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Norman Swan
FAHMS
Swan in 2013
Born
Norman Swirsky

1953 (age 70–71)
Glasgow, Scotland
NationalityAustralian
Alma materUniversity of Aberdeen
Occupation(s)Physician, journalist, broadcaster
Known forThe Health Report on ABC Radio National
Children3, including Jonathan Swan
Awards
Australian Skeptics Award 2020

Norman Swan FAHMS (born Norman Swirsky in 1953) is a Scottish-born Australian physician, journalist and broadcaster.

Life and career

Swan was born in Scotland as Norman Swirsky.[1][2][3] As a young man he had a near death experience when climbing in the Scottish mountains with friends.[4] He wanted to be an actor, but instead went to medical school at the University of Aberdeen graduating in 1976.[5] He later tried unsuccessfully to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.[1] He then continued his postgraduate studies by specialising in paediatrics.[6][5]

Swan moved to Australia to continue his training but moved away from medicine when he started work with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1982.[5] He was the general manager of ABC Radio National for three years from 1990 and in that time increased the audience by 30%. He overhauled the schedule, created the RN current affairs breakfast program and recruited Phillip Adams, Geraldine Doogue and Wendy Harmer as program presenters.[2] Swan co-hosted the Radio National program Life Matters between 1996 and 2001,[6] and has produced and presented ABC radio program The Health Report from its inception in 1985.[2][7]

On ABC TV, Swan has presented both Catalyst and Quantum, is an occasional reporter on Four Corners, including an exposé of egregious doctors' fees. He is currently a regular reporter and commentator on 7.30. On commercial television, he has appeared on the Australian version of The Biggest Loser as the resident health expert.

Swan was awarded the Gold Walkley in 1988 for revealing scientific fraud conducted by gynaecologist William McBride. Swan's investigation sent "shock waves throughout the medical world" and led to McBride's deregistration as a medical practitioner.[5] Swan has won four Walkley Awards, (the latest in 2020 for Coronacast), the 2020 Australian Skeptics Award, a Media Peace Award from the United Nations Association of Australia and the highest honour in Australian science journalism, the Michael Daley Award.[5] Swan was also awarded the Medal of The Australian Academy Science in 2004.[8] He was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences in 2022.[9]

In November 2022, Swan faced criticism for speculating about the causes of the deaths of politician Kimberley Kitching and cricketer Shane Warne during an appearance on News Breakfast.[10] Swan implied that both deaths were linked to COVID-19 despite having no evidence to back up the claim, or access to their medical history.[11]

In an interview with Daily Mail Australia following his News Breakfast appearance, Swan persisted with the claim that COVID-19 had played a role in the deaths of Kitching and Warne.[12] However, the following day Swan said he had issued an apology to Kitching's husband Andrew for his comments after it was revealed Kitching had never contracted COVID-19.[13] Swan said that he accepted "100%" that he had "got it wrong".[12]

Personal life

Swan's son Jonathan is a political correspondent, firstly for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, then The Hill, Axios, and currently the New York Times.[14][15] Swan's daughter Anna was seriously injured in an electric bike accident on a 2016 trip to Italy. Swan has experienced PTSD, blaming himself for not hiring helmets for the bikes,[1] and also as a result of being injured in a bus explosion at age 14.[16]

Bibliography

  • Swan, Norman (February–March 2014). "Disaster averted". Health. Body Talk. Cosmos. 55: 26.
  • Swan, Norman, Dr (2021). So you think you know what's good for you?. Sydney, N.S.W. ISBN 978-0-7336-4676-8. OCLC 1231994364.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Swan, Norman (2022). So You Want to Live Younger Longer. Hachette Australia. ISBN 9780733648342.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Dr Norman Swan opens up on coping with trauma after his daughter's accident, covering COVID and the question that 'stopped his world'". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 5 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.; 1953)
  2. ^ a b c "Profile: Norman Swan". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 August 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  3. ^ Datelines: Norman Swan, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 November 1998, Spectrum, p. 2s
  4. ^ "Dr. Norman Swan, The Five of My Life Podcast with Nigel Marsh", Apple Podcasts, 2021
  5. ^ a b c d e "Dr Norman Swan". ABC Radio National. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Honorary awards – Dr Norman Swan". University of Sydney. 13 June 2006. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  7. ^ Jamieson, Amber (29 March 2012). "The quality journalism project: Dr Norman Swan's media check-up". Crikey. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Academy Medal | Australian Academy of Science".
  9. ^ Shanahan, Rachel (14 October 2022). "Dr Norman Swan FAHMS". Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  10. ^ Fordham, Ben (16 November 2022). "'He should be ashamed': Ben Fordham blasts Dr Norman Swan". 2GB. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  11. ^ "ABC health expert Norman Swan claims Shane Warne and Kimberley Kitching's heart attack deaths could be Covid-related". news.com.au. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  12. ^ a b Meade, Amanda (16 November 2022). "Norman Swan apologises for linking Kimberley Kitching and Shane Warne's deaths to Covid". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 November 2022. After he was contacted on Tuesday by the Daily Mail about linking Kitching and Warne to Covid, he doubled down...
  13. ^ Maiden, Samantha (15 November 2022). "Ben Fordham lashes ABC health expert Norman Swan after claiming Senator Kimberley Kitching's death was linked to Covid". news.com.au. Retrieved 16 November 2022. "I've personally apologised to Andrew her husband," Dr Swan told news.com.au. "I've clearly made an error which I deeply regret. I do recall such reports and have checked with others who did too but that doesn't excuse my having upset the family."
  14. ^ "Aussie named as a US political breakout star". Crikey. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  15. ^ "Fairfax journalist Jonathan Swan awarded prestigious Wallace Brown Young Achiever Award". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  16. ^ Morgan, Cassandra (25 June 2021). "Norman Swan on wellness, sickness and other lies". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
External videos
video icon Swan on One Plus One, ABC Television
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