Health – Articles, Analysis, Comment – The Conversation

Canadian finance minister Bill Morneau announced funding for a new Canadian Drug Agency in the 2019 Federal Budget. Here he speaks at a press conference in Toronto, March 20, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Federal budget: A Canadian Drug Agency and rare disease funding are not enough

Joel Lexchin, University of Toronto

A new agency and money for drugs for rare diseases are only very partial steps on the road towards what Canada really needs: a national pharmacare plan.

A female blacklegged deer tick crawls along a piece of straw. (Shutterstock)

Tick, tock: The countdown to peak tick season is here

Rosa da Silva, McMaster University

Ticks are generally inactive in the winter and start to look for their next meal as temperatures warm up. But as winters warm, every season may become tick season.

The concept of a shared inheritable risk underlying mental illnesses could lead to a new paradigm shift in drug discovery, (Unsplash/Fernando Cferdo)

Having one mental health disorder increases your risks of getting another

Christine Bear, University of Toronto; Anne Bassett, University of Toronto, and Stephen W. Scherer, University of Toronto

Mental health is impacted by both genetic and environmental factors. But new research reveals that many mental health disorders may flow from early disturbances in fetal development.

Governments worry that medical cannabis tax exemptions could tempt recreational users. Some might seek prescriptions to save money. Eliminating taxes on medical purchases of only cannabis oil could work as a compromise. (Shutterstock)

Scarce retail weed shops means most Canadians still use black market pot

Michael J. Armstrong, Brock University

With cannabis, governments must balance taxing legal sales versus competing with illegal ones.

Experts have called for a moratorium on clinical research with CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. of the germline — that is changing heritable DNA in sperm, eggs or embryos to make genetically modified children. (Shutterstock)

CRISPR gene editing: Why we need Slow Science

Landon J Getz, Dalhousie University and Graham Dellaire, Dalhousie University

CRISPR gene editing should learn from the Slow Food movement. Scientists must allow time for critical conversations and perfecting of techniques before rewriting the source code of humanity.

Palliative radiation therapy is effective regardless of a patient’s original cancer site (for example breast, lung or kidney) and is usually delivered in one to 10 daily doses. (Shutterstock)

Cancer pain can be eased by palliative radiation therapy

Jonathan Klein, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Jonathan Livergant, University of British Columbia

Palliative radiation therapy can improve a cancer patient’s life, by alleviating pain and other symptoms. Unfortunately, some doctors associate the term with end-of-life care and fail to refer people.

The evidence shows that vaping is creating a generation of nicotine-addicted youth, who start with e-cigarettes and move on to smoke tobacco products. (Unsplash/Andrew Haimerl)

Vaping is an urgent threat to public health

Elliott M. Reichardt, University of Calgary and Juliet R. Guichon, University of Calgary

Vaping devices were designed as a clean way of delivering nicotine, to help people stop smoking tobacco. Now, with gummy bear flavours and celebrity endorsements, they are a serious public health problem.

Meat consumption is decreasing in Canada. But don’t look at vegans and vegetarians. In fact, it’s meat-eaters who are eating less than usual who are behind the trend. Yvonne Lee Harijanto/Unsplash

Meat consumption is changing but it’s not because of vegans

Michael von Massow, University of Guelph; Alfons Weersink, University of Guelph, and Molly Gallant, University of Guelph

There are clearly changes happening in meat consumption. But it’s not being fuelled by an increase in veganism and vegetarianism.

Wood smoke may smell good, but it is not good for you. (Shutterstock)

Blame wood-burning stoves for winter air pollution and health threats

Michael D. Mehta, Thompson Rivers University

The smoke from wood-burning stoves and fireplaces contributes to air pollution and poor health.

Tourist are a high-risk group for drownings. (Shutterstock)

Why your tourist brain may try to drown you

Chris Houser, University of Windsor

Just because a beach is accessible, has restaurants, lounge chairs and vendors, and is near a resort, does not mean it’s safe.

Research shows that physical activity and avoiding screens before bed are both strategies to protect your teenagers’ sleep. (Unsplash/Andrea Tummons)

How much sleep do teenagers really need?

Wendy Hall, University of British Columbia

When teenagers sleep for less than eight hours a night, they are at increased risk of suicide, being overweight, high rates of injury, poor sustained attention and low school grades.

Rare diseases aren’t, in fact, all that rare. Yet they continue to be brushed aside by most politicians. Why? Rawpixel/Unsplash

It’s time to rethink what the medical profession considers a ‘rare disease’

Ian Stedman, York University, Canada; Ashwin Seetharaman, University of Toronto, and Kristin Kantautas, University of Toronto

Despite the fact that rare diseases aren’t actually so rare, it appears they suffer from a branding problem in Canada.

