Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1: Silent Burdens of Survival: CKD and Hypertension in Childhood Cancer Survivors 

A retrospective cohort study over 27 years found that childhood cancer survivors (CCS) face a significantly higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) or hypertension. The cumulative incidence was 20.85% (95% CI, 18.75%-23.02%) in CCS vs. 8.05% (95% CI, 6.76%-9.49%) in the general pediatric population. These findings underscore the need for early screening and treatment to reduce late-stage complications and mortality in CCS.

2: Gene Therapy Shows Long-Lasting Promise in Hemophilia B

This phase-1 trial looked at the efficacy and safety of a novel adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene therapy for hemophilia B. Following single dose treatment, Factor IX levels — the clotting protein deficient in hemophilia B — remained stable over 13 years, producing sustained clinical benefit. With no long-term safety concerns flagged, AAV gene therapy shows strong potential for severe hemophilia B.

3: AI in Action: A Better Way to Catch Prostate Cancer 

This diagnostic study tested whether AI-assistance in MRI assessment could improve the diagnostic accuracy of clinically significant prostate cancer. Among 360 MRI scans of male patients, AI led to statistically superior improvements in detecting prostate cancer. Sensitivity improved  by 2.5% (95% CI, 1.1%-3.9%; P < .001), while specificity increased by 3.4% (95% CI, 0.8%-6.0%; P = .01). These results suggest that AI could help radiologists detect prostate cancer with greater precision.

AI-m Not A Doctor 🤖

AI helps with paperwork, but it can’t replace the human touch

What happened: BC’s privacy watchdog says that doctors need to understand privacy requirements before bringing AI into their practice. 

Why it matters: Many BC physicians are excited about AI assist. Scribe apps like Heidi Health — which transcribe conversations and generate clinical notes — are helping doctors reclaim time from admin work, easing mental fatigue and letting them focus more fully on patients.

Simon Fraser University is taking a proactive approach. After a decade of dabbling, it plans to embed AI tools into its incoming medical curriculum. One doctor noted that the tech is not just a time-saver — it’s a powerful tool for researching treatments and symptoms. Ontario recently released a list of AI scribes it considers “safe” when it comes to privacy and security. 

But: Not everyone is ready to embrace the future. BC’s privacy commissioner said healthcare laws need to catch up with the pace of AI — and that getting patient consent before using AI in appointments is the bare minimum.

Some are calling for more transparency around the tech itself. In the US, the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) recommends “model cards” — simple breakdowns that explain what kind of AI is in use and why. It’s a transparency tool designed to build trust — and one that could inform conversations in Canadian clinics, too.

BC’s commissioner added that if physicians are using patient data to train future AI models, more safeguards are needed. Patients should feel empowered to ask healthcare providers about how these tools are being used and how it might affect their care. 

With long wait times already an issue, BC physicians worry that more patients will turn to tools like ChatGPT to self-diagnose. As one family doctor put it: AI is helpful, but it can’t replace a clinician’s eye. Hospitals should treat it as a tool, not a substitute.  

Bottom line: Doctors need to brush up on privacy rules before bringing AI into the exam room.

Hot Off the Press

1: 💊 A sweeping Bloomberg investigation just put numbers to a problem many oncologists have raised for years: many cancer drugs don’t actually help patients live longer — and have a median launch price of about $25K/month. Since 2000, fewer than half of these FDA-approved drugs have shown a survival benefit for any approved use. Even fewer improve symptoms. The magic phrase? “Progression-free survival” — a metric critics say means little in real life.

2: 🛑 In a move that sounds illegal — and likely is — the Trump administration has quietly transferred personal data on millions of immigrant Medicaid enrollees to deportation officials, despite warnings from federal health officials. Meanwhile, RFK Jr. has rebooted the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, stacking it with 2 members without medical degrees — including Robert Malone, a controversial figure who claims to have invented mRNA vaccines. So much for evidence-based medicine.

3: ⚠️ A Quebec coroner has ruled that a Montreal woman’s death during cosmetic surgery was preventable, citing critical safety failures: no licensed sedation oversight, delayed emergency response, and staff not authorized to treat patients. A respiratory therapist administered sufentanil — a drug 10 times stronger than fentanyl — without informing the surgeon or following protocol. A 6-week suspension and $7,500 fine have been recommended — a penalty some say falls short given the severity of the case.

4: 🎮 Nintendo’s Switch 2 smashed records, selling 3.5 million units in 4 days — the fastest home console in history. Unlike its predecessor (which launched amid chip shortages and scalper chaos), Nintendo flooded shelves this time, with preorder verifications and reseller crackdowns in Japan. It’s a 180 from the PS5 era, which saw bot-driven scarcity and $2K eBay listings. Has Nintendo solved the console launch puzzle?

Notable Numbers 🔢

2,000: measles cases reported in Ontario since October 2024, now the largest outbreak in the Western Hemisphere. Among them: 6 newborns infected with congenital measles after being born to unvaccinated mothers. One premature infant has died, and the outbreak now threatens Canada’s measles-elimination status.

20%: the rise in homelessness among pregnant and parenting people in Canada from 2018 to 2022 — and with it, greater risks to children’s health and development.

8: how many years Dr. Theresa Tam has served as Canada’s chief public health officer, a role she’ll leave June 20. Best known for leading the country through COVID-19, Tam often described her work like conducting an orchestra, drawing on her proficiency playing piano, violin, cello, and trumpet. Her career has spanned outbreaks from SARS to mpox, and ends as measles (which was declared eliminated the year she started in public health) makes a comeback.

Postcall Picks ✅

📖 Read: this new CMAJ piece on how Canada could adapt the UK’s diabetes prevention and remission programs. Over 1 in 10 Canadians have diabetes, and these strategies might be a good place to start.

😄 Laugh: at this meme depicting the struggles of working in summer months:

🤑 Save: if you’re looking for a refreshing way to stay hydrated. Check out this juicer on Amazon, which is now over 30% off!

👂Listen: to the newest episode of the BeyondMD podcast. This week: why contributing to the Canadian Pension Plan is worth considering.

Relax

First Question: _____ pregnancy, where a non-viable mass develops in the uterus instead of a healthy embryo

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Evidence-based medicine, reimagined.

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