Health Check: Medical device makers Trump drug developers in volatile US healthcare climate
Medical device makers – including ASX-listed heart plays – are the likely winners from the US healthcare chaos
Painchek hopes for US device approval by September
Mayne Pharma flags legal action over Cosette bid but also waves an olive branch
Medical device makers are better placed than drug companies to withstand the volatile US healthcare climate, according to broker Canaccord.
In a report, the firm notes that while the US biotech sector has fallen in value over the past 12 months, medtechs have gained ground.
The overall measure, the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index, has lost 8% over the past year and 1.25% over the past month.
But the benchmark Ishares US Medical Devices ETF (IHI) has gained 10% over the past year and 12% over the past month.
The firm says the performance is supported by recent earnings announcements, with 15 of the top 16 stocks reporting higher than expected profits.
The firm opines the device makers look a safer bet because they are not caught up in the debate about lower drug prices, following Donald Trump's 'Most Favoured Nation' (MFN) decree (see below).
'Medical device/tech companies also appear to have more clarity regarding how/if tariffs may or may not impact their businesses.'
ASX device makers active in the US include the ginormous ResMed (ASX:RMD) and Cochlear (ASX:COH), as well as Telix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:TLX).
In April EBR Systems (ASX:EBR) won US approval for its Wise pacemaker, the world's first ventricular assist device.
Also in the heart space, the agency approved Echo IQ (ASX:EIQ) aortic stenosis tool, Echo AS.
In April 2023 Cardiex (ASX:CDX) won FDA assent for Conneqt Pulse, its vascular biometric heart monitor. This week, the local Therapeutic Goods Administration followed suit.
Drug makers 'in the dark' on pricing
MFN means US drug prices would be benchmarked against the lowest prevailing price across developed countries.
The drug debate originated in the Biden era, with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) requiring the Medicare system to negotiate prices for certain high-cost drugs.
'Pharma/biotech companies seem somewhat in the dark regarding proposed MFN policies, but recent discussions have suggested decisions may be set to come through in the next 30 to 60 days,' Canaccord says.
'The push to lower drug prices could be a long-drawn-out legal battle, which may ultimately fail to move beyond the IRA, or contain a number of exemptions and loopholes.'
The firm says ASX healthcare stocks 'have not been immune to the chaos' engulfing the US.
But US biotech earnings momentum has turned positive. This likely will result in improved share valuations 'which the ASX is likely to follow.'
Painchek has nice chat with FDA
Still on Trumpian shores, PainChek (ASX:PCK) said it has a 'successful' follow-up meeting with the FDA that sought feedback ahead of its intended US marketing application.
Painchek is the world's first mobile-based pain assessment and monitoring device for patients unable to enunciate their discomfort (such as dementia patients).
Held on June 3, the second meeting focused on Painchek addressing the FDA's final questions about the company's recent US trial results.
'The meeting was a positive two-way conversation providing feedback and clarity for both parties.'
The company hopes to lodge its submission this month, under the new device pathway.
Under the FDA's timelines, the company should have an answer by late September.
FDA consent would be a company maker for Painchek, which already has a foothold in the local and UK aged-care sectors.
Share fever as Clarity trial proves a DISCO hit
Shares in radiotherapy play Clarity Pharmaceuticals (ASX:CU6) today bounded up to 11% after the company reported top-line results from its groovily-monikered DISCO trial.
The study blew the (strobe) lights out by showing its copper-isotope based candidate to be highly effective in detecting neuroendocrine tumours (NETs)
NETs most commonly occur in the gastrointestinal tract, lung and pancreas, but may also originate in other areas including the breast, prostate and skin.
The phase II study compared Clarity's 64Cu-Sartate against standard of care imaging.
64 Cu-Sartate 'substantially outperformed' the standard gallium isotope-based therapy, detecting 393 to 488 lesions among 45 participants.
