An opinion piece written by Dr. Phoebe Friesen, Director of the Medical Ethics and Health Law course at McGill’s medical school in this week’s Toronto Star discusses the unethical practice of medical students performing pelvic exams on anesthetized/unconscious surgical patients without explicit consent to do so. This is a practice that was banned by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada in 2010 and yet still continues to this day. This abhorrent practice has to stop and patients need to be aware of this situation to protect themselves.

I also review how much protein older people should be taking if they are participating in weight training or muscle building exercise. An excellent article by Dr. Joe Schwarcz from the McGill Office for Science and Society provides the background information.

Your Calls and Comments:

• Do vibrating plates help improve lymphatic system function?
• A 69 year-old woman reports that she has lost 115 lbs since starting Ozempic/Wegovy. She wants to know what blood tests and other screening evaluation need to be done.
• A man with type 2 diabetes has been advised by his doctor to add Ozempic to his treatment regimen. He wanted to know if there is an oral version and if this would result in the discontinuation of other diabetes medications.
• A 75 year old man wants to know if he needs a colonoscopy given regular negative fecal immunochemical tests. He asks because his friends gastroenterologist recommended he have the former.
• An 85 year old man with nocturnal leg cramps/restless legs states he was told by his pharmacist to take Magnesium. This is not recommended. There are other factors that contribute to the condition and magnesium is not recommended given no evidence of efficacy.
• A man with Crohn’s disease in remission wants to know if there is a relationship between this and kidney stones development. Short answer is yes.
• Should older people have routine hearing test screenings if they have no hearing difficulties?

Playlist – Winter Purgatory Will Come to An End

1st segment

Intro: Hazy Shade of Winter – The Bangles

Outro: Winter Time – Steve Millar Band

2nd segment

Intro: Cold as Ice – Foreigner

Outro:  A Winter’s Tale – Queen

3rd segment

Intro:  Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles

Outro: Sunshine on My Shoulders – John Denver

4th segment

Intro:  Sunny Days – Lighthouse

Outro: Good Day Sunshine – The Beatles