• Chronic Kidney Disease Update

    Original broadcast date: March 22, 2009 Many people have heard the message that high blood pressure and diabetes can lead to heart disease and stroke. It is one of the first associations that come to mind. There is another organ that can be severely affected whose functional decline can be gradual and unnoticed. As with…

  • Stem Cell Research: Cancer vs normal cells

    Original broadcast date: March 15, 2009 Although stem cell research is a common topic in the news, the issue is more in the forefront recently now that US President Obama plans to reverse restrictions placed on embryonic stem cell research enacted by the Bush administration. Two recent studies from McMaster University have added to this…

  • Nanosubmarines designed to kill cancer cells

    Original broadcast date: March 8, 2009 Through much of medical history, the approach to treating disease has been akin to using a blunt instrument to carpet bomb an area. The side effects that many treatments create is testament to the fact more than the region of the body we wish to target is being affected.…

  • Biofilms

    Original broadcast date: March 8, 2009 How do you know that the disinfectant that claims to kill over 99 per cent of bacteria actually does just that? What are the mechanisms of action that result in this effect? Today, we are going to learn about biofilms, what they are, what they do, how we are…

  • Elderly Drivers: When should they turn in the keys?

    Original broadcast date: March 1, 2009 How do older drivers know when to turn in their keys? What are some of the physical factors that contribute to this decision? This life-changing decision is a flashpoint for debate about the impact of health upon the 30 million elderly drivers in the US and three million in…

  • McHealth News Stories: What makes a good science story?

    Original broadcast date: March 1, 2009 What constitutes a good science story? That depends on what side of the fence you sit on. If you are in the news business, fear and sensationalism are all too commonly used to grab your audience’s attention. If you are a company extolling the virtues of a new treatment,…

  • IVF Trends: The impact of fertility treatments in older women

    Original broadcast date: February 22, 2009 Although there have been recent news headlines and reports of fertility treatments resulting in octuplets in California and twins for a 60 year old Calgarian woman, statistics indicate that the preponderance of treatments for infertility are directed at women in the under-35 age group. A recently released report by…

  • Preventing Weight Loss Scams: Weight loss centres need oversight and regulation

    Original broadcast date: February 22, 2009 You have heard the advertisements ad nauseum. Promises of shedding weight made easy and safely. There are testimonials about the efficacy of the various weight-loss approaches and how it can change your life. It is a multibillion-dollar industry that according to two physicians authoring this week’s Canadian Medical Association…

  • Report Card on Cancer in Canada 2008-2009

    Original broadcast date: February 15, 2009 What is the state of cancer care in Canada? What are we doing right and what needs more attention? The Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada (CACC) released its annual Report Card on Cancer in Canada on Feb 10, 2009. It is authored by oncologists and cancer patients across the…