Latest / Morning Medical with Dr. Chow / Junk Food and Cancer, Alberta Clinics Audit, and US Vaccination Decline

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Junk Food and Cancer, Alberta Clinics Audit, and US Vaccination Decline · Morning Medical with Dr. Chow

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  Welcome to "Morning Medical with Dr.
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  Chow," your daily dose of the latest medical and health news from around the world, powered
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  by artificial intelligence.
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  I am your host, Dr.
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  Chi-Ming Chow, a cardiologist and Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto.
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  Here, we dive into the most recent developments in the medical field, making sense of complex
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  research to keep you informed and empowered about your health choices.
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  On today's episode, we'll start by exploring a recent study that has uncovered a potential
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  link between junk food consumption and an increased risk of lung cancer.
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  This research was published in the journal Thorax and provides some intriguing insights
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  into the effects of ultraprocessed foods on our health.
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  The study was observational in nature, examining data from the Prostate, Lung,
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  Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial.
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  The researchers focused on individuals' consumption of ultraprocessed foods, which
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  include items like sour cream, ice cream, fried foods, and soft drinks, among others.
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  Over 101,000 participants filled out a food frequency questionnaire, detailing their
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  dietary habits at the start of the study.
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  What the researchers found was that individuals who consumed the highest amounts of
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  ultraprocessed foods were 41 percent more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer over
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  the following decade compared to those who ate the least.
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  This increased risk was observed for both non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung
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  cancer.
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  It is important to note, however, that this study does not establish a direct causal
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  relationship due to its observational design.
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  The authors of the study suggested several possible reasons why ultraprocessed foods might
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  be linked to a higher risk of lung cancer.
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  These include the presence of harmful additives, contaminants from industrial
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  processing, and the potential for such foods to displace healthier alternatives in the diet.
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  Despite these findings, the study's authors and other experts caution that more research is
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  needed to draw definitive conclusions.
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  In particular, the study highlights the need for further investigation into how lifestyle
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  factors, especially diet, influence lung cancer risk, particularly in non-smokers.
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  The research indicates that non-smokers might be more susceptible to dietary influences due
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  to their lower baseline risk of lung cancer from smoking.
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  While this study provides an intriguing look into the potential risks associated with
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  ultraprocessed foods, it also underscores the complexity of diet and cancer risk.
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  It's a reminder of the importance of balanced nutrition and the potential impact of our
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  dietary choices on long-term health.
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  Let's shift our focus to Canada, where an audit has been conducted on Alberta medical clinics
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  that charge membership fees.
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  The findings suggest that patients paying these fees seem to be receiving more comprehensive
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  care.
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  But what does this mean for the healthcare system?
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  The audit, which reviewed thirteen clinics in Alberta, was launched by the province in 2023.
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  This was in response to concerns about a Calgary medical clinic that had switched to a
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  membership model, charging annual fees of about five thousand dollars for families and two
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  thousand dollars for an adult.
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  The audit aimed to investigate whether this model was leading to patients paying out of
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  pocket for medical treatments that should be covered by the public health system.
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  Interestingly, the audit found no significant cases of patients being charged for covered
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  medical treatments.
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  However, it did reveal that members of these clinics seemed to receive longer and more
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  comprehensive appointments than non-members.
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  Physicians at these clinics saw substantially fewer patients compared to their counterparts
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  in public clinics.
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  On average, membership clinics had two hundred thirty-two new patients per physician, compared
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  to nine hundred sixty-five in public clinics.
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  The audit report highlighted that members of these clinics received more service units per
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  visit, indicating longer or more comprehensive appointments.
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  Yet, there was no evidence suggesting that physicians were incentivized to prioritize
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  members over non-members, nor were the clinics found to be breaking laws by charging for
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  insured services.
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  However, some clinics only provided insured and uninsured services to members.
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  Uninsured services, which are not covered under public health plans, include things like
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  doctor's notes, forms, and certain cosmetic procedures.
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  The report did not specify how much these clinics charged for memberships or where they
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  were located, but it did make policy recommendations to ensure better regulation and
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  address grey areas where patients receive both insured and uninsured services during the same
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  appointment.
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  The office of Primary and Preventative Health Services Minister Adriana LaGrange stated that
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  the province is reviewing these recommendations and that legislative changes might be on the
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  horizon.
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  According to the statement, membership clinics operate as private businesses within Alberta's
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  publicly funded health system, with physicians working as independent contractors under
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  approved compensation models.
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  Despite the audit's findings, some experts like Lorian Hardcastle, a health law professor at
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  the University of Calgary, feel the report did not adequately address the issue of paying for
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  preferential access to physicians.
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  She pointed out that some clinics advertise quicker or after-hours appointments, which
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  could potentially mean better access to medically necessary care for those who can
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  afford it.
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  This raises concerns regarding compliance with the Canada Health Act, which prohibits charging
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  for medically necessary services.
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  Health Canada has been in contact with Alberta about the audit, reiterating that membership
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  fees leading to preferential access to care are concerning.
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  The agency is reviewing the report and will continue engaging with the province to ensure
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  compliance with national healthcare standards.
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  The audit's recommendations for clearer regulations are seen as important by some,
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  including Dr.
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  Luanne Metz, an Opposition NDP legislature member.
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  However, she noted that the report's findings appear contradictory, particularly the claim
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  that clinics were not intentionally charging for insured care, despite some exclusively
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  serving members.
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  The full report has not been made public, as it contains operational and proprietary
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  information.
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  Our final story today highlights a concerning trend in the United States regarding
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  vaccination rates among young children.
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  According to recent data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a
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  record number of kindergartners missed their required vaccinations last year, ahead of a
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  surge in measles cases.
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  The data reveals that about 286,000 kindergartners had not completed the
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  measles-mumps-rubella vaccination series during the 2024-2025 school year.
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  This marks a significant increase in exemptions, with 3.6 percent of incoming
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  kindergartners having an exemption for at least one required vaccine.
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  Most of these exemptions, over 99 percent, were for non-medical reasons.
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  Measles cases in the United States have climbed to the highest they have been since the disease
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  was declared eliminated in the country 25 years ago.
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  The drop in vaccination rates is particularly concerning because the vast majority of this
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  year's measles cases have occurred in unvaccinated children.
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  Vaccinations remain the most effective way to protect children from serious diseases like
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  measles and whooping cough.
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  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasizes the importance of vaccines in
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  preventing hospitalizations and long-term health complications.
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  However, the agency also acknowledges that the decision to vaccinate is a personal one,
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  encouraging parents to consult with healthcare providers.
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  Forty-five states in the US allow religious beliefs as a basis for vaccine exemptions, and
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  15 states permit exemptions for personal or philosophical reasons.
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  The American Academy of Pediatrics has reaffirmed its position that non-medical
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  exemptions to school immunization requirements should be eliminated, as they undermine efforts
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  to maintain high vaccination coverage and prevent outbreaks.
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  Experts warn that even small declines in vaccination rates can significantly raise the
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  risk of outbreaks, especially in communities where vaccine uptake is already low.
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  This year's measles outbreak, which has led to three deaths and dozens of hospitalizations,
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  underscores the urgency of maintaining high vaccination coverage.
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  As we wrap up today's episode, it's clear that the decisions we make about vaccinations have
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  far-reaching impacts on public health.
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  Ensuring that children receive their vaccinations on time remains a critical
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  component of protecting our communities from preventable diseases.
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  Thank you for joining me on "Morning Medical with Dr.
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  Chow." Stay informed, stay healthy, and I look forward to bringing you more medical insights
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  tomorrow.