Media Coverage

  • Initiation of Opioid Agonist Therapy after Hospital Visits for Opioid Poisonings in Ontario – CMAJ – This study, published by a team including WCH’s Dr. Pamela Leece, examines uptake of Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT) by patients accessing hospital care for opioid toxicity in Ontario.
  • Risankizumab in Adults with Psoriatic Arthritis – Skin Therapy Letter – Research published in part by WCH’s Dr. Jensen Yeung from Dermatology analyses the effectiveness of Risankizumab as treatment for Psoriatic Arthritis.
  • Toronto’s Most Inspiring Women of 2023- Dr. Samantha Nutt – Streets Of Toronto – Dr. Samantha Nutt, a physician with WCH Family Practice, is recognized as one of Toronto’s Most Inspiring Women of 2023.
  • Carolyn Bennett in the House of Commons – CPAC – In this broadcast clip, the honourable Carolyn Bennett reflects briefly on her time as a physician with WCH in the House of Commons, and her support in the fight to maintain WCH’s independence.
  • Cancer risk associated with exogenous hormone use in BRCA – OncologyTube – Dr. Joanne Kotsopolous, a researcher at Women’s College Hospital, discusses cancer risks and hormone use in women with the BRCA gene mutations.
  • Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre in Cornwall adds to Ontario research – The Whig Standard – The Remote Monitoring Care program at St. Joseph’s has been selected to be a part of Women’s College Hospital’s Study on the factors that make remote-monitoring programs successful.
  • NEA Awards Grants for Eczema Research Totaling Nearly $1 Million – PRNewsWire – Dr. Aaron Drucker, Dermatiologist at WCH, has been granted funds from the National Eczema Association for his research into the long-term safety of topical corticosteroids.
  • Jennifer Wyman on hangover-cure drink – CTV Your Morning – Dr. Jennifer Wyman discusses a new drink that claims to rapidly cut blood alcohol level, and why she doesn’t support the data. Due to a lack of data and peer review to back up hangover-cure claims made by Safety Shot, Dr. Wyman warns that this drink likely won’t live up to its claims when it hits the market later this month.
  • How Safe Are Drugs Like Xanax in Dementia? – Being Patient – Dr. Paula Rochon and Dr. Christina Reppas-Rindlisbacher from the Women’s Age Lab answer questions related to drug treatment of dementia and its symptoms.
  • Risk-reducing mastectomy and breast cancer mortality in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 pathogenic variant: an international analysis – British Journal of Cancer – This study was supported by funds and data from the Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers at WCH, as well as being authored by researchers from WCRI.
  • Surviving the Storm: The Impact of COVID-19 on Cervical Cancer Screening in Low- and Middle-Income Countries – MDPI – This study was supported by the Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers and WCRI, and was approved by the WCH ethics board.
  • Why is Ottawa investigating Canada’s safer supply program? – Newstalk 980, Mornings with Simi – Dr. Meldon Kahan, Medical Director of the Substance Use Service at WCH, discusses the federal investigation into the safer supply program’s real-world impact. There are concerns that individually prescribed opioids are being re-sold, and Kahan revisits recommendations made in his letter to Dr. Bonnie Henry, co-signed by other industry experts.
  • What Is Rebound COVID, and Does Paxlovid Play a Role? – Best Health – Dr. Michael Gardam, Medical Director of Infection Control at WCH, explains what rebound COVID is, how Paxlovid works and who should take it to treat COVID symptoms.
  • It Took 3 Doctors And A Wait Time Of 4 Months To Find Out Why I Was Always Bleeding – ByBlacks.com – Author Hillary LeBlanc shares her experience attending the WCH Foundation’s Black Women’s Healthcare Summit, and reflects on her own personal healthcare struggles as she explains her journey to getting a cervical erosion diagnosis and treatment. She also shares the value of being seen by a Black doctor, as a Black woman, who can understand what she’s going through as a patient.
  • U of T-anchored hospital network among leading life sciences research hubs, report finds – University of Toronto – WCH CEO Heather McPherson speaks as the TAHSN chair on the new report published on the strengths and challenges within TAHSN. Heather notes how well TAHSN is performing despite receiving less funding than counterpart hubs in the U.S., and frames this report as a missed opportunity to invest more in research as a means of developing pathways to a better healthcare system.
  • Doctors fed up with activists gaslighting them over ‘safer supply’ – The Province – An open letter spearheaded by WCH’s Dr. Meldon Kahan, Medical Director of the Substance Use Service calls upon the federal government to consider his and 34 other addictions experts’ recommendations for minimizing harms associated with their Safer Supply program and increasing access and retention in Opioid Agonist Treatment programs.
  • The state of Black maternal health care in Canada – The Social – Dr. Cindy Maxwell discusses the Black maternal healthcare ahead of the Black Women’s Healthcare Summit. Dr. Maxwell talks about the lack of Black healthcare data and the progress being made to collect that data considerately, the barriers that Black mothers face in accessing care and preventative measures to ensure a healthy delivery. She also mentions the Foundation’s Black Women’s Healthcare Summit to advocate for WCH’s thought leadership.
  • Black Women’s Healthcare Summit – CP24 – CP24 covers the Black Women’s Healthcare Summit, and interviews Dr. Cindy Maxwell who shares the goals of this event – to empower individuals with the information they need to advocate for themselves, and to educate healthcare providers on how to provide competent healthcare for Black communities.
  • Women’s College Hospital Adopts MOLLI 2 to Improve the Experience of Breast Cancer Patients and Surgeons – Discovery Bit – WCH adopts MOLLI2, to replace wire-guided localization in breast surgery which often causes discomfort in the patient. Using MOLLI2, the procedure is much less invasive and will lead to high satisfaction rates among breast surgery patients at the hospital.
  • Ontario Lowers Age for Mammograms to 40 – CTV News – Sylvia Jones, the Minister of Health, announced in a media advisory held at Women’s College Hospital that Ontario will be lowering the age for self-referrals for mammogram screenings from 50 to 40, starting Fall 2024.
  • Ontario Lowers Age for Mammograms to 40 – CTV News – Dr. David Lim, surgical oncologist at the Henrietta Banting Breast Centre, discusses Ontario’s decision to lower the screening age for breast cancer and the importance of regular screening.
  • Ontario to Lower Age for Regular Breast Cancer Screenings to 40 – CBC News – Dr. David Lim, surgical oncologist at the Henrietta Banting Breast Centre, shares the benefits of Ontario’s decision to lower the screening age for self-referred mammograms from 50 to 40.
  • Transforming Health with Integrated Care (THINC) – Government of Canada – Dr. Lorraine Lipscombe, Senior Scientist with WCRI and Staff Physician in the Endocrinology Department has been awarded nearly $2 million for her project titled Avoiding Diabetes After Pregnancy Together with Moms (ADAPT-M): Bridging care between the third and fourth trimester. The funding comes from The Transforming Health with Integrated Care (THINC) initiative, a coordinated funding effort from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
  • The Silent Killer –Cityline – Dr. Paula Harvey discusses cardiovascular disease, the top killer of women in Canada. Despite the numbers, Dr. Harvey says there is a lack of awareness, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease in women. She shares the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and knowing your risk factors for managing heart disease.
  • MRI Experience at WCH –AM640 – Talk show host Greg Brady shares his experience in getting an MRI done at 3 a.m. at Women’s College Hospital and discusses the average wait times for MRI in Ontario, currently sitting at 86 days.
  • In BRCA Breast Cancer, Prophylactic Salpingo-Oophorectomy Tied to Better Survival – MedPage Today – Dr. Steven Narod is quoted stating his agreement that those with the BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation should have an oophorectomy, to prevent ovarian cancer and to prevent death from breast cancer. The study recommends undergoing prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy (PSO) after previous surgery for BRCA1/BRCA2 breast cancer to significantly reduce risk of death.
  • Indigenous Health at Women’s College Hospital– The Social – Lisa Richardson and Kawennanoron Cynthia White from the GCWP-IH explain the importance of providing access to full and holistic healthcare to Indigenous communities. Lisa speaks to the racism that Indigenous people face when seeking healthcare and the need for culturally safe care, and Cindy shares some of her services offered as a traditional healer, as well as offering the significance of her eagle fan.
