Critical Care

Vulnerable seniors belong in care, not jail

Accused seniors with cognitive impairments are all too often punished for conditions beyond their control because the justice system lacks safe places to shelter them.

Medicine can be better: A wish list for our health-care system

Health Debate editor-in-chief, Dr. Seema Marwaha, shares her wishes for Canada's health-care system as a general internist, educator, journalist and incoming president-elect of the Federation of Medical Women of Canada.

Why Canada needs a ready-to-run adaptive platform trial before the next pandemic hits

When the next pandemic arrives (and it will!) Canada will once again face urgent questions: Which treatments work? For whom? At what dose? And how quickly should we act?

The accidental birth tourist: A North American pregnancy

When baby is old enough to know the full story, I cannot wait to share how life was up north, in a place known for its warmth as much as for its cold, that welcomed an American like me without a plan.

Caregiver calls for action to tackle cancer’s financial toxicity

Everyone agrees lack of money shouldn’t be a barrier to life-saving cancer care. But when cancer metastasizes to bank accounts it can reduce the odds of survival.

Climate change fuelling the spread of tuberculosis

With floods in Pakistan, cyclones in Madagascar and droughts in Somalia, it is crucial that we learn to recognize the critical links between climate change and disease.

Emergency department wait times are deadly. They’re also avoidable

Until governments act on our scientific recommendations and commit to meaningful system change, Canadians will continue to wait in dangerous conditions – and more families will face tragic, preventable loss.

Empowering pharmacists is about more than saving emergency departments – it’s about equity in health care

Not only did Ontario's move to allow pharmacists to prescribe for certain minor ailments reduce ED strain, but it also reduced inequities in access to care.

Was my wife’s hospital care an anomaly or the new normal in Ontario?

I had hoped my wife would get timely and dignified care like I'd received in the past. She did not. Was her care an anomaly or is it the way of the future? I don't know but I sure as hell hope it is not the future.

Financially sustainable and fair: Value-based care a solution to pay disparities and health-care system strain

The gender-based physician compensation gap is more than a workplace injustice – it undermines the efficiency and effectiveness of the Canadian health-care system.

The forgotten patients of brain health: Why Functional Neurological Disorder needs a clinical home

Patients with FND are not puzzles to be passed around. They are Ontarians living with genuine and debilitating symptoms; many of whom have been ignored, invalidated and left to navigate recovery alone.

Patient Perspectives: Telling our stories is critical to improving care

As a physician, nothing will tell you more than simply asking someone how their illness impacts their lives and listening closely to their answers.

How Hollywood’s obsession with the ‘Dry Look’ harms men and boys

Increasingly distorted male beauty standards have come to celebrate visible dehydration as a physical ideal, posing a significant physiological and psychological danger for men and boys.

The Non-Suturable Wounds

A poem inspired by University of Toronto medical student Ye-Jean Park's clerkship rotation.

Dancing with uncertainty: Finding my rhythm in the chaos of the OR

As a medical learner, uncertainty is everywhere—especially in anesthesia. But I hope to find calm within the unknown.

Beyond the signature: Is consent truly informed?

Moving forward, making informed consent truly informed – rooted in both equity and accessibility –  needs to be a priority, not just an ideal.

‘This Will Make You a Better Doctor’

As medical trainees, we spend years learning to care for patients. But absolutely nothing prepared me to be a doctor better than being a patient.

Breathing for both of us

I walked into the obstetrics unit – 36 weeks pregnant, out of breath and scared. I had been here before, but this time was different.

How health care works in Canada: What to know ahead of the federal election

With voters heading to the polls on April 28, we figured it’s time for a refresher on how health policy is made and where the parties stand.

The urgent need for emergency dental care reform in Canada

By prioritizing children's dental health, we're not just improving smiles – we're building a healthier future for our nation.