Author: UBC Abbotsford-Mission Family Practice Residency Program

“Wilderness medicine education is interesting to medical students, yet not widely implemented in Canadian medical curricula. We describe a curriculum for a pre-clerkship wilderness medicine elective at a Canadian medical school. Our study reports increased student awareness of career opportunities in wilderness medicine after elective completion, and interest in hands-on learning for wilderness medicine topics. Medical schools may benefit from incorporating feedback from our elective towards a successful wilderness medicine curriculum in their own programs.”

Call of the wild: creating a formal wilderness medicine elective for Canadian pre-clerkship medical students via CMEJ.

“Another 198 British Columbians died from toxic drugs in July, according to data released Tuesday by the B.C. Coroners Service, bringing the death toll in the first seven months of the year to 1,455.

The coroners service said the 1,455 deaths from January to July are the most ever reported in the first seven months of the year since a public health emergency over drug poisoning deaths in the province was declared in 2016.

‘I am saddened to once again report that British Columbia’s toxic drug crisis shows no signs of abating,’ said Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe in a statement.

It puts the province on pace to potentially exceed the 2,383 deaths recorded last year. A total of 12,739 people in the province have died from drug overdoses in those seven years.”

Read more on B.C. sets new record with 1,455 drug deaths in 1st 7 months of 2023 via CBC News.

“Several major childhood allergies may all stem from the community of bacteria living in our gut, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia and BC Children’s Hospital.

The research, published in Nature Communications, identifies gut microbiome features and early life influences that are associated with children developing any of four common allergies — eczema, asthma, food allergy and/or hay fever. The findings could lead to methods of predicting whether a child will develop allergies, and ways to prevent them from developing at all.

‘We’re seeing more and more children and families seeking help at the emergency department due to allergies,’ said Dr. Stuart Turvey, professor in the department of pediatrics at UBC and an investigator at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, and co-senior author on the study. ‘Hundreds of millions of children worldwide suffer from allergies, including one in three children in Canada, and it’s important to understand why this is happening and how it can be prevented.'”

Read more on Researchers discover common origin behind major childhood allergies via UBC News.

For those who noted that the man-made drug Synthroid was in the number one spot on the graph, Statista reports that, “In 2022, prescription drug synthroid – used for the treatment of hypothyroidism – was the most dispensed drug in Canada, coming to a total of more than 20.5 million prescriptions.”

Upon further investigation, Synthroid is the brand name for levothyroxine. “Levothyroxine, also known as L-thyroxine, is a synthetic form of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T₄).^[4][7] It is used to treat thyroid hormone deficiency (hypothyroidism), including a severe form known as myxedema coma.^[4] It may also be used to treat and prevent certain types of thyroid tumors.^[4] It is not indicated for weight loss.^[4]“

More on Levothyroxine/Liothyronine Combination Therapy and Quality of Life: Is It All about Weight Loss? via European Thyroid Journal.

More on Understanding unapproved use of the approved drugs “off label” via FDA.

Background: The increasing toxicity of opioids in the unregulated drug market has led to escalating numbers of overdoses in Canada and worldwide; takehome naloxone (THN) is an evidence-based intervention that distributes kits containing naloxone to people in the community who may witness an overdose. The purpose of this guidance is to provide policy recommendations for territorial, provincial and federal THN programs, using evidence from scientific and grey literature and community evidence that reflects 11 years of THN distribution in Canada.

Read more on the Guidance on take-home naloxone distribution and use by community overdose responders in Canada via CMAJ.

“A new study led by a McGill University scientist suggests opioid painkillers are not always beneficial — and sometimes harmful — as patients recover from minor surgery.

The research, published in The Lancet, examined the results of 47 randomized clinical trials in patients discharged after undergoing a minor or moderate procedure, ranging from molar extraction to foot surgery. 

Dr. Julio Fiore, an assistant professor at McGill who researches post-operative recovery, said his team found that prescribed opioids had no more of an impact on the pain experienced after minor surgery than over-the-counter painkillers. 

At the same time, the study found a significant increase in side effects, including nausea, vomiting and constipation.” 

Read more on “Are doctors still prescribing too many opioids?” via CBC News.

“In 2007 Purdue Pharma pleaded guilty to federal felony charges that the company misled regulators, doctors and patients about OxyContin’s risk of addiction and abuse. Sackler family members were not charged.” via the Guardian.

Read more on Canadians can now claim under $20 million OxyContin class actions settlement via OxyContin® and OxyNEO® Class Action Settlement. “To obtain compensation under the Settlement, you must first determine if you are eligible, then file a Claim Form and submit the required supporting evidence to the Claims Administrator on or before the Claims Deadline of February 27, 2024.”

If you are concerned about the air quality in your neighborhood, check the British Columbia Air Quality Health Index and Forecast via Government of Canada.

“In January 2023, the Elsevier journal Nurse Education in Practice ignited a firestorm when it recognized ChatGPT as a coauthor alongside Siobhan O’Connor [Figure].[1] The piece quickly sparked debate among publishers, editors, and researchers about whether a bot can qualify as an author.[2-4]

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) language model developed by the company OpenAI. It uses pre-existing books, websites, and other sources to generate human-like text and can assist with things like writing code, composing essays, and answering questions.

Many writers like AI language models because they free up time to focus on higher-level skills like analysis and creativity rather than structure and grammar. Prominent author and Wharton professor Adam Grant has even stated that his classes are now AI mandatory because he does not want to read bad writing anymore.[5] But how should we recognize ChatGPT’s contributions?”

Read more on Can ChatGPT be your coauthor? via BCMJ.

Registration now open
Oct. 28 (Sat) | 7:45 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. | Virtual Conference
Audience: all health professionals, residents and medical students.
Overview: The climate crisis is at our doorstep. As health professionals, we can help build a healthy planetary future together. On Sat., Oct. 28, hear from experts in their fields who have initiated projects at a local level. Be inspired at this annual conference presented by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, with lots of opportunities for participants to engage with the speakers and with each other. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Up to 6.75 Mainpro+/MOC Section 1 credits
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The University of British Columbia Okanagan has been placed under an evacuation order

In a notice posted to social media on Friday, the university said everyone must leave campus immediately.

If anyone is on campus and needs access to transportation, they are asked to make their way to H lot.

Everyone is asked to leave immediately and in a calm manner.

There are a number of other addresses nearby also under evacuation order. Those can be checked on the map.

Read more on UBCO under evacuation order due to aggressive fire behaviour via Global News.