The Toronto Star spoke with Dr. Tara Gomes about a new study published in CMAJ which looks at opioid overdose deaths across Canada between 2019 and 2021. The data showed that opioids were responsible for one in every four deaths among young adults between the ages of 20 and 39 during this time.
Author: Samira Prasad
Canada cancels free HIV self-test program despite ‘alarming’ rise in infections
Dr. Sean Rourke recently spoke with the Toronto Star about the federal government’s decision to discontinue funding for HIV self-test kits in Canada. This comes during an alarming rise in positive HIV cases across the country.
Toronto study finds race impacts opioid treatment
Sudbury.com covered new MAP research looking at the differences between ethno-racial groups in Ontario when looking at circumstances surrounding opioid overdose deaths. The study, lead by PhD candidate Tonya Campbell, also looked at access to addiction services and harm reduction.
A housing remedy for Canada’s hard-hit ERs
A small number of homeless patients make thousands of emergency room visits. Dr. Carolyn Snider and Dr. Stephen Hwang spoke with The Globe and Mail about the work being done to support people experiencing homelessness in the emergency department and cold weather-related injury research.
Ontario is in the midst of a drug crisis. These seven charts tell us who’s being hit hardest
Lead author Tonya Campbell
Tonya Campbell, PhD candidate at MAP, spoke with the Toronto Star about new research highlighting the disproportionate impact that opioid overdoses are having on Black, Asian and Latin American drug users. “These findings highlight that more research is needed to understand the crisis among racialized people, and they also emphasize that racialized communities need to have these long overdue conversations around drug use and surrounding stigma,” says Campbell.
Two new research chairs appointed at MAP
Two MAP scientists, Drs. Flora Matheson and Dan Werb, have recently been appointed five-year research chairs by Unity Health Toronto and the University of Toronto.
Dr. Flora Matheson has been named the St. Michael’s Hospital Chair in Homelessness, Housing and Health. She leads the Justice and Equity Lab, housed at MAP, where she investigates the links between health and criminalization/the justice system and examines risk factors for imprisonment. She was one of the first researchers in Canada to investigate and measure the strong relationship between problem gambling and homelessness. She and Good Shepherd Ministries co-developed and launched the first gambling-addiction program for people experiencing homelessness. Learn more about Dr. Matheson’s research
Dr. Dan Werb has been named the St. Michael’s Hospital Chair in Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders. He leads the Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation at MAP, which conducts extensive epidemiologic, implementation and policy research on addictions and drug policy, and works closely with governments, affected communities and civil society to guide effective and evidence-based policy responses to substance use. Dr. Werb has devoted his career to the development of effective solutions to protect health and human rights among communities affected by drug use. Learn more about Dr. Werb’s research
Free harm reduction vending machine now in Winnipeg’s north end
Dr. Sean Rourke spoke with CBC about the launch of Manitoba’s first Healthbox machine, which dispenses harm reduction supplies along with other hygiene items.
Surge in fatal suspected overdoses as potent synthetic opioids found in unregulated drug supply: TPH
Karen McDonald, lead of MAP’s Drug Checking Services, spoke with CBC News about a recent spike in overdose deaths due to potent synthetic opioids.
Pharmacare bill is a rebuke to corporate interests, for now
Dr. Nav Persaud was a guest on the Breach Show podcast to speak about Canada’s new pharmacare bill and its strengths and limitations. “I think this is a really critical time. This might be the most critical time in the development of pharmacare in Canada. I think now is the time for people who support pharmacare to speak up,” says Dr. Persaud.
Free harm reduction, sex health supplies just a touch away at Winnipeg clinic’s vending machine
Dr. Sean Rourke spoke with CBC about the value and importance of making harm reduction supplies available via Our Healthbox. “If we’re reaching the right people and knowing what their needs are — knowing how those are changing in a particular community — that information is really helpful for an agency to know who you’re helping and who you’re not,” Rourke said.