Welcome back!
A look into new MAID developments, problem gambling rates, the primary care crisis, and sky-high cancer drug costs.
Plus, on Pulse Check: an investigation into GLP-1s. Could they really be used as anti-aging medications?
Let’s get into it.
A new twist in the MAID debate 🔒
Earlier this month, the federal government extended the ban on medical assistance in dying for people whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness. Today, the Liberals tabled legislation to allow advance MAID requests. But another big question is still on the table: what counts as true consent with people with dementia?
Some, like Dr. Catherine Ferrier, argue providing advance consent for death is not ethical, while others, like Dr. Laurent Boisvert, argue that people can only truly provide consent when they have the mental capacity to do so.
Meanwhile, in Québec, advance MAID requests are already allowed — but doctors there are torn, too. When does someone's suffering meet the threshold? And who gets to make the call? Three doctors unpack the ethical knots in this Toronto Star article.
But are Canadians getting the palliative care they need in the first place before end-of-life decisions come into play? Dr. Greg Andreas explores why early-integrated palliative care needs to be part of conversation in this article.
Canada has a gambling problem
Remember that Toronto Star investigation in last week’s Pulse Check? It found that iGaming Ontario shelved a study on problem gambling after researchers reported higher-than-expected rates, though the study’s findings were never released.
Now, a new CBC report puts the stakes into perspective: nearly 130,000 Ontarians show signs of problem gambling, up from 43,000 in 2018. And gambling-related suicides? They’ve tripled since Ontario expanded online betting in 2022.
Another CBC analysis counted 3,000 gambling messages across just seven NHL playoff broadcasts — 95 per cent without harm-reduction information. These numbers are fuelling calls for actions: MPs proposed a federal bill to rein in sports betting ads across Canada, while gambling researchers are calling for better monitoring of the harms altogether.
The doctor is in. Now what? 🔒
Efforts to address Canada’s primary care crisis are picking up steam. Alongside mental health, pharmaceuticals, and health data sharing, primary care is another item on Health Minister Marjorie Michel’s health-care to-do list — with a focus on reduced paperwork, shared information, and a centralized strategy that lets physicians practice across Canada.
And, it’s looking uphill for Ontario: the Ford government says it connected more than half a million people to a family doctor over the past two years, and is on track to connect every Ontarian to primary care by 2029.
But connecting patients is only half the battle. While AI scribes promised to cut paperwork, experts such as Ali Abdalvand and Ehsan Etezad argue that those time savings can quickly turn into more administrative work, appointments, and burnout.
Cancer drugs are too expensive
What’s the price of hope? For Canadians with cancer, it can be $90,000 a month. A new U.S.-approved pancreatic cancer drug has shown promise in extending survival, but it isn’t yet approved in Canada — leaving some patients to pay out of pocket or go without.
It’s not just a problem over the border: in Alberta, some cancer patients are facing thousands in out-of-pocket costs after reaching the two-year cap on public coverage for immunotherapy. In Ontario, patients are being denied coverage for life-extending cancer treatments, with some paying $78,000 out of pocket a month.
On other cancer news: a photo of a person's face can help predict whether they’ll survive a cancer treatment in the first place. Here’s how.
Pulse Check™
GLP-1s are having another moment.
💉 Could GLP-1 drugs be used as anti-aging medications? Find out here.
🌍 This article explores what happens when you take GLP-1s for a short stint.
💊 What are the benefits of GLP-1s? This podcast explores.
🧠 This peptide is said to treat gingivitis, runner’s knee, and even dementia. 🔒
🩸 Can the combination of menopause hormone therapy and GLP-1s really accelerate weight
That's it for today.
Thanks for reading. Have feedback, story tips, or an issue you'd like us to cover? We'd love to hear from you. Until next week!
Canada Healthwatch
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