What's in the news: Apr. 9 -- Newfoundland cancer testing problems persist

"They should be shot over there"
Will it never cease? The controversy continues over breast cancer hormone testing pathology errors in Newfoundland, as Eastern Health authority announced it had identified 43 more patient records that would qualify for retesting -- except that only 16 of those patients are still alive. [CBC News]

"It's disgraceful. They should be shot over there," said Premier Danny Williams, referring to the Eastern Health management. "They've learned absolutely nothing." [CBC News]

Health Minister Ross Wiseman, who has faced calls for him to resign since the testing scandal emerged, said he will not accept any more mistakes from Eastern Health. "We're bringing in some outside resources to provide the necessary education to those individuals who'll be dealing with the disclosure thing." [CBC News]

The Canadian Cancer Society's Peter Dawe accused health authority officials of delaying its announcement that 38 more records had been identified, and opposition leader Yvonne James suggested the government hold public forums across the province to restore public confidence in the healthcare system. [Voice of the Common Man]

1,023 patients' records indicated they should be retested. 359 are dead. [St John's Telegram]

Quebec EHR system delayed
Quebec's province-wide electronic health records system will not be completed by next year as had been promised, announced Health Minister Dr Yves Bolduc. Dr Bolduc said it would be finished in three to five years. [La Presse]

PEI rewrites healthcare rules
The PEI government introduced new legislation to speed up the way doctors are licensed to practise in the province, and to speed up and make more fair the way complaints against doctors are handled. The changes have been endorsed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Prince Edward Island as well as the Medical Society of PEI. "We know we’ve lost physicians in the past because other provinces’ processes were just a little bit more expedient," said Health Minister Doug Currie. "In this environment, a month or two-month delay could be the difference between getting a physician and not getting a physician." [Charlottetown Guardian]

The Guardian's editorial board approved of the changes, but worried that the public would remain in the dark about doctors' investigations and punishments. "What's not clear is whether the new law will call for full public disclosure of the disciplinary process. The medical profession is self-governing, a privilege granted by the provincial government, but we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that our doctors provide essential services to the public and therefore should be held accountable to the public. Full disclosure of disciplinary hearings fits with this philosophy, and gives the public the assurance that their interests are being protected." [Charlottetown Guardian]

"The Somali autism puzzle"
Do Somalis suffer from autism at a higher rate than do people of other ethnicities? That's what some people think, and research is beginning to examine the question. [Globe and Mail]

Turnbull in the news
The Globe and Mail's Michael Valpy profiles Dr Jeffrey Turnbull, who was elected the Ontario Medical Association's nominee to become the CMA's president-elect in August. [Globe and Mail]

New QMA prez
The Quebec Medical Association elected Dr Jean-François Lajoie, an internist and lecturer at the University of Sherbrooke, to be its next president. [QMA news release]

HIV's virulent adaptations
HIV has adapted to its human host and is becoming more virulent, announced American military health researchers after tracking the virus for 22 years. [Clinical Infectious Diseases abstract] "Unfortunately, it may no longer be true that there is a time period of several years between diagnosis and the need for treatment," said Dr Nancy Crum-Cianflone, of the San Diego Naval Medical Center. "Instead this time-span is shortening." [Clinical Infectious Diseases news release]

Gender divide in medicine
Female GPs are perceived as more caring than male GPs when it comes to treating depression. Also, female GPs write "distinctly" longer referral letters. Researchers remain puzzled as to the reason for both phenomena. [Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry abstract]

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