CMAJ Podcasts

Updated HIV prophylaxis guidelines: what clinicians need to know

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Despite a range of effective prevention tools, HIV incidence continues to rise in Canada, with stark disparities across ethnicity, gender, Indigeneity...

Diagnosis and management of celiac disease

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Celiac disease affects between one and two percent of Canadians, yet many patients wait years before receiving a clear diagnosis. On this episode of t...

How physician identity influences income

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode of the CMAJ Podcast explores how physician identity can influence patient expectations, and how those expectations may contribute to gend...

Black youth and access to mental health care

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A recent article in CMAJ, Mental health service use among Black adolescents in Ontario by sex and stress level: a cross-sectional study, reveals how p...

Depression guideline: why universal screening isn’t recommended

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rates of depression in Canada are rising, but a new CMAJ guideline advises against universal screening in primary care. The Canadian Task Force on Pre...

What to know about cannabis-induced psychosis

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Evidence is mounting that cannabis use can trigger first episode psychosis, particularly among young people. On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, host...

Guideline offers roadmap for spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy care

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), also known as Kennedy’s disease, is a rare, progressive neuromuscular disorder that is often misdiagnosed...

Understanding and supporting pregnant people facing homelessness

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Homelessness among pregnant and parenting people in Canada is rising, with grave consequences for both parents and children. On this episode of the CM...

Guideline on smoking cessation: what works in practice

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Canada. A new clinical practice guideline published in CMAJ on tobacco smoking c...

ENCORE: New guidelines for managing hypertension in primary care

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

—This is an encore presentation of an episode previously published June 30—On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, hosts Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Bla...

Fixing the flag: A new standard for diagnosing iron deficiency

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Iron deficiency affects as many as 40% of women of reproductive age, yet the problem often goes undetected—even when patients have symptoms and comp...

Measles in pregnancy and beyond

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Measles is resurging in Canada, with particularly serious implications for pregnant patients and newborns. A recent CMAJ article, Five things to know ...

New guidelines for managing hypertension in primary care

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, hosts Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham speak with two authors of the latest “Hypertension Canada guideline...

Dengue and Oropouche infections are rising—what physicians need to know

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The rising global burden of mosquito-borne viral infections has important implications for Canadian clinicians—particularly those assessing febrile ...

A history of medical mistrust and its echoes today

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This two-part episode of the CMAJ Podcast explores the roots and repercussions of medical mistrust. It begins with a historical lens, revealing echoes...

How mifepristone changed abortion access, and how to prescribe it

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, hosts Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham explore how changes to mifepristone regulation have reshaped abortion...

Stepping up: Canadian research in the shadow of cuts in the United States

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode of the CMAJ Podcast examines how recent changes to U.S. federal research funding are affecting the global scientific landscape—and what...

Perspectives on the new guideline for managing obesity in children

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been nearly two decades since the last Canadian clinical practice guideline on managing obesity in children. In that time, the science has adva...

​​How short-term opioid prescriptions affect long-term outcomes

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A recent article in CMAJ entitled Effect of emergency department opioid prescribing on health outcomes examines a key concern facing many clinicians:...

The mortality risk and therapeutic potential of hallucinogens

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A research article in CMAJ examines mortality risk among people hospitalized for hallucinogen use. The study found that individuals who required acute...

More access, more deaths: alcohol’s impact in the COVID-19 pandemic

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new CMAJ study has found that alcohol-related hospitalizations and deaths in Canada surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. While overall alcohol consu...

The major benefits of exercise for older adults

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An article in CMAJ, "Move more, age well: prescribing physical activity for older adults," found that regular physical activity can reduce a...

Making healthcare accessible for patients with disabilities

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Medicine remains frequently inaccessible to people with disabilities, despite their higher-than-average need for healthcare services. On this episode ...

Diagnosing and managing necrotizing fasciitis

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham discuss necrotizing fasciitis, a diagnosis that can strike fear into the he...

Antimicrobial resistance and the shift to shorter courses of antibiotics

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham explore the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance and how shorter c...

ENCORE: AI versus physicians: who’s better at spotting high-risk patients?

