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ABC News
15 hours ago
- ABC News
Should non-diabetics wear continuous glucose monitors?
Corrine Moore beams with pride and relief as she opens a graph on her phone, showing a steady line that reflects her blood sugar levels throughout the day. It is a rare event for the 25 year old, who has suffered from type 1 diabetes since she was two and constantly battles to keep her blood sugar levels within a safe range. The app she uses connects to a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) stuck to her arm, which takes measurements of her blood sugar every five minutes. The device not only gives her painless access to checking her blood sugar, but alerts her to rises and drops in her levels before they become dangerous. For Ms Moore, CGMs are part of a constant struggle to keep her body functioning, so she was surprised to scroll upon videos of non-diabetics wearing the devices in recent months. In an Instagram reel, a woman wearing a CGM explains how a morning coffee spiked her blood sugar by 2 millimoles per litre and how she avoided it the next time by going for a walk. The account tells viewers that reducing blood sugar spikes helps the body avoid storing fat, and directs them to an online paid "fatburner" academy. In other videos, self-described "biohackers" nervously install CGM's on their arms for the first time, and recount the information it gives them throughout the day. Ms Moore, whose blood sugar often spikes by more than 10mmol/L after a miscalculated or mistimed insulin dose, says it is frustrating to witness. "To me, that's a lifesaving medical device, to them it's to see what their sugar levels are doing after they eat a banana," Ms Moore says. Ms Moore says it is debilitating or fatal if diabetics do not constantly monitor their blood sugar and adjust it correctly, making it hard to watch people who do not carry the same mental load fret about small rises and drops in their glucose levels. "They make it look so easy-breezy but it's not for us [diabetics]," she says. "We don't want to desensitise how life-threatening diabetes can be, it can be quite scary." The ABC reached out to a number of content creators promoting usage of CGMs. Those who responded were adamant about the potential health benefits. But they insist diabetics should be granted priority access. "In the western world we have a culture of treating symptoms and treating disease," Curious Media director Steve Grace says. "I think everyone wants to move to more of a preventative style [of healthcare]." "If the device is available for purchase, why not allow broader use when it has clear preventative potential?" content creator Kylie Gulliver says. Some of the online content showing non-diabetic CGM users is linked to Vively, which launched in 2021 as "the first company in Australia to bring blood glucose monitoring to those without diabetes". Medical director and co-founder, Michelle Woolhouse, says the devices can help people lose weight by showing them how different foods and behaviours impact their bodies in real-time. "It's really about giving people an educational tool alongside lifestyle advice, that can help them to really feel empowered and understand what works for them," Dr Woolhouse says. She says the devices can also help people discover health issues prior to a diagnosis, such as pre-diabetes, and intervene before it gets worse. "A lot of people are recognising they have more metabolic dysfunction than they previously thought that they would," she says. Dr Woolhouse says peri-menopausal women are a large demographic of non-diabetic CGM users, using them to mitigate weight gain that occurs during a shift in their metabolism. In the wake of a recent shortage in type 2 treatment drug Ozempic, many diabetics such as Ms Moore remain nervous about weight-loss claims triggering demand and shortages in their supplies. However, the Therapeautic Goods Administration says it it not aware of any supply disruptions for CGMs. Dr Woolhouse says her company definitely considered the prospect of shortage, but says it is "not the case" in Australia. "Two new players have just been registered on the TGA, there's a lot of new CGMs coming onto the market," she says. Diabetes WA spokesperson Jessica Weiss says there is "plenty" of stock available but it is "challenging to say" whether the future supply could be affected by uptake from non-diabetics. Unsubsidised, CGMs generally cost about $200 — $300 per month. A limited quota of the devices is partially subsidised each year for type 1 diabetics, and they remain full price for type 2 diabetics, who continue to campaign for affordable access. Ms Weiss says without the right education, non-diabetics using CGMs could misunderstand what to expect from their bodies and set unrealistic targets around their glucose levels, develop increased anxiety or cut out certain types of foods. "You're getting a lot of information that you didn't previously have," she says. "For people without diabetes, our body does an excellent job of regulating our glucose levels. These highs and lows are very normal and very safe. She advises "a little bit of extra caution" when buying health-related products outside of conventional channels. On Vively's website, Dr Woolhouse says the research is "still early" on CGMs, and there is not yet solid evidence to say whether wearing one has any negative impact for non-diabetics. However, she insists her company provides comprehensive coaching by professionals to ensure clients interpret their readings correctly. "We do a lot of education in the app to help people really understand [the data]" she says. "We do find it can actually help people to understand the sources of their eating disorders, as they stabilise their blood glucose levels." Editor's Note: Reporter Brianna Melville has type 1 diabetes and uses a glucose monitor.