  • Three Ontario doctors to study physician burnout– Canadian Healthcare Technology – Dr. Noah Ivers, a family physician at WCH, is recognized as one of three doctors to receive funding to study the growing issue of physician burnout. Dr. Ivers will be using the grant of $42,500 to train family physicians to act as peer guides for their colleagues in addressing barriers in their workflow and finding joy in their everyday clinical practice.
  • Survival of Filipino women with breast cancer in the United States – Wiley Online Library – Researchers from the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research on Women’s Cancers at WCHcompare the clinical presentations and survival rates of Filipino women (a historically understudied group) and White women with breast cancer diagnosed in the United States. The findings suggest that Filipino often present with more advanced breast cancer, but have a higher breast cancer survival rate compared to White women.
  • Discussing Cardiovascular Health in Women –The Social – Dr. Sheila Wijayasinghe, Primary Care Outreach at WCH and Health Contributor for The Social discusses cardiovascular health in women – how risk and symptoms affect women differently. She references a new screening program developed at WCH that combines mammographies with heart tests to increase early detection.
  • Dr Mary Sco. on Gut Health – CBC Radio One – Dr Mary Sco., who recently completed her residency at WCH, speaks about the impact of gut health and diet on our mental health on CBC’s podcast The Dose.
  • Doctors say at-home screening for HPV could be an opportunity to ‘eliminate a cancer’ – CBC News – Dr. Aisha Lofters discusses the significance of take-home HPV tests may have on early cervical cancer detection. The move towards at-home testing could help many people overcome barriers such as taking time off, having a history of sexual trauma or lack of awareness.
  • Canadian Guideline Urges Preventive Care for Health Equity – CMAJ – Compiled by a team of primary care providers, including Dr. Aisha Lofters from WCH, this guideline makes 15 screening and prevention recommendations and one policy recommendation. These recommendations center around improving access to primary care, particularly for equity-seeking groups who face barriers in accessing care. Compiled by a team of primary care providers, including Dr. Aysha Lofters from WCH, this guideline makes 15 screening and prevention recommendations and one policy recommendation. These recommendations center around improving access to primary care, particularly for equity-seeking groups who face barriers in accessing care.
  • Why Artificial Intelligence Needs to Consider the Unique Needs of Older Women – Women eNews – an OpEd from WCH’s Dr. Paula Rochon recommending ethical guidelines and ongoing evaluation of AI systems to prevent the perpetuation of gendered ageism.
  • Pariser Speaks about SCOPE – 560 CFOS – Dr. Pauline Pariser, the Primary Care Lead for Seamless Care Optimizing the Patient Experience (SCOPE) at Women’s College Hospital speaks about where patients are being failed in the current healthcare landscape. She shares how SCOPE meets these needs and will improve the overall patient experience and discusses how the program could be applied to smaller, regional health systems.
  • Xanax and Dementia: Doctors Weigh In on Safety of Benzodiazepines – Being Patient – Dr. Paula A. Rochon, director of Women’s Age Lab and Dr. Christina Reppas-Rindlisbacher, PhD Candidate at Women’s Age Lab speak about the potential hazards of prescribing Benzodiazepines to older adults living with dementia. Risks can include falls, fractures and hospital admission related to side effects and as such, it is recommended that the first line of treatment should be non-pharmacological.
  • Derivation and Internal Validation of a Disease-specific Cardiovascular Risk Prediction Model for Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis and Psoriasis – Wiley Online Library – a team at WCH have created PRESTO, a tool designed to improve early detection and prevention of Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA). The tool accurately estimates the risk of developing PsA in a person with Psoriasis within the next one to five years. This will help physicians to create meaningful action plans for prevention and treatment in patients that are at high risk of developing PsA.
  • Study suggests inequities in cardiovascular care are putting older females’ heart health at risk – Medical Xpress – A study published by WCH researchers in collaboration with the Peter Munk Cardiac Center (PMCC) at University Health Network (UHN) and ICES suggests that higher stroke risk among females with atrial fibrillation may be related to sex-based disparities in cardiovascular care. Senior author Husam Abdel-Qadir, cardiologist at Women’s College Hospital says that despite the widespread understanding that females with AF are at higher stroke risk than males, they are getting less cardiovascular care with real consequences, and calls for better care to minimize risk.
  • Loneliness in older adults and how it impacts the healthcare system – CBC Radio One – Dr. Rachel Savage, a scientist with Women’s Age Lab, discusses the three-year national study that Women’s Age Lab has conducted on how loneliness impacts older adults accessing healthcare. Acknowledging that loneliness can lead to poor health, Dr. Savidge’s preliminary results are showing that older adults who are lonely are more likely to experience health transitions, such as transitioning into long-term care or transitioning to more medications as treatment. One of the goals to come from this study is finding ways to better connect older adults with the social care required to alleviate loneliness.
  • Jennifer Wyman on International Overdose Awareness Day – CTV Your Morning – Dr. Jennifer Wyman from the Substance Use Service at WCH joins this video interview to discuss overdose, what it may look like and how to help prevent fatal overdose through aid and naloxone. She states the importance of support for people at risk of an overdose and describes how stigma can be the biggest barrier to accessing help.
  • Power over pain portal: a new chronic pain management resource – CTV News Toronto – The new power over pain portal co-created by WCH is making chronic pain management easier for Canadians. The portal is free to anyone and gives patients the tools they need to self-manage their pain right away. Dr. Rachael Bosma, Research Lead at the Women’s College Hospital and co-lead of the adult portal speaks about the portal and who might want to use it.
  • COVID-19 unleashed a crisis of delirium in our hospitals – The Globe and Mail –Dr. Christina Reppas-Rindlisbacher, Dr. Nathan Stall and Dr. Paula Rochon from Women’s Age Lab at WCH authored an article for the Globe and Mail detailing their research on the rise of delirium in older patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Non-pharmaceutical strategies often used to manage delirium safely were compromised during the pandemic leaving older adults more at risk of delirium, stress and isolation; these staff members from WCH say it should not happen again. It is suggested we minimize rates of delirium by implementing policies centred on delivering dignified care.
  • National Women’s Health Research Initiative: Pan-Canadian Women’s Health Coalition – Hubs – Canadian Institute of Health Research – Mona R Loutfy of Women’s College Research Institute has been granted $840,000 to open the Women-Centred HIV Care hub: mobilizing and scaling -up the women-centred HIV care model across Canada. This hub is one of 10 virtual hubs to be funded by the Pan-Canadian Women’s Health Coalition, assembled by the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) and Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE). The project will invest $8.3 million across the 10 hubs to support the goal of the Coalition: to maximize the visibility and impact of women’s health research and practice in Canada, grounded in the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and Indigenous rights.
  • HSN Access Concerns Raised by Sexual Violence Survivors Group – Health Reporter – Staffing shortages of specialized nurses at Health Sciences North has resulted in sexual assault survivors having difficulties in accessing their services. Sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE) are nurses specially trained in forensic photography, handling evidence obtained for sexual evidence kits and are instructed on how to accurately testify in court. Womens’s College Hospital is mentioned as an institution where nurses can take a SANE training course.
  • Theory‐based behavior change intervention to increase uptake of risk‐reducing salpingo‐oophorectomy in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 pathogenic variant: The PREVENT randomized controlled trial – Wiley Online Library – A study authored by Dr. Steven A. Narod of Women’s College Research Institute, and other academic peers, was conducted to examine the effect of theory-based behavioural intervention counselors on the uptake of risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) at 12 and 24 months by women with a BRCA1or BRCA2 pathogenic variant (PV) compared to women who received usual care.
  • Why a new drug to treat postpartum depression in U.S. is also needed in Canada ‘ASAP’ – iHeartRadio – Dr. Crystal Clark, Department of Psychiatry at Women’s College Hospital, discusses postpartum depression and the new drug Zurzuvae as a viable treatment option.Newstalk 1010 (CFRB)
  • Is Your Brain Fog a Sign of Aging, Sleep Deprivation, Long Covid or Something Else? – Beast Health Magazine – Researchers have been looking into the causes of brain fog symptoms in women. Brain fog can occur with anxiety, depression, menopause, during chemotherapy, after a concussion, during pregnancy or postpartum. Dr. Iliana Lega, endocrinologist at WCH, says brain fog is becoming increasing recognized in menopause. Experts theorize this is due to drops in estrogen.
