CMAJ Podcasts

Rates of depression in Canada are rising, but a new CMAJ guideline advises against universal screening in primary care. The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care found no evidence that routinely administering depression questionnaires to all adults improves outcomes and raised concerns about false positives, overdiagnosis, and strain on limited mental health resources. Dr. Eddy Lang, lead...

Evidence is mounting that cannabis use can trigger first episode psychosis, particularly among young people. On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast , hosts Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham speak with researchers and a patient with lived experience about what the data show, who is most at risk, and how clinicians should respond. Bailey Peterson, a 26-year-old student from Mississauga, Ontario, de...

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), also known as Kennedy’s disease, is a rare, progressive neuromuscular disorder that is often misdiagnosed and diagnosed late. A new CMAJ guideline offers Canadian-specific recommendations for its recognition and management. On this episode we hear from Richard Paul, a former bus driver from Saskatoon, who recalls how his symptoms began suddenly with an in...

Homelessness among pregnant and parenting people in Canada is rising, with grave consequences for both parents and children. On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast , Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham explore the scope of the problem and the supports that can improve outcomes for parents and children. Dr. Stéphanie Manoni-Millar, co-author of the CMAJ commentary Tackling the crisis of homelessness...

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Canada. A new clinical practice guideline published in CMAJ on tobacco smoking cessation outlines evidence-based behavioural and pharmacological interventions to help patients quit. On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast , Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham speak with Dr. Eddy Lang, co-author of the guideline, and Dr. Andrew Pip...

—This is an encore presentation of an episode previously published June 30— On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast , hosts Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham speak with two authors of the latest “ Hypertension Canada guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in adults in primary care ” The discussion reflects a shared urgency: despite past successes, Canada’s hypertension control r...

Iron deficiency affects as many as 40% of women of reproductive age, yet the problem often goes undetected—even when patients have symptoms and complications. On this episode, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole speak with hematologists Dr. Michelle Sholzberg and Dr. Rita Selby about their structural solution to this pervasive problem: a province-wide change to how laboratories flag ferritin res...

Measles is resurging in Canada, with particularly serious implications for pregnant patients and newborns. A recent CMAJ article, Five things to know about measles in pregnancy , outlines the risks and clinical considerations. On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast , we speak with one of the article’s co-authors, Dr. Michelle Barton-Forbes, about what physicians need to know when caring for pregnant...

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast , hosts Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham speak with two authors of the latest “ Hypertension Canada guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in adults in primary care ” The discussion reflects a shared urgency: despite past successes, Canada’s hypertension control rates are declining. The new guidelines aim to reverse this trend by simplify...

The rising global burden of mosquito-borne viral infections has important implications for Canadian clinicians—particularly those assessing febrile patients returning from tropical and subtropical regions. On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast , infectious diseases specialists Dr. Maxime Billick and Dr. Stephen Vaughan explain what clinicians need to watch for as these viruses expand their geographi...

This two-part episode of the CMAJ Podcast explores the roots and repercussions of medical mistrust. It begins with a historical lens, revealing echoes of today’s strained relationships between patients and the medical system, then narrows the scope to focus on a pressing clinical example. In part one, Dr. Kenneth Pinnow, a historian of Soviet medicine at Allegheny College and author of the article...

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast , hosts Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham explore how changes to mifepristone regulation have reshaped abortion access in Ontario. Unlike most other countries, Canada allows the drug to be prescribed by any physician or nurse practitioner and dispensed by any community pharmacy, without additional restrictions or special certifications. The discussion draws...

This episode of the CMAJ Podcast examines how recent changes to U.S. federal research funding are affecting the global scientific landscape—and what they could mean for Canada. The discussion focuses on indirect costs, talent retention, and whether Canada is positioned to step into any gaps left behind. The hosts speak with two guests who have written recent articles in CMAJ offering insight into...

It’s been nearly two decades since the last Canadian clinical practice guideline on managing obesity in children. In that time, the science has advanced, treatment options have expanded, and the need for updated guidance has grown increasingly urgent. On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast , hosts Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham speak with three guests who contributed to or were impacted by the...

A recent article in CMAJ entitled Effect of emergency department opioid prescribing on health outcomes   examines a key concern facing many clinicians: can a single opioid prescription for acute pain lead to long-term harm? This study aimed to clarify the risks and inform safer prescribing practices. Dr. Grant Innes, the study’s senior author, analyzed more than a decade of data from Alberta emerg...

A research article in CMAJ examines mortality risk among people hospitalized for hallucinogen use. The study found that individuals who required acute hospital care for hallucinogen-related issues had a nearly fivefold increase in mortality risk compared to the general population. Dr. Daniel Myran, a public health and preventive medicine physician, family physician, and researcher at the Universit...

A new CMAJ study has found that alcohol-related hospitalizations and deaths in Canada surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. While overall alcohol consumption increased only modestly, the toll on the healthcare system was severe, with a 14% rise in hospitalizations and a 24% increase in deaths during the first two years of the pandemic. Researchers suggest that increased access to alcohol—through ex...

An article in CMAJ , " Move more, age well: prescribing physical activity for older adults ," found that regular physical activity can reduce all-cause mortality by 31%. As Canada’s population ages, maintaining physical activity is becoming an increasingly critical factor in healthy aging.  On this episode, Dr. Samir Sinha, a geriatrician at Sinai Health and the University Health Network...

Medicine remains frequently inaccessible to people with disabilities, despite their higher-than-average need for healthcare services. On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole tackle the systemic barriers that patients with disabilities face, from inaccessible clinic spaces to discriminatory attitudes. The discussion is inspired by the CMAJ practice article, "...

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham discuss necrotizing fasciitis, a diagnosis that can strike fear into the hearts of clinicians due to its rapid progression and devastating consequences. The discussion builds on insights from the CMAJ practice article, “ Necrotizing soft tissue infections caused by invasive group A Streptococcus ,” co-authored by Dr. Saswat...

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham explore the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance and how shorter courses of antibiotics are reshaping prescribing practices. The conversation builds on insights from the CMAJ practice article “ Five things to know about shorter courses of antibiotics ” co-authored by Dr. Maria Ivankovic, an emergency physician at S...

On this encore episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) significantly improves the identification of hospital patients at risk of clinical deterioration compared to physician assessments alone. They are joined by Dr. Amol Verma, a general internist at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, an associate professor at the University of To...

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast , Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham explore a surprising case of scurvy. The conversation builds on the CMAJ practice article “ Scurvy in a 65-year-old woman with severely limited function and social supports , ” co-authored by Dr. Sally Engelhart, an internal medicine specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital. Dr. Engelhart recounts the case of her patient, whose...

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham explore Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), a debilitating condition affecting 5% of people who menstruate, yet it is often misdiagnosed or misunderstood. The conversation builds on insights from the CMAJ article, “ Five things to know about…: PMDD ,” co-authored by Dr. Erin Brennand, an associate professor at the Cummi...

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham discuss the growing evidence around the impact of diet on mental health, particularly depression. The conversation is inspired by the CMAJ practice article, “Diet and depression,” co-authored by Dr. Nicholas Fabiano. Dr. Fabiano explains how the mechanistic connection between diet and depression is not well understood, but...