The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto runs a Cancer Rehabilitation and Survivorship Program, which offers one-on-one consults and an eight-week group rehabilitation program for patients. (Shutterstock)

Cancer survivors urgently need funded rehabilitation care

Jennifer Michelle Jones, University of Toronto

Multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams could help cancer survivors to recover from the toxic side-effects of their treatments and return to their lives.

A new body of research suggests that infections in childhood, along with antibiotic use, could impact the bacteria in our intestines and raise risks of mental health challenges in later life. (Shutterstock)

How childhood infections requiring antibiotics may increase risks of mental illness

Christine Bear, University of Toronto

Research using massive databases – such as the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register – is enabling a whole new understanding of the links between life history, the gut and mental health.

A new review of 372 patient group submissions to the Canadian Agency for Drugs or Technology in Health – about whether new medicines should be covered by public plans – reveals a total of 1896 conflicts of interest. (Shutterstock)

How Big Pharma donations may influence public drug coverage

Joel Lexchin, University of Toronto

A new study reveals how many patient groups lobby for new drugs to be funded by public plans in Canada – all while receiving funding from the companies manufacturing the drugs in question.

For many individuals with spinal cord injury, restoring autonomic functions – such as blood pressure control, bowel, bladder and sexual function – is of a higher priority than walking again. (Shutterstock)

Electrical stimulation technique helps patients with spinal cord injury

Tom E Nightingale, University of British Columbia; Andrei Krassioukov, University of British Columbia, and Matthias Walter, University of British Columbia

Researchers have successfully used ‘epidural spinal cord stimulation’ with patients to improve bowel function, restore blood pressure control and increase upper-body exercise capacity.

Data from provinces varies, but it generally shows Canadian cannabis users prefer to buy dry flowers (to smoke or vape their weed), want high-quality products and prefer shopping in bricks-and-mortar stores rather than online. Sharon McCutcheon/Unsplash

How Canadians are buying cannabis and getting high now that it’s legal

Michael J. Armstrong, Brock University

Government data outline what’s popular with Canadian cannabis shoppers. Among other things, they prefer smoke-able cannabis, high-quality products and in-store shopping.

During a heart attack, women are more likely to present without pain, or with uncharacteristic symptoms. (Shutterstock)

Women’s heart attack symptoms are different, and clinical care must catch up

Glen Pyle, University of Guelph

Sexism in cardiovascular research means that heart attacks are often missed in women. And that women are less likely to receive recommended therapies and rehabilitation opportunities.

Many cases of lower back pain are best managed through education, exercise and manual treatment. (Shutterstock)

Back pain? A physiotherapist may offer the most effective treatment, if you can afford it

Brenna Bath, University of Saskatchewan and Catherine Trask, University of Saskatchewan

The over-medicalization of back pain is a global concern. New research in Canada shows that people with lower income as well as rural and remote dwellers are less likely to access physiotherapy care.

Today’s young people don’t play outside as much as their predecessors and are heavy users of electronics. (Shutterstock)

Too much screen time linked to an epidemic of myopia among young people

Langis Michaud, Université de Montréal

Myopia is a major risk factor for serious eye diseases. It has become epidemic among children, particularly because of their heavy use of electronic devices.

Three sisters (winter squash, maize and climbing beans) summer garden at the University of Guelph. (Hannah Tait Neufeld)

Indigenous researchers plant seeds of hope for health and climate

Hannah Tait Neufeld, University of Guelph; Brittany Luby, University of Guelph, and Kim Anderson, University of Guelph

Indigenous food and medicine gardens, and traditional manikin (wild rice) harvesting offer hope – for the future health of humanity and the earth that sustains us.

Plant-based foods, including fruits and vegetables, will be more popular this year. Sydney Rae/Unsplash

From cannabis edibles to plant proteins: 2019 food trends

Michael von Massow, University of Guelph; Aaron De Laporte, University of Guelph; Alfons Weersink, University of Guelph, and Liam D. Kelly, University of Guelph

The six food trends likely to be front and centre in 2019.

In 2016, parents protested the previous Ontario Liberal government’s decision to cut therapy for autistic children aged five and older. Moves by Ontario’s Conservative government have also raised concerns. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

How changes to the Ontario Autism Program will hurt kids like my son

Janet McLaughlin, Wilfrid Laurier University

An autism policy researcher and the mother of an affected child weighs in on the recent changes announced to the Ontario Autism Program.

In 2016, drug company salespeople gave out almost 10 million pills to doctors. (Unsplash)

How Big Pharma’s free samples encourage your doctor to prescribe more expensive drugs

Joel Lexchin, University of Toronto

It takes about three years for safety problems to be identified in new drugs, newer drugs are almost always more expensive, and yet Canadian doctors still hand out hundreds of thousands of samples.

Vegetable prices are on the rise. How can Canadians cope? Scott Warman/Unsplash

Budget-friendly ways to get your veggie fix as prices rise

Sylvain Charlebois, Dalhousie University

Canada’s Food Price Report, recently published by Dalhousie University and the University of Guelph, predicts significant price hikes for vegetables this year.