5.4 -26.0% 15.20 HIQ Hitiq Limited 1.4 -26.3% 6.90 CAN Cann Group Ltd 1 -28.6% 7.00 NTI Neurotech Intl 1.5 -28.6% 18.89 4DX 4Dmedical Limited 24 -29.4% 114.05 AVE Avecho Biotech Ltd 0.35 -30.0% 12.69 ACR Acrux Limited 1.6 -30.4% 7.34 ADR Adherium Ltd 0.4 -33.3% 4.49 PAB Patrys Limited 0.1 -33.3% 2.37 VBS Vectus Biosystems 4 -33.3% 2.02 ILA Island Pharma 14 -37.8% 30.69 TRI Trivarx Ltd 0.8 -38.5% 4.96 OSX Osteopore Limited 1.1 -38.9% 2.20 TRU Truscreen 1.6 -40.7% 11.75 MAP Microbalifesciences 8.5 -45.2% 43.78 HMD Heramed Limited 0.7 -46.2% 9.63 Amplia Therapeutics (ASX:ATX) rose 300% in June after a series of positive announcements including confirmed pathological complete responses recorded in two advanced (metastatic) pancreatic cancer patient as part of its ACCENT trial. The trial is investigating Amplia's best-in-class FAK inhibitor narmafotinib in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapies gemcitabine and Abraxane in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Amplia also announced in June it had received US ethics approval of the protocol for its forthcoming Phase II clinical trial of narmafotinib in combination with the chemotherapy FOLFIRINOX in advanced pancreatic cancer. NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals (ASX:NSB) was up 50% in June after announcing it had acquired 100% of Perth-based unlisted company Isopogen WA, which owns or holds the rights to commercialise the patented StemSmart stem cell technology. Furthermore, Neuroscientific said previous clinical data showed StemSmart was effective in preventing graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), a common complication of bone-marrow transplants. A phase I clinical trial in adults with steroid-refractory GVHD, and a series of children treated on compassionate grounds for steroid-refractory GVHD found the majority of adults and children responded to StemSmartTM with a complete or partial resolution of symptoms and improved survival. Clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company Clarity Pharmaceuticals (ASX:CU6) rose 15.7% in June after a series of positive announcements including positive topline data from two trials. Its diagnostic phase II trial DISCO confirmed that Cu-SARTATE was safe and highly effective compared to standard-of-care imaging at detecting lesions in patients with neuroendocrine tumours. Topline results from Clarity's Phase II SABRE trial showed that Cu-SAR-Bombesin was safe, well tolerated, and effective at detecting prostate cancer in patients with biochemical recurrence who had negative or unclear results on standard scans, including PSMA PET. Neurizon Therapeutics (ASX:NUZ) rose 14.8% with a series of positive announcements including positive trial results for its lead drug candidate NUZ-001. Preclinical data demonstrated significant neuroprotective effects of NUZ-001 and its active metabolite NUZ-001 Sulfone, in a zebrafish model of Huntington's disease. Neurizon also reported encouraging new rodent preclinical pharmacokinetic (PK) data for NUZ-001 and NUZ-001 Sulfone, showing it effectively crosses the blood-brain barrier. The ability of therapeutics to access the central nervous system remains a major barrier in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the most common form of motor neurone disease, for which the company is focused. At Stockhead, we tell it like it is. While Neurizon Therapeutics is a Stockhead advertiser, the company did not sponsor this article.
