|
Hot
Spot
British Columbia
Taser death renews
concerns
VANCOUVER —
After a Polish immigrant died on October 14 at the Vancouver
Airport shortly after being shocked with a Taser, Dr
John Butt and others are questioning RCMP methods —
but not the use of Tasers. Dr Butt says the 50,000 volt
shock likely wasn't the cause of death; he suggests
looking at the police officers' restraint techniques.
BC Civil Liberties Association lawyers have criticized
the integrity of the investigation and the lack of regulatory
oversight on the use of Tasers. At least 17 people have
died in Canada since 2003 after being Tasered, including
a Montreal man on October 18. LD
Alberta
AB docs could get
assistants
EDMONTON —
Alberta is considering following the lead of the military
and recruiting physician assistants (PAs). The province
has drafted a discussion paper that considers the possibility
of physician assistants performing routine tasks under
a doctor's supervision, like taking patient histories,
doing physical exams, diagnosing illnesses and writing
prescriptions. Dr Diana Turner, a Calgary FP, is cautious:
"... if it's providing a service and support to patients
and physicians, then it would work well," she told the
CBC. "If it's being looked at to replace a family physician,
I think that's when it's doomed to fail." GE
Saskatchewan
NDP promises universal
drug plan
SASKATOON —
On the first day of the campaign trail for the November
7 election, Premier Lorne Calvert promised that if elected,
his NDP government would introduce a universal drug
coverage plan for Saskatchewanians. "This universal
drug plan will place Saskatchewan at the very forefront
of medicare delivery in Canada," he announced. Mr Calvert
estimates the plan would cost around $600 million over
four years. Residents would pay no more than $15 for
drugs listed on the provincial formulary. The plan is
opposed by Saskatchewan Party leader Brad Wall, who
says more pressing needs like wait times and doctor
shortages should be addressed. TJ
|
Manitoba
Family physicians
unite
WINNIPEG —
Family physicians from coast to coast converged on Winnipeg
recently for the annual Family Medicine Forum to say
governments must improve salaries and ramp up recruitment
efforts to adequately serve patients. The College of
Family Physicians of Canada announced the results of
a new poll that found 14% of Canadians are without family
doctors, and set a goal to cut that figure to 5% by
2012. HA
Ontario
Old computers reveal
medical info
TORONTO —
Eighteen percent of second-hand computers contain private
medical information, according to a new study from the
Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, published in
the current Journal of Medical Internet Research.
"Some of the data we found was very startling —
and very personal information," said researcher Khaled
El Eman. A major security breach could shatter public
confidence in electronic health systems, he warned.
JJM
Stinkweed
overdoses shock ON
HAMILTON —
Three Grimsby teenagers are in "unresponsive
and incoherent states" in a Hamilton hospital after
ingesting poisonous jimson weed seeds in early October.
Police and public health officials have issued warnings
about the dangers of the hallucinogenic plant. Jimson
weed, also called stinkweed, has been linked to at least
two deaths and numerous overdoses across Canada. JJM
Quebec
Protest denounces
coverage delay
MONTREAL —
A throng of protesters staged an all-night vigil outside
of Health Minister Philippe Couillard's office in Montreal
October 14 in order to hand-deliver a complaint about
the three-month healthcare coverage delay for new immigrants.
Advocacy group Health Care for All said immigrant families
have been burdened with debts and that the delay constitutes
discrimination. A spokesperson for Dr Couillard said
the rule is in place to prevent abuse of the system.
DB
|
