Nostr notes by André Picard

Can understanding the Tumbler Ridge shooting help prevent future ...

2026-02-24T15:44:44Z

Can understanding the Tumbler Ridge shooting help prevent future tragedies? https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-tumbler-ridge-shooting-help-prevent-future-tragedies/?intcmp=gift_subscribed

The advent of powerful weight-loss drugs is promising, but not a ...

2026-01-20T14:33:37Z

The advent of powerful weight-loss drugs is promising, but not a cure for all that ails us https://www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/0fc7a92385de9724e4533f6e01e0526efa518711c6e6b64f18358982ae6c4071/EWUB53XYOJHGXOR4M5JRB6MZR4

What has three years of decriminalization of drug possession ...

2026-01-13T16:48:30Z

What has three years of decriminalization of drug possession yielded in B.C.? https://www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/0fc7a92385de9724e4533f6e01e0526efa518711c6e6b64f18358982ae6c4071/BZOJ7H6RWNHBLBWIKAOFMU3FDM

Addressing the health impacts of plastics is becoming more urgent ...

2026-01-08T22:33:32Z

Addressing the health impacts of plastics is becoming more urgent with every breath we take, and every sip of water we drink. Plastics are essentially immortal, filling landfills, waterways and the air. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-plastic-pollution-health-impacts-landfills-waterways/

We have not yet finished righting the wrongs inflicted by ...

2025-12-16T13:21:55Z

We have not yet finished righting the wrongs inflicted by thalidomide. There is much we can learn from the perseverance and resilience of Canadian survivors. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/0fc7a92385de9724e4533f6e01e0526efa518711c6e6b64f18358982ae6c4071/7TYNMXYTV5BGVBWCOMJRMKFXJM/

What both grows and shrinks at the same time? The never-ending ...

2025-12-02T14:36:25Z

What both grows and shrinks at the same time? The never-ending riddle of Canadian health spending https://www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/0fc7a92385de9724e4533f6e01e0526efa518711c6e6b64f18358982ae6c4071/JTL5TFDLWBHERNSH5FWNMRMOVU/

The destruction of one of the world’s great public health ...

2025-11-25T11:33:27Z

The destruction of one of the world’s great public health agencies is a travesty. RFK Jr. seems determined to replace evidence-based science with quackery and use the CDC as his mouthpiece
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/0fc7a92385de9724e4533f6e01e0526efa518711c6e6b64f18358982ae6c4071/3CWI3UBNSRGMHI3U4ZVDRYXFYM/

Allowing doctors to practise in both public and private systems ...

2025-11-20T12:23:35Z

Allowing doctors to practise in both public and private systems solves what exactly? What Alberta is proposing may sound good superficially but makes no sense in the Canadian context. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-allowing-doctors-to-practise-in-both-public-and-private-systems-solves/

The ostrich saga was for the birds. The decision to cull the big ...

2025-11-11T02:56:24Z

The ostrich saga was for the birds. The decision to cull the big birds exposed to avian influenza was a good one and the histrionics unhelpful https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-ostrich-cull-edgewood-bc-universal-farms-pasitney-espersen/?utm_source=Shared+Article+Sent+to+User&utm_medium=LinkCopy&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

How much are MPs entitled to know about research grants? Not as ...

2025-11-04T12:34:23Z

How much are MPs entitled to know about research grants? Not as much as they think. A parliamentary committee is asking for researchers' personal information in what seems like an anti-DEI crusade. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-science-research-grants-mp-parliament-committee-dei/

Why Quebec doctors are threatening to leave the province after ...

2025-10-30T10:37:11Z

Why Quebec doctors are threatening to leave the province after government imposes harsh contract with Bill 2. Q+A w/ André Picard by Sherrill Sutherland on The Decibel podcast
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/podcasts/the-decibel/article-why-quebec-doctors-are-threatening-to-leave-the-province/
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-quebec-health-care-doctors-legault-bill-2/

Quebec cracks down on doctors -- but will imposing a harsh ...

