jjablkowski's blog

It is not often that the BCMJ and the Lancet publish articles in the same time frame about the same topic but with significantly different perspectives. 

The Canadian Medical Association has represented doctors at the federal level since 1867, but membership has declined and dissatisfaction is growing. And if proposed changes to the CMA Board are accepted, things are about to get a lot worse. 

“House of Commons defeats bill to ban sex-selective abortion, but two thirds of Conservatives vote in favour,” was the headline in the 2 June 2021 edition of the National Post. Bill C-233 would have made it a crime “for a medical practitioner to perform an abortion knowing that the abortion is sought solely on the ground of the child’s genetic sex.”

Physicians should be aware of the TikTok Benadryl challenge, a social media trend in which teens are encouraged to ingest higher than recommended doses of the over-the-counter allergy medicine diphenhydramine (Benadryl) in order to achieve a “high.” Teens may perceive the over-the-counter drug to be relatively safe, and therefore, participate in the challenge.

In times of crisis, necessity is often the mother of invention. These UBC medical students responded to the emerging challenges of COVID-19 by moving quickly, collaborating, and creating innovative solutions. We share their stories in the hope of educating and inspiring our fellow Canadians.

COVID-19 Rapid Literature Update Task Force

(March to June 2020)