Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1: Mouth Microbes May Help Flag Pancreatic Cancer Risk

A cohort study of 122K individuals found a link between certain oral pathogens and pancreatic cancer risk. Those with P gingivalis, E nodatum, or P micra bacteria — plus the fungus Candida — faced 3× the risk of developing pancreatic cancer compared to those without. These biomarkers could serve as a readily accessible, noninvasive way to identify people at higher risk.

2: Clinical Trial Communication Matters: Insights From Participant Surveys

This study surveyed individuals in a vitamin C vs placebo sepsis trial in the ICU, where analysis showed vitamin C was ultimately harmful. Most participants still favoured being informed of the trial results and valued the research — even when the intervention proved harmful. Overall, participants expressed that communication is critical for productive research, and they shouldn’t be left out of the loop.

3: Bariatric Surgery vs GLP-1s — Which Offers More Bang for Buck in Obesity Treatment?

A cohort study of 30K patients with obesity compared bariatric surgery to GLP-1s on both weight loss and cost. Over 2 years, the mean total cost was $63,483 for GLP-1s vs $51,794 for surgery, largely driven by lower pharmacy costs. Patients who underwent bariatric surgery also achieved greater total weight loss than those on GLP-1s. These findings raise the question of whether bariatric surgery should remain the “last resort” in obesity treatment.

Prescription Power-Up

Ontario is gearing up to change the game for front-line clinicians.

What happened: The Ontario government announced big changes to how healthcare is delivered, expanding what pharmacists, optometrists, psychologists, and others can do.

Why it matters: Ontario pharmacists already treat 19 ailments like tick bites, cold sores, and UTIs. But a new proposal could add more, including swimmer’s ear and shingles. Other health professionals may also see their roles grow: optometrists could perform minor surgeries, psychologists might prescribe certain medications, and even dental hygienists and physiotherapists could be authorized to order X-rays or MRIs.

The goal? To ease pressure on family doctors, walk-in clinics, and ERs. The head of the Ontario Pharmacists Association says the change could mend gaps in care and speed up access to treatments such as antidepressants — especially important since not all family doctors are equipped to manage mental health cases.

But: Not everyone's sold. The president of the Ontario Medical Association warns the move is risky since other professionals don’t have the same training as doctors. She’s seen patients who’ve had bad reactions or a delayed diagnoses after getting scripts outside their FP. Long-term knowledge matters, since family doctors know their patients' history.

Some experts argue Ontario should focus elsewhere, like boosting mental health care and building a province-wide digital record system. 

Bottom line: As the proposed changes move through consultation and legislative, expanding who can prescribe may help with access, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of how patients are treated.

Hot Off The Press

1: 🏥 Ontario doctors just locked in a 7.3% raise for years 2–4 of their agreement, on top of last year’s nearly 10% bump. The bigger shift is structural: the new Family Health Organization Plus model pays family docs for admin work and complex patients but only if they hit continuity-of-care targets. Miss them, and there are penalties. The hope is that better pay and clearer rules will make family medicine viable for new grads and plug the pipeline that’s left 2.5 million Ontarians without a family doctor. Hospitals also see big boosts — from SickKids to cancer care and diagnostics. More money, stricter rules, and a big bet that cash can bring family medicine back.

2: ⚖️ Quebec’s specialists have stopped teaching med students, and family doctors are threatening to follow, in protest of Bill 106 — legislation that ties part of their pay to performance targets. The government says it’s about access, but physicians see interference. Meanwhile, med students are collateral damage, with rotations disrupted and graduations now at risk of delay. What started as a fight over compensation is quickly becoming a showdown over who controls the future of Quebec medicine.

3: 💉 The FDA just cleared Forzinity, the first drug for Barth syndrome, a mitochondrial disorder so rare it’s been diagnosed in only a few hundred boys worldwide. It’s a daily injection meant to boost muscle strength, and comes with accelerated approval, with more trials ahead. A small patient pool, but a big first for mitochondrial medicine.

4: 👾 After years of political back-and-forth, TikTok’s US future is finally taking shape: Oracle will manage user data and its prized algorithm, while ByteDance holds a minority stake. Trump is poised to sign off after stretching out the ban deadline through months of negotiations. The deal keeps TikTok alive for 180 million Americans, but it leaves open questions about how much politics can shape what shows up on their feeds.

Notable Numbers 🔢

59%: of Canadians say they want to start their own business — the highest mark since 2017. RBC’s poll shows ambitions climbing 13 points in two years, just as unemployment hits 7.1% and job openings slide. Call it hustle or job-market jitters, but Canadians are ready to be their own boss (and maybe fire themselves later).

34%: of Dollarama’s stock is up since the start of 2025. Canadians hunting for cheap food and essentials are keeping the discount giant booming, proving that when prices rise, cheap wins.

140: US health workers — 38 doctors, 80 nurses, 16 nurse practitioners, and 8 allied professionals — have signed job offers in BC since May. Nearly 1,400 more applied under a new fast-track licensing system, but it’s unclear how many will head to rural communities where shortages hit hardest.

$1k: how much a northern BC sushi chef says he’d turn down rather than serve extra soy sauce. Philip Kim of Sushi J argues it drowns out the flavour he’s spent 20+ years perfecting. Plus, it’s not great for his customers’ kidneys. "I'm just thinking about their health,” he said.

Postcall Picks ✅

🤑 Save: on holiday baking with Best Buy’s KitchenAid Deluxe sale (right on time for pie season).

👂Listen: to the newest episode of A Question of Science, where panelists dig into ageing, longevity, and the science behind lifespans.

🍴Try: these easy meal prep recipes designed for doctors who need good food fast.

🤣 Laugh: at a meme about the never-ending struggle to eat on shift.

Relax

First clue: The ossicles transmit these waves to the oval window

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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