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this encore episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) significantly improves the ...

Scurvy and the challenge of food insecurity

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham explore a surprising case of scurvy. The conversation builds on the CMAJ pr...

Misdiagnosed and misunderstood: premenstrual dysphoric disorder

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham explore Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), a debilitating condition af...

Exploring the link between diet and depression

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham discuss the growing evidence around the impact of diet on mental health, pa...

Compassionate and comprehensive care for early pregnancy loss

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham speak with Dr. Sarina Isenberg and Dr. Modupe Tunde-Byass about the emotion...

Building support for pregnancy and parenthood in surgery

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Mojola Omole and Dr. Blair Bigham explore the structural and cultural barriers faced by surgical residents an...

Breaking the mold: embracing neurodiversity in medicine

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Kirsten Patrick speaks with Dr. Shane Neilson, the author of a CMAJ Encounters article entitled, “Professio...

Prioritizing pain management during IUD insertions and other gynecologic procedures

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole explore effective ways to manage pain during intrauterine device (IUD) inse...

AI versus physicians: who’s better at spotting high-risk patients?

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) significantly improves the identif...

Meningitis B outbreaks: vaccination and risk in university settings

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole explore the ongoing public health concern of meningococcal disease, focusin...

ENCORE: Confronting the high stakes of incivility in health care

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Eve Purdy makes it clear what’s at stake when it comes to incivility in medicine. "It's very simp...

Managing the serious risks of vaping among youth

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole address the increasingly urgent issue of adolescent vaping. Rates of use of...

Innovative solutions to a vexing issue: “social admissions”

29 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole tackle the complex issue of "socially admitted" patients, sometim...

Groundbreaking advancements in HIV treatment and prevention

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole explore groundbreaking advancements in HIV treatment and prevention. They e...

Understanding and Preparing for H5N1

01 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole discuss the latest concerns surrounding the H5N1 virus. They explore the cu...

Integrating exercise into depression care

17 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole discuss the evidence supporting exercise as an effective treatment option f...

Responding to rising measles rates in Canada

03 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole tackle an unexpected yet urgent topic: the resurgence of measles. With risi...

Constructive conversations on CanMEDS revisions

20 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole discuss the heated debate over proposed updates to the CanMEDS framework. T...

Navigating the complex relationship between palliative care and MAiD

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole explore the intricate relationship between medical assistance in dying (MAi...

Confronting the high stakes of incivility in health care

22 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Eve Purdy makes it clear what’s at stake when it comes to incivility in medicine. "It's very simp...

Diagnosis and treatment of anorexia nervosa in adolescent males

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole closely examine anorexia nervosa in male adolescents, a topic that frequent...

Diagnosing rare and common infections in returning travellers

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole explore a clinical case involving a rare infection in a returned traveler, highlighting the cri...

Building patient trust in health care

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole explore two articles in CMAJ focused on the critical importance of trust in the health care sys...

Opioid poisonings: shortfalls in treatment and new threats

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Catherine Varner, deputy editor of CMAJ, sits in for Dr. Blair Bigham and joins Dr. Mojola Omole to explore t...

Exclusion of people with disabilities in medicine

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole examine an article published in CMAJ titled, 'Tackling barriers to Can...

More than just novel obesity treatments

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole discuss the practice article in the journal entitled, “Five things to kno...

ASA: a simple, effective and underused treatment for preeclampsia

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, Dr. Emmanuel Bujold addresses the gross underutilization of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in Canada during pregnancy, a treatment highly...

ENCORE: Smartphones, social media and poor mental health

25 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, we revisit and update one of the most-read articles on the CMAJ website.The article is titled, “Smartphones, social media use, and ...

Pharmacogenomic testing: billion-dollar savings in depression treatment

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, Drs. Blair Bigham and Mojola Omole discuss the CMAJ paper "Cost-effectiveness of pharmacogenomic-guided treatment for major depr...

The rapid evolution and enhanced capabilities of virtual urgent care

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, Drs. Blair Bigham and Mojola Omole delve into the evolution and advancements in virtual urgent care since the COVID-19 pandemic. The ...

