Policy and Politics

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by Monica Kidd Anthony Fong

Medicine vs. Journalism? Navigating the tension between two fields

It’s no secret that medicine and journalism are often at odds. But what happens when the doctor is a journalist? Physician-journalists Anthony Fong and Monica Kidd discuss navigating the tensions between medicine and journalism.
by Cynthia Rosa Ventrella Danielle Rebecca Fox Fadi Touma Adamo Anthony Donovan

On Bill 96 and Quebec health-care

The pandemic has exposed systemic flaws in our health-care system that require fundamental changes. Although the intention behind Bill 96 is to promote and preserve the French language in Quebec, it will instead setback a fragile system and exacerbate pre-existing health inequities.
by Nadine Belzile Dolma Tsundu

Toward a national action plan to reduce stillbirths in Canada

Canada’s stillbirth rate has remained stagnant for more than 20 years, at a rate of more than 3,000 per year, and there are no plans in place to reduce it. The Canadian Collaborative for Stillbirth Prevention is asking the government to enact a national action plan to address the issue. Find out what you can do to get involved.

by Chris Bonnett

An update on national pharmacare, and five steps to get us there faster

The current state of our health system means viable alternative approaches are needed. Private plans are not perfect, and neither are provincial plans. But both payer groups need to better protect Canadians from ruinous drug costs.

by Vivek Govardhanam

International fellows in the shadows: The other side of post-graduate medical education

International clinical fellows have been the unsung heroes throughout the pandemic. Yet, we still haven’t been able to guarantee some of the basic workplace provisions for them that their Canadian colleagues take for granted.
by Anthony Fong

‘Medical gaslighting’ harming long-COVID patients

Despite the reality of their debilitating physical symptoms, Long-COVID patients have been frequently misdiagnosed with a psychiatric conditions - a form of "medical gaslighting" at the hands of their physicians.

by Maddi Dellplain

Provinces have charted their own paths, but should all adults in Canada have access to second boosters of the COVID-19 vaccine?

Canadian provinces and territories have gone their own ways on the advisability and availability of fourth COVID-19 vaccine doses. But should the general population be eligible for a fourth dose at this time? Or are we better off waiting? We asked a group of experts to weigh in.

by Jeffrey Mo

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.
by Stephanie Keeling

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.

by Sabina Vohra-Miller

What we can learn from the evolution of guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic

The only absolute in science is that there are no absolutes. Throughout the pandemic, recommendations have changed based on new data. For the public, this may come across as flip-flopping, but in actuality, it is simply that we are making the best decisions possible in the current context.
by Sandor J. Demeter

The dangers of ‘political capture’ for clinicians and scientists

The influence of politics on scientific endeavours has resulted in polarization and politicization of pandemic related issues.
by Neal Belluzzo

Physician Service Agreement yet again leaves the most vulnerable in the shadows

Somewhere along the line, we’ve managed to create barriers to health care that have caused us to deviate from the vision of Tommy Douglas.
by Inori Roy

Sharing is caring – app aims to fill gaps in health-data infrastructure

Vaccination records in Canada have long been fragmented and decentralized, dragging the country's pandemic response capabilities with it. The digital immunization records sharing app, CANImmunize, takes a stab at filling these vital gaps in Canada's health data infrastructure.

by Inori Roy

‘Data is powerful’: Demographic questionnaire adds transparency to Match Day

This year, the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) with the support of Dalhousie University, rolled out its pilot questionnaire to collect much-needed demographic data on residency placements across the country. Information gathered on race and Indigeneity, immigration, ability, gender, sexual orientation and household income of students could go a long way in ensuring equity among med students.

by Aruni Jayatilaka

10 paid days of sick leave. A basic right for all workers

As a provincial election nears in Ontario, the Ontario Medical Students Association joins advocates across the province calling for a comprehensive paid sick-days program that supports all workers.
by Inori Roy

National licensure, better virtual-care needed to fix system ‘close to the precipice’: incoming CMA president

Dr. Alika Lafontaine sat down with Healthy Debate to talk about the challenges facing our health-care system as it grapples with pandemic recovery.
by Graham Dickson

Rapidly changing environment calls for new approaches to leadership

This month’s Top Three focuses on the issue of senior and executive leadership and the use of strategic interventions effectively to meet the needs of patients, families and communities.
by Maddi Dellplain

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.

by Anthony Fong

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.
by Gwyneth Boone

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.

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