Simon Spichak

For a story in @thesicktimes.org, seeking organizers in any left movement work who’ve taken a break or fully stepped away from organizing sometime since 2020 due to Long COVID. They can be anonymous in the piece and may reach out directly at longdefeat.08 on Signal #LongCOVID #NEISvoid

I'll be following along closely using access to info requests to learn more about these closed-door meetings. Unfortunately, ministries often request extra time for these requests and can take several months to get these documents.

/END

There will be a tentative roundtable at the end of February which hasn't been announced anywhere. It is set to include charities and disability orgs which
@mssinenomine.bsky.social argues aren't representative to the views of disabled people.

6/n

The report wasn't tabled in June as they initially wanted because because it overlapped with the annual Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

5/n

Canada doesn't need to formally respond to the report. There is an internal mechanism for reviewing the report and its recommendations. But the report itself wasn't tabled into Parliament until November.

4/n

The UN report and its recommendations weren’t “surprising to anyone listening to the disabled community,” said @mssinenomine.bsky.social

Anyone listening would know that these issues have been discussed for years so the UN report should not have come as a surprise.

3/n

Hi Annik, Thanks for your quick response and info. | usually wouldn't anticipate much attention on this at all ether but we currently have a very engaged community that is extremely disappointed and vocal about not having a Minister for disability. Our senior management just wants to ensure we're prepared for all possibilities as the community may very well note and bring attention to the tabling. I'll advise we're awaiting confirmation on the tabling date. Thanks MJ

Emails obtained via an access to info request revealed that people within the government knew there would be backlash from disabled Canadians.

Full emails we obtained here (this one in March 2025): www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

2/n

Canada sidesteps UN scrutiny over assisted dying ⋆ The Breach Calls by disability advocates and the UN to halt an expansion of medically assisted death have gone largely unacknowledged by the federal government

The UN released a scathing report on Canada’s treatment of disabled people last spring—calling out inadequate support & urging a halt to MAiD expansion + Track Two.

I document the government's silence about the report.

My piece in
@breachmedia.ca

1/n

breachmedia.ca/canada-sides...

For my first story in @breachmedia.ca, I wanted to know what Canada was doing about a scathing UN disability report that criticized the disability benefit and the expansion of assisted suicide.

I'll be writing a longer thread soon.

breachmedia.ca/canada-sides...

Canada sidesteps UN scrutiny over assisted dying ⋆ The Breach Calls by disability advocates and the UN to halt an expansion of medically assisted death have gone largely unacknowledged by the federal government

"Almost a year after the report’s release, there is no plan to substantially act on any of the UN’s recommendations. Government officials guessed right: mainstream news outlets have largely ignored the report’s criticisms of MAiD. " @spichaksimon.bsky.social

breachmedia.ca/canada-sides...

Canada sidesteps UN scrutiny over assisted dying ⋆ The Breach Calls by disability advocates and the UN to halt an expansion of medically assisted death have gone largely unacknowledged by the federal government

For nearly a year, the feds have been quiet about a scathing UN report on Canada's treatment of disabled people, including MAiD expansion and paltry financial supports

@spichaksimon.bsky.social presses the government for answers in our latest for @breachmedia.ca

breachmedia.ca/canada-sides...

Collage graphic. The center of the image is a black and white photo of a child lying in bed receiving care from their mother. Behind that is a second photo showing a child’s hand, pens, and drawings, including one that appears to show two cartoonish version of pathogens. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Collage graphic. The center of the image is a black and white photo of a child lying in bed receiving care from their mother. Behind that is a second photo showing a child’s hand, pens, and drawings, including one that appears to show two cartoonish version of pathogens. By Simon Spichak

Key points you should know: Millions of children with Long COVID face denial, gaslighting, and a lack of medical treatments and drug trials. In 2026, RECOVER-TLC will launch a 1300-person pediatric trial testing low-dose naltrexone for fatigue. Though patient advocates criticized some aspects of a draft protocol shared in late 2025, they were positive on the overall design. Another trial including children with Long COVID will test the drug larazotide, which helps tighten the gaps between gut cells, as a potential treatment.

