April 29, 2022 Pediatrics Moderna applies to FDA and Health Canada for COVID vaccine approval for children under six. It will be scrutinized and approval is not a slam-dunk as Pfizer experienced with its application (that it subsequently withdrew).
April 26, 2022 Neurology Phase 2 study demonstrates that a new blood plasma Alzheimer biomarker may assist in earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease
April 12, 2022 Prevention and Screening Large scale study planned to evaluate cancer-screening blood tests. Lost in this is what screening is trying to achieve and not simply diagnosing disease earlier.
March 28, 2022 Clinical Research Israeli study reports fourth COVID vaccine dose for people 60-100 years old significantly lowers COVID death rate.
March 15, 2022 Epidemiology China government’s zero-tolerance COVID strategy falters as it battles multiple COVID-19 outbreaks, driven by ‘stealth omicron’ variant.
February 16, 2022 Health Policy Why will fully-vaccinated travellers need to take a rapid test 24 hrs prior to returning to Canada when today, community spread is responsible for the majority of COVID-19 infections? What is the evidence for this policy? (no sarcasm, real questions).
February 2, 2022 Mental Health B.C. doctors can prescribe national park pass to patients “with any health condition” (so almost anyone) who need nature time to save the annual access fee. If most anyone can qualify, eliminate annual fee at the source instead; no prescription needed.
February 1, 2022 Health Headlines If the reported two-dose Pfizer pediatric COVID vaccine data to date for two to four-year-olds did not produce a strong enough immune response, do they have more data to support their application for FDA approval?
January 31, 2022 Health Policy Ontario starts to ease Public Health COVID-19 measures at 21-day intervals. Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore states “When we reach that low endemic rate, that’s when we review all public health measures in play.”
January 25, 2022 Allergy/Immunology The assumption that having had Omicron confers long-term immunity especially for the unvaccinated is not necessarily a slam-dunk. Infectious disease experts aren’t clear on the answer.
