Evidence Based Medicine

Health sector leadership on climate and health: Reflections on COP28 and climate and health

The Declaration on Climate and Health issued at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in December failed an important test. But while political leadership is lacking, health sector leadership is building.

Canadian universities are fumbling mental health support for student-athletes

Canadian post-secondary institutions need to step up to the plate to improve mental health services for student-athletes. Fear about legal liabilities cannot continue to override action to support psychological well-being.

Come for the black bears and huskies. Stay to ‘transform how we deliver health care’

"Self-determination doesn't happen when all of your clinicians are flying up from the south, working for a week and then flying home.” Medical resident Maria Raveendran writes on her experience working in the remote northern Ontario community of Moose Factory Island.

Holiday wishes for our beleaguered health-care system

Health-care workers and experts share their wishes for Canada's health-care system this holiday season.

Innovation challenge rewards ideas to ease workplace crisis

Desperate to retain health-care workers and reduce burnout, a non-profit health agency is offering monetary prizes for workers to come up with innovative ideas to ease the workplace crisis.

Lessons in patient partnership from a patient and health communications expert

Organizations that prioritize patient voices while championing equity, diversity and inclusion stand to gain immensely in not only enhancing their reputation among their patient communities, but also in leading the way as models for other institutions to follow.

Vanessa’s Law expansion puts natural health products in their place

Vanessa’s Law,” mandates hospitals to report serious adverse events that may have originated from medications and medical devices. This year it was expanded to include Natural Health Products, a move that should have been made long ago.

Naturopathic doctors: Underutilized partners in public health and primary care

Naturopathic doctors (NDs) have an important role to play in the health-care system. We need a pilot project to assess the viability of ND integration into team-based primary care models.

We cannot teach ourselves out of a failing system

The College of Family Physicians of Canada's expansion of training will demoralize and financially penalize early career physicians. Education will not address systemic and structural barriers to comprehensive practice.

Enhancing dental care for children with autism spectrum disorder: Simple changes for a positive experience

Children with conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder can carry a higher risk for dental decay due to obstacles with both in-home hygiene practices and dental office visits. But there are ways to enhance dental care for these kids.

Should “magic mushrooms” be legalized? Experts weigh in

Psilocybin, a psychedelic compound found in "magic mushrooms", is making waves for its therapeutic benefits in treating psychiatric conditions like major depressive disorder and end-of-life anxiety. But does that mean it should be legalized? We asked a panel of experts to weigh in.

We need to talk about public and private health care in Canada

With the system under significant strain, we have to re-examine how we fund and deliver health-care services. What this means for Canada's public health-care system is yet to be seen.

Why not educate the person experiencing pain? Improving opioid prescribing for youth in hospital settings

Youth are rarely educated on safe and effective opioid use when they're discharged from hospital. A new set of educational materials made by Solutions for Kids in Pain is hoping to change that.

Is bothsidesism killing us? (And why scientific consensus matters)

Our information ecosystem has become a massive false-balance machine. We need a more accurate representation of science and to correct misrepresentations wherever they emerge.

Lung-cancer screening – primum non nocere (first, do no harm)!

Lung cancer is the number one global killer among cancers. Early detection can help patients' chance of survival but current screening measures also come with mixed benefits and risks.

More research needed to understand medical students’ shift from exclusively clinical to scholarship

Canadian medical students’ interest in pursuing careers in research, education and administration is on the rise, signalling future physicians’ interest in enhancing the health-care system rather than simply being a part of it. Medical schools will need to take note.

We have the tools to prevent ovarian cancer. Why aren’t we using them?

About 20 per cent of the ovarian cancer cases in Canada diagnosed each year are in people who carry a mutation and are most likely preventable. Genetic testing can become more accessible. Why are we waiting? 

Episode 65 – Hydrocortisone for Pneumonia and Goals of Care Conversations

If public health is not there to protect the vulnerable, then why bother?

Documents reveal that though the risks could not have been stated more clearly, in 2022 the Ford government ignored the evidence and lifted public health measures. This should worry all Ontarians.

Episode 64 – Improving Heart Failure Outcomes and Psilocybin for Depression