Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1: Less May Be More: Early Antibiotic Use and Long-Term Pediatric Health

This population-based cohort study looked at whether antibiotic exposure in early childhood led to health issues later on. Among 43K children, those given antibiotics as infants had higher rates of infection and asthma later in childhood (OR: 1.91, P < 0.05). A more cautious approach to prescribing antibiotics in young children could help prevent these problems down the line.

2: Stem Cells Spark Hope in Early Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Trial

A phase 1-2 study of 14 participants tested the safety and efficacy of zimisclecel, a stem-cell therapy targeting pancreatic islets, in people with Type 1 diabetes. After 12 months, all participants showed successful engraftment. With islet function restored, they kept HbA1c levels below 7% and 83% no longer needed insulin. It’s early days, but this could be a step toward a real cure.

3: What’s in the Wax!

In this diagnostic study, researchers developed an AI-based model to detect early Parkinson’s disease (PD) by analyzing earwax. They found 4 volatile organic compounds, including ethylbenzene and pentanal, as biomarkers that helped identify and classify PD patients. With more work, this could help pioneer a clinically useful bedside PD diagnostic tool. 

4: Perk Up: Black Coffee Linked to Lower Mortality 

A prospective cohort study of 46K adults in the US found that higher coffee consumption (2-3 cups per day) was linked with lower all-cause mortality (HR 0.83, 95% CI [0.75, 0.93]). The catch: mortality benefits were restricted to black coffee (HR 0.86, 95% CI [0.77, 0.97]) and brews with minimal added fat and sugar (HR 0.86, 95% CI [0.75, 0.93]). Cool beans.

Miscarriage, Missed Care 🕊️

Canada’s miscarriage care gap leaves patients without support — or room to grieve

What happened: Families experiencing miscarriage could benefit from specialized clinics. 

Why it matters: The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) has issued new guidelines aimed at improving care for those experiencing miscarriage — a reality for about 15% of pregnancies in Canada that end before 14 weeks. Repeated pregnancy loss can take a serious toll on mental health — including depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

The updated recommendations call for:

• Private and compassionate care for people under 20 weeks gestation experiencing complications like bleeding and nausea.

• Free medication to medically manage miscarriages and avoid surgery for first-trimester loss. 

• Routine mental health screening and access to counselling for those navigating grief.

These aren’t just abstract ideas, they’re already being put in place elsewhere. For example, in Britain, some hospitals train staff in bereavement counselling and offer private care for those experiencing miscarriage. The SOGC wants Canada to follow suit by expanding early pregnancy assessment clinics, helping patients feel less isolated and more supported.

But: One expert said patients are at risk of physical and psychological trauma due to inadequate follow-up care and the difficulty of seeking care when symptoms begin. With the family doctor shortage, many end up in crowded ERs, anxious and unsure about what’s happening. Expanding access to early pregnancy clinics could ease ER pressure and help catch issues like miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies sooner.

Bottom line: Investing in early pregnancy clinics is the first step to ensuring no one has to endure the heartbreak alone.

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Hot Off The Press

1: 🇮🇱🇮🇷 A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran appears to be holding after a 12-day conflict — brokered, oddly, by an expletive-laced outburst from US President Trump. Both sides claim victory, though US intelligence has cast doubt on Trump’s assertion that American strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program. Israel has lifted nationwide restrictions, Iran’s president has called for diplomacy, and NATO leaders are watching closely. But with unclear terms and accusations from both sides, the calm may not last.

2: 🇺🇸 It’s been a week of upheaval in US health and politics. RFK Jr. is under fire for gutting the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel and stacking it with under-qualified, anti-mRNA voices, prompting Senator Bill Cassidy to call for a delay. Over at the FDA, mass layoffs have hollowed out the agency’s ethics and transparency staff, and its top drug regulator just quit. All this comes on the heels of the No Kings protests, where millions hit the streets in what may be the largest single-day demonstration in US history — a sweeping call for transparency, democracy… and a reckoning with science-for-hire?

3: ☕️ A BC health-careers truck has been handing out free coffee to doctors, nurses, and allied health workers in Seattle. The goal? To spark interest and recruit US clinicians by promoting job opportunities in high-need areas across British Columbia. The effort is part of a broader US marketing push that's already drawn over 1,600 expressions of interest.

4: 🧐 False hope? The ALS Society of Saskatchewan, backed by the NDP, is calling for a provincial investigation into the Dr. Goodenowe Restorative Health Centre in Moose Jaw. The concern: bold claims that the clinic can “stop and even reverse” ALS symptoms — without credible scientific backing. Critics say the centre is preying on vulnerable patients desperate for answers.

Notable Numbers 🔢

75%: how much the new RSV vaccine cuts the risk of serious illness in older adults. The CDC now recommends it for everyone 75+, and for those 60–74 with health risks. For seniors, it’s a game-changer for staying healthy and out of the ER.

4: Canadians in the 2025 NBA Finals — including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the first Canadian to earn the title Finals MVP. He and Luguentz Dort played for the Oklahoma City Thunder; Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin repped the Indiana Pacers.

1,020: the number of confirmed measles cases in Alberta since March. Pediatric infectious disease physician Dr. Karina Top says the outbreak may be past the point of easy containment. As cases rise, expect an increase in hospitalizations — and even fatalities — to follow. The measles death rate is 1-2 per 1,000 cases.

Postcall Picks ✅

🎧 Listen: to a sharp 2-minute audio summary from Toronto’s eHealth 2025 conference, highlighting real-world interoperability wins and the momentum behind AI scribes in Canada. Health tech starting to move from talk to action.

📖 Read: about this new bilingual online toolkit — co-created by patients and clinicians — offering interactive modules that challenge opioid misconceptions, foster empathy, and improve pain care collaboration. It’s being hailed as a model for patient-centred medical education in Canada.

🤑 Save: on phones with Best Buy’s Black Friday Summer Deal.

🍴Eat: your way through Ontario’s best summer food festivals — BBQ, tacos, jerk chicken, and bacon butter tarts (yes, really).

Relax

First Question: ___ radiation, on the far right of the electromagnetic spectrum

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