Medication Errors Raise Safety Concerns

A medication mix-up involving a Canadian woman, identified only as Dawson, highlights ongoing concerns about pharmacy errors. Dawson reports she received the wrong medication and states no pharmacist spoke to her when she picked up the prescription, a counseling step that could have prevented the error. Melissa Sheldrick, whose 8-year-old son Andrew died in 2016 after receiving the wrong medication from a different pharmacy, is now a leading advocate for medication safety. Sheldrick stated, “It's really frightening to know and to think about how powerful medications are and the impact that they have on our bodies.”

More than 800 million prescriptions are dispensed in Canada annually, but the exact number of errors remains unclear due to incomplete reporting from all provinces to the national database. Sheldrick says pharmacist workload and fatigue contribute to the problem, emphasizing the need for stronger support systems. Dr. Lisa Dawson calls strengthening those systems a “good start.” Dawson has since switched pharmacies and now double-checks every prescription she receives.

Loblaw Companies Limited, which owns Shopper’s Drug Mart, acknowledged the incident involving Dawson was “avoidable human error” and stated it has reviewed safety protocols with its pharmacy staff. Rosa Marcatelli, reporting for CBC News from Toronto, covered the story.

Cancer Rates on the Rise in Canada

Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Canada, according to a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The study indicates multiple types of cancer are increasing, though some signs of progress are also evident. Christine Birak, reporting from Toronto, explained the data. She stated that while an individual’s risk of getting or dying from cancer is decreasing, the total number of cases is rising due to Canada’s growing and aging population.

The report estimates approximately 254,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in 2026. Almost half of those cases will be lung, breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer, and just under 88,000 Canadians are expected to die from the disease this year. Approximately 42 percent of Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime. Researchers attribute the decline in cancer incidents and mortality rates to advancements in prevention, early detection, screening programs, and treatment.

Smoking-related cancers have seen a sharp decline due to decades of tobacco control policies. Deaths from colorectal cancer are also falling by more than 30 percent over the last two decades, thanks to screening programs and improved treatments. However, the report also highlights troubling trends, including rising rates of pancreatic and uterine cancer, potentially linked to obesity. Despite the availability of a vaccine, cancers linked to the HPV virus are also climbing. Researchers stated the vaccine “will be able to help these men and these women prevent their ability to… have cervical and… head and neck cancers.” Continued investment in prevention, early screening, and equitable access are considered critical, and healthcare systems will need to scale up to accommodate the rising number of cases and longer lifespans of patients.

Intense Exercise Linked to Kidney Problems

Intense exercise can lead to a potentially fatal condition called exertional or exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis, often referred to as “rhabdo.” This occurs when muscles break down after strenuous activity, releasing proteins and other substances into the bloodstream, which can be dangerous. Individuals are often “super passionate about their fitness goals and sometimes train too hard too quick,” leading to injury and illness.

While exercise-induced rhabdo isn’t well-tracked in Canada, research in the United States found over 40,000 Americans were treated for the condition in hospital emergency rooms over a 20-year period. In the St. John’s area of Newfoundland and Labrador, cases have noticeably increased. Based on population, the area typically expects 8 to 14 cases annually, but has seen 20 cases in the last seven months. Most of the cases are occurring in young women, with the affected group generally between 19 and 30 years of age. A doctor noted that while rhabdomyolysis is typically more common in men, the current cases show a ratio of approximately five women to one man.

Symptoms include severe pain, swelling, and dark-colored urine. Experts suspect social media may play a role, with fitness influencers promoting intense workouts or challenges. Kyra, a patient who experienced rhabdo after a spin class, described the pain as excruciating, stating, “I felt like I was dying… I could have ended up on dialysis. My kidneys were being flooded.” In rare cases, rhabdo can lead to kidney damage or require surgical intervention to relieve muscle pressure. Experts recommend staying hydrated, easing into new workouts, and allowing for adequate recovery time. They also note that recurrence is unlikely for most individuals.

Deepfake Scam Targets Canadians with Mark Carney's Image

Canadians are being targeted by a deepfake scam featuring a fabricated video of former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney promoting a cryptocurrency scheme. A CBC News viewer captured a screenshot of an ad on YouTube featuring the deepfake, which includes a QR code linking to a fake CBC News story about Carney unveiling a new investment platform called Canarivex. The platform is a scam designed to steal money, and the URL is not the official CBC News website.

The fake article contains AI-generated images of Carney and even includes a fabricated comment section with fake replies attributed to CBC. CBC News stated it will “never endorse investments, goods, or services.” The article also features a countdown timer for registration, which restarts upon page refresh. Similar videos reviewing the fake platform are circulating on YouTube, attempting to legitimize the scam. The fake article also uses the face and byline of CBC News journalist Kyle Baxx, who did not write the article.

CBC News is urging viewers who encounter such ads on YouTube or other platforms to email them at ask@cbc.ca.

Air Canada Launches Pilot Program for Complaint Resolution

Air Canada is testing a new program to address its backlog of passenger complaints. The Canadian Transportation Agency currently has a backlog of approximately 95,000 complaints, not solely from Air Canada but from other airlines as well. Resolving complaints currently takes two to three years. Under the pilot program, Air Canada will ask 500 randomly selected passengers with pending complaints with the CTA if they are willing to have their case reviewed by a third-party arbitrator, who has a successful track record in Europe.

The arbitrator will have 90 days to make a decision, which passengers can decline and still maintain their place in the CTA queue. An aviation expert stated that while the program is a good idea, the government must ensure the system is “honest and fair” and that consumers have a fair chance of winning. The pilot program is funded by Air Canada and is conducted in consultation with the CTA, and does not require participants to sign non-disclosure agreements.

Federal By-Elections Could Grant Liberals Majority

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals are one seat short of a majority government, and three by-elections are being held today that could change that. Votes are taking place in two Toronto ridings, University-Rosedale and Scarborough Southwest, considered long-time Liberal strongholds. A win in either of these ridings would give the Liberals a razor-thin majority.

The third race is in Quebec’s Terrebonne, where the Liberals won by only one vote in the last election, but the results were later overturned by the Supreme Court due to errors with mail-in ballots. Currently, the Liberals hold 171 seats in the House of Commons, needing 172 for a majority. Trudeau is close to achieving this due to five MPs defecting from other parties, four of whom were Conservatives, raising questions about the future of Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.

Marianne, a CBC News analyst, explained that the Toronto ridings are expected to be easily won by the Liberals. The race in Terrebonne is expected to be more competitive, given the narrow margin of victory in the previous election.