A research partnership between The Lung Association of Ontario and Tetra Bio-Pharma, a drug company focused on medicinal cannabis, has raised questions about whether it is appropriate for health-focused charities and researchers to work with companies selling a product that is smoked. Read more in CMAJ.
Canada
Researchers scramble to meet deadline for New Frontiers research fund
Final applications are due February 7, just weeks after inaugural competition was launched. While many Canadian academics were enjoying a bit of time off over the holidays, some early-career researchers were scrambling to put together applications for the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), the new funding program designed to support risky interdisciplinary research. Read more […]
The benefits and challenges of international research collaboration
Working with international colleagues can provide new insights and even a career boost, but it takes patience and planning. Academic research is becoming ever more international. Whether it is to gain access to specialized equipment, develop new ideas or tap into new sources of funding, researchers are reaching out to their colleagues around the world, […]
Near Fish Farms, Lobster Catches Plummet
Lobster fishers catch fewer market-sized lobsters, and see fewer fertile females, in areas close to fish farms in Nova Scotia, according to new research led by Inka Milewski, a research associate at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Lobster fishers working in Port Mouton Bay, Nova Scotia, keep detailed records of when and where they fish and how many […]
Was euthanasia dispute behind CMA–WMA split?
A long-running dispute over euthanasia between the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and the World Medical Association (WMA) may have contributed to the CMA’s decision to resign from the global medical body, according to some Canadian doctors. Read more in CMAJ.
If Canada needs more doctors, why hasn’t medical school enrolment increased?
Enrolment in Canada’s 17 medical schools has remained flat over the past several years, at around 11,700. In contrast, enrolment in medical schools in the United States has risen by 30% since 2002–03 in response to concerns over a future shortage of doctors. So, it might seem that a simple solution to Canada’s doctor shortage […]
How many doctors do we actually need?
In many parts of Canada, there is a shortage of doctors. The New Brunswick Medical Society, for example, says the province has 39 vacancies for family physicians and 50 new positions are needed to meet demand. In British Columbia, family medicine is in “crisis mode” with shortages across the province, says Dr. Shelley Ross, cochair of Doctors […]
Telemedicine on the rise but lagging in Canada
With long waiting times and a shortage of family doctors, many patients are looking for an alternative way to access medical care. Private doctor-on-demand services are stepping in to fill the gap, even in countries with publicly funded health care, like Canada. Read more in CMAJ.
Deportations on the back of consumer genetic tests worry scientists
Canada’s border enforcement agency appears to be using genetic tests and DNA ancestry sites to determine country of origin for would-be deportees. Geneticists in Canada are raising concerns about the apparent use of direct-to-consumer genetic tests and ancestry websites by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to help determine the country of origin for people […]
Canadian scientists welcome new research integrity policy
The government says it will do more to protect federal scientists from political interference. The Canadian government has introduced a new model scientific integrity policy to protect its public sector scientists from political interference, and the country’s research community, including high-profile chemists, applaud the development. ‘The government is committed to science and evidence-based decision-making,’ said Canada’s science […]