Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1: Safe From the Start – mRNA COVID Vaccines Carry No Added Risk in Early Pregnancy

A cohort study looked at whether mothers who received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines early in pregnancy faced an increased risk of major congenital malformations. Among 500,000 live births, getting the jab in the first trimester wasn’t linked to a higher risk of teratogenic effects — overall, by organ group, or by specific malformation. The takeaway: mRNA vaccines are safe in early pregnancy, a period when infection risk is higher and reassurance matters most.

2: Pickleball Boom Brings Spike in Eye Injuries

A cross-sectional US study estimated 3,112 pickleball-related eye injuries over the past 20 years — and the number are rising fast. From 2021 to 2024, incidence climbed by 405 cases per year. Older players (50+) make up most cases, with injuries including retinal detachment, orbital fracture, and globe trauma. Translation: it might be time to add eye protection to your gym bag along with that paddle.

3: Skin Cancer Screening Success in Transplant Patients

A retrospective cohort study of solid-organ transplant recipients found that KP-SUNTRAC, a skin-cancer surveillance program, significantly boosted screening rates and detection. Solid-organ recipients are nearly 8 times more likely to develop post-transplant skin cancer, making programs like SUNTRAC essential for catching disease early and treating it on time.

RSV Protection - Join Our Free Webinar

Become an RSV Protection Pro - Live Webinar on October 30 @ 6PM EST.

RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization in Canada. While that's a tough statistic, the good news is the solution is in our hands. Too many healthy infants are still unprotected, and we're here to help you close that critical gap. Register for the free webinar offered by MDBriefCase and learn to:

• Pinpoint and eliminate those all-too-common missed opportunities for immunization.

• Adopt a confident, presumptive communication style that makes saying "yes" to protection simple for caregivers.

• Implement quick, effective clinic strategies to ensure timely protection for every eligible infant.

Claim your spot here. 

Brain, Train, Game! 🧩

Turns out, a little screen time might actually save your brain instead of frying it.

What happened: A new clinical trial from McGill University shows a link between certain brain-games and slowing cognitive decline.

Why it matters: Unlike Wordle, where the only objective is to guess a 5 letter word (without questioning your sanity), games like Freeze Frame and Double Decision boost attention and improve the way people process information.

In Freeze Frame, players have to focus on a central image and tap only when something specific appears, training the brain to tune out distractions. Double Decision pushes players to quickly identify and remember objects in their peripheral vision, sharpening both focus and reaction time.

And according to the trial, these games stimulate acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter that keeps the brain alert and flexible.

In maybe one of the most fun studies yet, 92 adults were placed in 2 groups where they played games for 30 minutes every day for 10 weeks. One group played card games like solitaire, while the other played Freeze Frame. After about 2 months, the participants received PET scans to measure their acetylcholine levels. 

The Freeze Frame players saw a 2.3% increase in acetylcholine in memory and decision-making areas of the brain, a change big enough to nearly offset the 2.5% decline that naturally occurs each decade of life. The solitaire group? Let’s just say all they got was a game of 52 pickup.

Yes, but: While it’s exciting to think that something as simple as playing a game could improve brain health, experts said people should wait before running to the app store. The work the researchers did is in its early stages and the study size was too small to draw any definite conclusions. They said other tests need to be done to make sure the study wasn’t just beginner’s luck.

Bottom line: It might sound strange to prescribe brain games for mental fitness, but if it helps keep you sharp, consider thumb stretches your new form of self-care.

Hot Off The Press

1: ⚾ For the first time since ’93, the Toronto Blue Jays are headed to the World Series. A 4–3 Game 7 win over Seattle sealed the AL pennant, with George Springer’s 3-run blast flipping the score (and the country) upside down. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. snagged ALCS MVP after hitting .385 with 3 homers. Next stop: the Dodgers. Game 1 lands Saturday at Rogers Centre.

2: 🩺 Canadian doctors are still running on fumes 5 years after the pandemic. A new CMA survey finds 46% reporting high burnout and 42% screening positive for depression. The culprit isn’t just patients — it’s paperwork. Admin now eats 10 hours a week, pushing 37% of physicians to cut clinical hours. The silver lining? Doctors are pushing back. A majority are seeking wellness support, satisfaction with work-life balance has climbed to 60% (up from 49% in 2021), and 59% of those using AI say it’s already cutting their admin time.

