Hello Healthwatchers! 👨🏻‍⚕️

With this week’s federal budget came an amped up news cycle and many big stories. It was tougher than usual to narrow things down to just six items, but I managed. Here are the top stories for this week.

Health Minister says Poilievre is lying about Pharmacare

Poilievre claimed this week that the pharmacare bill will “ban” private health coverage, a statement seized upon by Mark Holland, who called it "nonsense fearmongering."

Why it's important: The post-budget debate is giving us a preview of what discussions will look like in the run-up to the federal election. It seems the Liberals intend to campaign heavily on Pharmacare, and that they have work to do in terms of educating the public on the policy’s nuances.

The core of the contention lies in Poilievre’s interpretation of the bill’s implications—viewing it as an overreach into personal health rights. Holland defended the bill as an inclusive option that will supplement—not replace—existing private coverage. Holland also said Poilievre is "lying" about the pharmacare program, suggesting that he "doesn't want to have a conversation about contraception." The clash sets the stage for a heated debate in the year ahead. Key context: a 2022 Conference Board report found that roughly 35% of Canadians are not enrolled in private drug plans.
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At long last, the WHO acknowledges airborne transmission of COVID and other pathogens

The WHO revised its definition of what constitutes an airborne disease, aiming to quell confusion from COVID's early days and improve response to future airborne pandemics like avian influenza and measles.

Why it's important: The new consensus among experts sets the stage for policies focused on better ventilation and air quality in indoor settings to prevent disease.

After initial missteps during the earliest months of COVID, nearly 500 experts have contributed to a new guideline which provides a more accurate description of how pathogens spread through the air. This is expected to influence hospital safety protocols as well as changes in schools and offices. With this step, the WHO is correcting past guidance that vastly understated aerosol transmission risks. Influenza, like COVID, has typically been classified as spreading “via droplet” but under the new guideline the airborne nature of its spread is more readily acknowledged, paving the way for more robust avian influenza prevention policies in the future.
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N.B. health network calls on Ottawa to regulate private nursing agencies

Leaders from the Vitalité Health Network urge federal intervention to regulate private nursing agencies after facing significant financial challenges attributed to high-cost contracts with such agencies.

Why it's important: Federal regulation could standardize costs and practices across provinces, potentially preventing budget overruns and ensuring more stable healthcare services nationwide.

The network encountered a $98-million budget shortfall, almost entirely due to costs linked to agency contracts. The call for regulation stems from a desire to cap what agencies can charge. Two Vitalité board members told the Globe that without federal oversight, more nurses will opt to work for private agencies, exacerbating staffing shortages and costs across the country. The Globe found that CHL recruits nurses by offering up to twice what they earn in the public system, while at the same time charging healthcare organizations up to $300 an hour, six times what a senior registered nurse earns in the public system.
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Ontario calls on Ottawa to address private clinic fees

Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones is (also) pushing for federal intervention, this time, to crack down on private primary care clinics charging membership fees to patients.

Why it's important: In a letter to Mark Holland, Jones suggests the solution to this growing issue lies in a national strategy. She fears a lack of coordinated federal response would lead to professionals opting to leave provinces that regulate the practice to set up shop elsewhere.

Jones’ proposal would set regulations that apply uniformly across all provinces, thereby preventing any province from becoming a haven for fee-charging clinics that could attract healthcare professionals away from other provinces. The logic seems clear enough, if not politically convenient for the Province and inconvenient for the feds, who are ever-wary of overstepping provincial jurisdiction (except when they’re not). Notably, a former OHIP lawyer suggests the only way to fix the issue is though an amendment of provincial laws.
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New, more transmissible mpox lineage identified in DRC

Scientists have discovered a new lineage of the mpox virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), characterized by mutations that suggest a high potential for human-to-human transmission.

Why it's important: Researchers are calling for international preventive measures to avert another global outbreak similar to the one in 2022.

The situation mirrors the early stages of the mpox outbreaks in Nigeria from 2017 to 2018, which eventually precipitated the disease’s global spread in 2022. The new lineage, referred to as clade Ib, is distinguished by genetic mutations known to facilitate efficient human-to-human transmission — a characteristic that could potentially lead to widespread outbreaks. The research team has warned that without proactive international efforts, including expanded surveillance, contact tracing, and vaccination campaigns, the new mpox clade could lead to a pandemic.
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A new ‘Walkerton’ in the making? Concerns over possible public health lab closures in Ontario

Opposition parties and lab workers warn that closing several Public Health Ontario labs will jeopardize public safety.

Why it's important: Lab closures could limit Ontario’s ability to respond to public health emergencies and impact water safety testing, putting communities at risk.

The proposed closures are part of a plan to cut costs by discontinuing certain tests and ending private well-water testing. The cost of private testing could discourage regular checks, increasing risk of waterborne diseases. Asked about the plan, Sylvia Jones said "there is no one in the province of Ontario or in this legislature who believes that putting well water testing at risk is on the table." Liberal MPP John Fraser said of Jones’ remarks, "Today they're saying, 'Well no, we're not doing anything with water. Tomorrow, well, surprise.'" Two byelections are set for May 2 in ridings that would be affected by lab closures.
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And with that, we’re all done until next week.

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Thanks so much for being here, catch you in a week!

Nick Tsergas
National Health News Editor
Canada Healthwatch
[email protected] | canadahealthwatch.ca