Of these lesions, 230-251 were deemed 'discordant', that is, identified on only one of the scans.
And guess what? Clarity's method accounted for 93% of them.
Clarity initially designed the trial to enrol up to 63 patients.
But after early analysis the company was able to reduce the sample size to 45 and thus expedite the study.
Clarity is now eyeing FDA assent for a phase III registrational trial.
And if you really want to know, DISCO stands for 'Diagnostic Imaging Study of 64COpper-Sartate'.
Who would have predicted a 'massive oversubscription'?
Predictive diagnostics play Proteomics International Laboratories (ASX:PIQ) says its $7.5 million share purchase plan (SPP) was 'massively oversubscribed' – a rare event for such funding mechanisms.
The SPP follows a $4.5 million into raising and a $500,000 board and management whip 'round.
The funds were raised at 37 cents a share, a 17% discount, with an attached option on every second share subscribed for.
The $12 million will support the company's commercialisation of its three tests.
These are for diabetic kidney disease (PromarkerD), Promarker Eso (esophageal cancer) and endometriosis (Promarker Endo).
Also today, the company pointed to a write up of its Promarker Eso study in the peer-reviewed tome Proteomes.
For the few of us who don't subscribe, the assay detected esophageal carcinomas accurately across 259 serum samples.
As we opined last week, its hard to know whether peer-reviewed pronouncements reiterate old announcements, or are 'new news'.
In this case, the company says the published stuff 'builds upon and extends' earlier announced study results.
Mayne, Mayne won't go away
Mayne Pharma (ASX:MYX) is far from conceding that its $600 million takeover has been blown away, despite suitor Cosette terminating the deal on the grounds of 'material adverse events'.
The company releasetoday noted the scheme meeting would go ahead on June 18, as scheduled.
'Mayne Pharma directors continue to unanimously recommend that vote in favour of the scheme resolution at the scheme meeting, in the absence of a superior proposal," intoned chairman Frank Condella.
There's a big proviso, though: the company needs a court decision to affirm its view that the 'material adverse events' were not, in fact, material.
While the company will go legal if needs be, it is open to 'seeking to find a path forward with the scheme that does not involve pursuing litigation'.
Mayne shares today edged up around 3%, having plunged 14% yesterday after Cosette's withdrawal.
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Daily Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
SkinnyTok: How TikTok's latest trend is fuelling a new wave of diet culture
Don't miss out on the headlines from Illness. Followed categories will be added to My News. TikTok has long been a breeding ground for viral trends, but its latest subculture, 'SkinnyTok', is reigniting old diet culture in a digital age. Behind the trendy filters and catchy sounds lies an extremely problematic reality – a community where thinness is idolised, extreme calorie deficits are glamorised, and the pursuit of a shrinking body is celebrated, often at the expense of mental and physical health. The rise of SkinnyTok SkinnyTok refers to a corner of the internet where creators openly document their weight loss journeys, post 'what I eat in a day' videos featuring alarmingly low calorie counts, and share 'bodychecks' (videos where people weigh and measure themselves). Some even boast about 'gaslighting' themselves into being skinny, or confess to daily gym visits out of a fear of being 'fat' – even when they already fit society's narrow beauty standards. TikTok has, for their part, attempted to clamp down on this content. Searching for 'SkinnyTok' now triggers a warning: 'You're not alone' and prompts people to seek help if they're struggling with body image, food or exercise. Influencers like Liv Schmidt, who built a following of over 670,000 with her 'blonde and skinny' persona, have been banned. Yet, the algorithm still seems to serve up the very content it claims to protect users from. So, what can people do to safeguard themselves online? First, you need to understand what SkinnyTok is, how the trend has managed to gain such a huge following and who is the most at risk. The personal toll Jemma Haythorne, a confidence coach, speaker, and podcaster, knows first-hand the damage that online diet culture can do. 'I started hating my body when I was 12 years old, but really spiralled into disordered eating when I was 16. My friends and I would follow skinny content on Tumblr, using it as 'motivation' to eat less to achieve our goals of being thin,' she tells For Ms Haythorne, the pressure peaked during Schoolies, when the prospect of hundreds of Facebook photos led her to subsist on scarily low calories and avoid water to prevent 'bloating' – all ideas she picked up from social media. 