Recommendations on SARS-CoV-2, influenza and RSV vaccinations

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, Drs. Mojola Omole and Blair Bigham speak with two vaccine experts about the necessity, timing and availability of vaccines as we move...

New guidelines for alcohol use disorder

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Drs. Blair Bigham and Mojola Omole delve into the pressing issue of alcohol use disorder (AUD) in Canada with Dr. Evan Wood, the lead...

Promoting health equity in primary care

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole speak with two co-authors of a new guideline published in CMAJ entitled "Preventive care r...

Tick-borne illnesses: an evolving health concern

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Drs. Blair Bigham and Mojola Omole speak with two leading experts: Dr. Samira Jeimy, an allergist, and Dr. Isaac Bogoch, a specialist...

EDs in crisis: causes and solutions

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Canada’s emergency departments are in crisis: hospital occupancy rates exceed 90% for many days in a row, and many Canadian hospitals have been exce...

Smartphones, social media and poor mental health

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this encore episode, we revisit and update one of the most-read articles on the CMAJ website.The article is titled, “Smartphones, social media us...

Encore: Diagnosing, treating and living with migraine

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

== This is an encore presentation of an episode originally published on Jan 30, 2023 ==Migraine is a common condition that affects around 12% of adult...

The power of narrative medicine

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The award-winning essay in the CMAJ, "Sometimes, often," beautifully showcases the power of narrative to forge a deep connection between phy...

Radon and lung cancer: A call to action for physicians and policymakers

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Radon gas exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, accounting for approximately 3,000 cases annually in Canada. A “Five things t...

Optimizing nonsurgical management of major hemorrhage

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Major hemorrhage is life-threatening and can occur in a variety of clinical settings. A review paper in CMAJ, entitled "Nonsurgical management of...

Time for a reset: menopause and hormone replacement therapy

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many women complain that physicians are reluctant to treat menopause with the full range of available therapies, often dismissing symptoms as 'na...

Expanding screening of hypertension patients for primary aldosteronism

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, Dr. Greg Hundemar, co-author of the practice paper in CMAJ “Screening for primary aldosteronism in primary care” discusses primar...

Genetic Perils: Allopurinol Hypersensitivity Syndrome and Personalized Medicine

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Allopurinol hypersensitivity syndrome (AHS) affects approximately 1 in 1,000 patients prescribed allopurinol, with reported mortality rates between 20...

How to Prevent Fragility Fractures: A Guideline for Family Doctors

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Fragility fractures are a major health concern for older adults and can result in disability, admission to hospital and long-term care, and reduced qu...

Rethinking preoperative anemia: Challenging WHO guidelines and targeting hemoglobin levels in major elective surgery

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An estimated 23%-45% of patients undergoing major surgery have anemia, with the most common causes being iron deficiency anemia and anemia of inflamma...

Diagnosing, treating and living with endometriosis

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many patients report their symptoms of endometriosis are often dismissed by healthcare providers as “normal” dysmenorrhea. This worldwide trend re...

How to diagnose and manage polyneuropathy

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Clinicians may find diagnosing polyneuropathy challenging due to the vague and insidious onset of symptoms. Identifying signs consistent with polyneur...

Redesigning streets to make them safe for bikes, e-scooters, and pedestrians

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The use of electric scooters (e-scooters) has witnessed a substantial surge globally.However, the presence of these motorized vehicles on sidewalks po...

Understanding parents’ concerns about vaccinating their children against SARS-CoV-2

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Uptake of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine for children aged 5–11 years has been lower than anticipated in Canada. Although research has explored parental int...

Virtual versus in-person consultation: getting the mix right

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario saw a 5600% increase in virtual visits to health care practitioners, while in-office visits decreased by 79% f...

Diagnosing, treating and living with migraine

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Migraine is a common condition that affects around 12% of adults, with a higher prevalence in women (18%) than men (6%). Global burden of disease esti...

Diagnosing, assessing and treating long COVID

16 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Diagnosing long COVID, or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), is challenging for clinicians. With up to 200 possible symptoms, heterog...

