Latest from Christine Birak
Losing a foot to diabetes is terrifying, and preventable. How doctors are trying to help
Untreated Type 2 diabetes can lead to devastating consequences like leg and foot amputations, particularly among Black Canadians. It is an issue doctors are working to understand and solve with early screening.
Is extending life by weeks worth the toll some cancer drugs take? Doctors push for 'common-sense oncology'
The art of cancer care balances hope and reality, says a Canadian oncologist helping to start a movement that aims to encourage honest conversations about end-of-life care.
Wearable technology trend now includes healthy people tracking their blood glucose. Is it worth it?
Technology originally designed to help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels has joined the wearables trend.
Free medications produce overall health-care savings in Ontario trial, new study suggests
Results from an experimental program that provides free prescription drugs to hundreds of people in Ontario suggest covering the cost of medication produces overall savings for the health-care system, according to a new study.
Centralized surgery queues cut patient wait times but surgeons slow to get on board, doctors say
Centralized lists that match waiting patients with the next available surgeon are showing promise at reducing wait times, but doctors say there are still some hurdles to overcome before they become commonplace.
CBC Explains
Do private, for-profit clinics save taxpayers money and reduce wait times? The data says no
Despite promises from some politicians that it will streamline services and solve the issue of long wait times, health-care professionals that CBC News interviewed say there are nuances and that such happy outcomes are not borne out by the data.
When should someone with dementia stop driving? This resource helps seniors decide
A website can help those with dementia understand the importance of giving up driving — and when to do it. Doctors say it's a badly needed resource as Canada's population ages.
An idea to streamline the operating room got patients into surgery sooner
When a surgeon saw patients stuck waiting for orthopedic surgeries, he designed a better operating room that's publicly funded to do the procedures faster and more efficiently. It's a model other hospitals are interested in copying.
Detecting cancers through blood tests holds promise, but major hurdles remain
A clinical trial done by the makers of a blood test that can detect cancer signals say their test found 36 cancers during a recent clinical trial. But Canadian experts say the test needs to be reviewed independently before it is used more widely.
Here's what's missing from Canada's pandemic vaccine rollout
A successful vaccine rollout hinges on a registry to track who gets the vaccine — and when. And that registry requires a nation-wide electronic medical system, experts say.