jjablkowski's blog

November is diabetes month, and 2021 marks 100 years since the discovery of insulin. At the time of its discovery, it appeared that insulin would solve the problem of diabetes worldwide, but over the 100 years since, the lifesaving medication’s potential has yet to be fully realized. 

One of every two women will experience one or more pelvic floor symptoms during her lifetime, which is why Dr Roxana Geoffrion, urogynecologist and UBC researcher, is passionate about spreading evidence-based information about the pelvic floor. Her goal is to provide access to medical information on these sensitive topics and empower people to speak to their providers about childbirth trauma, healing, and prevention of further disease. 

The emergence of intensive-care medicine as well as cardiopulmonary resuscitation has enabled people who had passed the traditional “there is no pulse, the heart has stopped” threshold of biological death to come back, kept alive through life-support machines. 

This came to mind because I received a book written by a neurosurgeon and a recent issue of Discover magazine for my birthday, both focusing on reports of near-death experiences.

In a recent issue of the Vancouver Sun’s weekend review, concerns were raised about who has access to the data emanating from our robotic gadgets. Specifically, the article focused on robot vacuum cleaners that are able to spot pet droppings, photograph them, and send text messages to report the findings to the vacuum’s owner—with potential privacy costs. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the deadly overdose crisis. According to Canada’s public health agency, there were 6213 opioid-related deaths in 2020. In 2019, there were fewer than 4000. 

British Columbia will now be the first Canadian province to permanently provide a safe drug supply program. The trial program, which started at the beginning of the pandemic, allowed doctors and nurses to prescribe medication alternatives to substances such as opioids, among others.