A new variant of H3N2 may mean a more severe flu season in Canada, and this year's flu vaccine may not be quite as effective against it. Dr. Stephanie Smith, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Alberta Hospital, explains what you should watch for this flu season, why you should still get vaccinated, and how else you can protect yourself.

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Canadians are some of the biggest users of antidepressants in the world, yet many people taking them aren’t sure when, or whether, they can safely stop. Dr. Ishrat Husain, head of the Mood Disorders Service at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, explains how long antidepressants should be used, how to taper safely, and what patients need to know before making a change.

For transcripts of The Dose, please visit: lnk.to/dose-transcripts. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. For more episodes of this podcast, click this link.

With roughly five billion people flying each year, in-flight medical emergencies happen more often than you’d think. One recent study found they occur about once every 212 flights. Dr. Vincent Poirier is an emergency physician and a senior medical advisor for Air Canada and Air Transat. He explains the most common medical incidents, how airlines handle them, and what passengers should know.

For transcripts of The Dose, please visit: lnk.to/dose-transcripts. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. For more episodes of this podcast, click this link.

E-scooter injuries are on the rise in Canada, including in children. Research from SickKids show that e-scooters made up 85 per cent of all battery-powered device injuries between 2021 and 2024. Dr. Daniel Rosenfield is a pediatric emergency physician at SickKids, who says no one under the age of 16 should ride an e-scooter.

For transcripts of The Dose, please visit: lnk.to/dose-transcripts. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. For more episodes of this podcast, click this link.

A new Health Canada-approved drug called lecanemab has been shown to slow early-stage Alzheimer's disease. Neurologist Dr. Sharon Cohen, who participated in phase three trials for the drug, explains why lecanemab is such a big deal.

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Most Canadians reset their clocks twice a year. We spring forward, fall back and experts say that messes with our body's internal clocks. Rébecca Robillard, University of Ottawa associate professor and co-chair of the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium, says we should abolish Daylight Saving Time, in order to protect our sleep and overall health.

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An estimated one third of Canadian adults are obese, and ultra-processed foods are a major culprit. Leading nutrition scientist Kevin Hall recently co-wrote a new book on how foods nourish and harm us. He says understanding what's in our food is essential for our health, and that not all ultra-processed foods are bad.

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Some wellness clinics in Canada are promoting IV vitamin and hydration therapy as a way to ease hangovers, migraines, and even prevent illness and inflammation. But Bernie Garrett, UBC associate professor and author of a book on deceptive health care, says there’s little evidence these treatments actually work.

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