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‘There aren’t many options for people like me’: A Q&A on living with food allergies

Rates of food allergy have increased in recent decades. 9 per cent of Canadians now report having a food allergy.

Hunt is on for helium; rising cost has some hospitals turning to new MRI models

The rising costs and difficulty of sourcing helium, partly because of the war in Ukraine, have led to the development of new MRI machines that use significantly less helium.

Clinical trial disruptions in Ukraine a little-known consequence of war

The Russian invasion has upended hundreds of clinical trials and interrupted the delivery of life-saving treatments, with devastating consequences for both Ukrainians and Russians.

Togethering – An array of flexible housing options

The latest in the Togethering series looks at the spectrum of common housing options available to seniors and provides a roadmap for conversations with the elders in your life.

Gender segregation, pay inequity. Understanding the ‘pink-collar’ tier in medicine

Understanding the history of health care’s gender segregation, the basis for today’s “pink collar” tier of female-dominated specialties, could help current efforts to improve pay equity in medicine.

Omicron and medical conferences – a balancing of risks

Large, in-person medical conferences can be risky in the Omicron era. Yet, proponents say these risks can be mitigated, and resuming in-person learning and networking are necessary to advance medicine and support a profession at its breaking point.

The right to die: Should MAiD apply to those whose sole condition is mental illness?

With the expansion of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) to include those whose sole condition is mental illness fast approaching, we asked a panel of experts whether they felt this was a move in the right direction — and what they hope to see moving forward.

Togethering as a frustrating, messy yet meaningful journey

For part four of the Togethering Series, Amy reflects on how the pandemic and her mother's heightened and unpredictable home care needs caused her family to come together to take care of each other in seemingly impossible yet profoundly meaningful ways.

Lack of government supports leaves Ukrainian refugees at risk of human trafficking in Canada

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, more than 223,000 Ukrainians have applied to come to Canada without the federal housing, income and integration support normally given to refugees – a gap in our emergency settlement program experts say threatens to leave many at risk of being trafficked.

MDI asthma inhalers come under scrutiny over heavy carbon cost

Small amounts of the propellants used in the familiar blue and orange inhalers can have an “outsized” climate footprint. Now there is a growing call for patients to switch to low-carbon dry powder alternatives.

Stories from the immunocompromised

Now that restrictions are lifted across Canada, discussions with my immunocompromised patients about infection risk are not “one size fits all.”

The human cost of fighting COVID in prisons: Solitary confinement, banned for its cruelty, has made a comeback

In 2019, the Ontario Court of Appeals called solitary confinement a form of cruel and unusual punishment. Three years later, federal prisons are still placing prisoners in solitary confinement.

Access to virtual care highlights urban/rural divide

The move to virtual care is leaving some communities behind. For rural Canadians, especially those in remote and Indigenous communities, there are obstacles to seeing a doctor both in person and online.

On mentors: Honouring the legacy of a palliative care specialist

Gone but not forgotten: Darren Cargill honours his mentor in palliative care, Ciaran Sheehan, for National Hospice and Palliative Care Week.

As U.S. Supreme Court prepares to limit abortion rights, Canadian pro-choice advocates say we must stay vigilant

Canadian pro-choice advocates say they are not “naive enough to think that what's happening in the U.S. will never happen in Canada."

‘They’ve grown up disconnected’: Saskatchewan programs aim to reunite Indigenous families, support vulnerable mothers-to-be

The Cowessess First Nation's family care system reunites Indigenous parents with their children, restores cultural connections and helps expectant and new mothers gain labour skills, financial literacy and find housing.

‘We take care of our own’: Shared family values guide Togethering

Stella and Derek are an example of proactive "Togethering." When the couple were expecting their first child, they purchased a home across the street from Stella's parents to stay close. Part two of the togethering series explores how Stella and Derek are considering new ways of "togethering" as Stella's parents require more care.

Togethering in the face of a degenerative disease

After Andrea's father was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2015, it became difficult for her to provide him care in Toronto from her home in the U.S. Eventually she would have to figure out a shared living space that worked for both of her parents and her and her husband. Read Andrea's story navigating "Togethering" in part three of the series.

Togethering – Exploring housing options and the concepts of care

Togethering is unique for each family. It can take many different forms in where we live, how we support each other and how we transition together as an intergenerational “circle of care.” This introduction to the "Togethering" series explores some housing options built around concepts of care.

Leaders must explore bureaucratic notions of health-care delivery in a turbulent environment

This month’s Top Three focuses on the public administration of health care as contained within the Canada Health Act and the role of leadership in critically examining our delivery models in light of current social demands.