health-policy

The good oil on medicinal cannabis in Tasmania

Woman endures months of unnecessary chemo treatment after being wrongly diagnosed with cancer

The case was revealed in the latest annual report from the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission.

The report did not name the hospital in which it occurred, but the ABC understands the woman received treatment in the private sector in 2014-15.

The report said the woman was told she had stage four liver cancer by a surgeon who looked at her CT results, but did not order any other tests.

The surgeon referred the patient to an oncologist who recommended six months of chemotherapy without doing further tests.

Doctors call for sweet drink levy to tackle obesity in Australia

The Committee of Presidents of Medical Colleges, representing bodies including the Royal Australian College of GPs, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, has developed a six-point obesity action plan to tackle what it calls the most pressing public health issue.

Professor Nick Talley, head of the Committee of the Presidents of Medical Colleges, said urgent definitive action was needed.

"We need leadership, not just telling people to lose weight," he said.