2025-10-27T19:58:19Z

Quebec cracks down on doctors -- but will imposing a harsh contract that threatens wage rollbacks and fines for dissent actually improve patient care? https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-quebec-health-care-doctors-legault-bill-2/

Trouble fitting in your jeans? Blame the toxic food environment, ...

2025-10-21T13:46:09Z

Trouble fitting in your jeans? Blame the toxic food environment, not just your genes or lack of willpower, says the new book "Food Intelligence." https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-food-intelligence-obesity-processed-food/

When a presidential rant about Tylenol causes headaches for ...

2025-09-29T23:04:10Z

When a presidential rant about Tylenol causes headaches for pregnant women and people with autism. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-trump-tylenol-pregnancy-health/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

Rescuing summer from the clutches of climate change. From ...

2025-06-19T13:54:47Z

Rescuing summer from the clutches of climate change. From wildfires to ticks, a never-ending cascade of threats serve as a reminder that mitigation and adaptation are required. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-children-summer-wildfire-smoke-climate-change/

‘Nation-building’ projects should also reflect Canadian ...

2025-06-10T13:21:56Z

‘Nation-building’ projects should also reflect Canadian values. We can't just focus on pipelines when health care and other soft-power initiatives are already our strengths.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-nation-building-projects-should-also-reflect-canadian-values-including/

Risks of bird flu are real. We can’t bury our heads in the ...

2025-06-03T13:04:36Z

Risks of bird flu are real. We can’t bury our heads in the sand, even for the love of ostriches. We’re being bamboozled by a small group of zealots who think laws - and science - don’t apply to them https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-risks-bird-flu-real-we-cant-bury-our-heads-in-sand-even-for-ostriches/

The MAGA movement’s child health manifesto is a muddle. The ...

2025-05-27T13:34:50Z

The MAGA movement’s child health manifesto is a muddle. The Make America Healthy Again report is a strange mix of self-loathing, bravado and revisionist nostalgia.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-maga-movements-child-health-manifesto-is-a-muddle/

We need to better equip young people to deal with toxic-drug ...

2025-05-20T14:48:17Z

We need to better equip young people to deal with toxic-drug overdoses. A B.C. coroner’s inquest reminds us there are simple, sensible actions that can protect youth from ODs https://www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/0fc7a92385de9724e4533f6e01e0526efa518711c6e6b64f18358982ae6c4071/CZH6PMVAJRG6FIYXMJP52PKTUE

Obituary: Visionary Dr. Henry Friesen re-invented Canada’s ...

2025-05-09T20:51:06Z

Obituary: Visionary Dr. Henry Friesen re-invented Canada’s premier health research funding agency. He also did groundbreaking work isolating and purifying the hormone prolactin, by @picardonhealth.bsky.social https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-visionary-dr-henry-friesen-reinvented-canadas-premier-health-research/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky

The federal election is a chance to reform health care, if we ...

2025-04-08T12:30:40Z

The federal election is a chance to reform health care, if we would be so bold. With more threats from Trump on the horizon, Canada should make shoring up its medicare system a priority. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-federal-election-is-a-chance-to-reform-health-care-if-we-would-be/

Overdose deaths are falling across North America. But why? ...

2025-04-01T12:33:32Z

Overdose deaths are falling across North America. But why? https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-overdose-deaths-are-falling-across-north-america-but-why/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

When it comes to funding for novel drugs and devices, waiting for ...

2025-03-25T13:16:50Z

When it comes to funding for novel drugs and devices, waiting for a government decision is the most painful part.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-when-it-comes-to-funding-for-novel-drugs-and-devices-waiting-for-a/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

"Tommy Douglas and the Quest for Medicare in Canada," by ...

