SARS suit: An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled that 2 lawsuits concerning Ontario's handling of the 2003 SARS outbreak can proceed. The lawsuits include a $600-million class action by nurse Andrea Williams, who became infected while undergoing a surgical procedure in May 2003 and a $12-million action brought by the family of nurse Nelia Laroza, who died of SARS- related complications in June. Both nurses were infected during the second wave of the disease. The plaintiffs, both of whom contracted SARS at North York General Hosptial in Toronto, claim the province pressured WHO to lift its travel advisory prematurely because of its adverse effect on tourism.
No free travel: Beginning in January, Canada's 50 research-based pharmaceutical companies (Rx&D) will no longer pay physicians to attend Canadian conferences or educational sessions. Rx&D is considering extending the ban to international events as well. During an education session at the CMA annual meeting in August, Rx&D President Russ Williams said the ban conforms to the CMA Code of Ethics. In order to be a full partner in the health care system, the pharmaceutical industry “needs to be seen to be ethical,” Williams said.
Fewer smokers: The number of Canadians who smoke declined by 200 000 between 2003 and 2004, according to Statistics Canada's Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey. An estimated 5.1 million Canadians, or 20% of the population aged 15 and older, reported smoking daily or occasionally in 2004. The year before, 21% or 5.3 million Canadians used tobacco. The percentage of young women (aged 20–24) who smoke declined by 5% to 25%, during the same period.
Physician supply: Canada's total number of doctors has kept pace with population growth since the late 1990s, reports the Canadian Institute for Health Information. New data show a 5% increase in the number of physicians between 2000 and 2004. However, the average age of physicians increased from 48 to 49 years and the proportion under age 40 dropped 13%. CIHI also reported that for the first time since 1969, more physicians returned to Canada than moved abroad (317 v. 262) in 2004. — Compiled by Barbara Sibbald, CMAJ