Consider yourself a patron of the arts? Then now’s the time to buy a painting from Ace-Liam Nana Sam Ankrah, a one-year-old Ghanian boy who is officially the world’s youngest artist. After a professional public exhibition and selling 15 pieces, he earned the Guinness World Record. (He’s actually one year and 157 days — but who’s counting?) 🎨

 ☕️Postcall’s one-sip markets update:

Last week’s non-boring news was Nvidia’s 13.5% stock jump (due to their massive Q1 earnings beat). The rest of the market was pretty quiet.

Oh, and after 4 straight months of prices relaxing, our inflation rate currently stands at 2.7%. That’s well within the Bank of Canada’s 1–3% target, so we’re hopeful we’ll get at least a 0.25% cut in June.

Ready for this week’s stories? (6 min read)

1. Guidelines for cannabis hyperemesis syndrome

2. Someone was censured from the College in Manitoba

3. Using AI to identify rare genetic disorder

4. The government is coming after vapes

5. Dermatologists wanted

6. and Postcall’s Crossword

Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1.  Finger prick test for syphilis 

Canada was the first country in North America to approve a dual HIV and syphilis test using point of care testing (POCT) in 2023. This week, the CMAJ has weighed in, providing additional info: the syphilis component detects antibodies to T. pallidum and the test cannot distinguish active from prior infections (read: it’s not as useful for individuals with previous syphilis infections). Shoutout to researchers in Alberta who carried out the trial!

2. Guideline watch 👀 

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has released new guidelines for managing cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS):

• For the inter-episodic phase (when sx are minimal): tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and mitochondrial supplements (e.g., vitamin B2, coenzyme Q10).

• For the prodromal phase (when sx include nausea, abdo pain lasting 30-90 min): triptans, H1-antihistamines, or benzodiazepines.

• For the emetic phase: antiemetics and other supportive measures.

• Opioids should be avoided during all phases.

Here’s what Canada said about CHS in 2015, but perhaps new guidelines are in order 🔍 

3. Cannabis for fibromyalgia (FM)

A Mayo Clinic survey of >5,000 adults with FM showed that 1,336 respondents used cannabis after their FM diagnosis. Cannabis users reported reduction in pain (82% of users), improvement in sleep (77%), and improvement in stress, anxiety, and mood (69%). Undesirable effects included worsening concentration in 14%, dizziness in 12%, and fatigue in 10%. This study serves as a reminder to ask your patients living with FM about whether they use cannabis!

Speed Reads 🚤

1:🥛After a second US dairy worker tested positive for H5N1, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has been testing milk samples across the country. Though no highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been detected, the CFIA says it will continue to test commercial milk.

2: 👶🏽 A pilot project at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) has used an AI algorithm to identify rare genetic disorders. The ThinkRare algorithm took 3 years to develop and found 15 children and youth (out of 260,000 patient records) who had likely undiagnosed cases which hadn’t triggered genetic analysis.

3: 🙅 What does it take to be censured by your provincial College of Physicians and Surgeons? It seems lying about having cancer, altering emails, and being expelled from residency would meet the criteria - as Monica Kehar did. CBC is reporting that she continues to call herself an MD while operating a business in BC (after having fled Manitoba).

4: 🥵 A study has demonstrated the association between heat waves and the rates of preterm and early-term births. Researchers used a sample size of more than 55 million births across major US metropolitan areas. Published in JAMA, it’s the largest study to date looking at the effect of extreme heat on perinatal health.

5: 📈 Now here’s a trend to watch: the demand for GLP-1 drugs is through the roof, but obesity medicine specialists represent only <1% of doctors in North America. In the US, the AMA recognized obesity as a disease in 2013, increasing the number of board-certified obesity medicine physicians. In Canada, provincial ministries and divisions are maintaining training materials (like this T2DM training in BC, available until Aug 10th for 1 Mainpro+ credit).

6: 🥳 Congratulations to our med student readers who are graduating this or next week all across the country!

The Debate Over Vapes 💨

The government has come up with a plan to reduce the amount of vape users, but is it enough?

What happened: The Canadian government is hiking up the price of vape pods as of July 1st as a way to combat the rise in users.

Why it’s interesting: Depending on where you live, the price of pods will increase 12 to 24 cents and is said to bring $310 million to the government in the next 5 years. According to Statistics Canada, one in 15 Canadians aged 15-19 vaped everyday in 2022, while one in 10 Canadians vaped everyday in the same year. The government hopes that the rise in price will deter people from vaping. 

But: Some experts are concerned that the price hike is too low and are calling out the government for “dropping the ball” on making it more difficult for young people to have access to vape products. Another common concern is that due to the rise in cost, some Canadians may turn to other nicotine products like cigarettes. Currently, an average pack of cigarettes costs anywhere between $14-$19, while a vape is only $5. Public health officials believe that a tax hike for both smoking products is the first step in lowering the amount of customers in Canada.

However, a member of the Rights4Vapers group said she won’t quit even if the government makes vaping more expensive. The woman was able to quit smoking 10 years ago with the help of flavoured vapes and said she loves the variety of flavours offered.

Bottom line: It can take several decades to see long-term symptoms of vaping, so many doctors are urging the government to take action now to reduce the amount of users in the future.

Notable Numbers 🔢

1.8: the years of life expectancy the world lost through the pandemic, says the World Health Organization (WHO). Between 2019 - 2021, global life expectancy dropped by 1.8 years, putting us back to the level from 2012 (71.4 years).

770: the number of dermatologists in Canada. To combat the shortage, mobile mole clinics launched last spring in Ontario and recently started up again in Quebec and BC.

35: the number of possible “disruptions” to Canadian life that could occur over the next few years, as identified by the government. The report includes scenarios such as “billionaires run the world” and “loss of biodiversity and ecosystem collapse,” as well as the likelihood and time when each could occur. See the full “Disruptions on the Horizon” report here.

Postcall Picks ✅ 

📺 Watch: The science behind how screens mess with your sleep. 

📙 Learn: Considering incorporation? Join MD Financial Management in partnership with MNP LLP on Wednesday, Jun. 12 to learn the ins and outs of incorporation and help you decide if it's the right choice for your practice. 

🤣 Laugh: Ever dropped a “you too” when a server said “enjoy your meal”? 

🎧 Listen: To the centuries-long journey of CPR, highlighting the surprising complexities behind this life-saving technique and dismantling its cinematic portrayal as an infinite cheat code against death.  

🤑 Save: Dyson, renowned for their exceptional vacuums, also offers noise-cancelling headphones. Now available at $420 off for a more peaceful cleaning experience.

🍺 Trivia: Which Canadian province combines sunny ocean beaches, salmon-fishing rivers, and physician-friendly incentives? Here’s the correct answer. **

** This is sponsored content.

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