Influenza and Older Adults: Vaccine Guidelines
Guidance for healthcare professionals on protecting older adults from influenza. Influenza (the flu) is a respiratory infection caused by the influenza A and B viruses. Though influenza is often a mild illness lasting seven to 10 days, adults over 65 are at risk of severe disease and complications. Others at risk of serious disease are […]
What you Need to Know about the Bivalent COVID-19 Booster
Health Canada has recently approved two bivalent COVID-19 vaccines, one produced by Moderna, the other by Pfizer-BioTech. A bivalent vaccine is one which protects against two or more strains of a disease, in this case, the ancestral COVID-19 strain and the more recent Omicron variant. It produces a broader immune response that can help recipients […]
Multiple Sclerosis: Common Symptoms and Treatments
Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. While the exact cause is unknown, the leading theory suggests an unknown substance triggers the immune system, causing it to attack myelin, the fatty covering over the nerves. As inflammation and myelin breakdown occur, scarring or sclerosis develops, interrupting nerve […]
Lung Cancer: The Importance of Early Detection
While lung cancer is estimated to account for just 13 percent of all new cases of cancer, it is both the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in Canada. In 2021, about 21,000 Canadians died from lung cancer. Worldwide, lung cancer is the second most common cancer. In 2020, more […]
5 Causes of Medication Errors that Significantly Increased During COVID-19
by Carla Beaton, Pharmacist and VP of Quality Improvements and Innovations, Pharmapod Pharmacists across Canada fill more than 600 million prescriptions every year, and though somewhat rare, medication incidents do occur. When COVID-19 hit, it put unprecedented pressure on the industry. Virtually overnight, pharmacists were thrust to the frontlines of healthcare and overwhelmed with an influx of phone calls […]
Prostate Cancer: Latest Screening and Treatment Guidelines
Worldwide, prostate cancer is the second most frequent cancer diagnosis made in men and the fifth leading cause of death. In Canada, 24,600 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022, representing 20 percent of all new cancer cases in men, and 4,600 Canadian men will die from it. On average, 67 Canadian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer […]
[Infographic] How COVID-19 Impacted Medication Safety in Canadian Pharmacies
Nothing could have prepared Canadian pharmacies for the impact of COVID-19. As hospitals and doctor’s offices shifted to online appointments or went into lockdown, pharmacies remained open and accessible to the public, propelling pharmacists to the frontlines of healthcare. Throughout the pandemic, pharmacies were inundated with an influx of phone calls and walk-ins from patients […]
High Risk and COVID-19: Identifying and Protecting Vulnerable Patients
Things have changed dramatically since the pandemic erupted two and a half years ago, throwing the country into lockdown. Now, thanks to vaccines and milder Omicron variants of the virus, many Canadians are learning to live with COVID-19, forgoing masks and returning to regular life and indoor gatherings. But for a more vulnerable group of people, getting […]
Improve your Practice: Co-managing Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma
Allergic rhinitis (AR), a common disorder that is strongly linked to asthma, often goes unnoticed in primary care; however, it can have a significant negative impact on a patient’s quality of life. Joint management of AR and asthma may lead to better control of both diseases. Understanding Allergic Rhinitis AR is an inflammatory disease that […]
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: New Developments and Treatment Advances
Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in Canadian women, surpassed only by non-melanoma skin cancer. Breast cancer accounts for approximately 25 percent of new cases of cancer and 13 percent of all cancer deaths in Canadian women. It is expected that one in every eight women in Canada will develop breast cancer in […]
