The Evolution of Bodybuilding in Canada: From Strength to National Pride

 Bodybuilding in Canada has undergone a remarkable evolution, transforming from a niche pursuit to a mainstream fitness phenomenon that embodies strength, discipline, and national pride. Over the decades, Canadian bodybuilders have left an indelible mark on the global stage, showcasing not only their physical prowess but also their dedication to

Turning the tide on the harm of opioids

 By Wendy Levinson and Laurent Marcoux As clinicians, we are bound by professionalism and our ethical responsibilities to do no harm and to do what we can to address the pain and suffering of our patients. When powerful pain relieving opioid medications were introduced a few decades ago, they seemed

What you need to know about prescription opioids

 You were playing some pick-up hockey with friends and slipped and broke your leg. Or you were running across the street, tripped over the curb and fractured your elbow. Or maybe you experience overwhelming pain from a chronic medical condition and your healthcare provider feels opioids may help manage your

Government Slow to Take Action on Opioid Crisis

 The official numbers aren’t out yet, but the number of opioid-related deaths in Canada in 2017 is expected to have surpassed 4,000, reports the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). This is yet another significant increase in opioid-related deaths, up from a record 2,861 deaths in 2016. Supervised injection sites

Risk of a fentanyl overdose rising in Ontario

 The opioid crisis is affecting people of all ages, right across the province. Opioid overdoses and deaths have been steadily rising over the last 10 years. In 2016 alone, more than 850 Ontarians died from opioid-related causes. Adding to the concern is a large increase in the presence of synthetic fentanyl

People Need Less Money to Live As They Get Older? If Only.

 Pension plans for teachers, hospital workers and public servants target of study hype By Michael Wolfson Last week the C.D. Howe Institute released a short study just in time for the finance ministers’ meeting – rolling out the tired, old argument that as people age, they do not need as much money

It’s Time to End Canada’s Opioid Epidemic – An Open Letter to Canada’s New Minister of Health

 Dear Minister Philpott, Congratulations on your appointment as Minister of Health. As an experienced physician, you bring valuable perspective to the post. While there are many contentious matters before you, including a new health accord, physician-assisted dying and marijuana legalization, few could be more pressing than the prescription opioid epidemic,

Dear Health Minister Philpott — We Need Leadership In Medicare Restored

 Dear Minister Philpott, It is fantastic news that as a family doctor you are our next federal health minister.  You will know very well that our healthcare system shows its age.  Born in the middle of the 20th century, its primary focus on doctors and hospitals is outmoded as technology

Dear Health Minister – Please Reinstate Funding for Cochrane Canada

 Cochrane is a key global healthcare resource that needs Canada’s involvement Imagine you’re our new Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. Despite a grueling election campaign, you’re flush with energy and idealism in a country where “better is always possible.” One key priority is improving Canada’s prosperity but there are also many

Catastrophic pharmacare is a catastrophe

 Why the provinces don’t need $3 billion in federal tax dollars for flawed prescription drug policies Last week, the CD Howe Institute called on Ottawa to give provinces nearly $3-billion to establish national standards for catastrophic drug coverage and to mandate a system of transparent price negotiations with pharmaceutical drug

Current Patchwork of Funding Policies for Children’s Medicine in Canada Needs Critical Attention

 You are the parent of a sick child.  You have a limited budget and you must decide to buy the medicine the doctor prescribed for your child or provide food and shelter for your family instead.  What do you do? Sadly this dilemma is one too many Canadians are facing.

Pharmacare is for Kids Too

 Written by Avram Denburg and Steve Morgan You are the parent of a sick child. You have a limited budget and you must decide to buy the medicine the doctor prescribed for your child or provide food and shelter for your family instead. What do you do? Sadly this dilemma is one too

Response to Refugee Crisis Must Include Expanding Refugee Healthcare

 The haunting image of Alan Kurdi’s lifeless body lying face down on a Turkish beach, and the subsequent revelation of the Kurdi family’s intention to seek asylum in Canada, have prompted many Canadians to ask what we can do as a country to help Syrian refugees. So far, our search

Bringing Order to Chaos in the Debate on Marijuana?

