Drugs and Pharmaceuticals

With the U.S. sidelined, it’s critical we monitor avian flu outbreak

As the avian flu outbreak continues to evolve, it is critical for us to continue monitoring, testing and surveillance, especially as cuts are made to funding and research is gagged south of the border.

Guelph braces for ‘devastating impacts’ as supervised consumption site set to close

As Guelph’s only supervised consumption site prepares to close March 31, advocates warn people will die and the surrounding community will suffer.

Charity fills the gap in pet fostering services for struggling community members in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

For The Homies - Downtown Eastside Pet Support Society is a new grassroots organization offering much-needed pet fostering and other pet services for community members and their furry friends.

‘We do not need compassionate care: We need a country that cares with compassion’

Conservative politicians have pushed for involuntary treatment, often termed "compassionate care." While compassionate care seems like the easiest answer, the policy is problematic.

Dual HIV/syphilis rapid test aims to lessen stigma, reach underserved communities

As rates of syphilis and HIV continue to climb in Canada, a dual rapid test recently was approved by federal regulators, making it the second of its kind to become available in the country.

Is the red dye ban a case of virtue signalling?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent announcement that Red 3 will be banned will go down in history as the very definition of a red herring.

Rising HIV cases in Canada: Putting the numbers in perspective

The rise in HIV infections over the last several years might indicate that the public health system has failed in containing the virus. But the raw numbers don’t tell the full story.

Barriers to Paxlovid are exacerbating our health inequities

Access to Paxlovid has become increasingly challenging. Canada needs to do a better job at making it more accessible to those who would benefit most.

The future of prescriptions: Pharmacogenomic testing on the verge of revolutionizing health care

With the growing trend of using genomic information to personalize care, is there a type of testing that can tell us whether medications we have been prescribed are actually working?

Move fast and fix things: Canada can’t afford pharmacare delays

A limited national pharmacare plan passed into law recently, but so far it is only a small step toward universal, comprehensive, public drug coverage.

Where are the patient voices in Canada’s pharmaceutical system?

While federal health priorities focus on areas such as pharmaceutical use, data infrastructure and connected care, the central priority – patients’ experiences and needs – remains neglected.

TBT – Atrial Fibrillation

Food oral immunotherapy through a parent’s lens: A paradigm shift in food allergy management

A case study highlights the importance of the patient’s perspective in navigating food allergies and of advocating for yourself in the face of scarce resources.

Episode 82 – Airway Management in Acute Poisoning and the PALACE Trial

Drug importation plan is a ‘win-win,’ claims Florida health official

Florida’s plan is a win-win for both Canada and Florida. It will relieve pressure on an already overburdened government health-care system, and bring millions of dollars in new business to Canada.

Florida’s ‘quick fix’: Instead of looking to Canada for cheaper drugs, U.S. should regulate its own prices

We appreciate that Americans need access to affordable drugs. But taking them from Canada is not a fair, sustainable or equitable solution.

Episode 80 – Clarithromycin for Inflammation and Probiotics for Recurrent UTIs

TBT – Chronic Kidney Disease

Episode 77 – The Top 5 Papers of 2023

TBT – The Top Papers of 2022