The Allergist

“I feel like the term "immunity debt" has become fashionable but has lost all its meaning for me."  -- Dr. Samira Jeimy Join Dr. Mariam Hanna for a deep dive into secondary immunodeficiencies with Dr. Samira Jeimy, an assistant professor in the Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at Western University. Dr. Jeimy shares her extensive knowledge on acquired immunodeficiency, pr...

“HAE is a different disease than it was because of the advancement of treatments…make sure that you're offering the best form of therapy available to patients and their families.”  -- Dr. Stephen Betschel Join Dr. Mariam Hanna in an enlightening conversation with Dr. Stephen Betschel, an associate professor in the Department of Medicine and Clinical Immunologist and Allergist at St. Michael&a...

“It's important to recognize that fresh fruits and vegetables can cause local reactions in the mouth and gut. But if they're not causing symptoms of a more severe allergic reaction, don't panic. Chances are good that this is not something that's going to lead to more worrisome features.”  -- Dr. Anne Ellis Dr. Mariam Hanna sits down with Dr. Anne Ellis, professor of medicine an...

“I'm still getting told from families and other physicians that you can't make a diagnosis of asthma until they're six. Why?  Why is this still happening? We can diagnose preschoolers with asthma.”  -- Dr. Tiffany Wong Join Dr. Mariam Hanna as she sits down with Dr. Tiffany Wong who pushes back on the persistent and unfounded skepticism about whether preschoolers can be diagnosed wi...

“When you fly, the flight attendant is always telling you, put on your oxygen mask first before you help somebody else. And it's so true. We’re way more efficient in a clinic setting when we have taken care of ourselves.”   -- Dr. Maureen Petersen Dr. Mariam Hanna sits down with Dr. Maureen Petersen, a pediatric allergist and immunologist from North Carolina Chapel Hill to explore the challen...

“I felt I was actually controlling my condition. It wasn't controlling me.”                                                                                                                          -- Patient of Dr. Philippe Begin Join Dr. Mariam Hanna as she sits down with Dr. Philippe Begin, a renowned expert in allergy and immunology from the University of Montreal. They dive into the compl...

"Usually when patients have really strong feelings, what they're really trying to tell you is what their priorities are and what they are most afraid of"  -- Dr. Michael Cyr Join Dr. Mariam Hanna as she welcomes Dr. Michael Cyr, a leader in allergy and clinical immunology, to explore the vital role of shared decision-making in the modern practice. On this episode: Understanding Shar...

“Early introduction is the time-proven and research-proven prevention target for every child and every food.” -- Prof. Jonathan Hourihane Venture into the evolving landscape of food allergy management as Dr. Mariam Hanna welcomes Professor Jonathan Hourihane, a leading figure in pediatric allergy and immunotherapy from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Together, they explore the latest str...

“I guarantee you, within the next five years or within my lifetime, there may be a permanent solution to a lot of medical conditions including (asthma)."  -- Dr. Jason Lee Asthma remains a formidable foe, particularly when it escalates to its severe form. This episode of "The Allergist," Dr. Mariam Hanna, explores the complexities of severe asthma and the revolutionary impact of bio...

“(Urticaria) is not an allergic condition, it's an autoimmune condition, one. Two, it's not dangerous, but it can last long. Three, we have very good strategies to control it.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ...

“Worst allergy season ever? Might not be an exaggeration for that patient.”                                                                                                                                       -- Dr. Adam Byrne On this episode, Dr. Mariam Hanna is joined by Dr. Adam Byrne, an expert allergist and clinical immunologist, to unravel the complex relationship between climate change and...

“Food allergy tests are not screening tests…I will pause for dramatic effect…Food allergy tests are not screening tests.” Dr. David Stukus Dr. Mariam Hanna is joined by Dr. David Stukus, a leading pediatric allergist and clinical immunologist from Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Together, they dive into the critical issues surrounding food allergy diagnostics and the latest...

“People think leadership has to be a loud person standing in front of everybody, declaring themselves the leader. Leadership isn't a dictatorship. Leadership is not always that loud person.”  -- Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman On this episode of " The Allergist, " we explore what leadership in medicine actually means with Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, an accomplished allergist and clinical immunol...

