Latest fromMinistry of Health

Flesh-eating bug cases treble in NZ hospitals
The number of patients in New Zealand hospitals attacked by "flesh-eating" bugs has trebled since 1990.

Labtests staff not cleared to work
Five of the pathologists listed on Labtests' website are not fully registered to practise medicine in NZ.

Labtests on notice to fulfil contract
Labtests has been told it is not meeting the requirements of its $190,000-a-day contract and needs to "lift its act" quickly.

Labtests - DHBs step in
Six senior health officials will intervene at Labtests today on the instructions of Auckland's DHB heads, who have demanded the service fix its problems.

Labtests' latest balls up - woman gets wrong results
A woman's Labtests results diagnose her as having prostate problems - a gland only in men.

Labtests' patients at risk, says health watchdog
Auckland's controversial new community laboratory service poses "a real risk" to public safety, NZ's top health watchdog says.

Radical smoking plans win support
Licensing tobacco retailers and turning cigarette packs into plain packages bearing only health warnings is among five new proposals to reduce smoking.

Study exposes extra risk for heart patients
Many people with heart failure are getting ineffective treatment and face an increased risk of dying, a global study says. The NZ Ministry of Health agrees with the findings.

Smart-card proposal to combat NZ obesity
Hundreds of thousands of Kiwis would receive subsidies to buy healthy foods under a new system proposed by a Govt commissioned study.

Young lives drown in culture of binge
Alcohol abuse by young people is costing the country a fortune.