  • Older Adults Prescribed Oral Corticosteroids Sporadically Require Greater Fracture Preventative Care – Consultant Live – Dr. Aaron M. Drucker of WCH conducted a study finding older adults prescribed high cumulative oral corticosteroid doses with gaps between their prescriptions may need more medical attention. The study had the goal of assessing and mitigating potential gaps in preventative care to reduce mortality rates.
  • Video clip – CP24 – Dr. Crystal Clark discusses new medication (Zurzuvae) for the treatment of postpartum with CP24 news anchors. Zurzuvae pills can be taken for two weeks and provide significant relief from postpartum symptoms, compared to medications with longer regimens.
  • Mental health care access, electronic options, surgical backlogs: Report lays out health-care overhaul priorities – CTV News – The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) has released a new report outlining needed areas of focus for the government to improve struggling healthcare systems. In the report Dr. Onil Bhattacharyya, Frigon Blau Chair in Family Medicine Research at the Women’s College Hospital suggests having access to nurses, paramedics and EMTs to supplement in-person services, or patients could receive virtual care from a doctor or nurse practitioner.
  • Effects if an academic detailing service on benzodiazepine prescribing patterns in primary care – Plos One – Dr Noah Ivers and Mina Tadrous of WCH were authors on a study to evaluate the effectiveness of academic detailing (AD) on benzodiazepine prescribing among family physicians. Study concluded that future AD interventions should focus on physicians with the greatest room for improvement to their prescribing.
  • ‘The care they need, when they need it’: Nurse navigators connect you to care – and keep you out of the emergency room(PDF of article) Toronto Star – Seamless Care Optimizing the Patient Experience (SCOPE) is a virtual team of nurses who support primary care providers in Ontario. The goal is to help family doctors in solo practices. Dr. Pauline Pariser is chair of the mid-west Toronto Ontario Health Team and founder of SCOPE, she is also the associate medical director and primary care lead for the SCOPE sites at UHN and Women’s College Hospital. SCOPE sites work with family doctors to put in place needed supports.
  • TheZoomer: The Loneliness Crisis – Zoomer Television – WCH’s Dr. Rachel Savage joins The Zoomer’s panel to discuss the impact of loneliness and isolation, particularly on older adults.
  • Private MRIs: Kris Jenner, Eugenie Bouchard hop on the craze – but is it necessary? – Yahoo Canada – Celebrities have hopped on a trend of getting private MRIs and promoting them to the public as proactive healthcare. Dr. David Urbach of WCH explains that private MRIs are, “not medically necessary for any purpose.” These “preventative MRIs” cost a lot of money and run as a private business separate from the Canadian healthcare system. The clinics need people to spend their money, so they use influential people to promote them preventative, to catch potential health issues before they arise. Dr. Urbach cautions MRIs do not catch all abnormalities, can give people a false sense of assurance or can show insignificant abnormalities causing patients unnecessary anxiety.
  • Maternal Mental health market to Reach $45.72 Billion by 2030 – Industry Forecast News – Maternal mental health issues are a global concern, and the market is driven by increasing incidence of postpartum depression. Efforts are being made to improve access to treatment, Women’s College Hospital will receive USD$372,000 from Health Canada to help create national guidelines for perinatal mood disorders.
  • Implementation of a Cervical Cancer Screening Intervention for Under- or Never-Screened Women in Ontario, Canada: Understanding the Acceptability of HPV Self-Sampling – MDPI – Dr. Aisha K. Lofters co-authored a paper outlining a study conducted on self-screening for HPV in women who identify as South or West Asian, Middle Eastern or North African from the GTA. A hundred under/never-screened (UNS) women were given the option to use a self-sampling kit over a Pap test. The paper focused on the quantitative data where follow ups with the three groups who chose the kit and the two groups who did not. Results showed the HPV self-sampling kit is an acceptable alternative to a Pap test for some, but not all, UNS women in Ontario.
  • Maternal Mental health market to Reach $45.72 Billion by 2030 – Industry Forecast News – Maternal mental health issues are a global concern, and the market is driven by increasing incidence of postpartum depression. Efforts are being made to improve access to treatment, Women’s College Hospital will receive USD$372,000 from Health Canada to help create national guidelines for perinatal mood disorders.
  • When you therapist is an app – In Our Heads podcast – Dr. Onil Bhattacharyya, Women’s College Hospital scientist and physician, discusses his team’s research on light-touch services – meaning low-intensity care services which require fewer medical professional hours and oversight, like therapy apps.
  • Episode 87 – Alcohol Withdrawal and Delirium Tremens: Diagnosis and Management – Listen Notes – Dr. Mel Kahan, addictions specialist and medical director of the substance use service at Women’s College Hospital, is a guest specialist on the Emergency Medicine Cases podcast along with other Toronto doctors with similar focuses of study. Dr. Kahan gives insight and evaluation of a hypothetical medical case offered by the podcast host.
  • Every 22 minutes a Canadian woman dies of a heart attack. Most of those deaths are preventable – CBC News Network – Dr. Paula Harvey, cardiologist and head of the Department of Medicine at Women’s College Hospital, speaks about the concern for female heart health. Every 22 minutes a woman in Canada dies of heart disease. Women are often underdiagnosed, under-treated and unaware of their heart health.
  • Gen X is over having their menopause and sex concerns brushed aside(PDF of article) The Globe and Mail – Dr. Michelle Jacobson, obstetrician gynecologist at Women’s College Hospital (WCH), says many GPs don’t ask women about their perimenopausal symptoms and some medical school instructors are teaching inaccurate material. Dr. Iliana Lega, endocrinologist and scientist at WCH says there is still a lot of misinformation within the educational curriculum about the sexual health of women who came of age during feminism’s third wave.
  • Ontario connecting long-term care residents in Toronto to specialized care and supports – news.ontario.ca – The Ontario government is investing over $2 million in 14 Toronto long-term care homes plus five hospital-led initiatives to support homes in Toronto assisting seniors with complex needs. Funding of $383,917 will be allocated to Women’s College Hospital for coordinating a virtual hub for long-term care home internal medicine consultations, community resources and nurse navigation for connecting specialist care.
  • Factors associated with loneliness in immigrant and Canadian-born older adults in Ontario, Canada: a population-based study – biomedcentral.com – Dr. Paula A. Rochon, Andrea Gruneir, PhD and Rachel D. Savage, PhD, of Women’s Age Lab at Women’s College Hospital contributed to a study on factors relating to loneliness in immigrant and Canadian-born older adults in Ontario. The study took weighted populations of individuals aged 65 and older, stratified by immigration status and noted baseline characteristics. Results showed older females both immigrant and Canadian-born to have higher prevalence and severity of loneliness. Community level factors were more associated with loneliness in immigrants. This data can inform understanding and future policy and practice in relation to the lives of immigrants.
  • Paula Rochon: championing the health needs of older women – The Lancet – Dr. Paula Rochon recognized the lack of medical research to assist women in their late age to live healthier and fulfilling lives during her medical studies. In 2021, Dr. Rochon founded Women’s Age Lab at Women’s College Hospital as a research centre focused on the health and wellbeing of older women. In 2022, Women’s Age Lab began a federally funded project to learn how best to support healthy aging in Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCS). Dr. Rochon is also the Chair of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Aging Advisory board and Deputy Editor of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
  • ‘Let them know we’re not going anywhere!’: Trans March kicks off Pride weekend – thecanadian.news – Pride weekend kicked off with the Trans March. There was a crowd of a few thousand who showed up in the damp weather to march and let it be known trans people are not going anywhere – they are here, and they are proud. Women’s College hospital, the first hospital in Canada to provide surgical transition related care, showed up with one of the loudest groups at the march. Kabir Shergill, spokesman for WCH said, “We are really passionate about equity for everyone, especially queer communities.”
  • Ending the neglect of women’s health in research – British Medical Journal – Research and practice continue to demonstrate inequalities in sex and gender inclusion. Sex differences are prevalent in several disorders. Despite Canadian funding agencies mandating the implementation of sex and gender diversity in research, diseases recognized as “women’s health” continue to be underfunded relative to the conditions. A recent estimate shows under seven per cent of medical research funding has been allocated to women’s health since 2014. The system calls for more female researchers as they are more likely to do sex and gender-based analyses.
  • Toronto Academic Health Science Network Appoints Heather McPherson as Incoming Chair – The Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN) is pleased to announce the appointment of Heather McPherson, President and CEO of Women’s College Hospital, as incoming Chair of the Network effective September 5, 2023, for a two-year term.