“We don't do any fresh food skin testing because they have not been validated.  And we know, if we put food on skin, we may well get a positive test, but we have no idea how to interpret that. And I think that's really important.” -- Dr. Douglas Mack On this episode of "The Allergist," we're climbing the food ladder with Dr. Douglas Mack, a pediatric allergy, asthma, and i...

"Collaboration and communication is how we make change." - Dr. Victoria Cook Join Dr. Mariam Hanna in a fast paced conversation with Dr. Victoria Cook, a trailblazer in Quality Improvement, as they discuss how QI is not just reshaping patient care but also revitalizing the healthcare workforce by mitigating burnout. On this episode: • Unveiling the science and strategy behind Quality Imp...

“We cannot be dogmatic about what we say about epinephrine…we need as a field to stop being so dogmatic and do more studies to understand."   -- Dr. Matthew Greenhawt Join us on this eye-opening episode, where we explore the latest breakthroughs in allergy and immunology with Dr. Matthew Greenhawt as he walks us through the pivotal articles of 2023 that are redefining the field. On this episo...

Happy New Year!  We're taking a brief pause and will return with our next regularly scheduled podcast next week. We have some very exciting episodes lined up to kick off the new year. Our next full episode will be on January 9th, focusing on the top articles from 2023 that will change your practice.  Following that, we'll explore the world of quality improvement and its integration into...

“Don't be afraid of using these disease modifying therapies. They're safe, they're effective, they will actually let you get away with using less medication.”  -- Dr. Anne Ellis Venture into the realm of allergic rhinitis as Dr. Mariam Hanna welcomes Dr. Anne Ellis, co-author of the latest Canadian guidelines for this common condition. Together, they unravel the complexities of this...

“The allergist has many important roles in the management of EoE patients in the multidisciplinary EoE team.” - Dr. Edmond Chan Join Dr. Mariam Hanna in an enlightening conversation with Dr. Edmond Chan, a leading voice in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Dive into the ever-evolving landscape of this intriguing condition and explore the latest in medical management. On this episode: • Understanding...

“A patient does not need to avoid penicillin if a family member is allergic to penicillin.” Dr. Ana-Maria Copaescu Join Dr. Mariam Hanna along with expert allergy and immunology specialist Dr. Ana-Maria Copaescu on this episode of The Allergist, as they unravel the intricacies of penicillin allergy, a commonly misunderstood health concern. On this episode: The PALACE Study Breakthrough: How direct...

"I just would like to take this moment to be a bit smug about how the immune system is really the issue in many, many disorders, although it is not acknowledged as such. It's really all about the immune system." - Dr. Rae Brager Join Dr. Mariam Hanna as she delves into the intricate world of immunodeficiency with pediatric immunologist and allergist, Dr. Rae Brager. In a conversatio...

“Food allergies do not necessarily cause atopic dermatitis. but a compromised barrier function in the skin can lead to food allergies later on in life.”  Dr. Vipul Jain Dive deep into the realm of skin health as Dr. Mariam Hanna sits down with Dr. Vipul Jain to untangle the intricacies of atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema, on this installment of "The Allergist." Shed light on t...

"If you're ever thinking, should I use epinephrine or should I not? The answer is always yes, you should use it. It's always safe and it may be life saving.” - Dr. Elissa Abrams Venture into the heart of anaphylaxis matters as Dr. Mariam Hanna welcomes Dr. Elissa Abrams, a recognized expert on severe allergic reactions. They dispel doubts, dismantle misconceptions, and offer an in-d...

"If you're reaching for your blue inhaler twice a day, something's off." - Dr. Andrew O'Keefe  As we navigate through peak asthma week, Dr. Mariam Hanna sits down with Dr. Andrew O'Keefe, a renowned allergist and clinical immunologist from St. John's, Newfoundland. Together, they dive deep into the myths and misunderstandings surrounding asthma and the array of m...

Ever feel like the world of allergy and immunology is changing just a bit too quickly? Welcome to your allergy lifeline..."The Allergist" podcast.  A show that separates myth from medicine. Deciphering allergies and understanding the immune system. Hosted by Dr. Mariam Hanna, a pediatric allergist and the Pediatrics Section Advisor for the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunol...