Resources for Journalists

EXPERT REACTION: An mRNA vaccine for HIV could be effective and affordable

Publicly released: Thu 31 Jul 2025 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

Science Translational Medicine

Scientists have used mRNA technology to engineer new vaccines for HIV, which can produce potent immune responses to the virus in animals and human volunteers in Phase 1 clinical trials, according Read more about EXPERT REACTION: An mRNA vaccine for HIV could be effective and affordable

EXPERT REACTION and MEDIA BRIEFING: First babies born in the UK through mitochondrial donation

Publicly released: Thu 17 Jul 2025 at 0700 AEST, 0900 NZST

New England Journal of Medicine

There is no cure for mitochondrial disease and the only treatments available aim to manage the symptoms. ... The mitoHOPE Program would not exist were it not for the advocacy of the mito community and the Read more about EXPERT REACTION and MEDIA BRIEFING: First babies born in the UK through mitochondrial donation

EXPERT REACTION: Polio outbreak in Papua New Guinea

Publicly released: Fri 16 May 2025 at 1302 AEST, 1502 NZST

Papua New Guinea has detected cases of polio which have triggered the activation of a national emergency response to protect children across the country. Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Polio outbreak in Papua New Guinea

EXPERT REACTION: Shingles vaccine reduces dementia risk by a fifth over seven years

Publicly released: Thu 3 Apr 2025 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

Nature

Recent studies have found associations between herpes virus infections and an increased risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, raising the question of whether vaccination might Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Shingles vaccine reduces dementia risk by a fifth over seven years

EXPERT REACTION: How will Trump's decisions affect the world?

Publicly released: Wed 22 Jan 2025 at 1515 AEDT, 1715 NZDT

US President Donald Trump has signed a number of executive orders in his first days back in office, including leaving the World Health Organization (WHO), withdrawing the US from the Paris Read more about EXPERT REACTION: How will Trump's decisions affect the world?

EXPERT REACTION: Trust in scientists comparatively high in Aotearoa and Australia

Publicly released: Mon 20 Jan 2025 at 2100 AEDT, 2300 NZDT

Nature Human Behaviour

88, placing the country 9th overall and behind Australia placed 5th with a 3. ... This is the largest global study conducted on trust in science since the Covid-19 Pandemic,” says co-author Gina Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Trust in scientists comparatively high in Aotearoa and Australia

EXPERT REACTION: Should we be worried about HMPV?

Publicly released: Mon 6 Jan 2025 at 1618 AEDT, 1818 NZDT

Below, Australian experts respond to questions about whether we should be worried about the virus. Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Should we be worried about HMPV?

EXPERT REACTION: COVID-19 Response Inquiry Report

Publicly released: Tue 29 Oct 2024 at 1629 AEDT, 1829 NZDT

The Federal Government has released the report from the independent inquiry into Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. ... The report identifies 19 immediate actions for the next 12-18 months, Read more about EXPERT REACTION: COVID-19 Response Inquiry Report

EXPERT REACTION: WHO declares mpox outbreak an international emergency

Publicly released: Thu 15 Aug 2024 at 1145 AEST, 1345 NZST

The World Health Organization has declared an upsurge of mpox cases across several African countries a public health emergency of international concern overnight. ... The disease formerly known as Read more about EXPERT REACTION: WHO declares mpox outbreak an international emergency

EXPERT REACTION: NZ academic harassed during the pandemic wins in court

Publicly released: Tue 9 Jul 2024 at 1145 AEST, 1345 NZST

contractual obligations to protect Associate Professor Wiles’s health and safety in the wake of harassment she experienced for speaking publicly about the COVID-19 pandemic. ... Both the University of Read more about EXPERT REACTION: NZ academic harassed during the pandemic wins in court

EXPERT REACTION: COVID-19 vaccines likely prevented nearly 18,000 deaths in NSW's early Omicron era

Publicly released: Wed 17 Apr 2024 at 0400 AEST, 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