Looking back, looking forward with CMAJ editors

02 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this special episode, Drs. Blair Bigham and Mojola Omole interview CMAJ editor-in-chief, Dr. Kirsten Patrick, and executive editor, Dr. James Maska...

Canada’s primary care crisis: addressing the causes and finding solutions

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A popular theory to explain the crisis in primary care in Canada is that newly graduating physicians simply do not see as many patients as previous ge...

Managing epistaxis and identifying who may have a bleeding disorder

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

An “old wives’ tale” has persisted in the treatment of anterior epistaxis. A practice article in CMAJ entitled, "Five things to know about ...

Recognizing and addressing human monkeypox in Canada

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A practice article in CMAJ presents 8 images of monkeypox mucocutaneous lesions presenting in Canadian patients from May to July 2022.  The images sh...

Exploring the promise of AI in medicine

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Artificial intelligence, such as computer-aided detection and computer-aided diagnosis or differentiation uses complex algorithms to identify and char...

Special Episode: Tackling anti-Black racism in medicine

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Efforts to combat anti-Black racism in Canadian healthcare are underway but much remains to be done to dismantle the ideas, systems and implicit biase...

Ensuring equitable access to cancer care for Black populations

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Black and immigrant populations are disproportionately underrepresented in regular screening for cancer. Race-based data from Canada are minimally-ava...

Optimizing care for patients experiencing sickle cell crises.

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Several hospitals are known for providing particularly excellent care to people experiencing a sickle cell crisis.  For example, the ER at UHN meets ...

How to be better at diagnosing rare conditions.

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of painful swelling without urticaria that leads...

Urgent need to improve organ donation experience for donor families

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Many families of organ donors describe feeling alone and abandoned at the moment when their loved one is taken to the operating room for donation. Hea...

Clearing Misconceptions about Functional Neurological Disorders

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Functional Neurological Disorders (FND) make up a significant portion of referrals to neurology, maybe as high as 30%. However, misconceptions regardi...

Hot Flash: Experiencing menopause in medicine

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When contemplating issues of diversity and inclusion, medicine needs to consider menopause. A commentary in CMAJ argues that discussion about and, whe...

Encore Presentation: Recognizing and Treating POTS

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is an encore presentation of our most popular episode of the past year. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a disorder that can p...

Special Episode - Depression in pregnancy and the postpartum period: should we screen everyone?

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The short answer to this question, according to a new guideline published in CMAJ, is “No.”In this special episode, CMAJ editor in chief, Dr. Kirs...

Does bodychecking experience really reduce concussions?

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In an effort to reduce the high burden of injury in Canadian youth ice hockey, most associations have restricted bodychecking nationally among leagues...

Fixing the problem of drug shortages in Canada

04 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drug shortages are a persistent problem in Canada and around the world. They interfere with patients’ ability to consistently take medication to man...

Suicidality crisis among transgender adolescents

20 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The author of a new study in CMAJ says the risk of suicidality among transgender youth, “is really a crisis.”  Mila Kingsbury and her co-authors ...

Preventing overdose harms with a safe supply of drugs

06 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

People who use drugs are at elevated risk of death due to the toxic illicit drug supply. Providing easy access to a supply of safe, clean substances m...

What medical conditions and social factors increase the risk of drowning?

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drowning accounts for hundreds of deaths in Canada every year. A study published in CMAJ examines how pre-existing medical conditions contribute to dr...

Is it time to re-think the quality improvement enterprise?

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Dr. Kaveh Shonjania argues that despite the billions of dollars spent on clinical and quality improvement research, most of the inter...

Lack of diversity in healthcare leadership

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A study of more than 3000 health care leaders in Canada found that while gender parity was present, racialized executives were substantially under-rep...

Is it time to replace high-stakes exams with graduated licensure?

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

COVID-19 disrupted the medical licensing examination system in Canada.  During the pandemic,  exams delivered by The College of Family Physicians of...

Recognizing and treating POTS

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a disorder that can profoundly affect patients' quality of life. Its main characteristic is t...