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Monday, 29 September, 2008

What's in the news: September 29 -- Dr Garlic, Réjean Thomas, and more

A round-up of Canadian health news, from coast to coast to coast and beyond, for Monday, September 29.

A Victoria, BC, lawyer is attempting a defence of a man arrested for heroin possession based on the claim that because the government failed to provide a safe-injection site for him to use, his right to life and security of the person under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms were violated. The man has pleaded not guilty. [Victoria Times-Colonist]

Widely reviled South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, a former obstetrician-gynecologist and public health expert who promoted natural products to fight AIDS -- like garlic, lemon and beetroot -- instead of antiretroviral drugs, has been removed from the health portfolio, causing AIDS activists the world over to rejoice. [Associated Press] The move is a result of the recent political upheaval in South Africa that has seen President Thabo Mbeki, who denied that HIV caused AIDS, leave office. Dr Tshabalala-Msimang famously banned Stephen Lewis, the former UN Special Envoy on AIDS in Africa and Canadian ambassador to the UN, from the country after he delivered a scathing speech about her policies in Toronto at the 2006 International AIDS Conference.

Vancouver police explained why it was necessary to use a Taser to subdue and arrest a 16-year-old mother who was holding her baby in her arms at the time of the shock. Social workers said that the baby, who was ill, might be smothered. [CBC News]

The UK will follow Canada's example by putting disturbing photos on cigarette packages to discourage smokers. [Medical News Today]

The Goudge Commission's report will be released on Wednesday at noon, and The Globe and Mail's Kirk Makin has the inside word on what measures the inquiry, set up to investigate the entire field of pediatric forensic pathology in Ontario in response to the numerous wrongful convictions made using the flawed testimonies of Dr Charles Smith, is likely to recommend. [Globe and Mail]

Ron Liepert, Alberta's health minister, faces criticism for not disclosing the preliminary report by a consulting firm hired to study the province's healthcare system. [Calgary Herald]

In other Alberta news: Mr Liepert has expressed his displeasure with the Calgary Catholic School District's decision not to offer the HPV vaccine to students. [Calgary Herald]

Dr Réjean Thomas, a Montreal doctor famous in Quebec for his work with HIV/AIDS patients, is the subject of a new biography/as-told-to autobiography by journalist Luc Boulanger, titled Réjean Thomas, médecin de couer, homme d'action. The book's preface is written by Dr Thomas's friend, ex-Parti Québécois leader André Boisclair. [Le Devoir] [Le Journal de Montréal] [Radio-Canada discussion] [buy it here]

Wayne Christian, the co-chair of the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council, in BC, wrote a very eloquent article in last week's edition of The Lancet about the medical, psychological and social consequences of Canada's residential schools system. He acknowledges the government's recent apology, but sharply criticizes Canada's decision to vote against the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People in 2006. [The Lancet (subscription required)]

Minnesota legislators are headed to Ontario and Manitoba to study the Canadian healthcare system. [Bemidji Pioneer]

Posted by David Elkins and others at 11:24 AM

2 comments:

  1. RE: Minnesota political visit from Ropes and Olson...

    excerpt from news report

    Erickson Ropes, a nurse, and Olson, a lawyer, have worked together on legislation seeking a statewide health care insurance pool for individuals, a bill that Olson said didn’t get attention in 2008 but will be offered again this session. It offers the framework for a statewide pool that would be open to the general public, but whose funding would be managed by users of the pool, a co-op style approach, eliminating insurance and managed-care involvement.

    end of excerpt

    Sooooooo........ a political foray to glean information/argument on the development of a co-op style of health service delivery?
    ( are we applying a consultation fee for this?)

    Firstly:

    .... while in Canada...interview the right Ministry ( Agriculture handles co-op development ..yes... they even had a "health co-op presentation on the web )

    Secondly:

    co-ops require " consensus " ( cha-ching).
    Quality circles have been replaced with matrix groupings.

    Thirdly:

    "recourse" avenues for the dissatisfied user client ( 'reward interdependence' makes this pretty much a closed door for both argument AND investigation)

    Fourthly:

    Consensus is "out", collaboration is "in" (Drucker has died)

    Finally:

    the tour focuses on sites in northern Ontario and western Canada who have both had their knuckles rapped for "cross-border" use of health services.....
    ....... and you are bringing to Canada.... what????????????

    Is this a " kiss,kiss... hug,hug" seduction?
    ReplyDelete
  2. RE: Alberta healthcare ?McKinsey report:

    Why does McKinsey report the names of their investigators for almost every release?

    ...a compliment?
    .... a caution?
    ( fabulous "distancing" tool) ....like the advice to investment bankers in August?)

    Soooo....... McKinsey was the " jobber" ... who was the consultant?










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