How to modernize medical evidence for the misinformation era

Nature Medicine | Oct 2023

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are used by clinicians and policymakers to synthesize medical evidence, but they can amplify falsified or poor-quality clinical trial data. In this era of contested evidence, new approaches are needed.

Academia’s lost luster prompts exodus of health researchers to industry

NATURE MEDICINE | JAN 2023

A desire for better work conditions and real-world impact are behind the movement, which may hinder academic clinical trials while leading to beneficial collaborations.

Pressure to publish is ‘fuelling illegal practices in palaeontology’

Nature Index | Nov 2022

More safeguards and stronger journal policies are needed to curb the problem, say authors of analysis on publication trends.

Explainer: How medicinal drugs get listed on the PBS

Cosmos Weekly | Oct 2022

Getting a new medicine listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is a lengthy process that involves some thorny questions about which drugs are worth subsidising.

Part two: Future-proofing the PBS and our health

A Huge Amount of Data From Cancer Trials Remains Hidden, Researchers Warn

Science Alert | Aug 2022

Transparency leads to trust.

Revealed: the pay bump for being a straight, white man in US science

NATURE NEWS | JULY 2022

Study reveals the vast disparity in salary, respect and opportunities between people from marginalized groups and their privileged peers.

The systemic factors wedging a persistent gender gap in science

COSMOS WEEKLY | JULY 2022

Science prides itself on objectivity and rationality. But the data on women’s experience in academia suggests there is a very long way to go.

Many researchers say they’ll share data — but don’t

NATURE NEWS | JUNE 2022

Reasons included a lack of informed consent or ethics approval to share; misplaced data; and that others had moved on from the project.

Undisclosed industry payments rampant in drug-trial papers

nature News | March 2022

A quarter of medical researchers involved in clinical trials in Australia did not declare funding from pharmaceutical companies.

Women less likely to win major research awards

Nature News | Sept 2021

Although the gap is narrowing, prestigious prizes are still more likely to go to men, finds an analysis of gender bias in the world’s top science awards

Coral conservation strikes a balance

NATURE INDEX | SEPT 2021

Fiji–Australia collaboration matches community needs with reef protection.

Online mentoring fills a gap for young researchers

Nature Index | Sept 2021

Study finds that virtual programmes offer a useful pathway for careers in science.

Preprint ban in grant applications deemed ‘plain ludicrous’

NATURE NEWS | AUG 2021

The Australian Research Council’s decision to reject early-career funding applications that mention preprints is hopelessly outdated, say scientists.

Part two: Australian funder backflips on controversial preprint ban

Big spending on bad backs, osteoarthritis

RHEUMA.COM.AU | AUG 2021

Musculoskeletal conditions attract the most spending across the Australian health system, over and above the costs of cardiovascular disease and cancer, new AIHW data shows.

Health researchers report funder pressure to suppress results

NATURE NEWS | AUG 2021

Small study hints that interference from bodies funding research into public-health issues such as nutrition and exercise might be more common than realized.

New guidance clears the air on pollution and pregnancy

THE MEDICAL REPUBLIC | JULY 2021

The downloadable resource, developed by a team of specialists and public health experts, is for people who are pregnant or planning pregnancy and it will help doctors, too.

Parachute science falls to earth

NATURE INDEX | APR 2021

Researchers say more needs to be done to correct past injustices.

Following NASA's lead, researchers are targeting gender bias in instrument time

Nature Index | Feb 2021

The switch to double-blind peer reviews could help to ensure that female and early-career researchers get a fair shot at using in-demand equipment.