  • Women’s College Hospital evaluates Gotcare to enhance care journey for homebound older adults – Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization – The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO) has facilitated an evaluation between Gotcare, a national health technology start-up to reimagine health services at home, and the Centre for Digital Health Evaluation (CDHE) at WCH; Dr. Onil Bhattacharyya, WCH family physician and scientific director of CDHE, says the evaluation conducted at WCH will provide scientifically rigorous and clinically relevant insights to Gotcare
  • Igniting inspiration and empowerment at the HR summit – HRPA – At last week’s HRPA HR summit, WCH Director of Anti-Racism, Equity and Social Accountability Suzanne Charles Watson discussed the expanded role of HR when ‘building back differently’ while highlighting systemic oppression, prioritizing impact over intention and considering how actions affect equity-seeking groups
  • Windsor to receive $13.5 million investment from TELUS – TELUS – The TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, TELUS and their team members recently donated $4.8 million to support Ukraine humanitarian relief as well as support to Ontario charities including Women’s College Hospital
  • Vitamin D and calcium supplement use and high-risk breast cancer: a case-control study among BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers – MDPI – A study led in part by WCRI found that women at high risk of developing breast cancer due to inherited gene mutations who used vitamin D supplements had a 46 per cent lower chance of having breast cancer
  • What I learned from losing my hair – Chatelaine – WCH’s Dr. Negar Amirfarhad, psychotherapist who routinely works with alopecia and cancer patients, explains that people – and women specifically – going through hair loss may be at a higher risk for developing depressive and anxiety disorders and social phobias
  • Prognosis after local recurrence in patients with early-stage breast cancer treated without chemotherapy – PubMed – A study led by WCRI’s Victoria Sopik, David Lim, Ping Sun and Steven Narod looked into the prognosis of patients who chose to forgo chemotherapy due to a lower risk of death after a local reoccurrence of cancer and found they had a substantially increased risk of death after reoccurrence
  • Some doctors, patients want Canada to follow U.S. proposal for earlier mammograms – Yahoo! Life – While discussing the change to recommendations for mammogram age in the U.S. and the impact it could have on Black women, WCH’s Every Breast Counts initiative is mentioned
  • Don’t view vitamins and supplements as insurance policies: Atlantic Canadian doctors urge professional guidance when trying to fill personal health gaps – Salt Wire – WCH Family Medicine Resident Dr. Mary Sco says that many of her patients get health information from social media and that she doesn’t recommend supplements unless a patient is on a specific diet
  • Younger men at highest risk of cardiovascular hospitalizations after COVID-19, highlighting growing disparity between the sexes – IC/ES – A study conducted by WCH, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at UHN and ICES suggest that the risk of cardiovascular hospitalization from COVID-19 has persisted or increased for younger men aged 18-65
  • Indigenous health services available at Toronto Hospital – CTV Your Morning – The CWP-IH’s Elder in Residence Cindy White and Dr. Lisa Richardson discussed the integration of traditional Indigenous healing practices and services into WCH’s Epic system
  • Hormone therapy should be offered to more women with severe menopause: review (PDF of article) – Toronto Star – A new study led by WCH endocrinologist Dr. Iliana Lega and published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) shows that more women are suffering from ‘debilitating’ menopause symptoms and would benefit from hormone therapy – Additional coverage:
  • Doctors at this Toronto Hospital can now refer Indigenous patients to a traditional healer (PDF of article)  – Toronto Star – As WCH continues to address barriers to care for marginalized groups, the Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health (CWP-IH) have incorporated their Indigenous Health Clinic in Epic, allowing First Nations, Inuit and Métis patients to be referred to a Traditional Healer and Knowledge Keeper just as they would any other healthcare practitioner. Additional Coverage:
  • Drug Fail: The liberal government’s ‘safer supply’ is fueling a new opioid crisis – The Province – Dr. Meldon Kahan, Medical Director, Substance Use Service at WCH, explains the different risk between safer supply drugs and opioid agonist therapy (OAT) and how some safe supply clinicians are lacking meaningful steps in their distribution to prevent diversion of drugs from their intended patient
  • Government of Canada announces close to $857,000 to support maternal mental health on World Maternal Mental Health Day – Longwoods – On May 4, Canada’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Honourable Carolyn Bennett announced close to $857,000 in maternal mental health funding for three organizations supporting maternal mental health, including $372,000 to WCH to develop national clinician guidelines for perinatal mood disorders
  • Ontario Medical Association’s 142nd president is Dr. Andrew Park – OMA – The OMA has elected Dr. Andrew Park as the 142nd president and Dr. Dominik Nowak, WCH family physician as the president elect
  • What happens if you take too many Tums while pregnant – Eat Vert – WCH’s Dr. Amanda Selk, Physician, Gynecology, explains that not everyone reads the warning labels on over the counter medication like Tums, and how she prescribes antacids to her patients
  • Age at natural menopause in women living with HIV: a cross-sectional study comparing self-reported and biochemical data – MDPI – A study led by a team including WCH’s Dr. Mona Loufty found no difference in menopausal age in women living with and without HIV
  • What to expect during perimenopause – and how to treat your symptoms – Chatelaine – WCH gynecologist Dr Michelle Jacobson explains that once you’re no longer ovulating in a predictable fashion, you’re experiencing perimenopause, and that many women experience symptoms at different points, up to 10 years before their last period
  • WELLUS for ACCESS wins LetsStopAIDS’ The Winning Seed – EIN Newswires – The Winning Seed, a youth leadership program from LetsStopAIDS, recently awarded a winning team of students from Toronto for their HIV advocacy initiative, which was presented with other teams to a panel of expert judges including Dr. Mona Loufty, Clinician Scientist at WCH
  • April 2023 BC-PHCRN Update – BC Primary Health Care Research Network – in an update of ongoing research and events in Canada, BC-PHCRN highlighted a virtual session about equity, diversity and inclusion at their upcoming Learning Series on May 2, featuring WCH’s Dr. Aisha Lofters, Scientist, WCRI
  • From psoriasis to hidradenitis suppurative: top 10 research priorities – Dermatology Learning Network – WCH’s Dr. Aaron Drucker, Dermatologist and Clinician Scientist discuses the Skin Investigation Network and how research priorities can optimize patient care in this interview with The Dermatologist
  • Redesigning primary care – Canadian Family Physician – A new study led by a group fog physicians including Jamie Fujioka, Research Coordinator, WCRI, Dr. Onil Bhattacharyya, Scientist, WCRI, Vess Stamenova, Research Lead, WIHV and Payal Agarwal, Innovation Fellow, WIHV, explored the perspectives of primary care physicians on the clinical utility of virtual visits and found that while virtual visits can be used to resolve a variety of clinical concerns, the practice is fundamentally different than that of in-person visits
  • How a community-centred take on new med schools could help Canada’s family doctor shortage – CBC News – Dr. Michael Gardam discusses the pros and const of UPEI’s new Faculty of Medicine medical school and how capacity to train new medical students could be increased by expanding existing medical schools
  • The Girls Belong Here Program – Ontario Youth Medical Society – A Plan International Canada program called Girls Belong Here will be running again this year, offering self-identifying girls and young women the opportunity to connect with leaders from different professional fields, including WCH Foundation
  • CTV Your Morning – WCRI Scientist Dr. Mohammad Reza Akbari discusses the new gene mutation he identified
  • Toronto is getting a massive pink & white rosé party this summer – Curiocity – Toronto’s Rosé Picnic is partnering with Women’s College Hospital Foundation to fundraise for critical medical resources; the picnic will take place on June 24 at Hotel X
  • Team-based care key to alleviating primary-care crisis – HealthyDebate – WCH Nurse Practitioner Vanessa Wright co-wrote this piece outlining how, amid the shortage of family physicians in Ontario, team-based care done properly can expand the capacity of family doctors to care for more patients
  • Centralized surgery queues cut patient wait times but surgeons slow to get on board, doctors say – CBC News – Utilizing centralized waiting lists for surgery is proving to be a promising method to reducing wait times, however some obstacles still exist; WCH’s Dr. David Urbach explains that many surgeons are operating essentially their own private practices and managing their own wait times, making it difficult for patients and referring doctors to know where the shortest wait list is
