Karen Brown

Doctors want more research into why thousands of New Zealanders are missing out on the specialist medical care their family doctors think they need. Audio

Information released for the first time today reveals how hard it is for some patients to access elective or non-urgent surgery. Audio

A think tank says there is little evidence sugar taxes reduce obesity and New Zealand should steer clear of them. Audio

Australia is taking a hard line on New Zealand dialysis patients who cross the Tasman for a holiday or business charging them thousands of dollars for treatment that used to be free. Audio

Australia is taking a hard line on New Zealand dialysis patients who cross the Tasman for a holiday or business charging them thousands of dollars for treatment that used to be free. Audio

A senior Dunedin surgeon says patients are now more severely disabled by the time they receive long-awaited elective hip or knee surgery Audio

Longer waits for elective or non-urgent surgery means many patients are now more severely disabled by the time they receive the help they need. Audio

A damning report sparked by a series of infant deaths has prompted a major shakeup of maternity services in the lower North Island. Audio

The Whanganui District Health Board is assuring expectant mums they are in safe hands, despite the deaths of four babies in the care of the local maternity service last year. Audio

The Health Ministry is being accused of rushing through major changes to a vital screening programme for cancer in New Zealand women. Audio

A former New Zealand head of a major drug company says the price being charged for the hotly debated drug Keytruda is extortionate. Audio

A prominent figure in the New Zealand pharmaceutical industry says the price of the hotly debated drug Keytruda is extortionate. Audio

A leading New Zealand cancer researcher says international drug prices are becoming insane and it's a major and growing challenge for Pharmac. Audio

A New Zealand expert in the development of new anti-cancer medicines says world drug prices are far too high and the system is "broke". Audio

Pharmac chief executive Steffan Crausaz tells RNZ health correspondent Karen Brown why the agency is demanding more data on Keytruda. Audio

Auckland health boards and the Health Ministry are forking out 650 thousand dollars to enable more Maori and Pacific secondary school students to train for health careers. Audio

Patients with advanced melanoma presented a petition to Health Minister Jonathan Coleman today, calling for Pharmac to fund the drug Keytruda. Health Correspondent Karen Brown reports. Audio

A petition calling on the Government to fund the melanoma treatment, Keytruda, has been presented to Parliament today. Australia, Canada and Britain subsidise the treatment, but Pharmac has given it… Audio

The Health Minister is promising more funding for Pharmac in the next budget. Audio

Professor Graham Stokes says the number of people in this country with dementia will more than treble in the next three decades. He spoke to RNZ health correspondent Karen Brown. Audio