Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1: EVT for basilar artery occlusion

An RCT of 303 patients found that endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) delivers sustained benefit in acute basilar artery occlusion. Compared with medical management alone, EVT patients were more likely to be functionally independent three years after stroke and had lower cumulative mortality. The evidence is in: expanding access to thrombectomy services is now the limiting factor.

2: Semaglutide and hospitalizations

An exploratory analysis of an RCT asked whether once-weekly semaglutide reduces hospital use in overweight or obese patients at higher cardiovascular risk. After 3.5 years, patients on semaglutide had fewer hospitalizations and spent fewer total days in hospital, for any cause, than those on placebo. The takeaway: semaglutide’s impact may reach beyond cardiovascular risk reduction.

3: Hormonal contraceptives, mental health, and CV risk

A cohort study of 31,824 women examined cardiovascular risk in those with stress-related psychiatric conditions using combined hormonal contraceptives. Use was associated with lower odds of major adverse cardiovascular events in women with depression or anxiety. That signal disappeared in women with PTSD — a reminder that cardiovascular risk may not be uniform across psychiatric diagnoses.

New Year, New Breakthroughs

Forget “relapsing” or “progressive.” AI’s tearing up the MS rulebook. 

What happened: AI just uncovered 2 distinct subtypes of MS, allowing doctors to predict the disease’s path years before symptoms appear.

Why it matters: Canada has one of the highest MS rates in the world, with about 90,000 Canadians aged 20 to 49 living with the disease. Although options like medications and nerve repairs are available, not every MS patient experiences the same symptoms, so one-size-fits-all plans don’t work.

To learn more about MS, scientists combined an AI learning machine called SuStaIn with a simple blood test and an MRI scan to measures levels of a special protein called serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL). This protein helps find the extent of nerve cell damage and gauge how active the disease is.

The machine found 2 distinct types of MS. Early sNfL was so aggressive that it caused lesions in the brain and damage in the corpus callosum, the part of the brain that connects the right and left hemispheres so they can communicate. Late sNfL also resulted in damage with brain shrinkage in the limbic cortex (responsible for fight or flight) and deep grey matter that was found later on as the disease progressed. 

This breakthrough could help doctors give MS patients more specific care based on their MS type and progression. People with early sNfL MS could be eligible for higher-efficacy treatments, while those with late sNfL may be offered personalized therapies to protect their brain cells and neurons. One MS researcher said the more doctors learn about the condition, the better they’ll get at recommending treatment plans that can stop disease progression. 

Bottom line: There have been countless studies and research poured into understanding what causes MS, and while there isn’t a definite answer, this medical advancement is a huge step in helping patients living with the disease lead a more informed and comfortable life.  

Hot Off The Press

1: 🧪 It’s official: Canada can now legally produce generic versions of Ozempic. Semaglutide’s patent expired on Jan. 4, and Health Canada is already reviewing submissions from Sandoz, Apotex, Teva, and Aspen Pharmacare. Clinicians say generics could make treatment more affordable for people with Type 2 diabetes and obesity, but don’t expect instant savings. Regulatory approvals and product rollouts could still take months, maybe even years, before these alternatives hit pharmacy shelves.

2: 🛢️ US forces have seized Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, with Trump claiming the US will now “run” Venezuela and “fix” its oil sector. Experts are dubious about the payoff, warning that reviving Venezuela’s oil industry — which currently produces only a tiny fraction of its potential, despite holding the world’s largest reserves — would take years, tens of billions of dollars, and serious legal and political wrangling. For Canada, this isn’t foreign-policy theatre. The news knocked Canadian energy stocks lower on Monday, and reignited calls for faster pipeline approvals to diversify export markets.

3: 🦠 Calgary hospitals have been alerted to a small but unusual cluster of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) infections, the reported cases jumping from 3 in 2024 to 8 in 2025. The cases involve a genetically distinct strain previously seen in BC. It’s not expected to stress the system, but it’s still prompting heightened surveillance and contact tracing. These cases highlight that Hib can still affect adults — particularly those with less access to hygiene services and health care — even in the vaccine era.

4: ✈️ Canada is expanding it skies with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Under new agreements finalized in 2025, weekly passenger flights jump from 4 → 14 to Saudi Arabia and 21 → 35 to the UAE, alongside unlimited cargo through new fifth‑freedom rights. Travellers may see more travel options and lower fares, but the shift also puts competitive pressure on Canadian carriers as Gulf airlines expand their North America-Middle East-South Asia routes.

Notable Numbers 🔢

120: minutes nurses spent napping during a night shift. A study linked a 2 hour’s rest to restored brain function and improved memory, even in sleep-deprived staff. 

10: minutes of exercise shown to slow bowel cancer cell growth in a small lab study. A brief bout of cycling altered blood chemistry enough to interfere with cancer cells’ ability to repair DNA — no long workout required.

3: supermoons will light up 2026’s night sky, starting with last weekend’s Wolf Moon — the bright, larger‑than‑normal full moon that kicked off this year’s celestial calendar.

6: goals Canada scored in its 6-3 bronze medal win over Finland at the 2026 World Junior Championship, an impressive offensive showing that ended a multi-year medal drought.

150: how many years forensic botanists have helped solve crimes. Moss fragments, in particular, can act as environmental fingerprints — tiny gumshoes pointing investigators to where crimes may have occurred.

Taking the Pulse 🫀

Last week, we asked: what’s your New Year’s resolution?

Working out more led the responses, followed by diet, sleep, stress, and a smaller but notable focus on burnout.

Write-in responses leaned toward movement and off-duty time: more steps, more reading for pleasure, and more snowboarding.

Postcall Picks ✅

🥣 Make: this simple cabbage soup — fat-burning, immunity-boosting, and perfect after weeks of cookies, pies, and holiday indulgence. Just toss cabbage, tomatoes, onions, and a few herbs into a pot, simmer, and sip something lighter, nourishing, and comforting without the fuss.

⚡ Boost: your practice with WriteUpp — streamline scheduling, notes, and compliance without drowning in admin. Try it free for 30 days, then get 50% off for a full year — just $17.46/month in Canada.

📖 Read: why “Dry January” isn’t just a hangover detox. Experts say a month off alcohol can lead to better sleep, improved mood, lower blood pressure, reduced liver fat, and even weight loss that can last well beyond January. 

🎧 Listen: to Bloomberg’s podcast on what Wall Street betting on in 2026, from AI’s staying power to gold, bonds, and shifting risk appetite, in this under-20-minute distillation.

🤑 Earn: more from your plastic. Ratehub’s 2026 Credit Card Awards highlight Canada’s top cards for cash back, travel points, and perks — from American Express Cobalt to Scotiabank Gold Amex — and make your spending stretch the furthest. 

Relax

First clue: A _____ differential diagnosis avoids premature closure

Need a rematch? We’ve got you covered. Check out our Crossword Archive to find every puzzle we’ve ever made, all in one place.

Think you crushed it? Challenge your physician friends to beat your time.

Meme of the Week

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