'Instagram then became a dangerous place too for someone with body image issues and a fraught relationship with food,' she says, adding that the rise of fitness influencers and 'clean eating' trends was fuel for her already disordered behaviours. Jemma Haythorne says social media contributed to her eating disorder. Picture: Instagram/jaythorne Her lowest point came between 2017 and 2019. 'Social media told me that everyone was thin, gorgeous, tanned, hairless, toned and successful, because that's what the algorithm was serving me, and those were the people who were platformed,' she says. 'The message that I received was that I was failing, because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't meet those standards.' Ms Haythorne believes that without social media, she would never have developed an eating disorder, depression, and anxiety to the extent she did. The cyclical nature of online trends She says she has witnessed body ideals shift over the years, from ultra-thin, to athletic and toned, to the 'Kim Kardashian' hourglass, and now back to just 'plain thin'. Despite the rise of the body positivity movement, she's sceptical about its real-world impact: 'The body ideal has always come back to being in a smaller body — something that I desperately hope we can change in the future.' 'SkinnyTok' is a new social media trend amplifying often tabooed discussions around wanting to be skinny. Picture: iStock The influencer effect Influencers and content creators play a massive role in shaping body image perceptions, Ms Haythorne argues. 'Those who post content that encourages unhealthy relationships with food and bodies are directly damaging their audience. SkinnyTok content is incredibly problematic and harmful, and when this becomes trendy, it becomes dangerous, especially for those who don't have the knowledge and understanding of how damaging it is.' But the damage isn't always obvious. Seemingly innocuous 'before and after' photos reinforce the idea that smaller is better, while meal inspiration videos suggest that copying someone's diet will yield the same body. 'Any form of editing of bodies or faces makes people think they need to live up to looking like that in order to be beautiful or worthy, yet the person themselves doesn't even look like that,' she notes. She claims that while platforms like TikTok and Instagram have a responsibility to manage the harm they promote, individual influencers must also be aware of their impact. The psychological impact Psychologist Carly Dober confirms that SkinnyTok can trigger and exacerbate disordered eating behaviours and eating disorders. 'These trends influence how people perceive and evaluate their own bodies, and the bodies of others. Behaviourally, people may self-isolate, which can also impact their work, education and relationships,' she explains. Beyond the psychological impact, the physical consequences are dire too. Eating disorders can harm the heart, digestive system, bones, teeth and mouth. Typical serious side effects include low blood pressure, slow or irregular heartbeats, feeling tired, weak, dizzy, or faint, constipation and bloating, irregular periods, and weak bones. Experts have warned against the dangers of SkinnyTok. Picture: iStock Who's most at risk? According to Ms Dober, certain groups are especially vulnerable to the dangers of SkinnyTok. These include: – Adolescents (especially those aged 12–25) with a median age of 18 – Women during key transition periods (e.g. finishing school) – Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or diabetes – Athletes and those in appearance-focused activities like dancing – People with a family history of eating disorders – Anyone seeking help for weight loss or who has engaged in dieting or disordered eating The role of TikTok's culture Qualified nutritionist Yaz Jackson sees SkinnyTok as part of a broader trend of 'normalising' harmful behaviours on TikTok. She notes that TikTok's culture is different from Instagram's: 'You can 'get away' with more. It's more of a diary, people feel like they can say whatever, and it's lighthearted and nobody judges. I've seen creators say things like 'I could never share this on Insta, they'd judge me, but I can tell you guys''. Ms Jackson believes there's a trend of radical honesty emerging on TikTok, where creators are praised for sharing 'the tea' – the secrets behind their appearance, whether it's the use of medication, diets or cosmetic surgery. Their content is being favoured, as people applaud them for being 'real' and 'not fake' – i.e. unlike the countless models and celebrities who pretend they eat pizza and burgers when the reality is much different. 'This trend then gains traction because when enough people make something okay to talk about again, they feel safer,' she said. 