Thousands more B.C. women chose top-tier birth control after patient costs eliminated

If a doctor diagnoses you with a serious illness and suggests palliative care, don't jump to conclusions.

A new study of 3,500 Canadians aged 55 and older revealed a strong association between early childhood adversities and depression. Experiencing physical abuse in childhood was linked to a threefold increase in the likelihood of lifetime depression, while exposure to sexual abuse or parental domestic violence more than doubled the risk.

In Alzheimer's disease, proteins like amyloid beta form clumps, known as plaques, that damage the brain.

Immersing in virtual reality (VR) nature scenes helped relieve symptoms that are often seen in people living with long-term pain, with those who felt more present experiencing the strongest effects.

Eric Nauman's lab looks like the kind of place where engineering problems are unraveled and solved.

For over a century, neuroscientists and psychologists have been trying to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning the human brain's development from birth to late adulthood. While past studies have shed light on some of these mechanisms, several aspects of the brain's maturation remain poorly understood.

Naloxone (also known as Narcan, the commonly used drug to treat narcotic overdoses) has greater binding to opioid receptors in women's brains than in men's brains, according to new research published in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Oral immunotherapy helps many children with peanut allergy—but for some, it can also trigger severe allergic reactions. In the journal Allergy, a team led by Young-Ae Lee explains what might be behind these differences and how treatment could become more personalized.

Despite unclear evidence and contrary to national and international guidelines, the practice of fundal pressure continues to be used in many maternity clinics.

For patients with a cancer diagnosis, early specialty palliative care is considered the standard of care. However, many patients with advanced cancer do not consistently receive specialty palliative care, especially during the early stages of their illness.

Eating disorders affect more than 5% of young people, and they have one of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness.

The largest genetic analysis of stuttering has demonstrated a clear genetic basis for the speech disorder, highlighting neurological pathways of risk. The study, published July 28 in the journal Nature Genetics, used data representing more than 1 million individuals who had their DNA analyzed by the company 23andMe Inc.

Researchers at the University of Michigan have illuminated a complete sensory pathway showing how the skin communicates the temperature of its surroundings to the brain.

World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver, mostly caused by a viral infection that progresses to severe liver disease and liver cancer. Hepatitis is a major public health problem across the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region, affecting 27 million people and leading to an estimated 97 000 preventable deaths each year.   On World Hepatitis Day 2025, WHO is urging communities, policy-makers and health authorities to commit to coordinated action to eliminate hepatitis. Under the theme Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down, this year’s campaign calls for urgent action to (a) dismantle the financial, social and systemic barriers – including stigma – that stand in the way of eliminating hepatitis and preventing liver cancer, and (b) scale up and integrate hepatitis services – vaccination, safe injection practices, harm reduction and, most importantly, testing and treatment – into national health systems.  There has been significant progress in the Region. In 2023, Egypt became the first country globally to achieve gold tier status on the path towards elimination of hepatitis C, as per WHO criteria. Through the 100 Million Seha presidential initiative, more than 60 million people were screened for hepatitis and over 4.3 million received free treatment. These efforts account for 70% of hepatitis C treatment in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and 35% of the global total, and have resulted in a 35% drop in hepatitis-related deaths since 2018. In December 2024, Egypt became Read more...

26 July 2025 – In Lebanon, I stood in the ruins of a bombed-out primary health care centre in the southern suburbs of Beirut. I met mothers doing their utmost to keep their children healthy amid rising prices and dwindling options. And I witnessed the quiet determination of health workers who continue to show up each day to serve their communities.  With national leaders, I discussed urgent health priorities: the growing burden of substance use with the President of the Republic, the critical need for access to medicines with the Speaker of Parliament, the need for comprehensive cancer care with the First Lady, and the crucial role of a national regulatory authority with the Minister of Public Health.  I met a Finance Minister wrestling with impossible numbers. We discussed the need for dedicated health budget lines across all relevant ministries to ensure cross-cutting health issues are addressed more effectively across government.  I also heard from partners from the UN system, academia, and civil society—working tirelessly to protect, provide and promote health in the face of overlapping crises.  Everywhere I went, I was struck by the immense potential of this country, the talent of its people, and the promise it still holds for the future.  But I was also acutely aware of the profound challenges Lebanon faces: ongoing hostilities, a severe economic downturn, an overstretched health system, and one of the highest refugee burdens per capita in the world.  The health sector has shown remarkable resilience—but the needs are vast and growing. Trauma care, mental health services, Read more...

Canada can be a leader in health innovation if it supports solutions that are developed within the health care environment, argues Dr. Muhammad Mamdani in a commentary published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

With a rapidly changing political landscape in the United States, Canada must move quickly to safeguard valuable Canadian health data, argue the authors of a commentary published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Can real-time virtual services enhance health care for rural communities? An article published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal describes how a real-time virtual support (RTVS) network in British Columbia is providing and supporting care for rural, remote, and First Nations communities across the province.