A landmark new report launched in Canberra reveals a devastating public health reality: irreversible lung scarring is claiming 11 Australian lives every single day—putting its death toll on par with prostate cancer.

With nearly 22,000 Australians currently living with progressive pulmonary fibrosis—and one in five cases caused by workplace exposure to dusts, fumes, and chemicals—urgent action is required. In this episode, we speak with Professor Tamera Corte, lead investigator of the Centre of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis and Director of Interstitial Lung Disease at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, about the findings of The Burden of Pulmonary Fibrosis report, the disproportionate impact on regional communities, and why a national integrated screening program is desperately needed.