'Things that were once stigmatised, are now being accepted – but only if you are super honest and transparent about it. People love that'. There are things you can do to safeguard your mental health online. Picture: iStock The dangers of unqualified advice Dr Zac, a GP, urges people to exercise caution when seeking health advice online, especially when it comes from unqualified creators. 'Health advice should come from qualified professionals – doctors, registered dietitians, clinical psychologists – people with actual credentials, not just abs and a ring light. If someone's offering drastic weight loss 'hacks' or pushing extreme transformations, especially if they're profiting from it, be wary,' he says. Things to look out for include: 'Are they citing evidence-based sources? Do they promote balance over extremes? Are they championing sustainable health, or quick fixes and aesthetic perfection?' How to safeguard your mental health Ms Dober and Dr Zac recommend several strategies for protecting yourself online: Curate your feed: Block or mute content and creators that promote unhealthy behaviours Use platform tools: Filter out triggering keywords where possible Limit screen time: Reduce endless scrolling to avoid algorithm rabbit holes Follow positive accounts: Such as ones that promote body neutrality, mental health and self-compassion Seek support: If you're struggling, reach out to a psychologist or trusted professional. And as Dr Zac puts it: 'Healing starts when we stop punishing ourselves and start listening to what our body and mind actually need'. Originally published as SkinnyTok: TikTok's latest trend is fuelling a new wave of diet culture
News.com.au
3 hours ago
- News.com.au
SkinnyTok: TikTok's latest trend is fuelling a new wave of diet culture
TikTok has long been a breeding ground for viral trends, but its latest subculture, 'SkinnyTok', is reigniting old diet culture in a digital age. Behind the trendy filters and catchy sounds lies an extremely problematic reality – a community where thinness is idolised, extreme calorie deficits are glamorised, and the pursuit of a shrinking body is celebrated, often at the expense of mental and physical health. The rise of SkinnyTok SkinnyTok refers to a corner of the internet where creators openly document their weight loss journeys, post 'what I eat in a day' videos featuring alarmingly low calorie counts, and share 'bodychecks' (videos where people weigh and measure themselves). Some even boast about 'gaslighting' themselves into being skinny, or confess to daily gym visits out of a fear of being 'fat' – even when they already fit society's narrow beauty standards. TikTok has, for their part, attempted to clamp down on this content. Searching for 'SkinnyTok' now triggers a warning: 'You're not alone' and prompts people to seek help if they're struggling with body image, food or exercise. Influencers like Liv Schmidt, who built a following of over 670,000 with her 'blonde and skinny' persona, have been banned. Yet, the algorithm still seems to serve up the very content it claims to protect users from. So, what can people do to safeguard themselves online? First, you need to understand what SkinnyTok is, how the trend has managed to gain such a huge following and who is the most at risk. The personal toll Jemma Haythorne, a confidence coach, speaker, and podcaster, knows first-hand the damage that online diet culture can do. 'I started hating my body when I was 12 years old, but really spiralled into disordered eating when I was 16. My friends and I would follow skinny content on Tumblr, using it as 'motivation' to eat less to achieve our goals of being thin,' she tells For Ms Haythorne, the pressure peaked during Schoolies, when the prospect of hundreds of Facebook photos led her to subsist on scarily low calories and avoid water to prevent 'bloating' – all ideas she picked up from social media. 'Instagram then became a dangerous place too for someone with body image issues and a fraught relationship with food,' she says, adding that the rise of fitness influencers and 'clean eating' trends was fuel for her already disordered behaviours. Her lowest point came between 2017 and 2019. 'Social media told me that everyone was thin, gorgeous, tanned, hairless, toned and successful, because that's what the algorithm was serving me, and those were the people who were platformed,' she says. 'The message that I received was that I was failing, because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't meet those standards.' Ms Haythorne believes that without social media, she would never have developed an eating disorder, depression, and anxiety to the extent she did. The cyclical nature of online trends She says she has witnessed body ideals shift over the years, from ultra-thin, to athletic and toned, to the 'Kim Kardashian' hourglass, and now back to just 'plain thin'. Despite the rise of the body positivity movement, she's sceptical about its real-world impact: 'The body ideal has always come back to being in a smaller body — something that I desperately hope we can change in the future.' The influencer effect Influencers and content creators play a massive role in shaping body image perceptions, Ms Haythorne argues. 