2025-03-15T14:48:39Z

"Tommy Douglas and the Quest for Medicare in Canada," by Gregory P. Marchildon, highlights medicare's difficult birth and Canada’s need for another Tommy Douglas.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books/reviews/article-new-book-about-medicare-highlights-canadas-need-for-another-tommy/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Books&utm_content=2025-3-15_8&utm_term=New%20book%20about%20medicare%20highlights%20Canada%E2%80%99s%20need%20for%20another%20Tommy%20Douglas&utm_campaign=newsletter&cu_id=wlTDB6o09ufjDYc6oIPfdQxhX7yFUBPD

If Canada is tearing down interprovincial barriers, let’s start ...

2025-02-25T18:44:15Z

If Canada is tearing down interprovincial barriers, let’s start with health care. It's well past time we created a semblance of robust national medicare.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-if-canada-is-tearing-down-interprovincial-barriers-lets-start-with/

The War On Drugs has been an abject failure – but that ...

2025-02-10T23:18:00Z

The War On Drugs has been an abject failure – but that hasn't kept Donald Trump on others from going all in on prohibition and criminalization of drug users again
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-first-war-on-drugs-was-a-complete-failure-a-fact-donald-trump/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

The Dutch and Danes have demonstrated that every citizen can have ...

2025-02-06T12:21:59Z

The Dutch and Danes have demonstrated that every citizen can have a family doctor. Canada needs to learn from them to fix primary care.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-dutch-and-danes-have-much-to-teach-canada-about-better-health-care/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

Beyond BMI: A new, nuanced way of measuring #obesity, and what it ...

2025-01-22T14:47:51Z

Beyond BMI: A new, nuanced way of measuring #obesity, and what it could mean for the availability of weight loss drugs https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-beyond-bmi-a-new-nuanced-way-of-measuring-obesity/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

Does the Canada Health Act require reinterpretation, or a more ...

2025-01-15T01:28:39Z

Does the Canada Health Act require reinterpretation, or a more fundamental rethink?
https://theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-does-the-canada-health-act-require-reinterpretation-or-a-more/

The casual violence inflicted by car culture deserves as much ...

2025-01-07T20:17:14Z

The casual violence inflicted by car culture deserves as much attention as vehicular terrorism.
https://theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-casual-violence-inflicted-by-car-culture/

Jimmy Carter’s efforts against neglected diseases embodied ...

2024-12-30T22:45:00Z

Jimmy Carter’s efforts against neglected diseases embodied public health at its best. The number of cases of Guinea worm has fallen from 3.5 million in 1986 to only 7 today, close to eradication.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-jimmy-carters-efforts-against-neglected-diseases-embodied-public/

It’s more important than ever that health information systems ...

2024-12-19T02:28:20Z

It’s more important than ever that health information systems speak to each other better. Lack of interoperability harms patients and is costly.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-its-more-important-than-ever-that-health-information-systems-speak-to/

Canada’s school food program is taking shape, slowly. Feeding ...

2024-09-10T14:04:58Z

Canada’s school food program is taking shape, slowly. Feeding kids should be an integral part of education.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-canadas-school-food-program-is-taking-shape-slowly/

Opposing beer and wine in corner stores isn’t a public health ...

2024-08-26T21:21:38Z

Opposing beer and wine in corner stores isn’t a public health priority https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-opposing-beer-and-wine-in-corner-stores-isnt-a-public-health-priority/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

The mpox outbreak is a public-health emergency, but is it the ...

2024-08-15T22:24:06Z

The mpox outbreak is a public-health emergency, but is it the next pandemic? The virus is not spreading in an explosive fashion like COVID-19 but hitting vulnerable communities the way HIV-AIDS did in the early years. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-mpox-outbreak-is-a-public-health-emergency-but-is-it-the-next/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

Calling supervised consumption sites ‘drug dens’ and vowing ...

2024-07-15T21:14:59Z

Calling supervised consumption sites ‘drug dens’ and vowing to close them is not a solution to the toxic drug crisis or street disorder. It's inflammatory, unhelpful rhetoric.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-calling-supervised-consumption-sites-drug-dens-is-inflammatory/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links