  • Tofacitinib-treated women with PsA less likely to achieve MDA – Contemporary OBGYN – A study looking into the outcomes of tofacitinib in patients with psoriatic arthritis, led by WCRI’s Dr. Lihi Eder, found that women were less likely to achieve minimal disease activity when compared to their male counterparts
  • Canadian researchers find new gene mutation that could be linked to increased breast cancer risk (pitched) – CBC News – In groundbreaking new study, WCRI Scientist Dr. Mohammad Reza Akbari recently discovered a rare gene mutation that could be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer; see additional coverage below:
  • Medical upselling in Canada can cost patients thousands of dollars – CBC News – Amid reports of private, for-profit clinics ‘upselling’ patients on additional tests, services and procedures not covered by OHIP, medical experts including WCH’s Dr. David Urbach, Head of Surgery, said upselling is baked into the business model of private clinics, saying they it’s difficult to see how the clinics can be viable without bringing in money in excess of government funding
  • Older women in Canada are facing a heavy burden of poverty. A new plan could be a start (PDF of article) – Toronto Star – As aging women are faced with increasing risk of poverty and precarious housing, WCH’s Dr. Paula Rochon geriatrician and senior scientists, explains that poverty has a heavy negative impact on health and women are more likely to experience it
  • Everything you need to know about menstrual cups – Chatelaine – WCH obstetrician Dr. Yolanda Kirkham breaks down everything you need to know about menstrual cups, including sizing, how they work and risks of toxic shock syndrome
  • How to know if you are pregnant right away – EatVerts – WCH Family Physician Dr. Carrie Schramm answers questions about the accuracy of pregnancy tests, early signs of pregnancy and when your best chances of getting pregnant are
  • What is known about breast cancer in young women? – MDPI – A study led by WCRI’s Jie Wei Schu, Parsa Charkhchi, Shadia Adekunte and Mohammad R. Akbari delves into the increasing cancer diagnosis of younger patients and how age could affect treatment
  • House call: more than half of all home visits in Ontario are made by a small subset of family physicians – Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences – New research led by ICES and UHN, and authored by WHIV adjunct scientist Lauren Lapointe-Shaw, found that the top 5 per cent of home visit physicians – 330 Ontario family doctors – provided more than half of home visits in the province in 2019; Lapointe-Shaw explains the benefits of physician home visits for Ontarians
  • Uncovered: a breast recognition project shares the breast cancer stories of BIPOC women – She Does The City – A mention of Best Health for Black Women in a profile of ReThink Breast Cancer, a partner of the Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers
  • On the perpetual unhappiness of my fellow doctors (PDF of article) – Globe and Mail – WCH Family Physician Dr. Nicholas Pimlott penned an opinion piece about the chronic unhappiness, depression, and burnout that affects doctors and what factors might be contributing to it
  • They had families, worked hard and grew old. Now they face their final years in poverty. Why are we failing older women in Canada? (PDF of article) – Toronto Star – WCH’s Dr. Paula Rochon, Founder of the Women’s Age Lab, discusses Canada’s “gender pension gap”, the difference in retirement income between men and women, and how women are living longer but living longer with less
  • You probably eat twice the recommended salt per day. Here’s how to cut back – CBC News – WCH family medicine resident Dr. Mary Sco explains that the salt that already exists in food poses a bigger risk to health than the salt people add, and discusses ways to help combat high salt consumption
  • Virtual solutions are transforming primary care – The Varsity – Earlier this month, the Sandra Rotman Centre for Health Sector Strategy at UofT hosted a “Digital Health and Primary Care” panel, focusing on virtual care; the event’s first panel was WCH Family Physician Dr. Payal Agarwal, who explained that a significant challenge in primary care is a lack of human resources
  • Aaron Drucker, MD: Weighing limitations in new atopic dermatitis drugs – HCPLive – In an interview with HCPLive at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, WCH Physician, Dermatology Aaron Drucker discussed components of initiating and switching drug class options, comorbidity cross-benefit, and improving diagnostics to achieve optimal aopic dermatitis care
  • Him & Hers welcomes five new experts to its medical advisory board – Business Wire – WCH Consultant Dermatologist Dr. Sandy Skotnicki was recently appointed the medical advisory board for Him & Hers Health Inc., a health and wellness platform
  • From virtual care apps to AI algorithms: the trouble with data collection in healthcare – CBC Radio – A 2022 report, led by WCH family physician Dr. Sheryl Spithoff, looking into data collection from virtual care platforms found that while many companies running these platforms say they don’t use personal health data, they do use patients’ registration and user data
  • C.’s universal contraception coverage inspires call for funded birth control across Canada (PDF of article) – Globe and Mail – British Columbia will begin covering birth control prescriptions starting April 1, the first province to do so and reproductive health experts, including WCRI Scientist Sheila Dunn, say the rest of the country should follow suit, as Europe and the U.K. are already doing this and the difference in coverage between provinces creates a two-tiered system
  • RBC Wealth Management and Women’s Age Lab empower women to make informed financial decisions (PDF of article) – Globe and Mail – As gendered ageism continues to affect older women in many aspects of their lives, including health and finances, WCH Geriatrician and VP, Research Dr. Paula Rochon discusses how WCH’s Women’s Age Lab – the first clinic worldwide to focus specifically on the health of older women – is improving the health of older women, and is now partnering with RBC Wealth Management to improve financial literacy among this demographic
  • Common questions about private health care – answered – CBC News – CBC’s Christine Birak breaks down the difference in costs for common surgeries depending on how they’re funded and WCH’s Dr. David Urbach explains how the province could fund more surgeries in public hospitals on evenings and weekends, eliminating the need for private surgical clinics
  • Ottawa Hospital’s operating-room deal with private corporation worries unions, experts (PDF of article) – Toronto Star – Dr. David Urbach explains that a hospital partnering with a private corporation to perform private surgeries is irregular because surgeons are paid by OHIP, and so these partnerships don’t need to exist
  • Do private, for-profit clinics save taxpayers money and reduce wait times? The data says no – CBC News – Dr. David Urbach discusses the issues with surgical wait times and explains that private clinics are not the answer, but instead public funding for increasing surgeries within hospitals – including scheduling them on evenings or weekends – and increasing nursing staff in public health settings is what is needed to alleviate bottlenecks and wait times
  • ‘A creative perspective’: Neurologist Suvendrini Lena on her path to playwriting – U o T News – WCH Neurologist Dr. Suvendrini Lena’s career from healthcare to playwriting is profiled by U of T
  • Waiting until age 50 for mammograms is too late – especially for Black Women – Best Health Magazine – WCH’s Dr. Aisha Lofters, Family Physician, explains how she and her colleagues were seeing many Black women with aggressive or advanced cancers in their 30s and 40s, well below the suggested age for routine mammograms
  • Is it normal to cramp when you’re pregnant – EatVerts – WCH OBGYN Dr. Amanda Selk explains why some people might experience cramping during pregnancy, ways to deal with it, and when to see a healthcare provider
  • Zoomer Radio segment – WCH’s Dr. Paula Rochon discusses the Women’s Age Lab and its new partnership with RBC Wealth Management
  • President’s Impact Awards recognize far-reaching contributions of U of T researchers – U of T News – WCH geriatrician and WCRI Senior Scientist Dr. Paula Rochon was recognized for her work with the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table at the U of T President’s Impact Awards
  • Older women still at risk for Cancer with BRCA 1/2 mutations – Physician’s Weekly – WCRI Research Nurse Kelly Metcalfe, Ph.D, led a study into the cancer risks for women aged 50 to 75 with BRCA 1/2 mutations
  • International Women’s Day marked with marches, protests and celebrations – CBC News – Coverage of IWD events in and around the GTA, including WCH Foundation’s Women for Women’s Gala, celebrating 140 years of women’s health and research
  • International Women’s Day – CTV News Toronto – CTV News covered WCH Foundation’s Women for Women’s Gala, showcasing WCH patient Sharon Newman’s story about being tested for the BRCA mutation due to her Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, as well as highlighting the need for more women in leadership and the work in healthcare for women that will continue to move forward
  • Radio segment – Ottawa Morning with Robyn Bresnahan – WCH’s Dr. David Urbach discusses privatization of healthcare with CBC Radio Ottawa
