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Building a better ligament
Original broadcast date: August 30, 2009 “There has to be a better way,” says orthopedic surgeon Dr Cyril Frank. What Dr. Frank refers to is the present approach used to repair damaged ligaments in joints such as the knee with methods that are still “fairly barbaric”. In that vein, the University of Calgary is expanding…
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CIHI Ontario report on prinicple causes of traumatic injury
Original broadcast date: August 30, 2009 Major trauma from severe injuries can have a devastating impact on the lives of the individual, their friends and family. A report by released July 30, 2009 by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), reviewed the principle causes of these injuries in Ontario. Alcohol was involved in at…
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The Counterfeit Drug Trade
Original broadcast date: August 9, 2009 The statistics are compelling and disturbing. An article written by Val Jones on the website Science Based Medicine notes the following: – Pfizer Global Security raids resulted in seizure of 11.1 million counterfeit tablets, capsules and vials in 42 countries in 2008. Pfizer seizure of counterfeit drugs in 2008…
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Cancer vaccine research
Original broadcast date: July 19, 2009 The understanding of a disease process or pathophysiology is crucial to the development of innovative ways to find effective therapies to treat it. On Sunday House Call we have been following various avenues in cancer research that continue to reveal insights into the protein chemistry, genetics and immune response…
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Lyme disease in Canada
Original broadcast date: July 19, 2009 A recent report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal notes that Lyme disease is being found in regions that were once free from the ticks that spread the disease. They are urging the public and health professionals to be more vigilant and learn to recognize some of the signs…
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Cost vs. benefit: The approval of new anti-cancer therapies
Original broadcast date: July 19, 2009 In a recent issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Drs. Tito Fojo of the National Cancer Institute’s medical oncology division and Christine Grady of the NIH’s bioethics department recommended that studies of cancer drugs that provide two months or less of extended survival should be undertaken…
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The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite
Original broadcast date: July 12, 2009 We like to believe that we are a rational species. If, the assumption goes, we are presented with information that is cogent, specific and valid, we will respond by incorporating these ideas for the betterment of our lives. What we decide to eat and drink is a world onto…
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The "Oprah"fication of Medicine
Original broadcast date: July 5, 2009 The general principle in science and medicine is to challenge claims and research findings in order to evaluate its veracity and repeatability. It takes evidence, solid evidence as the fuel for debate and contrarian viewpoints, not opinion based on anecdotal evidence. To wit, the news that Oprah Winfrey is…
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What do cancer cells need to survive?
Original broadcast date: June 28, 2009 What do cancer cells need to survive? We know that gene mutations contribute to the development of cancer and research continues to identify the aberrant genetic sequences as cataloged in the Cancer Genome Atlas. However, are mutations and the proteins that they code for the principle components that ensure…
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