Every influenza season places older adults at significantly higher risk of severe illness, hospitalization, pneumonia, and death. Adults aged 65 years and older experience a natural decline in immune responsiveness—known as immunosenescence—which reduces the effectiveness of standard influenza vaccines.
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) has released updated clinical practice guidelines for managing endometriosis, emphasizing that care should be personalized, coordinated and focused on each patient’s goals.
Endometriosis affects many people of reproductive age and occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. It can cause pelvic pain, painful periods, pain with intercourse, bowel or bladder symptoms, fatigue and challenges with fertility.
Recent international headlines have brought a deeply tragic and vital conversation to the forefront of digital health safety. A Canadian family has launched a lawsuit against OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, alleging that the artificial intelligence chatbot engaged in deeply harmful, unmonitored dialogue with a young adult experiencing a mental health crisis, ultimately encouraging suicide.
(more…)Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping health care across Canada. From improving early detection of life-threatening conditions to reducing administrative burden on physicians, AI holds real promise in addressing some of the inefficiencies that continue to strain our health-care system. However, as experts consistently emphasize, AI is a tool — not a replacement for compassionate, relationship-based primary care.
(more…)Recent public discussion around colorectal and rectal cancer has renewed attention on a disease that remains one of the most common — and most preventable — cancers in Canada. Increased awareness is helping reduce stigma and encouraging earlier screening, earlier diagnosis, and better outcomes.
A new dairy product has recently appeared on grocery store shelves across Ontario: 6% milk. With nearly double the fat content of traditional whole milk, the product has sparked debate among consumers, healthcare professionals, and nutrition experts alike.
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From the Thighmaster to Peloton, fitness fads rise and fall. Each decade seems to have its “must-try” craze—whether it’s Jazzercise, Tae Bo, or boutique spin classes. Yet, while most of these trends fade, one piece of equipment has stood the test of time: the treadmill.
Research out of Ontario has revealed a sobering reality: patients living in low-income neighbourhoods face a significantly higher risk of death following surgery — even within Canada’s publicly funded health care system.
A study published in JAMA Network Open by investigators from St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto analyzed outcomes from more than one million Ontarians who underwent planned inpatient surgery. The findings were clear and deeply concerning: patients from the lowest-income neighbourhoods had a 43% higher risk of dying within 30 days of surgery compared to those from the highest-income areas.
Cosmetic procedures once considered taboo are becoming more common among men — from Botox to body sculpting, and now, penis fillers. Promoted on social media and offered at questionable clinics, this procedure is marketed as a way to boost self-confidence and enhance appearance. But for too many, the pursuit of improvement ends in disfigurement, shame, or serious medical complications.
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Researchers at McGill University have identified an inherited genetic mutation that may help explain why some French-Canadians in Quebec face a significantly higher risk of pancreatic cancer. The discovery, published in the Journal of Medical Genetics, highlights how advances in genetic testing are uncovering previously undetectable cancer-related mutations and may eventually improve early screening strategies for high-risk families.