  • Pregnant women with schizophrenia have threefold risk of interpersonal violence – Neuroscience News – A study led by ICES and WCH found that pregnant women with schizophrenia were three times more likely to visit an ED for interpersonal violence during pregnancy and the first year postpartum than those without schizophrenia; WCH’s Dr. Simone Vigod, Scientist, WCRI, says the study suggests that routine violence screening is an important intervention for preventing severe harm to patients and their children
  • Estradiol concentrations in trans women on INSTIs compared to those without HIV – Natap – A study led by several Toronto hospitals, including WCH, in conjunction with some American hospitals, looks into the estradiol concentrations in trans women with and without HIV
  • MOXIE significantly reduces cardiovascular events in high-risk chronic disease patients – Pocket PC Medicine – A new study has found significant improvement in cardiovascular outcomes among patients who received access to MOXIE, an educational and support intervention; WCH’s Dr. Noah Ivers, Family Physician, says MOXIE helps patients with self-management and that it could be used to help patients with chronic illnesses
  • How long after conception positive pregnancy test – EatVerts – WCH Family Physician Dr. Carrie Schram explains breaks down questions about pregnancy test accuracy, importance of price, and how to avoid false negatives
  • Try these 8 women-led products this International Women’s Day at the LCBO – BlogTO – The LCBO has partnered with WCH Foundation for the fifth year to fundraise for the foundation; donations will be accepted in-store until March 20
  • Can your medications make you sick? – Consumer Reports – WCH’s Dr. Paula Rochon, Director of Women’s Age Lab, discusses the importance of reviewing over the counter and prescription medication with your doctor to avoid bad drug reactions and side affects
  • Navigating your postpartum period – She Does The City – WCH physician of gynecology Dr. Yolanda Kirkham penned an article breaking down what to expect with your menstrual cycle postpartum, including understanding your fertility after birth, how your period changes, and the best period products to use in postpartum
  • Think more money will fix our health crisis? Think again (PDF of article) – Toronto Star – As Canadian premiers accept federal healthcare deal, Ontario experts are saying throwing money at the problem won’t be enough to fix the healthcare system, including WCH’s Head of Surgery Dr. David Urbach, who says one reason surgical wait lists are so long is because most surgeons maintain sole control of their own workloads, meaning depending on your doctor, wait times for similar surgeries can vary
  • Corner office shifts: QSR heavy hitter finds CEO – Strategy Online – Jennifer Bernard was selected as new CEO for SickKids Foundation, starting her role in April
  • How to fight menopausal weight gain – Chatelaine – WCH Gynecology Physician Dr. Michelle Jacobson explains how and why women gain weight during menopause and shares tips on what to do about it, including seeing your physician for proper treatment of symptoms
  • Experts create tool to help doctors avoid prescribing drugs to treat other drugs’ side effects – U of T News – Experts from UofT’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and Women’s College Hospital created a tool called ThinkCascades to help manage inappropriate prescribing practices known as “prescribing cascades”
  • Spotlight on Child & Adolescent Health: Indigenous communities – The Lancet Voice – WCH’s Dr. Lisa Richardson, Strategic Lead, Indigenous Health Administration, sits down with Philippa Harris, Editor-in-Chief of the Lancet Health Longevity and Yves Minani, Executive Director, UPARED in Burundi, to discuss adolescent health in Indigenous communities
  • Estee Lauder Canada launches new #WeArePlenty campaign this International Women’s Day – Canadian Insider – Estee Lauder Canada is partnering with three Canadian Professionals, including WCRI Scientist Dr. Joanne Kotsopoulos, for their #WeArePlenty campaign targeted at “ageless women”
  • CBC Radio One clip– CBC discusses the for-profit surgery centres coming to Ontario, including how WCH’s Dr. David Urbach explains that hospitals are only funded to perform a specific number of surgeries per year, and that gov’ts could pay to schedule additional surgeries on evenings and weekends at publicly funded hospitals, but says the real issue remains staffing
  • Women over 50 with mutations at higher cancer risk, reveals new study – Psychreg – A study led by WCRI’s Kelly Metcalfe, Research Nurse, following over 2000 women aged 50-75 from 16 different countries found that women with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation who hadn’t undergone cancer risk-reduction surgery were 77 per cent and 67 per cent, respectively, more likely to develop breast and ovarian cancer
  • 630 CHED radio clip – Dr. Paula Harvey, Director, Cardiovascular Research Program at WCH, explains how Canada’s healthcare system is not serving women, especially when it comes to cardiology, as women are often not even given the same level of treatment or timely diagnosis when visiting a hospital for a heart-related medical event
  • Advanced stage breast cancer is more likely in women with diabetes – STARCTMAG – A study conducted by Women’s College Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluation Sciences found a strong link between diabetes and later stage breast cancer; WCRI’s Dr. Lorraine Lipscombe, Physician, said the findings suggest women with diabetes may have a predisposition to more advanced state breast cancer
  • For $30/month, Ontario doctors offer rapid access to nurse practitioners – CBC News – Amid the healthcare crisis in Canada, some Ontario doctors are offering patients extra health care (seven-day a week rapid access to appointments with a NP) for a fee of $30 a month; WCH’s Dr. Danielle Martin, Primary Physician, says the healthcare for a fee is unequitable and unfair and that Ontario should be funding team-based care for all Ontarians rather than have a two-tier health system, which is legal in the province
  • As surgical wait lists grow, Canada’s private clinics cash in – CBC News – WCH’s Head of Surgery Dr. David Urbach says Ontario’s new for-profit surgical centres are not in keeping with the principles of the Canada Health Act and that the new model may worsen surgical wait times as the centres lure medical staff from public hospitals
  • Radio clip – AM640 – WCH gynecologist Dr. Yolanda Kirkham discusses her personal experience with perimenopause and how hormonal birth control plays a role in it
  • How many drinks are too many? – Canadian Living – WCH Addiction Medicine Physician and Medical Director of the Substance Use Service Dr. Jennifer Wyman discusses what factors to consider when assessing your personal drinking habits and risks, including biological factors, serving sizes, and reasons behind your drinking
  • How your social network can boost your health – and ways to make it stronger – Everything Zoomer – Dr. Rachel Savage, Research Scientist at WCRI’s Women’s Age Lab discusses how loneliness can negatively impact some people’s health and how some physicians are treating the issue with “social prescriptions”
  • Can you be pregnant and feel nothing? – EatVerts – WCH Family Physician Dr. Carrie Schram discusses what you need to know and consider about pregnancy tests, false positives, and test accuracy
  • Domperidone ‘crippled me’: Canadians reflect on withdrawal symptoms after use – Global News – Domperidone, a drug approved by Health Canada to treat GI disorders, is also commonly used to promote post-partum lactation, but many Canadians are now saying they were unaware of potential side effects and the withdrawal symptoms of discontinuing the drug; WCH Nurse Practitioner and international board-certified lactation consultant Jessica Bawden says a side effect of the drug is increased lactation, however it’s is not technically authorized in Canada for this purpose and prescribing it should be used as a last resort (see similar, earlier article from Global News)
  • System failure: Women’s heart and brain health are at risk – Heart & Stroke – For Heart & Stroke month, focus is being placed on gaps in research, diagnosis and care in women’s heart and brain health and WCH Cardiologist Dr. Husam Abdel-Qadir explains that this gap means physicians often don’t know how to treat forms of cardiovascular disease that are more common in women
  • Women are more apt to seek musculoskeletal care before inflammatory arthritis diagnosis – Rheumatology & Arthritis Learning Network – WCH’s Dr. Lihi Eder, Clinician Scientist, Rheumatology program, authored a study investigating patterns of healthcare use among men and women before and after inflammatory arthritis diagnosis which showed that women were more likely than men to visit family physicians and rheumatologists for MSK-related reasons and for imaging and lab tests and that male patients were more likely to seek emergency MSK care
  • I’m one of the 1/7 Canadians with genital herpes – here’s what you need to know – Best Health – WCH Family Doctor Dr. Rob Dmytryshyn explains that contracting herpes doesn’t always happen from infidelity and that the virus can stay dormant for a long time, meaning someone may not give it to their partner until well into a relationship simply because they haven’t had a flare up and not necessarily because of cheating
  • Canada’s top 40 research hospitals – Research Infosource Inc – Women’s College Research Institute was recognized as one of Canada’s top 40 research hospital’s by Research Infosource
  • No mystery behind surgical wait times (PDF of article) – Toronto Star – WCH’s Dr. David Urbach, Head of Surgery, explains in this op-ed that wait times depend on supply, demand, and service efficiency as well as the larger national problem of a lack of coordination surrounding specialized health care; he also explains ways to alleviate this issue including the use of single-entry models
