Immediate issues for the agency will include bird flu, immunisation and misinformation, as well as the challenges of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. But there’s a lot we don’t know yet – and can we ensure it’s apolitical? Australia is a step closer to having its own national agency to inform and coordinate public health responses – a permanent Australian Centre for Disease Control. Long-awaited draft legislation was tabled in parliament last week to create this permanent CDC, which is to start from 1 January 2026. 1987 Epidemiologist Prof Bob Douglas asks in the Medical Journal of Australia Does Australia need a centre for disease control? Continue reading...