Risks from biocontainment labs: A puzzling lack of realism about human fallibility prevails

 ABOVE: A scientist in sterile coveralls cleans a Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) in a cleanroom facility. (PHOTO: iSTOCK) We will never know whether SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, began to spread in Wuhan in late 2019 because of a lab leak. Was there some small handling mistake with a sample in

Why Zika Matters to Canada

 Three ways Canada can help stem the spread of the Zika outbreak The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced that clusters of microcephaly that are possibly linked to the Zika virus constitute a “public health emergency of international concern.” This virus has captured the attention of the international community because

Five Quick-Wins for Trudeau’s First Day in Office

 Photo by Jean-Marc Carisse While it takes time for a new prime minister to translate campaign rhetoric into effective policies, there are at least five quick-wins that Justin Trudeau can achieve on his very first day in office. All five can be implemented in a few minutes through simple orders-in-council

Federal Government Moves to Strip Power from Top Public Health Scientist

 Demoting Chief Public Health Officer more about politics than promoting health Buried in the current omnibus budget bill being studied by parliament this week is a plan to demote the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada. He will no longer hold a deputy minister rank, he will have no direct