McDIET UPDATE
I'm writing to give you an update on the short article "Atkins' (golden) archenemy?" (Vol 2 No 5) that appeared in the March 15 issue in the News in Brief on Les Sayer, the Edmonton teacher who ate nothing but McDonald's in order to teach his students about objectivity. You reported that Mr Sayer ate less food than usual and consumed more fat and salt and not enough fibre and vitamins. And added that he would visit a doctor after the experiment to see how the McDiet affected his body. I would like to add that following Mr Sayer's visit to the doctor, every measurable health indicator improved.

Dr Jeremy Loome
Edmonton, AB

DON'T BUY INTO THE NEW DEAL
Due to the new deal, the Ontario government will pay family doctors more. But this increase is an insult. Young doctors are more intelligent and will not buy into this. They realize that family practice isn't worth the workload and will choose other fields in medicine. So Ontario will increase the residency positions for family medicine, but once they are out in the field, they must be paid to stay there. Ontario will not keep them with the payment scheme decided on during the last negotiations. Am I frustrated? You bet I am!

Dr Ilmar J Kents
Brampton, ON

For more on this topic see "Dissecting the Ontario physician contract" — Ed

Erratum
In the article "It's a boy and a girl — and that's ok" (Feb 28 2005, Vol 2 No 4 ), about children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, it was stated that "Children born with this disorder require cortisol replacement therapy in short order, or else risk life-threatening consequences. After puberty, the condition is treated with hormone replacement therapy, either oral or IV, for the rest of the patient's life." The hormone replacement therapy in fact begins at birth, not after puberty. NRM regrets the error.