'Those who post content that encourages unhealthy relationships with food and bodies are directly damaging their audience. SkinnyTok content is incredibly problematic and harmful, and when this becomes trendy, it becomes dangerous, especially for those who don't have the knowledge and understanding of how damaging it is.' But the damage isn't always obvious. Seemingly innocuous 'before and after' photos reinforce the idea that smaller is better, while meal inspiration videos suggest that copying someone's diet will yield the same body. 'Any form of editing of bodies or faces makes people think they need to live up to looking like that in order to be beautiful or worthy, yet the person themselves doesn't even look like that,' she notes. She claims that while platforms like TikTok and Instagram have a responsibility to manage the harm they promote, individual influencers must also be aware of their impact. The psychological impact Psychologist Carly Dober confirms that SkinnyTok can trigger and exacerbate disordered eating behaviours and eating disorders. 'These trends influence how people perceive and evaluate their own bodies, and the bodies of others. Behaviourally, people may self-isolate, which can also impact their work, education and relationships,' she explains. Beyond the psychological impact, the physical consequences are dire too. Eating disorders can harm the heart, digestive system, bones, teeth and mouth. Typical serious side effects include low blood pressure, slow or irregular heartbeats, feeling tired, weak, dizzy, or faint, constipation and bloating, irregular periods, and weak bones. Who's most at risk? According to Ms Dober, certain groups are especially vulnerable to the dangers of SkinnyTok. These include: – Adolescents (especially those aged 12–25) with a median age of 18 – Women during key transition periods (e.g. finishing school) – Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or diabetes – Athletes and those in appearance-focused activities like dancing – People with a family history of eating disorders – Anyone seeking help for weight loss or who has engaged in dieting or disordered eating The role of TikTok's culture Qualified nutritionist Yaz Jackson sees SkinnyTok as part of a broader trend of 'normalising' harmful behaviours on TikTok. She notes that TikTok's culture is different from Instagram's: 'You can 'get away' with more. It's more of a diary, people feel like they can say whatever, and it's lighthearted and nobody judges. I've seen creators say things like 'I could never share this on Insta, they'd judge me, but I can tell you guys''. Ms Jackson believes there's a trend of radical honesty emerging on TikTok, where creators are praised for sharing 'the tea' – the secrets behind their appearance, whether it's the use of medication, diets or cosmetic surgery. Their content is being favoured, as people applaud them for being 'real' and 'not fake' – i.e. unlike the countless models and celebrities who pretend they eat pizza and burgers when the reality is much different. 'This trend then gains traction because when enough people make something okay to talk about again, they feel safer,' she said. 'Things that were once stigmatised, are now being accepted – but only if you are super honest and transparent about it. People love that'. The dangers of unqualified advice Dr Zac, a GP, urges people to exercise caution when seeking health advice online, especially when it comes from unqualified creators. 'Health advice should come from qualified professionals – doctors, registered dietitians, clinical psychologists – people with actual credentials, not just abs and a ring light. If someone's offering drastic weight loss 'hacks' or pushing extreme transformations, especially if they're profiting from it, be wary,' he says. Things to look out for include: 'Are they citing evidence-based sources? Do they promote balance over extremes? Are they championing sustainable health, or quick fixes and aesthetic perfection?' How to safeguard your mental health Ms Dober and Dr Zac recommend several strategies for protecting yourself online: Curate your feed: Block or mute content and creators that promote unhealthy behaviours Use platform tools: Filter out triggering keywords where possible Limit screen time: Reduce endless scrolling to avoid algorithm rabbit holes Follow positive accounts: Such as ones that promote body neutrality, mental health and self-compassion Seek support: If you're struggling, reach out to a psychologist or trusted professional. And as Dr Zac puts it: 'Healing starts when we stop punishing ourselves and start listening to what our body and mind actually need'.
