How to save money buying prescription drugs in Canada

 You might need medication to get through every day, but unfortunately, that isn’t cheap. Here’s how to save money on prescription medication. According to a recent study, almost 1 million Canadians admit to giving up essentials like food and heat in order to be able to afford prescription drugs. Are

What I didn’t learn in medical school

 Sometimes doctors can’t fix what makes their patients sick in the first place. I began medical school optimistic about what becoming a physician meant I could do for my future patients. Naively, I presumed my career would involve treating patients’ illnesses so they could return to lead full and fulfilling

Acupuncture to Enhance Anti-depressant Medication: Feel Better Faster

 Depression and chronic low mood are very prevalent conditions affecting Canadians. Those diagnosed with mild to moderate forms of depression can have success with natural interventions if they are started early with good adherence to treatment. But not all cases are the same, and those diagnosed with more serious and chronic

Are we finally in a health election campaign?

 Why more affordable medications for Canadians should be an all-party priority in this federal election. It's become almost a matter of faith: health and health care are perennially among the top priorities for Canadians, but are nearly invisible in election platforms and debates. This observation has led health care providers, health care

Why is Everyone so Happy, and I’m Not?

 If you are reading this, there is a good chance you, or someone you know isn't very happy. There are plenty of things you want to do with your life but the unhappiness, low motivation and lack of energy is too difficult to overcome. Not to mention the amount of

Why Has My Brain Stopped Working?

 Gillian, 42, a mother of two children, 4 and 6, worked as an accountant. She had a loving husband and a successful career she had worked very hard to create for herself. Gillian always had an incredible memory and could always count on her brain. However, over the past few

Three important nutrients to help fight inflammation

 Sarah is 35, lives in Northern Ontario and has come to see me for nagging, persistent back pain. She has tried physiotherapy in her hometown but without much relief. She also lists on her intake that she is troubled by fatigue, insomnia and irritable bowel syndrome. When I palpate and

Making Memories Last: The Memory Clinic of Outaouais

 The Memory Clinic of Outaouais, in Gatineau, Quebec, is open and ready to help the community. Specializing in research on neurological disorders, the Memory Clinic strives to ensure its patients receive the best possible care. Dr. Richard Bergeron (M.D., Ph.D., FRCPC) is the owner and principal investigator. He assists patients

Five Things Most People Get Wrong About Canada’s Health-Care System

 By Kathleen O’Grady and Noralou Roos A recent court challenge before the British Columbia Supreme Court threatened to change the rules of the game for the Canadian health-care system—should the challenge have made its way to the Supreme Court of Canada and found success there. Dr. Brian Day of the

Do you have Allergies?

 Fed up with taking meds or going for painful shots? —There is an alternative. Many people here in Ottawa have seasonal type allergies. For some it's the birch, dandelion, or grass pollen in the spring, for others the ragweed in the fall, and for some unlucky people it's all year

Accreditation Canada: Highlights from the 2012 Annual Report

 In 2012, Accreditation Canada's many collaborations with healthcare organizations included the development of a comprehensive report on medication reconciliation and efforts to improve patient and staff safety. Since 2005, Accreditation Canada has worked with many partner organizations and stakeholders on the Required Organizational Practice (ROP) for medication reconciliation, which requires

Healthwise: Are you treating the symptoms or the cause?

 I once knew a man who complained of chronic headaches. He managed his ailment with multiple daily doses of acetaminophen or ibuprofen.  After months of suffering, he lamented the state of his health over lunch.  We questioned the fellow and came to identify the fact that he never drank water.

Inconsistency in the Cost of and Accessibility to Prescription Medications Drugs

 Canada’s health care system faces some daunting challenges. One of the crucial inconsistencies is the variation of access to prescription medications across the country. Like all other health-care services and products, prescription medications have a monetary value and are subject to inflation and the effects of Canada’s changing demographics. Let

Teams in Action: Primary Health Care Teams for Canadians

 Joe, 60, has diabetes, high blood NO pressure and arthritis. He says that shuttling around town to various health appointments is like a full-time job. "I'm never sure how much these people talk to each other," he adds. "I worry that something's going to get missed somewhere." Health concerns —

Canadian Pharmaceutical Companies Take Innovative Approach in Response to United Nations Report to Stop AIDS in Africa

 The United Nations says that access to medicine could save 10 million lives a year globally and is recommending that drug makers support research for neglected diseases and cut prices for medicines in poorer countries. Paul Hunt, an independent UN expert on the right to health, estimates that two billion

Are we taking too many pills?

 By Jennifer Paterson More Canadians are taking prescription medicine than ever before. Many busy people believe in the don't-think-twice, pop-it-in-your-mouth, "magic bullet" cure for all illness and disease. Total drug expenditures per Canadian were tallied at $681 in 2004 — up almost 8 per cent from 2003, according to a