|
|
|
|
Excellence in Health Journalism Awards
The annual Excellence in Health Journalism Awards are run by the National Press Club of Australia and sponsored by Medicines Australia.
They seek to raise awareness of health, medicine and innovation issues and contributions to health science and innovation in Australia.
The Awards recognise journalists who have contributed the best work on health and health science topics within a 12 month period to broadening community understanding of sciences and innovation issues and/or events by explaining or examining related policies, technologies, trends and/or personnel in their chosen medium.
The prize for category winners is $1000 in cash. The prize for the Health Journalist of the Year is $1000 in cash and an international study tour.
Further information about the 2010 awards are available from the National Press Club of Australia
2009 Category Winners
BEST NEWS FEATURE / ARTICLE OR PRESENTATION
Health, Health Sciences or Innovation in the fields of Health & Health Sciences
Tory Shepherd Adelaide Advertiser
“My Mary thought she would be cured: Tough questions for alternative medicine”
The culmination of more than a year of work covering the Parliamentary inquiry into bogus Doctors and investigating those named in that inquiry. Exposing these “quacks” peddling useless cures offering false hope and dangerously – encouraging patients to abandon conventional medicines and treatment. Tory interviewed dozens of victims and advocates for alternative medicine in her research.
Prize - Certificate and $1000
BEST DOCUMENTARY OR DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Health, Health Science or Innovation in the fields of Health & Health Sciences
Mark Horstman & Dr Holly Trueman ABC TV Catalyst “Monkey Malaria”
This story is about the discovery in Malaysian Borneo that reveals a fifth parasite has jumped the species barrier to spread from monkeys to humans and how this is the most important finding on malaria for nearly a century not only for the immediate danger it reveals of human infection by monkey malaria but also of the hazard posed by man’s increasing changes in the ecology of his environment. Monkey malaria was shot entirely on location in Sarawak, over a three day period in Sept 2008 and required humdreds of kilometres of boat travel up the Rejang River. Dr Holly Trueman has a PHD in malaria research and the story was produced by Mark Horstman.
Prize - Certificate and $1000
BEST FEATURE / ARTICLE OR PRESENTATION
Health Policy, Health Economics and Health Business
Dr Maryanne Demasi ABC TV Catalyst “Clearing the Fog”
With life expectancies increasing around the world, populations are ageing and crippling conditions like Alzheimer’s disease have become a global issue. So what if there was a way of predicting the onset of Alzheimer’s? if there could be intervention well before symptoms appear? What if we could develop medication that could stop the disease in its tracks?
Dr Mary Demasi’s story takes a heart warming journey with a couple who’ve been hoping for answers.
Prize - Certificate and $1000
BEST NEWS FEATURE / ARTICLE OR PRESENTATION
For reporting on Health, Health Science or Innovation directed to medical professionals
Paul Smith Australian Doctor “Why aren’t the screaming?”
The feature is about modern dying in Australia: the way thousands of elderly people spend the final months and weeks of their lives subject to needless and painful treatment in hospitals. Futile intervention is rarely discussed in public by the medical profession- the result is that the debate has yet to reach wider society. This feature looks at the human costs to some of the most vulnerable people in Australia- those whose minds have been ravaged by advanced dementia, the condition which has effectively stripped them of the ability to refuse treatments they often undergo.
Prize - Certificate and $1000
HEALTH JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Awarded to the most outstanding entry among the winners of the previous four categories
Paul Smith Australian Doctor
2009 Winning Entry
Why aren't they screaming? 
892k
Previous Winners
| 2003 | Deb Richards | Australian Doctor |
| 2004 | Christine Jackman | The Weekend Australian |
| 2005 | Hedley Thomas | The Courier Mail |
| 2006 | Jill Margo | The Australian Financial Review |
| 2007 | Roy Eccleston | The Weekend Australian |
| 2008 | Paul Smith | Australian Doctor |
| 2009 | Paul Smith | Australian Doctor |