Media releases
For any media enquires please contact:
Elizabeth McCray liz.mccray@ha.org.au 0411 145 771.
Undiagnosed iron overload linked to chronic disease and death in thousands of Australians
More than one hundred thousand Australians are at greater risk of developing liver cancer, arthritis, diabetes and other chronic conditions because of undiagnosed haemochromatosis, a disorder where the body absorbs too much iron.
Men with iron disorder at higher risk of liver cancer – 26 November 2020
Findings from research led by the University of Exeter published in the internationally renowned journal JAMA reveal that men with Australia’s most common genetic disorder are ten times more likely to develop liver cancer and have prompted calls for greater use of simple detection and treatment techniques.
Media Release – World Haemochromatosis Week 2020
World Haemochromatosis Week 1 – 6 June 2020
Backgrounder and contacts for interviews here.
Haemochromatosis Videos
A series of videos explaining haemochromatosis.
Previous releases
Australian set to lead Haemochromatosis International 2 May 2019
Letter to the editor – St Patrick’s Day 14 March 2019
Jingle draws attention to haemochromatosis and Irish heritage 16 March 2019
MEDIA LAUNCH – Iron out your health campaign 25 February 2019
Find out about haemochromatosis before damage occurs 25 February 2019
Researcher irons out own health issues 23 February 2019
Early diagnosis irons out the issue 22 February 2019
Iron Amplifies other chronic health conditions 21 January 2019
Iron researcher goes rusty 4 June 2018
Haemochromatosis Conference Newcastle 25 & 26 August 2018
Is the world pumping too much iron? World Haemochromatosis Week 4 – 10 June 2018
Haemochromatosis Awareness Week – Are you pumping too much iron? 7 – 13 August 2017
World Iron Awareness Week – Spotlighting the Highs and Lows of Dietary Iron 1 May 2017
Joint media release with Dietitians Association of Australia announcing launch of World iron Awareness Week and drawing attention to the risks to our health of too little and too much iron.
Haemochromatosis in the News
Finding HFE Haemochromatosis
Medical Forum 7 February 2019
Common conditions associated with hereditary haemochromatosis genetic variants: cohort study in UK Biobank
British Medical Journal BMJ 2019;354;k5222
David Melzer: Haemochromatosis is linked to more disease than previously thought
British Medical Journal – thebmjopinion 16 January 2019
Iron Overload…too much of a good thing
NOVA: Australian Academy of Science, July 2017
The Case for Haemochromatosis Screening
Menzies Bulletin Autumn 2017 (page 6), Menzies Institute for Medical research, University of Tasmania.
Recent Menzies research led by Dr Barbara de Graaff has found that population screening for the iron overload disorder haemochromatosis would most likely be cost‑effective, providing improved health and quality of life outcomes for people with the condition.
