Catherine Cross

Gluten-free industry is healthy, but is the food?

The market for gluten-free products is booming, and there have never been more food options for people who avoid the grain protein for health reasons. That doesn’t mean, however, that all gluten-free foods are healthy. “There’s a lot of misinformation,” says Kathy Smart, an Ottawa, Ontario-

Ontario newborns now screened for SCID

Ontario is the first Canadian province to screen babies for a rare genetic condition in which they are born without a functioning immune system, leading to severe infections and often death before their first birthday. Severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) is fatal unless the child receives a

Introducing deprescribing into culture of medication

An Ontario pharmacist has received a government grant to develop clinical guidelines patients are on medications they no longer need or that should be reduced. “We don’t normally test drugs in the elderly, but they are taking many drugs. As they get older and get more chronic conditions, the

Reducing missed orthopedic injuries in the ER

Orthopedic injuries are among the most likely conditions to be missed in emergency departments, family doctors heard during a packed session at the recent Family Medicine Forum in Vancouver, British Columbia. A major reason these injuries often go undetected is that, in an attempt to “maintain

Drug reporting may be mandatory for doctors.

The federal government is considering making adverse drug reaction reporting mandatory for doctors and other health care providers. Only 5% of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are now reported according to an estimate from the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.

Changes ahead for Medical Council of Canada qualifying exams.

The Medical Council of Canada plans to restructure its qualifying exams, placing new emphasis on evaluating candidates’ communication skills and professionalism. “Most complaints with [medical regulatory] colleges have to do with poor communication and unprofessional behaviour,” says Dr.

Moving magic as hospitals merge in Montréal

When one emergency department closes, another opens. That’s the plan in Montreal, Quebec, anyway, when the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) moves to a new superhospital in 2015. Moving one hospital is a colossal feat of logistics. The MUHC, however, is planning multiple large-scale

Montréal hospitals preserve heritage

This story begins in the dusty, slate-roofed attic of the Royal Victoria Hospital’s Hersey Pavilion in Montreal. The former nurses’ residence attic held artifacts squirrelled away over the decades by people who thought the artifacts might someday be important. These items have a history of

Toronto clinic addresses unique needs of transgender youth

The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, recently opened a clinic for transgender youth where an interdisciplinary team aims to provide compassionate, holistic care to a marginalized population with specific health care needs and priorities. “I think it’s safe to say that we’re

Gym exclusively for overweight people comes to Canada

An American chain of gyms that accepts only members with at least 50 pounds to lose has opened its first location in Canada. The chain, Downsize Fitness, aims to create a welcoming, stigma-free, community-based environment for people who feel intimidated by mainstream gyms. “We focus on