ABC News
6 hours ago
- ABC News
Grilling season demand for Aussie beef outweighs Trump tariffs
It has been more than two months since Donald Trump's "liberation day" tariffs were announced, which included a 10 per cent tariff on imported Australian beef. But US demand for lean beef has far outweighed the tariff and exports have been surging. "In terms of volume, I don't think Trump's tariffs have had an impact at all," Rabobank analyst Angus Gidley-Baird said. "Year to date, beef exports are up over 30 per cent and if we continue at this pace, we'll go very close to pushing our quota limit for the first time (which is about 450,000 tonnes)." According to Meat and Livestock Australia, 167,722 tonnes of beef have been shipped to the US so far this year, which is up 32 per cent. Beef exports to China are also rising, with 117,341 tonnes exported, up 30 per cent on last year. General manager of meat processing company, The Midfield Group, Dean McKenna, said Donald Trump's tariffs were "one of the best things" that had happened to his business. "I wish he went 50 per cent [tariff]," he told Queensland Country Life. The United States cattle herd is at its lowest point since the 1950s because of drought. The supply of lean beef for America's famous hamburgers is tight. Going into its summer "grilling season" the United States has been relying on beef imports, which has coincided with Australia producing record amounts. "The US needs a lot [of lean beef] and Australia has a lot to sell, especially the way the prices are at the moment," Mr Gidley-Baird said. US cattle and beef prices are at record highs and are expected to rise further in 2026, making imported Australian beef very competitive — despite the 10 per cent tariff. According to Rabobank the average finished cattle price in the US is over $US4.50 a kilogram live-weight ($A6.92/kg), compared to about $US2.25 a kilogram for Australian cattle ($A3.46/kg). Beef made headlines on Friday, when it was suggested Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was willing to "loosen or compromise biosecurity rules" for US beef imports. A claim the PM quickly denied. As previously explained by ABC Landline, Australia does not have a ban on United States beef, as long as it comes from cattle born, raised and slaughtered in the US. The Australian government has been assessing a request from the US to expand its access, to include beef from cattle that it has imported from Mexico and Canada and then slaughtered in the US. Yet at the moment, the US has a ban on importing Mexican cattle because of an exotic pest called new world screwworm. Cattle Australia chief executive, Chris Parker, said the US would need to prove it can be like Australian beef exporters, which adhere to strict traceability standards. "Our position is that the US needs to be able to demonstrate it can either trace cattle born in Mexico and Canada, or has systems that are equivalent to Australia's traceability, before imports of meat could occur from non-US cattle," he said. Australia has not imported any beef from the US since 2005 for a few reasons including price. Australia also has plenty of its own beef. In 2024, Australia produced more beef than ever before, turning off 2.57 million tonnes of beef, of which a record 1.34 million tonnes was exported around the world. So imagine if Australia exported iron ore for $100 a tonne and was then criticised for not importing American iron ore for $200 a tonne. As meat analyst Simon Quilty recently told Landline, importing US beef is not viable. "I don't see us being swamped by American beef, in fact I'd say for the next five years, even if the US had open access, we'd see next to nothing coming out of America." Watch ABC TV's Landline at 12:30pm on Sunday or on ABC iview.