  • Two glasses a week? Why Canada’s new alcohol guidelines have us rethinking our relationship with risk (PDF of article) – Toronto Star – Dr. Meldon Kahan, Addiction Physician at WCH, challenges a new report about the risks of consuming more than two alcoholic drinks per week, saying it lacks proper context and that blanket, unnuanced statements linking alcohol to increased risks of cancer can frighten the public and miss the mark
  • Join us on February 9 for “Black Health Matters: Reimagining Healthy Black Futures.” A panel in honour of Black Futures Month 2023 – George Brown College – WCH Family Physician Dr. Aisha Lofters will take part in a panel event on February 9 as part of George Brown College’s Black Futures Month celebration, where panelists will discuss a reimagining of healthy Black futures with a focus on self-care and wellness
  • 75: The future of healthcare with Dr. Victoria Lee & Dr. Danielle Martin – Public Policy Forum podcast – WCH Primary Physician Dr. Danielle Martin joins University of British Columbia’s Dr. Victoria Lee on a public policy podcast to discuss the future of Canada’s healthcare system in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic as many Canadians worry about healthcare delivery in the country could soon look like
  • Virtual doctor’s visits did not drive patients to hospital ERs, study finds (PDF of article) – Toronto Star – A recent study conducted by UHN, ICES, Unity Health Toronto and Women’s College Hospital showing that patients who sought virtual appointment’s were twice as likely to visit an ER is being contracted by a new study published by the OMA which says that ER visits within the first year of the pandemic were not affected by whether or not patients sought virtual care, but rather on lack of options like access to family doctors
  • New alcohol guidance warns more than 2 drinks per week risky – CBC The National – WCH’s Dr. Jennifer Wyman, Physician, Family Practice, explains the new alcohol guidelines and health risks of going over them
  • The Social – CTV – Dr. Aisha Lofters, Scientist, WCRI, and Dr. Cynthia Maxwell, VP, Medical Affairs, join CTV’s The Social’s hosts to discuss inequities in Black women’s healthcare and how WCH is helping to address those and bridge existing gaps
  • ADVICE: Are period cramps affecting your life? – Healthing – WCH Family Physician Dr. Nikita Patel explains period cramps and what conditions and lifestyle factors can make them worse as well as ways to help alleviate the pain
  • Dermatitis linked to overweight ad short stature in children as young as 2 years old – Med News – WCH researchers studied data to assess the association between atopic dermatitis and children’s height and weight and found that children with eczema at age 2 were shorter on average and found a difference in weight  compared to children without dermatitis in other age groups as well
  • Patient reported symptoms and adverse outcomes seen in Canada’s first vaginoplasty postoperative care clinic – Neurology and Urodynamics – A study led by WCH’s Dr. Yonah Krakowsky and Emery Potter shows that among 80 patients who underwent vaginoplasty, there were common minor post-operative symptoms that required care, drawing the conclusion that post-op care for vaginoplasty and other gender-affirming surgeries is important to TRS programs
  • CBC Radio One – Women’s College Researcher Dr. Lauren Lapointe-Shaw joined CBC radio to discuss her recent study about virtual walk-in clinics and the likelihood of those patients to seek treatment at ERs after the fact
  • Patients who use virtual walk-in clinics more likely to go to ER later: study (PDF of article) – Toronto Star – A new study conducted by Women’s College Hospital, UHN, ICES, and Unity Health Toronto, lead by Dr. Lauren Lapointe-Shaw, looked at outcomes between patients who saw their family physicians through virtual visits and patients who visited virtual walk-in clinics and found that the latter were twice as likely to visit an ER within 30 days
  • Be an ally for PLHIV this new year – In Magazine – WCH Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Mona Loutfy spoke with In Magazine about HIV including what it means to be undetectable/untransmittable and how to address the HIV knowledge gap in Canada
  • Bolstering our skin’s natural defences during the colder season (PDF of article) – Globe and Mail – WCH Dermatologist Dr. Marissa Joseph discusses atopic dermatitis (AD), the most common type of eczema, and proper management of AD in the winter, which can be exacerbated by the environment
  • CTV Your Morning – 7:45 a.m. – WCH’s Dr. Michelle Jacobson, OBGYN, discussed ovarian cyst symptoms, risks, and when to seek medical help (segment link not available)
  • Factors associated with the breast cancer diagnostic interval across five Canadian provinces: A CanIMPACT retrospective cohort study – MDPI – A study co-led by WCH’s Arlinda Ruco, Postdoctoral Fellow and Dr. Aisha Lofters, Scientist, looked at the length of the diagnostic interval within and across five provinces, specifically at patients diagnosed outside of respective provincial cancer screening programs and found that intervals were shorter for patients who had their cancer detected through provincial screening programs than through symptom-detection
  • How can you strengthen your immune system? – My Pure Radiance – A new study by WCH shows that environmental toxins affecting immune systems have a much larger affect on women
  • Breakfast Television Toronto – City Toronto – WCH is responding to the influx in respiratory patients in Toronto’s emergency rooms with the COVID-19, Cold and Flu Clinic

  • Cannabis Concerns for Kids – American Council on Science and Health – Dr. Meldon Kahan, Medical Director in substances use service at Women’s College Hospital, is cited in a larger article that talks about the importance of keeping children safe from cannabis abuse, explaining that cannabis is still not safe for younger age ranges, despite cannabis companies promoting their products to those age ranges
  • Importance of getting a breast cancer screening – CTV News – Dr. Aisha Lofters from WCH’s Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers explains how WCH is working to try and eliminate the backlog of breast cancer screenings through outreach to anyone with breasts to encourage them to get screened as well as active fundraising for four new mammography machines
  • News Clip – CBCWCH is one of the many hospitals being impacted by the healthcare providers’ shortage, and patients are starting to run out of options as they can’t get connected to a family doctor.
  • Canada’s breast-screening measures aren’t equitable enough – The Globe and Mail – WCH’s Dr. Aisha Lofters speaks to the importance of enhancing equitable access to breast screening for all to catch cancer and pre-cancer when it’s most treatable
  • The hard road to success for skilled young immigrants – Canada’s National Observer – Jad Jaber, a Lebanese immigrant who works at WCH as a research assistant, explains that young immigrants face unique barriers to finding gainful employment to pay rent and living expenses after arriving in Canada
  • Ford government urged to extend paid sick leave amid COVID-19 wave – Global News – Dr. Vanessa Redditt, Family Physician on Crossroads Clinic at Women’s, points out the higher burden low-wage workers face in the pandemic and that we must consider their needs when it comes to health policy like paid sick time
  • Ukrainian migrants face hurdles in accessing primary care, say health experts – CTV News – Dr. Meb Rashid, Medical Director, Crossroads Clinic, is working to help identify the gap in access to medical care for Ukrainians fleeing to Canada.
  • The growing struggle to access gender-affirming health care in rural Canada – Briarpatch Magazine – As Canada currently has few transition-related surgery (TRS) programs across the country, WCH’s Jack Woodman, VP of Strategy, Quality, Risk, and Privacy, explains that it’s necessary for Atlantic provinces to look at providing TRS services and programs, as patients from the east coast currently have to travel to Quebec or Ontario to access these services
  • Ontario Healthcare workers call on province to provide 10 permanent sick days in open letter –The Morning Show – Healthcare workers in Ontario have recently called on the province in an open letter to provide all workers with 10 permanent paid sick days, WCH’s Dr. Vanessa Reddit, Family physician, shares the importance of legislating PTO for sick workers; the province currently just for 3 sick days which are set to expire at the end of July
  • News Clip – CPAC – As women try to find appointments for gynecology clinics, some people are waiting years to find a doctor whose caseloads are overwhelming, including a 7-year wait list at WCH
  • News Segment – CBC Toronto News – WCH’s Crossroads Clinic is profiled in this segment for World Refugee Day (segment starts at 23:50)
  • Aziz, McClure, and Horn join Halton Healthcare Board of Directors – Oakville News – Karen McClure, who has previously worked with Women’s College Hospital amongst other hospitals, was recently appointed the new member of the Board of Directors in Halton Healthcare.
  • Increasing demand for gender-affirming surgeries in Canada – CTV News – With the growing wait list for gender-affirming surgeries in Canada and limited options, Jack Woodman, VP of Strategy and Quality at Women’s College, shares their expertise on the subject.
  • News Clip – CTV News – Women’s College Hospital is acknowledged as a pioneer for trans healthcare since 2019.
