Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1: A survey study of 2,545 farmers found that a history of high pesticide exposure events was associated with a higher risk of self-reported olfactory dysfunction. Interestingly, greater exposure to pesticides did not correlate to a worse sense of smell on objectively-measured tests. These results highlight the importance of including both subjective and objective measures in epidemiological research centered on the effects of environmental exposures. 

2: A cohort study of over 3M individuals assessed whether congenital TORCH (toxoplasmosis, syphilis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex) infections are associated with any neurodevelopmental and psychiatric outcomes later in life. After 20 years of follow-up on average, TORCH  infections were associated with increased likelihood of developing intellectual disability (HR, 7.22; 95% CI, 6.14-8.49) and autism (HR, 3.10; 95% CI, 2.55-3.76). These findings highlight the importance of routine prenatal care and vaccination to prevent specific vertically transmitted infections. 

3: An RCT of 1K pregnant women found that there was no difference in the percentages of infants with egg or peanut allergies at age 1 between moms-to-be who ate a diet rich in eggs and peanuts versus expectant mothers who ate a standard diet. Unfortunately, this study shows that exposures to food allergens in utero cannot effectively prevent allergies in infants.

Supporting your patients on their fertility journey 🧬

When a patient needs fertility support, knowing where to refer them is an important next step.

For more than 30 years, CReATe Fertility Centre has provided comprehensive fertility care to patients across Ontario, working alongside family physicians and other healthcare professionals to support patients through assessment, diagnosis and treatment.

With locations in North York, Durham, Etobicoke, Downtown Toronto, London and Windsor, CReATe offers access to a broad range of fertility services, including:

• Fertility assessment and diagnosis

• IUI and IVF

• Fertility preservation, including cancer fertility preservation

• Donor egg and donor sperm programs

• Gestational carrier programs

• Genetic testing and PGT

• Male factor infertility

• Hysteroscopy

• Fertility counselling and wellness support

• 2SLGBTQIA+ family-building options

Whether you’re looking for fertility support for a patient or want to learn more about referral options, the CReATe team would welcome the opportunity to connect with your practice and learn more about your referral needs.

Connect with our team or book a lunch session to learn more about referring to CReATe  

Hot Off The Press 🔥

1: 🎰 Have you noticed the uptick in gambling ads around the province? A new study found that more men and boys are showing up in the ER with gambling-related problems. Ontario now has 80+ gaming and betting sites run by private companies, and, since the legalization of single-game sports betting in 2021, the enticing promo has surged. By April-June 2025, ER visit rates were 154% higher than expected among males aged 10-29 and 116% for men aged 30-44. Doctors say the ratio between support messaging and betting ads is getting out of hand and are calling for tighter controls.

2: 📚 There might be a place for Danielle Steel in cognitive workouts. A new review suggests that reading for pleasure could lower dementia risk by up to a third and support brain and mental health across the lifespan. In adults, reading was linked to less stress and more empathy, no matter the genre. Children who started reading young showed better attention, memory, and problem solving skills. This review lands at an awkward time, though: reading among children and teens is at its lowest level since records began.

3: 🧬 Could a brain protein help repair damage from progressive MS? Early research from the University of Manitoba found that restoring levels of neuregulin-1 helped repair damaged brain tissue and improve mobility and cognitive function in animal models. That’s particularly interesting in Canada, which has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with about 90,000 people living with the disease. It’s still early days, though: the findings haven’t been tested in humans yet, with clinical trials planned as a next step.

4: 🤖 Thought it was just actors who had to worry about being digitally replicated? Real doctors with real qualifications are now appearing in very fake, AI-generated videos to sell pills, treatments, or “cures” they never endorsed. And these copied faces and voices are getting harder to spot, and even harder to take down: there’s no coordinated response in place yet. But even if up to 50% of people can’t tell real from fake when it comes to science videos, 100% should know that if they see their doctor peddling Clark Stanley’s Snake Oil Liniment — that ain’t their doctor. 🥸

5: 🇨🇦 One Canadian neighbourhood has been named one of the coolest in the world, and it’s not in Toronto. Downtown St. Catharines ranked 9th globally, beating out neighbourhoods like New York’s Financial District. Its mix of local businesses, arts and culture, and proximity to Niagara wine country helped it make the cut. The mayor of St. Catherines was thrilled with the ranking and hopes that more people will visit in the future. 

Thinking about retirement? Your patient records need a plan 📁

Closing a practice ends the practice. It doesn’t end your obligation to retain the records and give patients access to them. In Ontario, the CPSO requires at least 90 days’ notice to patients and retention of charts for 10 years, and up to 28 years for children. Patients keep needing them for referrals, insurance and new physicians.

Records Management takes on the day-to-day as your records custodian. We notify patients by mail and by phone, take custody of paper and EMR charts, and manage every request that follows, typically within a week.

No cost to family physicians and pediatricians for active patient charts. A Canadian company based in the GTA, serving physicians across Canada.

Notable Numbers 🔢

2050: The year we may need a whole lot more cookies. Global food demand is projected to rise 35–56% by then, and one NASA-backed team is exploring an unusual solution: using engineered yeast to turn plastic and agricultural waste into ingredients for protein-rich, 3D-printed cookies.

83: The number of diseases linked to more REM sleep and lower risk in a study of nearly 100,000 adults. Heart failure, hypertension and dementia made the list, but there are plenty more. See which diseases were linked to dream sleep.

1,200 lbs: The approximate weight of Chunk, the reigning Fat Bear Week champion who’s back to defend his heavyweight crown in Alaska’s annual battle of the bears. Think he can do it again? Check out this year’s contenders and pick your favourite.

Postcall Picks ✅

🚂 Escape: peak fall colours aboard one of North America’s prettiest train rides. The 78-mile route winds along the St. Lawrence River through small Quebec towns, with ocean views and some seriously good leaf-peeping along the way. 

🎃 Make: one of Bon Appétit’s most-saved recipes of the week. Three-ingredient pumpkin soup, weeknight pumpkin chili and sheet-pan chicken souvlaki are among the dishes everyone’s bookmarking as fall officially takes over.

💬 Discuss: could AI actually replace doctors? A family physician took the question to Reddit, and fellow docs have plenty to say about where AI ends and medicine begins. Where do you stand?

💰 Save: your impulse purchases for October. Amazon’s next big Prime sale is coming to Canada, which means 2 days of deals and several weeks of pretending you were going to buy that thing anyway.

📺 Watch: how a 3rd-year orthopaedic surgery resident reached a $250K+ net worth before finishing residency. Some of it was smart planning, some was good fortune and at least one decision isn’t something he’d recommend everyone copy.

Relax 🧩

First clue: Obstetric patients, for short

Give it a go →

Need a rematch? We’ve got you covered. Check out our Crossword Archive to find every puzzle we’ve ever made, all in one place.

Think you crushed it? Challenge your physician friends to beat your time.

Meme of the Week 😂

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Want to reach thousands of Canadian physicians every week? Email denis.bricov@mdbriefcase.com to learn more.

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