The team used a simulation of NSW's vaccination and COVID-19 death rates in people aged 50 or older to see how vaccination and how second and third doses impacted ... COVID-19 deaths, and predict what Read more about EXPERT REACTION: COVID-19 vaccines likely prevented nearly 18,000 deaths in NSW's early Omicron era

CORRECTION: EXPERT REACTION: Australia [has not] recorded zero COVID-19 deaths for at least a week 

Publicly released: Thu 11 Apr 2024 at 1430 AEST, 1630 NZST

Media reports based on data from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care had suggested Australia recorded no deaths associated with COVID-19 for a week, although experts have Read more about CORRECTION: EXPERT REACTION: Australia [has not] recorded zero COVID-19 deaths for at least a week 

EXPERT REACTION: Chemicals in some disinfectants and flame retardants damage supporting cells of the brain in the lab

Publicly released: Tue 26 Mar 2024 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

Nature Neuroscience

The researchers also found links between kids with greater exposure to organophosphate flame retardants and higher rates of gross motor dysfunction and the need for special education. ... People are Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Chemicals in some disinfectants and flame retardants damage supporting cells of the brain in the lab

EXPERT REACTION: Long COVID may be no different to other long term virus effects

Publicly released: Fri 15 Mar 2024 at 1000 AEDT, 1200 NZDT

European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

to stem from the sheer number of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 within a short period of time, rather than the severity of long COVID symptoms or functional impairment. ... They also note that the risk Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Long COVID may be no different to other long term virus effects

EXPERT REACTION: Smoking down, vaping up, and 1 in 5 of us use drugs illicitly - Australia's National Drug Strategy Household Survey

Publicly released: Thu 29 Feb 2024 at 0001 AEDT, 0201 NZDT

The National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023

They found that the rates of smoking dropped by two-thirds from 1991, where e-cigarette and vaping rates are up from 2. ... E-cigarettes and vaping In 2022–2023, one in 5 (19. 8%) people aged 14 and Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Smoking down, vaping up, and 1 in 5 of us use drugs illicitly - Australia's National Drug Strategy Household Survey

EXPERT REACTION: Big data detects COVID-19 vaccine safety signals

Publicly released: Fri 23 Feb 2024 at 0001 AEDT, 0201 NZDT

Vaccine

The largest study of its kind involved more than 99 million people from Australia, Argentina, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, New Zealand and Scotland who received a COVID-19 vaccine. ... The study, Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Big data detects COVID-19 vaccine safety signals

EXPERT REACTION: Could blood proteins hold the key to the cause of long COVID?

Publicly released: Fri 19 Jan 2024 at 0600 AEDT, 0800 NZDT

Science

Not everyone fully recovers from COVID-19. Roughly 20% of patients diagnosed with it and about 5% of all SARS-CoV-2–infected persons develop lingering symptoms, called Long Covid, that ... Although Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Could blood proteins hold the key to the cause of long COVID?

EXPERT REACTION: Millennials are driving Australia's declining mental health status

Publicly released: Tue 28 Nov 2023 at 0700 AEDT, 0900 NZDT

PNAS

That’s a very difficult question to answer,” said consultant psychiatrist and senior author Professor Nick Glozier, Professor of Psychological Medicine at the University of Sydney. ... lack of Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Millennials are driving Australia's declining mental health status

EXPERT REACTION: Should we be concerned about the rise in respiratory illnesses in China?

Publicly released: Fri 24 Nov 2023 at 1320 AEDT, 1520 NZDT

China is currently seeing an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children, according to the World Health Organization. ... The WHO this week made an official request to Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Should we be concerned about the rise in respiratory illnesses in China?

EXPERT REACTION: Optus network outage

Publicly released: Wed 8 Nov 2023 at 1143 AEDT, 1343 NZDT

Optus customers have been unable to make calls or use the internet since 4am AEDT on the morning of Wednesday Nov 8th due to a major outage. ... This is affecting hospitals, public transport and Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Optus network outage