Prof Brendan Crabb AC

Last night, Dr Jeanne Marrazzo delivered the inaugural AIID Oration. Dr Marrazzo argued that without strong systems, trusted institutions and equitable access, even the most extraordinary scientific breakthroughs can fail to reach the people who need them most. Thanks Dr Marrazzo!

Australia blitzed transmission of HIV, but a neighbour's crisis threatens the entire region Australia has committed $48m to support Fiji's fast-growing HIV crisis, targeting testing, treatment and community-led prevention.

We welcome Australia's commitment of $48m to support Fiji's fast-growing HIV crisis.

"Infectious disease outbreaks require constant vigilance and sustained investment — the moment we look away, they accelerate," Prof @brendancrabb.bsky.social said.

Read more: www.sbs.com.au/news/article...

I’ve added an Excess Deaths Comparison page to my analysis on that topic. Here I’m comparing the UK, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand, to June 2025.

My method projects "Expected Deaths" using a linear regression on the weekly deaths (4-week average) from a baseline of 2015-2019 deaths.
🧵

Australia blitzed transmission of HIV, but a neighbour's crisis threatens the entire region Australia has committed $48m to support Fiji's fast-growing HIV crisis, targeting testing, treatment and community-led prevention.

Great to see Australian government support for this, the speed of this resurgence is troubling.
www.sbs.com.au/news/article...

The climate crisis is expensive: net zero is cheaper for Australia than not doing more The Coalition claims net zero by 2050 will cost too much – but unchecked warming or even a delayed transition would be worse for the economy

"that it is far cheaper for Australia, and the world, to make a well-coordinated effort to reach net zero by 2050'

www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...

Hundreds of millions in MRFF funds are sitting idle while labs close and researchers leave.
The money is there – release the full MRFF.
www.aamri.org.au/mrff
#releasethefullmrff

1. This is a thread on freedom, and how easy it is to lose.

Over the past 2,000 years in Europe, there have been few periods and places of freedom. For much of the time we lived under highly oppressive tyrannies of various kinds, whether small or grand, local or imperial, secular or religious.🧵

The Australian Centre for Disease Control is happening! Burnet’s Chief Health Officer, Associate Professor Suman Majumdar, welcomes the new CDC, saying: “Health challenges transcend national borders. The CDC will bolster Australia’s readiness and contribute to global health security.”

Burnet backs calls to fully release MRFF: media release The MRFF was established to transform Australian health and medical research. We are calling on all funds to be released.

T­he future of Austr­alian medical research is being held back, not by a lack of ideas, talent, or urgency, but by the failure to honour a long‐held funding promise, a situation all the more perplexing given that the promised funds are already available.

Read more: www.burnet.edu.au/news/burnet-...

An important report by Australia’s science Academy.

Landmark study makes 'important' finding about COVID vaccines

Adding to the already strong case for vaccinating kids against COVID - both its acute and chronic (long COVID) effects

www.9news.com.au/health/covid...

Just called (through gritted teeth).

Australia’s MRFF is sitting on billions of taxpayers’ dollars which was meant to be invested in world-leading, lifesaving health innovations.

As I said elsewhere, I get the despair, there’s not a lot of functional difference yet. But the acceptance by many authorities is greatly advanced. A radical improvement. Lots to do to get the message out, to address low hanging fruit (like healthcare), & urgently do more implementation research.

Australian scientist who alerted world that Covid is airborne wins top science prize Prof Lidia Morawska says recognition of her research comes at a fraught time – an ‘age of anti-science’

More here… Australian scientist who alerted world that Covid is airborne wins top science prize www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

I agree that there is not a lot of functional difference yet. But the acceptance by many authorities is greatly advanced from where it was. A radical improvement. Lots to do though to get the message out, to address low hanging fruit (like healthcare), & urgently do more implementation research.

World expert in air quality and COVID wins Australia's top science prize Lidia Morawska, an internationally renowned expert in air quality and its impact on human health, has won Australia's most coveted prize for scientific research.

The world learned a painful lesson during COVID; respiratory infections are airborne. This changes a great deal - especially the need for better indoor air quality and high quality masks. If there was a single most important person responsible it was Prof Morawska.

www.abc.net.au/news/science...

Pretty much the best news I could imagine.

www.abc.net.au/news/science...

Point of care syphilis test device being held by a person in a lab coat and blue gloves

Atomo Diagnostics and Burnet have partnered to develop a syphilis test that would not only be Australia’s first self-test for the disease but the first syphilis test in the world to be able to differentiate between ­active and past infections.

www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...

Ah, sorry, will see what I can do.

Great work team at @burnetinstitute.bsky.social and partners.

www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...

"We're seeing a shift, and GPs and medical professionals are accepting that long COVID is real.

"But we still struggle with the belief there's nothing you can do about it. There is a lot you can do." 💯

#LongCovid #MEcfs ⚕️🧪

Agree to a degree, although being Telehealth does open the door to some who otherwise would struggle to see anyone.

Long COVID patients seeking help 'let down by the system' Patients are calling for better access to long COVID care after the closure of one of the country's last public clinics.

In awe of the team at Clinic Nineteen treating adults & children for long COVID & related diseases. COVID infection is commonplace in the community & repeat infections increase your chances of getting LC so do your best to avoid infection. Indoor air quality is key.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...

Metformin has been shown to reduce the risk of Long COVID. Why isn’t it more widely used? - The Sick Times Recent studies add evidence to a prior phase 3 clinical trial, suggesting that taking the diabetes drug during acute COVID-19 reduces the risk of long-term symptoms.

As our team and others have written about previously, metformin does appear to have some benefit.

thesicktimes.org/2025/10/28/m...

Price of poverty hurts us all, yet research reveals an easy fix In 2020, Australia massively increased welfare payments and conducted a live experiment in ending poverty, but when the subsidy was removed, many were thrown back into hardship. Leaving aside the mora...

Of course it’s the human thing to do but it’s also economically and societally smart to eliminate poverty. The pandemic showed us that it can be done, and that we all win from that investment.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Terrific explainer on a surprise benefit of mRNA vaccines - not of the antigen in the vaccine, but of the generic nanoparticle itself. More to do on this but very promising, deservingly published in @nature.com - mRNA vaccines offer a great deal for both infectious & non-infectious diseases.

Australia must ‘step up to prevent catastrophic and preventable loss of life’ amid Trump cuts, former CDC boss says Dr Tom Frieden served as director of the US health body under Barack Obama until 2017 and warns about cuts under Donald Trump

A good summary of the big challenges ahead for global health. Great to see establishing a CDC at this time.

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Bill Gates is deeply misguided on climate. My Newsweek commentary debunking his downplaying of the need for rapid decarbonization is nearly 5 years old, but it is evergreen: www.newsweek.com/right-path-f...

Graph showing that while investors are buying less houses in Victoria than the rest of Australia, First-home buyers are buying more in Victoria

Looks like success to me. Interesting article.

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...