 In the midst of Presidential Primary races in the USA, a federal election in Canada and myriad internationally supported and jurisdictional laws in place on the issue elsewhere on earth, marijuana has quietly dominated the media, political and business landscapes. Yet little, it appears, seems to be understood by the

Is Waiting Longer for New Prescription Drug Approvals Necessarily a Bad Thing?

 Why Canada’s ‘slow and low’ approach to new pharmaceuticals may be the prudent approach. The newest report from Canada’s brand name drug makers on access to new drugs has one key message: compared to other countries, Canada goes slow and low.  New drugs are slower to be covered by our

The NAC’s Needles and Opium Mesmerizes

 Photo credit: National Arts Centre Spectacular is the only way to describe Robert Lepage’s reproduction of his 20-year-old play Needles and Opium, currently playing at the NAC. Photo Credit: NAC The play centres around three characters. Jean Cocteau shares his thoughts and impressions on his first visit to the U.S.

Native Man Celebrates Sobriety with Art

 Donnell Taylor of the Constance Lake First Nation paints to seek wisdom of his ancestors to deal with his addiction. On April 1, 2014, Donnell Taylor set his foot on Ottawa soil. A native man from the Constance Lake First Nation was continuing his "good journey," which started back in

Why Canadian Employers Waste $5 Billion a Year on Inefficient Drug Coverage

 There is certainly a lot of waste in health systems, but one area that seems to have escaped close scrutiny is the waste in private drug plans in Canada.  Estimated at over $5 billion a year, this represents over half of the annual prescription drug bill paid by private insurers

How Canada Fails People with Mental Illnesses

 Canada Needs Improved Access to Mental Healthcare Services In any developed country, politicians and clinicians are struggling to improve quality of care while reducing costs of healthcare systems. To remedy this, groups of doctors across North America--including here in Canada--have banded together to create lists of medical procedures or tests

Heartburn: is medication your right option?

 Paul is a policy analyst working for the Government of Canada in Ottawa. With recent cut backs in his department his work load has been significantly higher over the last two years. About six months ago he began to notice what he described as heartburn. At first it was mild

How Healthcare is Rationed Differently in Canada and the United States

 No country can afford to give every citizen every healthcare services. By Trudy Lieberman As an American journalist sitting in a Toronto coffee bar, I began chatting--as I often do in another country--with people about their healthcare system. One employee taking people's orders was about to go off duty and

Ontario Spends More than $11 billion a Year on Prescription Drugs

 Why an income-based drug plan would not be good for Ontario’s economy or its seniors Ontario spends $11 billion per year on prescription drugs. Nearly half of this is spent on medicines used by senior citizens, a group that receives public subsidies for nearly all of their prescription drug costs

A New Paradigm for Cancer Prevention

 There have been several advances in the treatment of cancer over the last 20 years. We have new targeted oncology drugs with fewer side effects and improved technology allowing for more sensitive and earlier detection. Evolving research guides oncologists not only when to use chemotherapy, but more importantly, when not

Support Lung Cancer Canada with an Evening of Hope

 My friend and colleague, Philip Clarke, a seemingly healthy and vibrant individual, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer on November 12, 2012. Fourteen months later, on February 7, 2014, at the age of 48, Philip lost his battle.  The diagnosis was a shock to Philip, and to his family, friends and colleagues. But the shock soon turned

Mayor’s City Builder Award Shines Light on Vulnerable Youth

 Bill Robinson receives his Mayor's City Builder Award from Mayor Jim Watson and Councillor Marianne Wilkinson. Image courtesy of City of Ottawa.  When Bill Robinson meets me for coffee, he talks youth at-risk. Who are these children? Robinson replies: It’s a baby born into poverty. It’s a kid facing family