Patients with major traumatic injuries fare just as well if they are given Basic Life Support (BLS) by paramedics than if they are given Advanced Life Support (ALS), according to the Ontario Pre-hospital Advanced Life Support (OPALS) study. The results, published in the April 22, 2008 edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, also suggest that BLS is better than ALS for a subset of patients with the most severe injuries.

• Dr. Ian Stiell, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Emergency Medicine Physician at The Ottawa Hospital, professor, health research chair and Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Ottawa, Senior Scientist and Chair of Emergency Medicine Research at the Ottawa Health Research Institute (OHRI) and lead OPALS (Ontario Pre-hospital Advanced Life Support study) investigator