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
Babies among children in Queensland's residential care system as major child protection inquiry begins
Queensland's child safety minister has declared she wants fewer kids in the residential care system and says she has even visited facilities looking after babies. A new commission of inquiry probing Queensland's child protection system kicked off its work this week, with hearings set to commence soon. In an interview with the ABC, Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm said she expected Queenslanders will be shocked by the stories that emerge from the inquiry. "I have families and young people that have contacted me directly, children who have reached out to the child family commissioner sharing those stories," she said. "[I've heard] stories of sexual abuse and sexual assault that exist within the residential care system. "There's harrowing cases — cases of children who have attempted suicide in care because of their mental health, because they're not getting the support that they need." Ms Camm said she wanted children and young people who were currently or had previously been in the system to tell their stories to the inquiry. She also promised protections for people who wanted to remain anonymous, and anticipates the commission will share de-identified stories. "We also know that many across the [child safety] department are doing an incredible job. But those that may not have, I certainly want to uncover that as well. "And I want there to be accountability at the end of this commission for anyone who may not have been doing the things that they needed to be doing to protect children." In December 2015, there were 650 Queensland kids in residential care — but by December last year, that figure climbed to 2,212. Ms Camm said she wanted that number to fall and declared the government's priority was for kids to be placed in family-based care, such as kinship and foster care. "Residential care was designed as a last resort for young adolescent children, so teenagers who couldn't be placed in foster and kinship care," she said. "It was designed for a small period of time as a crisis response. The minister said she had visited residential care facilities that were looking after babies, amid an increase in children under 12 in the system. She said the children received 24/7 support from carers. "That is not the same as being in family-based care. "And we don't truly know the damage that that can do to a young child, particularly in their development years and through the period where they need to attach and feel love and feel secure in a family." The commission of inquiry, which is headed up by Paul Anastassiou KC, is due to hand down its final report in November next year. Ms Camm defended the length of the inquiry, saying the system was "so big", and also noted the commission would deliver interim reports. She would not say if the government would accept all the recommendations from the inquiry. "[The] government will consider all of those recommendations. We will take some time to consider those," Ms Camm said. Prior to the election, the government promised to introduce a "dual carer" model by 2030, ensuring all residential care facilities always have two carers. Ms Camm said she was open to legislating the requirement, after the government put $10.9 million towards the initiative in the most recent budget. She also said she remained committed to a new independent complaints process for the system and is confident it will be set up before the next election. "We do need a level of independence to ensure that both carers but also children and families feel heard." Ms Camm said the commission of inquiry had been tasked to recommend a way to establish a complaints process.
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
ADHD meds are in short supply. Here's why, and what can you do about it
Some of the most common medications for ADHD are set to be in short supply until the end of the year, which means plenty of people across Australia may find their pharmacist can't fill their prescriptions. So, what are your options? We asked the experts why this was happening and what you can do if you're unable to fill out your regular prescription. In short, it's complicated. As Professor Dave Coghill explained, it came down to both a supply issue for the raw ingredient from the United States used in methylphenidate — and found in popular brands such as Ritalin and Concerta — as well as an increase in diagnoses. "It's actually a very complex supply chain problem. There's no malice and I think the companies that make the medication are quite embarrassed that they aren't able to fulfil their demands," he said. "It's a global problem, but not one that it's very easy — even for the companies based in Australia selling the medicines — to do anything about because they're not in control of production." It's difficult to put an exact number on the amount of people affected in Australia, because not everyone with a diagnosis is medicated. But it's estimated more than one million Australians live with ADHD. Professor Coghill, president of the Australasian ADHD Professionals Association, said the impact was significant. "Of the total number [of people medicated], we're talking under 1 per cent, but 1 per cent of all Australians is still a lot of Australians," he said. Firstly, don't panic. Because the issue is specifically about the supply of methylphenidate, there are other medications that should be available. If your regular medication isn't in stock, there are others that are equally as good, Professor Coghill said. He suggested going to your prescriber — such as your psychiatrist or your child's developmental paediatrician — and explaining the issue. They should be able to help. "Talk to your prescriber, talk to them quickly. Don't leave it lingering. People with ADHD are very good at procrastinating," he said. Professor Coghill said "almost always" your prescriber will be able to work out a good solution for you. John Kramer, the chair of the Royal Australian College of GP's ADHD, ASD and neurodiversity specialist group, is a certified prescriber and GP. He agreed. "All prescribers will now be aware of the problem — you'd have to be living under a rock not to know about it," he said. "I think if you've got an existing patient that you're prescribing for, then you've got a professional responsibility to not delay, too long, in them accessing their care. "And that means you have to slow down seeing new patients." Again, don't stress. Dr Kramer said your regular GP can also assist. "GPs who see patients with ADHD, who aren't actually prescribing for them, can still be helpful," he explained. "If a patient or a child is completely out of their medication and can't get seen, they can still approach their GP because advocacy is still one of the most important roles that GPs have." Your GP can also ring the regulatory authority in your jurisdiction and make an individual application for medication. "If you've got a patient that's completely out [of medication] and they can't get seen, they can put the case that this person is completely out of their usual stuff. That they can't be seen for a couple of months," Dr Kramer said. "I think that the regulator would have to show some compassion and flexibility." Generally, this isn't a good idea. While Professor Coghill acknowledged any adult with ADHD was able to make their own decisions, and the medication doesn't come with withdrawal symptoms, it's best to continue being treated during the shortage. "ADHD isn't just a school thing or a work thing. Family tensions can be greater when people aren't treated and less when they are treated," he said.