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Bodybuilding champion dead at 37 in ‘unexpected' tragedy
Bodybuilding champion Hayley McNeff died on the weekend, with the news confirmed on Wednesday (Thursday AEST). She was 37, as the New York Post reports. According to an obituary published on the death of the young American was 'unexpected but peaceful.' Itauma vs Whyte & Goodman vs Ball | Sunday 17 August 3am AEST | Order this PPV event now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. 'Hayley was like a beam of light in this world. She had boundless energy and was very determined to achieve whatever she set out to do,' Hayley's dad, Dave, told People in a statement. 'She set her sights on bodybuilding and fitness and achieved the highest success that sector offered. She loved us and we love Hayley very much, we miss her madly.' McNeff's family is set to hold a service on Sunday and has asked for attendees to make a donation to the National Alliance on Mental Illness in McNeff's honour. Per the obituary, McNeff graduated from Concord-Carlisle High School and University of Massachusetts Amherst, and was an accomplished bodybuilder in the 2000s with state titles in Maryland and Delaware. She was also part of the 2005 documentary 'Raising the Bar', which highlights the world of the sport. 'The quest for getting huge will never end,' McNeff said about her career in the documentary. 'There's no limit. I hope there's a day that I'll be able to look in the mirror 100 per cent of the time and be like 'yeah man, I'm huge'.' After retirement from the sport, McNeff decided to pursue a graduate degree in psychology. 'She had a gift for making those around her laugh and feel welcomed,' the obituary reads. 'Her energy and determination was a constant in her life and she always accomplished what she set out to achieve. 'She treasured her friendships and nurtured strong, lasting relationships with those who knew her best. Hayley will be deeply missed by her parents, siblings, extended family and friends.' Upon hearing the news of McNeff's death, bodybuilding coach Dave Palumbo posted a tribute message on Instagram. 'I'm sad to hear of the passing of former woman bodybuilder @hayleysmash (HAYLEY MCNEFF) … she left us way too soon,' he wrote. 'She was a good soul, super intelligent and had tremendous potential as a bodybuilder. She appeared in @dave_pulcinella RAISING THE BAR videos back in the day and I was proud to be able to call her a friend. 'Prayers to her family and friends. R.I.P.' McNeff is one of many bodybuilders who have recently passed away. Zunila Hoyos Mendez died at 43 in June after she was killed in a hammer attack. A month prior, Gui Bull died at 30.
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Scott Power: ASX health stocks up in ‘reasonable start' to reporting season
ASX heath sector up 2.33% over past five days, while broader markets ros 1.2% Avita downgrades FY25 guidance and announces $23 million capital raise 'Materially undervalued' CSL due to report FY25 results next week Healthcare and life sciences expert Scott Power, who has been a senior analyst with Morgans Financial for 27 years, gives his take on the ASX healthcare sector for the week and his 'Powerplay' stock pick. The ASX Health Care Index (ASX:XHJ) has risen 2.33% for the past five days, beating the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) up 1.2% for the same period in what Morgans' senior healthcare analyst Scott Power has described as a "reasonable start" to reporting season. In the large caps, US-focused radiology imaging house Pro Medicus (ASX:PME) jumped ~6% on Thursday after releasing its FY25 results, which co-founder and CEO Dr Sam Hupert dubbed 'the most successful year in the company's history by any measure'. Pro Medicus revenue for FY25 was up 32% to $213 million with underlying profit before tax rising 40.2% to $163.3m and net profit up 39.2% to $115.2m. The company achieved a record year for contract wins, renewals, and additional module sales. Cash and financial assets grew 35.5% to $210.7m, with ProMedicus remaining debt-free. A fully-franked final dividend of 30 cents per share was declared. Morgans maintains a trim rating on Pro Medicus and has raised its 12-month target price to $285 from $280. A favourite among investors Pro Medicus is trading above that target at around $315. "Pro Medicus reported a result in line with our expectations and the share price responded positively up with strong earnings growth forecast for FY26," Power said. However, investors in Cochlear (ASX:COH) weren't tuning in to quite as positive news. The global hearing implant leader's FY25 results released today came in below expectations and its price fell ~2%. Cochlear reported FY25 NPAT of $392m, which was slightly below consensus of $400m but within recently downgraded guidance of A$390–400m. Revenue rose 4% to $2.356 billion, also slightly under expectations. Cochlear implants sales grew 12% to 53,968 units, slightly above consensus, driven by early access to the new Nucleus Nexa system in the EU and APAC. Developed markets grew 6%, below expectations, while emerging markets surged over 20%. Services revenue, which accounts for ~25% of total revenue declined 9% to $609m, impacted by slower uptake of the N8 sound processor launched in 2023 with US "cost of living" pressures flagged as a factor delaying the replacement cycle. The interim dividend was $2.15, beating forecasts. Cochlear has provided NPAT guidance of $435m to $460m for FY26, slightly below consensus of $461m with Morgans forecasting $436m. Avita bandages up after 'poor' Q2 result Dual Nasdaq-listed wounds management house Avita Medical (ASX:AVH) posted what Morgans' healthcare analyst Iain Wilkie described as a "poor result" for Q2 CY25 and also announced a $22m capital raise. Full-year 2025 revenue guidance was downgraded to a range of $76m to $81m compared to previous guidance of $100m to $106m, reflecting growth of ~19% to 27% over full-year 2024 revenue. Avita revenue for Q2 CY25 of US$18.4m was flat QoQ, and up 21% YoY as demand for its flagship spray-on skin treatment Recell fell ~20% due to unresolved reimbursement issues with medicare administrative contractors (MACs) in the US. Net loss for Q2 improved to US$9.9m, down from US$15.4m on pcp but according to Wilkie was "still insufficient to ease near-term cash flow concerns". In a note to clients Wilkie wrote Avita must deliver US$20m per quarter in H2 CY25 to meet the lower end of guidance. Profitability timelines have now also been pushed, with cash flow breakeven expected in Q2 CY26 and GAAP profitability expected in Q3 26, both delayed by one year. "A poor result, and confirms a structural delay in its breakeven trajectory, but we don't see this as a structural derailment," he wrote. "Commentary around resolutions made in July as Medicare contractors initiate pricing and payments is a good sign this is reversing. "Still, hard for investors to stomach yet another downgrade to guidance. He said the key takeaway with Avita's latest results was the US payor system was complicated. Meanwhile, answering concerns about its balance sheet Avita announced on Wednesday a $23m equity raising, by way of a private placement at $1.32 per share, an 11% discount on the previous close. Although capital raising often drags on a share price, Avita's stock jumped as much as 13% as investors welcomed the added breathing room. Morgans maintains a speculative buy on Avita but has downgraded its 12-month price target from $3.78 to $2. EBR's WiSE finds its rhythm with early sales Developer of the WiSE CRT System – the world's only leadless solution for pacing the left side of the heart, EBR Systems (ASX:EBR) has released its Q2 CY25 results, which was largely in line with expectations – per Morgans healthcare analyst Derek Jellinek in a note to clients. Cash burn was down US$2m to US$11.5m, mainly on lower R&D spend with US$87m cash on hand, which Jellinek wrote was adequate funding for more than seven quarters at the current rate. "Notably, June saw ~US$150k in first commercial sales from three WiSE CRT devices across two leading US hospitals, with favourable physician and patient feedback increasing despite no reimbursement, which is still expected later this year," Jellinek wrote. "We continue to view the phased US commercial rollout, with limited market release in Q4 CY25 followed by full commercial launch in CY26, as prudent, balancing adoption with execution quality." EBR was granted US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the launch of its Wise CRT system in the US in April. Morgans maintains a buy rating on EBR with a 12-month price target of $2.86. Tetratherix gets government grant for manufacturing facility Newly locally listed wound management company Tetratherix (ASX:TTX) has been awarded $3.3m non-dilutive grant from the Australian government's Industry Growth Program to co-fund its manufacturing facility expansion. The funding will be spread across FY26 and FY27 with Tetratherix contributing to the balance of $4m. Following its ASX debut on June 30, the company allocated $10.2m from its IPO funds for manufacturing expansion. The expanded manufacturing will enable the supply of product for the bone regeneration franchise which is on target for US FDA clearance in H2 CY 26. Power said other upcoming catalysts for Tetratherix include a master service agreement executed with an orthopaedic company expected in H1 CY26. An update on recruitment in a pivotal trial for cohort two using its tissue healing product TetraDerm involving surgical incisions in face/neck is also expected also in the H1 CY26. "Its clearly positive news for Tetratherix and we will assume that the saving in manufacturing will be re-allocated to funding other franchises including bone regeneration, tissue spacing, tissue healing," Power said. "TTX's share price is up over 40% since the IPO and we expect the cadence of news flow to maintain investor interest over the coming quarters." Power's Powerplay: 'Materially undervalued' CSL to report FY25 results The ASX's largest healthcare company, CSL (ASX:CSL) is Power's pick of the week, with the blood products giant due to report its FY25 results next Tuesday. In a July note to clients Power's colleague Jellinek wrote that CSL was currently trading at levels significantly below fair value, pricing it as less than a single-division company, with the main Behring division alone justifying a higher valuation and no value assigned to either Seqirus or Vifor. Morgans 'view CSL as materially undervalued' and over the past decade the company had averaged an EV/EBIT multiple of 24.7 times but today it sits at 18.2 times. Strong demand and cost-cutting measures have helped margins recover for CSL Behring, which focuses on rare and serious diseases such as bleeding and immune disorders and made up more than 70% of earnings. Morgans noted CSL's flu vaccines business Seqirus faced short-term uncertainty around vaccine uptake and the impact of vaccine skeptic Robert F Kennedy Jr's position as Health secretary, but demand was still supported by pandemic contracts. Growth in CSL's iron deficiency and kidney care business Vifor, while slower than expected was also showing signs of improvement. "Combined, we estimate an intrinsic value of $196 bn, representing c35% upside from current trading levels," Jellinek wrote. Morgans has a buy rating on CSL and 12-month target price of $303.70. The views, information, or opinions expressed in the interview in this article are solely those of the interviewee and do not represent the views of Stockhead. Stockhead has not provided, endorsed or otherwise assumed responsibility for any financial product advice contained in this article. At Stockhead, we tell it like it is. While EBR Systems is a Stockhead advertiser, the company did not sponsor this article.