Key points you should know: Calgary, Canada–based researchers will include kids in a third trial testing taurine but haven’t yet published the protocol. Parents emphasize the need to make trials accessible, including implementing mandatory COVID-19 precautions to reduce risk of reinfection.

Pediatric research into #LongCOVID is several years behind that of adults. In 2026, RECOVER-TLC will launch a 1300-person pediatric trial testing low-dose naltrexone for fatigue. @spichaksimon.bsky.social examines that trial, and two other pediatric trials in progress. bit.ly/3Oosi9a

Long COVID affects millions of children. The largest pediatric trial so far launches this year. - The Sick Times One NIH study will test low-dose naltrexone, while other upcoming trials will test larozitide and taurine.

Despite Long COVID's toll on millions of children, there are only a handful of clinical trials that include them. @spichaksimon.bsky.social reported on three upcoming pediatric trials.

Co-published with @19thnews.org!

thesicktimes.org/2026/02/03/l...

Long COVID affects millions of children. The largest pediatric trial so far launches this year. - The Sick Times One NIH study will test low-dose naltrexone, while other upcoming trials will test larozitide and taurine.

Today @thesicktimes.org: RECOVER-TLC is launching the biggest Long COVID pediatric trial so far. @spichaksimon.bsky.social examines that trial, and two other pediatric trials in progress. thesicktimes.org/2026/02/03/l...

My latest for @thesicktimes.org covers RECOVER-TLC and two other pediatric Long COVID trials.

Join | The Sick Times The Sick Times is supported by people like you. Support The Sick Times today.

If you're able to, please consider donating to @thesicktimes.org to keep supporting important journalism on COVID and Long COVID.

the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

/end

Less than 20% of Long COVID trials involving exercise even mention post-exertional malaise - The Sick Times An analysis by The Sick Times find that less than 15% of Long COVID clinical trials testing the benefits of exercise or cardiopulmonary rehabilitation measured post-exertional malaise, according to…

And then I spent some time looking at clinical trials of exercise for Long COVID. Only one in five of the trials even mentioned post-exertional malaise in their trial registration and most neglected to measure it.

thesicktimes.org/2025/11/21/l...

4/🧵

White text on blue background: Key points you should know: The McMaster GRADE Centre and Cochrane Canada developed more than 100 recommendations for Long COVID. However, experts say some of these guidelines could harm people with Long COVID. Some recommend controversial and scientifically unsupported therapies for the disease: exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy. These treatments mirror harmful and debunked recommendations for myalgic encephalomyelitis. They also contradict major guidelines. The majority of pediatric guideline developers came from the same children’s hospital that parents say has psychologized their children’s symptoms. And one committee member has an inconsistently disclosed conflict of interest. Professor emeritus Paul Garner attempted to influence the advisory committee, according to emails obtained through a public information access request. The organizations provided only one week for public comments on the recommendations. Many people with Long COVID stopped responding because they felt their voices were not being heard.

Public access records revealed that researchers who push the idea LC is psychological tried to influence guidelines and one of them monitored patient groups, writing that they are "run by someone with ME/CFS and according to a friend who joined to suss out for you folk, she says it is ‘dire.”

3/🧵

Experts call new Canadian Long COVID guidelines “contradictory” and “deeply concerning” - The Sick Times Guidelines recommend exercise and therapy as treatments, following attempted influence from Paul Garner.

I wrote about the Canadian #LongCOVID guidelines that experts & patient advocates called "concerning" & "contradictory." But that wasn't the most shocking thing I found.

thesicktimes.org/2025/07/08/e...

2/🧵

The Sick Times (@thesicktimes.org) We’re over halfway through our end-of-year fundraiser, and we’re not where we need to be to keep our vital work going. We have three weeks left to hit our goals of $60,000 and 200 monthly supporters.…

@thesicktimes.org is one of the only newsrooms dedicated to widescale coverage of #LongCOVID. They need our support in their end of year fundraiser.

