• Gene therapy restores partial eyesight

    Original broadcast date: September 13, 2009 There are instances in clinical research when the clinical outcome goals of the study are superseded by an unexpected discovery. Researchers from the University of Florida reported in the August 13, 2009 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine that the retinas of adults treated with a gene…

  • Benefits of repairing ACL tears in children

    Original broadcast date: September 6, 2009 Injuries are unfortunately part of the risk of participating in sporting activities. For adults, there seems to be a specific treatment pathway for various types of injuries but for children, questions remain about its management. One such injury is an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. A study presented at…

  • New MRI technique to detect acute brain injuries

    Original broadcast date: September 6, 2009 Acute brain injuries from concussive forces have the potential to cause significant long-term cognitive damage if not recognized and diagnosed early. To date, imaging technology such as CT and MRI has limitations regarding the detection of specific types of brain damage. New findings, reported by researchers at the Albert…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…