  • Evaluation of a High-Sensitivity Organ-Targeted PET Camera – MDPI – Women’s College Hospital participated in a study to evaluate the performance of the Radialis organ-targeted positron emission tomography (PET) Canera
  • A quiet violence: Navigating Female Genital Cutting as an LGBTQ+ Survivor – Media Line – Dr. Marci Bowers, a pelvic and gynecologic surgeon who initiated trans surgical education programs at different hospitals, including WCH, is one of several advocates with intimate knowledge on the topic of female genital cutting (FGC) among the LGBTQ2S+ community invited to participate in this groundbreaking event being held on June 23
  • Consensus statement from civil society and academic institutions calls for a gender-responsive pandemic treaty – ICJ – The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), part of a coalition of 17 civil society organizations, is calling for a gender-responsive strategy for future pandemic management that commits to gender equality and human rights, and is endorsed by over a dozen organizations including WCH’s Women’s Age Lab
  • Healtchare pioneers – Hospital NewsEminetra Canada – Dr. Meb Rashid, founder and medical director of the Crossroads Clinic at the Women’s College Hospital, is one of the 2022 Canadian Medical Association (CMA) Award Winners due to its extraordinary contributions on healthcare and as a refugee health advocate.
  • Virtual Rehab is here to stay! – ReBalance Sports Medicine – As virtual healthcare has become a go-to, a poll from Women’s College Hospital determined that 91% of patients polled were very satisfied with their experience, opening a door for virtual care in rehab
  • News clip – Global News Morning – As mask mandates in high-risk areas are set to end tomorrow, several Toronto hospitals, including Sinai Health, UHN hospitals, and WCH plan to keep their own mask policies in place for the foreseeable future
  • Drivers, take note: road closures planned across Toronto this weekend – CBC News – Several events causing road closures are taking place this weekend, including WCHF’s Run for Women
  • Ontario needs to think bigger on LBGTQ health to address pandemic effects, doctors say – QP Briefing – The COVID-19 pandemic has caused up to 45 per cent fewer people getting tested for HIV and other STIs as well as poor mental health and an increased wait list for gender-affirming surgeries, which WCH VP Jack Woodman says has grown “exponentially,” with little to no planning from the province on how to improve access
  • Health of those in the 2SLGBTQ+ community disproportionately affected by COVID-19 pandemic – CityNews – WCH VP Jack Woodman explains that Ontarians are waiting between 12-24 months for upper surgery and up to 65 months for vaginoplasty, with many patients going out of province to get gender-affirming surgeries
  • News clip – CP24 – WCH tells CP24 that the hospital’s masking policy for staff, patients, visitors, and vendors will remain in place past the provincial expiration on June 11, as well as other hospitals including MacKenzie Health
  • Study classifies 232 topical corticosteroid formulations – ConsultantLive – An investigative team led by Alexa Bowie from WCH has classified 232 topical corticosteroids formulations into 3 potency classifications, which can help avoid limitations in comparisons, clinical interpretations, and classification
  • Guest Post: Racism and health disparities in Black Americans – Dr. Sharma’s Obesity Notes – WCH Academic staff member Dr. Sean Wharton discusses the increased risk of obesity for Black Americans and the disparities in health care that fuels poorer health outcomes
  • THEN AND NOW: Collier St. home housed notable residents – BarrieToday.com – The legacy of Dr. Jennie Gray, who worked for the Ontario Medical College clinic for women – later Women’s College Hospital – and eventually rose to become chief of gynecology at the hospital, is discussed in this article about a historic Toronto home
  • Understanding trauma – Canadian Living – WCH’s Dr. Dana Ross, psychiatrist in the Trauma Therapy Program, discusses the psychological, emotional, and physical impacts that can be caused by trauma and the ways that those suffering can help manage their symptoms
  • The development of a patient decision aid to reduce decisional conflict about antidepressant use in pregnancy – BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making – A new patient decision aid (PDA) has been developed in a study at WCH, part-authored by Dr. Simone Vigod, to help pregnant patients with the decision to take antidepressants or not during pregnancy
  • They have already reached the end of the slippery slope – The BFD – As another patient suffering from multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) has applied for MAID, her physician and medical director of the Environmental Health Clinic at WCH Dr. Riina Bray says that none of the doctors involved in the MAID application contacted her about the situation, which she says is easily fixable with adequate housing
  • Ep. 72: Merendiando with Suvendrini Lena – Aluna Theatre – WCH Neurologist Dr. Suvendrini Lena discusses solidarity among communities of colour and her roles as a neurologist and playwright
  • The Current – CBC – CBC Radio’s Matt Galloway discusses the current surgery backlog in Ontario with WCH’s Dr. David Urbach and two patients waiting for knee surgery
  • Alopecia Areata TK – VN Explorer – WCH physiotherapist Negar Amirfarhad works with alopecia and cancer patients who experience hair loss and explains the range of effects hair loss can have on someone; dermatologist and head of WCH’s hair-loss clinic, Dr. Renee Beach, also discusses hair loss and advises against trying supplements without medical guidance
  • Flu shots lower CVD risk, new meta-analysis confirms – Cardiovascular Business – Health policy specialist at WCH Behar Behrouzi and first author on this study explains that high-risk patients can see cardiovascular benefits from getting their annual flu shot
  • OARSI sets sights on classifying early-stage knee OA – MDedge – WCRI’s Dr. Gillian Hawker, senior clinician-scientist, is chairing a Task Force Steering Committee to consolidate classification criteria for early-stage knee osteoarthritis (OA) and says that this criteria is needed for many reasons, including that patients can be ready to receive therapies when they are developed (please note, the majority of this article is behind a paywall that I do not have access to)
  • Protein may indicate atherosclerosis risk in patients with psoriatic disease – Healio Rheumatology – WCH’s Keith Colaco and some colleagues conducted a nested cohort study of patients who underwent a baseline carotid ultrasound to measure atherosclerotic plaque burden and cardiovascular risk
  • Trailblazers in health care: Celebrating the recipients of the 2022 CMA awards – Willardpost – Founder and medical director of WCH’s Crossroads Clinic Dr. Meb Rashid has received a Canadian Medical Association Award for Political Advocacy for his work in refugee healthcare in Canada, including founding the Crossroads Clinic, co-founding Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care, and his work in fighting federal cuts to refugee healthcare
  • Radio clip from CBC Radio – WCH Family Practice physician Dr. Sheila Wijayasinghe discusses endometriosis and women’s pain that is often overlooked or explained by other things, like exaggerating pain or mental illness
  • Black Canadians’ chances of getting kidney transplant hurt by race-based adjustment – Toronto Star – WCH’s Dr. Rulan Parekh explains that race-based assumptions of Black people having higher muscle mass – which assumes higher kidney function – is sometimes used to determine who is referred to a nephrology clinic for kidney disease diagnosis, treatment, and transplant, and leaves Black Canadians with a lower likelihood of referral
  • Catch cancer before it starts – Jewish Independent – Tovah Carr, a member of the BRCAinBC committee, explains that as an Ashkenazi Jewish Women, she and her sister are at higher risk for carrying the BRCA genes and both were found to test positive for BRCA1 genes after volunteering for WCH’s Screen Project study
  • After centuries of exclusion, medical research on women still has a way to go – The Varsity – while discussing the health gap for women in healthcare and research, WCH’s Cardiovascular Health Initiative is discussed as the first program of its kind in Canada and its aim to help women struggling with heart conditions and provide women-focused rehabilitation
  • Are you really getting a deal at your favourite dollar store? – CBC News – The dollar store has begun carrying pregnancy tests and WCH family physician Dr. Dara Maker says that she recommends dollar store pregnancy tests for her patients who are trying to conceive, saying that they are just as effective as tests from other stores
  • To age well, get out there and walk – Toronto Star – WCH’s Dr. Paula Rochon wrote a piece about the benefits of regular walking on aging, including improvements to physical health and creating social connections
  • Cardio-rheumatology: it’s time to collaborate – Nature Reviews – WCH’s Lihi Eder and Paula Harvey’s review on the need for interdisciplinary model of care for improving cardiovascular health in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease (please note, this review is behind a paywall and I can’t find it on any other publications)
  • Endometriosis Awareness Month – CityNews – WCH’s Dr. Yolanda Kirkham explains what endometriosis is and what effects the pandemic has had on surgery backlogs for patients