What's in the news: Dec. 24 -- Holiday analgesia

Canadian Medicine will return on Monday, January 5.

Edmonton is suffering from a series of outbreaks of norovirus in hospitals, nursing homes and child-care centres, according to a health advisory released yesterday by Alberta Health Services. There have been 20 outbreaks in the city in December. [Alberta Health Services advisory] Associate medical officer Dr James Talbot said the holidays could help spread the virus. "It’s a time," he cautioned, "when people get together in groups and they serve food." [Edmonton Journal]

The economy is pretty rough in Canada these days, wrote Canadian Medical Association President Dr Robert Ouellet (right) in his holiday greetings message to physicians. But the news isn't all bad, he said: after all, we're not nearly as screwed as the Americans! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, everyone! [CMA]

Giving statins to patients before they undergo heart surgery reduces the risk of their developing post-op delirium from 20% to 13%, write a multidisciplinary team of University of Toronto and German researchers in an article to be published in next month's issue of Anesthesiology. "[T]o the best of our knowledge," they write, "this is the first report identifying an association between preoperative statin therapy and postoperative delirium in a cardiac surgical population. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial would be required to validate these findings." [Anesthesiology]

Just as many Ontario general surgeons consult the internet for information on medical evidence and guidelines as consult their colleagues. [BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making (PDF)]

Vasovagal syncope may have a genetic origin, suggest two University of Calgary researchers in an article to be published next month. [Current Opinion in Cardiology abstract]

The Toronto Star examined the language barrier between immigrants and their doctors. [Toronto Star]

Innovation Canada, a government-funded science research funding body, put together its list of the coolest research in 2008. The list includes bionic arms, a CPR glove, and more. [InnovationCanada.ca]

After Dr Stephen Harley, of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, was found to have prescribed drugs for himself, he had restrictions posed on his licence to practise and lost his narcotics prescription permit. At a College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia disciplinary hearing earlier this month "Dr. Harley immediately acknowledged he had been diverting prescription medication for his own personal use." [CPSNS decision (PDF)] [Halifax Chronicle-Herald]

When I get emails with titles like "Penis Extender Certified by Canadian Health Authorities" I typically hit MARK AS SPAM right away. But when "Penis Extender Certified by Canadian Health Authorities" arrived today, it looked halfway reputable. It turned out not to be spam at all, but rather the announcement that the Andropenis, a frightening-looking "penile traction device" that promises 3-4 cm more length, has been certified by the Canadian Medical Devices Conformity Assessment System. The Andropenis also has some more traditional medical indications, for the treatment of Peyronie's disease and to reduce post-operative scar retraction. [Andromedical Canada] I couldn't find the original documentation on the certification, so I guess we'll have to take the makers of Andropenis at their word for now. Unless perhaps I've been taken in by a particularly effective spammer...

A new product called Diet Coke Plus -- cola infused with some vitamin B, zinc, niacin and magnesium, which is being marketed as "Diet Coke with Vitamins & Minerals" -- has got the US Food and Drug Administration's hackles up. The FDA informed Coca-Cola this month that its new Plus drink's name violates the law. Diet Coke Plus "makes a nutrient content claim but does not meet the criteria to make the claim," the FDA said, adding that the regulatory agency "does not consider it appropriate to fortify snack foods such as carbonated beverages." [FDA warning letter] "If the label says it's healthy then it must be true," snickered Forbes's Lisa LaMotta. [Forbes]

Sai-Man Tang, an Ontario man studying medicine in England, has been sentenced to one year in jail for importing child pornography. Justice Roydon Kealey called his case "most tragic and difficult criminal case" he'd ever heard, given Mr Tang's academic excellence in England and at Harvard, where he was doing graduate work. [Ottawa Citizen]

Perennial failed US presidential candidate Ralph Nader will speak at the University of Toronto on January 30 on the subject of "importance of a publicly funded health care system and the importance of preservation of Canada’s jewel of a system." Tickets are $19.62, in memory of the year Mr Douglas set up Canada's first universal, publicly funded healthcare system in Saskatchewan. [Bring Back Tommy]

Photo: CMA

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