Through their support, I published two major stories this year.

1/🧵

bsky.app/profile/thes...

Purple background with white text reads: New donations (followed by a thermometer reaching $60K). New monthly supporters (followed by a thermometer reaching 200). Text reads, "The Long COVID community needs us. We need you."

Four testimonials from Sick Times readers in speech bubbles: “I desperately need the information you publish and can find it nowhere else.” “The Sick Times does essential work for the Long COVID community.” “You're indispensable and genuine. I trust your dedication to our community.” “I appreciate everything all of you do to keep publishing the truth in a world that cares little for it.”

We’re over halfway through our end-of-year fundraiser, and we’re not where we need to be to keep our vital work going. We have three weeks left to hit our goals of $60,000 and 200 monthly supporters.

The #LongCOVID community needs us — we need you! the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

I emailed the CBC ombud a complaint about the Gill Deacon segment that platformed the Lightning Process and brain retraining quackery for Long COVID.

Here's their response: simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/my-complai...

Why are there almost no clinical trials for kids with Long COVID? - The Sick Times Experts who spoke with The Sick Times brought up many different reasons why developing new drugs for children with Long COVID has moved at such a glacial pace. Many pharmaceutical companies might not ...

My previous coverage of trials for kids: thesicktimes.org/2024/11/19/w...

RECOVER: Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery The long-term effects of COVID are real. Join the NIH in the search for answers.

I'll be writing about #LongCOVID trials in kids for
@thesicktimes.org.

With the protocol for the LDN trial now available for public comment. I wanted to hear from parents and researchers about their thoughts on the protocol. DM me to get in touch.

recovercovid.org/news/recover...

Woman seeking Canada Disability Benefit frustrated after being sent to costly AI-integrated service When Vancouver Island resident Iris Parker began applying for the Canada Disability Benefit, she didn’t expect to face steep up-front costs—particularly to have AI-integrated software fill out one of ...

Here's the on point article about Inclusion Canada not doing their due diligence w/their benefits navigation services, and pointing disabled people towards shady 3rd party for-profit services just to access basics like the DTC & #CanadaDisabilityBenefit.
www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/ar...
1/6

Your daily dose of hedgehog

Blockbuster GLP-1 Diabetes and Weight Loss Drugs Fails in Alzheimer's Trial Novo Nordisk, took a longshot gamble, and lost. Its GLP-1 drug semaglutide failed to treat Alzheimer’s in a trial that was halted.

Novo Nordisk's semaglutide fails to slow disease progression in two large Alzheimer's trials.

The latest in a series of drugs that appear promising from observational data that fail when put to the test in trials.

beingpatient.com/glp-1-diabet...

Artistic depiction of ME symptoms by a woman who has the disease, showing a woman slumped over with exhaustion in a river of blue and orange. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Less than 20% of Long COVID trials involving exercise even mention post-exertional malaise. By Simon Spichak.”

"People who are performing these studies are extraordinarily ignorant, and their ignorance is dangerous." - Jaime Seltzer Scientific director of the advocacy group #MEAction

For up to half of people with #LongCOVID, activities like exercise can trigger post-exertional malaise (PEM). Yet Long COVID clinics around the world are offering exercise as treatment while dismissing its serious harms.

Read more from @spichaksimon.bsky.social: bit.ly/4aaDRJW

If we ignore Canada’s mental health crisis, AI companies will exploit… Canada’s mental-health system increasingly pushes people toward AI “alternatives.”

AI companies will continue exploiting the mental health crisis if we fail to meaningfully address it.

My piece up in @canadahealthwatch.ca

canadahealthwatch.ca/2025/11/22/i...

If we ignore Canada’s mental health crisis, AI companies will exploit… Canada’s mental-health system increasingly pushes people toward AI “alternatives.”

If we ignore Canada’s mental health crisis, AI companies will exploit it canadahealthwatch.ca/2025/11/22/i... @spichaksimon.bsky.social