How the CMA influences health care in Ottawa

Who’s involved in the decisions that shape Canada’s health care system?

With the House of Commons back in full swing and a federal budget coming next week, here are some of the politicians we’re watching in Ottawa, and an inside look at how the CMA keeps health care on their agenda.

5 Tips When Consulting ‘Dr.’ ChatGPT

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/w...

Health care in the USA: money has become the mission Despite extraordinary scientific and medical resources, the US health-care system underperforms. In this Review we consider the damage wrought by decades of market-based policies that have stimulated ...

Health care in the USA: money has become the mission - The Lancet www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

In a cohort of over 13,500 women with mean age ~72 years, >4,000 steps per day, at least 1-2 days per week, was associated with reduction in all-cause mortality and lower risk of cardiovascular disease
bjsm.bmj.com/content/earl...

FiftyPlusOne - Latest Political Polls and Averages A comprehensive list of polls and polling averages for elections and politician approval.

just one decimal place but i believe 41.5 is a new low fiftyplusone.news/polls/approv...

NEJM and public health group are launching rival to CDC’s MMWR publication Two institutions are coming together to create an alternative to the CDC’s vaunted Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

Source:

The New England Journal of Medicine and the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy will be publishing regular public health alerts to replace the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which has been paused due to the federal government shutdown.

THE #Bluejays are going TO THE FUCKING WORLD SERIES!!!!! STAND UP #Canada!!!! WHAT A TEAM!!!! LET’S FUCKING GO!!!! 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

(around an image of the No Kings logo) IT’S OFFICIAL Nearly 7 million people have attended today's peaceful protests, which makes No Kings Day the biggest single-day protest against tyranny in American history! With more than 2,700 lawful and peaceful protests across all 50 states, No Kings Day was 14 times larger than both of Trump's presidential inaugurations (combined).

After a week of ridiculous Republican smears and Trump claiming that “very few people are going to be there,” you just made history. #NoKings

This is what democracy looks like. #NoKings

South Korea: #NoKings! Thousands of people came to show support to the US democracy!

Clyde and I are on our way to #NoKings!

#NoKings

Los Angeles came out in droves. #NoKings

Map: Governors Public Health Alliance * Guam is also a member of the alliance Updated October 15, 2025 Map: @luckytran • Created with Datawrapper

15 US states and territories have formed a new Public Health Alliance, which will counter the absence of federal leadership by tracking outbreaks, issuing guidance, buying vaccines and more.

Members of the new alliance include CA, CO, CT, DE, GU, HI, IL, MD, MA, NJ, NY, NC, OR, RI, WA.

Once-weekly semaglutide 7·2 mg in adults with obesity (STEP UP): a randomised, controlled, phase 3b trial Semaglutide 7·2 mg was superior to placebo and 2·4 mg for bodyweight reduction in adults with obesity, while retaining a favourable risk–benefit profile.

Once-weekly semaglutide 7·2 mg in adults with obesity (STEP UP): a randomised, controlled, phase 3b trial - The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

No faculty named…..

Finally, a well-done study about autism and Tylenol! We have read a LOT of bad research over the past few weeks, as we explore what RFK Jr thinks about the causes of autism. Finally, we get to read some good research!

I took a whole week to read and write about this paper because I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t just rubber-stamping some results I liked. And now I can confidently say, this paper is very well-done and very well-written.

And I believe their results.
open.substack.com/pub/epiellie...

Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead - Consumer Reports CR tests of 23 popular protein powders and shakes found that most contain high levels of lead.

my latest investigation for @consumerreports.org is based on months of reporting and 60+ lab tests of leading protein supplements

we found that most protein powders and shakes have more lead in one serving than our experts say is safe to have in a day (🧵)

www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein...

The Overlooked Skill We All Need Online: Critical Ignoring Thinking critically matters, but in today’s attention economy, knowing what to ignore may matter even more.

We’re often told to “think critically” online. But in today’s attention economy, that’s only half the battle. The other half? Knowing what to ignore.
New post on "critical ignoring," a powerful media literacy skill for cutting through the noise.
matthewfacciani.substack.com/p/the-overlo...

Study ended in June 2020

Are there any standards for graduation from residency anywhere in the world? How do you know if residency works?

Annual COVID Vaccines Save Lives, New Study Shows A new study shows that receiving an updated COVID vaccine reduced people’s risk of severe disease and death in all age groups, regardless of immunity from prior infection or vaccination

www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-...

China’s Temu more than doubles EU profits to nearly $120m despite having only eight staff Online marketplace paid just $18m in corporation tax, leading campaigners to call for government action The Chinese online marketplace Temu’s EU operations more than doubled pre-tax profits last year to just below $120m (£90m) despite employing just eight people, accounts show. They rose 171% in the 12 months to December 2024 compared with the $44.1m the year before, as shoppers snapped up its low-cost goods, which are widely promoted on social media. Continue reading...

China’s Temu more than doubles EU profits to nearly $120m despite having only eight staff

Finally got around to playing with TransLink realtime GTFS data. Kind of fun. Transit in Vancouver is looking pretty good, especially considering this is an hour midday on a holiday weekend, with some lines not running (hello 44) and not all buses reporting real-time information.

Casual job posting alert! The Town of Comox is now hiring for two casual relief jobs, one at Town Hall and the other at Comox Community Centre.
➡️ Casual Relief Accounting Clerk I (Town Hall)
➡️ Casual Relief Custodian (Comox Community Centre)
Check out details by visiting Comox.ca/employment

Police in Airdrie, Alberta (just north of Calgary) say this driver hit a 17-year-old girl in a marked crosswalk, got out of the vehicle, and appeared to get upset at the teenager before driving away.

They released this video and are now trying to identify the driver.

There are clinical practice guidelines on testing.

Hundreds of thousands protest in Amsterdam against Gaza war Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched through Amsterdam on Sunday, calling for the Dutch government to take a tougher stance against Israel's war in Gaza.

Amsterdam has 1.2 million people. 20% turned out to protest. The world is watching what is happening in Gaza.

If we could get 20% of Americans in the streets on October 18th, it would go a long way toward ending the fascist nightmare we are all experiencing.

www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Define what are the outcomes measured? Deaths from overdose? Hospital admissions? Clean?