What's that about a looming "fiscal cliff"?

Welcome back! Catching up today on some stories you might’ve missed.

Parliament is back in session, and there’s plenty on the health agenda — from pharmaceuticals, to health data sharing, to social media, and even a looming “fiscal cliff”.

On Pulse Check: Is it really possible for your heart to beat outside your body? Read on to find out.

Parliament is back — and the Canadian Medical Association has questions

Pharmaceuticals, health data sharing, and boys’ and men’s mental health are already on Health Minister Marjorie Michel’s to-do list this fall. But what about access to care? Or health workers burning out? And keeping kids safe online?

In a new fall briefing, the Canadian Medical Association asked these questions and called for health care to remain a national priority. The CMA also highlighted four files to pay close attention to this term: the Safe Social Media Act, the Connected Care for Canadians Act, Alberta’s Bill 11, and the First Nations Clean Water Act.

Some funding deals are still up in the air 🔒

The clock is ticking for yet another federal funding tool. The Emergency Treatment Fund, a three-year funding initiative that provides community organizations with dollars to respond to the toxic drug crisis, is set to expire in March 2027 — alongside other federal-provinicial funding deals on rare diseases, mental health, and home and community care. If they aren’t renewed, those agreements will expire.

Also on the clock: Canada Health Transfer’s five-per-cent annual increase. After 2028, that increase will drop back to three-per cent — unless, of course, the federal government changes course.

Now, health ministers are calling an emergency meeting on health funding as the federal budget looms. Provinces want some clarity: What happens to these funding deals, and what’s next for the Canada Health Transfer?

55 Days until the Canada East Healthcare Innovation Summit in Montréal, and Canada Healthwatch is proud to be a presenting partner.

Focused on healthcare reform, workforce transformation, digital health, artificial intelligence, interoperability, governance, primary and community care, cybersecurity, and public–private collaboration, this conference has something for everyone.

Will we see you there?

A new turn in the Grifol’s saga 🔒

Health Canada has suspended the licence of the company’s Winnipeg plasma collection site, saying it failed to adequately address issues identified by inspectors.

The move comes after months of scrutiny following the deaths of two donors and a series of critical inspections. Grifols has already paused plasma collection across Canada while it works on corrective measures.

For now, there is no word on when the Winnipeg site’s licence could be reinstated. But some, including André Picard, think it’s time for the company to “get its act together or get out of Canada.”

Flu and COVID shots are rolling out across Canada

Fall vaccine season is officially here — but the rollout looks a little different across the country. Provinces and territories are starting to order flu and COVID-19 shots, with many prioritizing older adults, health-care workers, and people at higher risk of severe illness.

Wonder how, where, or when you can get your shot? Read the full breakdown here.

Meanwhile, south of the border, it’s a different story: COVID shots are being withheld from a U.S. program that serves millions of kids.