3: 🏥 Ontario hospitals are being told to cut their spending… and possibly beds. The Ministry of Health has asked hospitals running deficits to file 3-year plans to balance budgets, assuming just 2% annual funding growth (half of what they’ve had). The Ontario Hospital Association warns that without an extra $1 billion, services could shrink within a year. Administrators call it “prudent planning.” Most clinicians call it déjà vu.

4: 💊 Forget blood clotting. Scientists just engineered a “supercharged” version of Vitamin K that helps the brain rebuild itself. By pairing it with retinoic acid, researchers tripled its power to coax neural stem cells into becoming new neurons. In mice, the compound even crossed the blood-brain barrier. This breakthrough opens a rare bright path in neurodegenerative disease research — not just slowing damage, but maybe undoing it.

5:💰 Gold and silver prices have hit record highs, and Canadian jewellers are feeling the squeeze. Some are hiking prices; others are ditching precious metals entirely for wood or stone. Experts say with central banks still hoarding gold, and no big new mines in sight, the high-cost era could be here to stay. Time to start liking those wooden necklaces. Or start casing the Louvre. (Keep on reading).

$100 Herschel Gift Card Giveaway 🎒

The Postcall “Page a Friend” Giveaway continues!

This week you could win a $100 Herschel Gift card - because your call bag deserves an upgrade.

Here’s how to play:

• You’re already entered just by being a subscriber.

• Want better odds? Page a friend (or three)! Refer verified clinician colleagues and get 5 extra entries per referral.

• Share our Instagram giveaway post and tag @readpostcall.ca for 2 extra entries.

• All entries also count toward the grand prize draw — details coming soon.

• Share Postcall with your clinician colleagues using your personal referral link below for bonus entries toward this week’s prize draw:

• Unique referral code https://postcall.ca/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER

• Bonus: your friend gets an entry too!

Notable Numbers 🔢

8 minutes: is all it took for thieves to pull off a daylight heist at the Louvre, smashing display cases just 250 metres from the Mona Lisa and escaping with Napoleonic jewels. French police say the operation was “surgical,” and the stolen crown pieces of “inestimable” historical value.

21%: of Canadian teens were meeting daily activity guidelines from 2022 to 2024 — down from 36% before the pandemic, according to Statistics Canada. The drop is sharpest among girls, with only 8% meeting recommendations. Between screens, school stress, and lost routines, exercise is losing the fight for attention.

80+: the number of major websites and apps disrupted by Amazon Web Services’ outage on Monday, including Snapchat, Fortnite, and Prime Video.

12: consecutive spots on the Billboard Hot 100 belonging to Taylor Swift. The Life of a Showgirl sold more than 4 million units in its first week, breaking her own records and earning a place just behind the Beatles for most No. 1 albums.

Postcall Picks ✅

🏀 Read: how the Toronto Raptors have a starting lineup overflowing with talent, but a lack of 3-point shooting means it may be an “ill-fitting” unit. Experts explain why this awkward roster construction could be the one issue that stalls their playoff return.

🧄 Make: this creamy roasted garlic white bean dip. Roasting the entire garlic bulb gives this hummus-like dip a mellow, deep flavor, making it perfect for dipping or as a surprisingly healthy, high-protein swap for mayo on sandwiches.

🏔️ Visit: Canada's hidden gems! This article sums up all the beautiful places to visit within your own backyard, like hiking to a secluded oceanside hot spring in Tofino, stargazing from a luxury Prairie grain bin, or taking a romantic boat ride on the sapphire waters of Lake Louise.

🍫 Save: on your Halloween candy stash! This bag of chocolate bars and candy may be enough to delight every single trick-or-treater... or just enough to get your personal post-call cravings through the next week.

😂 Laugh: at how context is everything for bedside manner:

Relax

First clue: Plural of the 5 fused vertebrae that connect the spinal column and pelvis

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.

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