Research

Fail-first drug rules defy logic, deny timely access for people with rare diseases

Despite the recent approval of targeted biologics that can significantly improve quality of life, Canadians living with Myasthenia Gravis continue to face unjust policy barriers.

Canadian student abroad questions Ontario’s exclusionary residency rule

The goal should not be to exclude, but to bring home every capable doctor who calls Canada home.

Canada needs a women’s health strategy: Lives depend on it

The path forward to prioritizing women’s health and well-being must be laid by Canadians whose voices propel political, social and economic change around the world.

The words we use: Why inclusive language in health care is about safety

Inclusive language is a living practice. Let’s treat it that way – with care, intention and the humility to keep learning.

AI and the mental health crisis: Can chatbots fill the gap?

Canadians are increasingly turning to AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, for mental health support. But is this type of technology truly up to the task?

Tylenol misinformation puts pregnant patients at risk

Casting doubt on Tylenol without solid evidence does not empower pregnant people, it corners them. It adds guilt, stigma and undermines their confidence in making safe decisions for themselves and their babies.

The training gap undermining Canada’s primary care teams

While family medicine is exploring how to prepare doctors for team-based primary care, other health professions lack equivalent training requirements.

Planetary health is public health

Ignoring planetary health would be a gross dereliction of duty by the public health profession, a breach of the ethical obligation to protect and improve the health of the population and to narrow health inequalities.

Rethinking mental health and substance use health solutions

What if you or someone you know needs mental health and substance use health care right now? Do you know exactly where to go to get what you need?

We can no longer afford the wrong leadership for our medical organizations

Choose leaders for what they can do, not where they come from. The right competencies will carry the profession – and the health system – forward.

The MS treatment gap: How costs and outdated policies limit care in Canada

Early, aggressive treatment can significantly improve outcomes for people living with MS. But provinces have yet to implement coverage policies that would ensure patients receive optimal care.

Aspiration alone is not adequate: Breast screening task force missing the mark

When it comes to the Canadian Task Force, health advocacy is an integral role for any medical professional. There is no desire to generate more “business.”

Rethinking our stewardship of patient health data in the age of AI

Patients deserve to benefit from the power of their data, but they also deserve to know, to choose, and to trust.

Reassessing CBT as the ‘gold standard’ of mental health treatment

With mental health diagnoses on the rise, changes in treatment may be imminent with more emphasis placed on the importance of a pluralistic, rather than one-size-fits-all, approach to care – questioning CBT’s status as the “gold standard.”

Fluoride IQ studies relying on individual urine measures are worthless

Despite claims from U.S. officials like RFK Jr., studies have found no relationship between IQ and community water fluoridation.

Is peer-review dead? A scientist’s plea to fix a broken system

Peer-review may not be over, but the era of exploitative, opaque and corporatized gatekeeping should be.

Managing the Pitt. Experts discuss how to cope with the stresses of emergency medicine

Rates of burnout among emergency physicians are still on the rise. Here's how some experts are managing the stresses of the job.

‘Disability’ glaringly absent from federal cabinet portfolios

On May 13, Prime Minister Carney announced his new cabinet of 28 cabinet ministers and 10 secretaries of states, yet incredibly left Canadians with disabilities without any overt representation.

We all deserve high-quality primary care. Help us measure how we’re doing

People across Canada have told us what they want in a better primary care system. This survey will help us understand how far we’ve come – and what still needs to change to make their vision a reality.

Contraception isn’t just her job

The current contraceptive landscape places a disproportionate amount of physical and mental burden for pregnancy prevention on women. But what about men?