1: The Other NICU Patient: Parents

A systematic review and meta-analysis of parental mental health interventions in the NICU found that integrated psychotherapy was most effective in reducing parent stress, anxiety, and depression. Across 160 studies, programs such as bonding interventions, family-centred care and education, psychotherapy, and emotional support significantly reduced parent mental health symptoms. Given that some of these interventions are not particularly resource-intensive, hospitals should consider implementing them in NICUs to better support parent mental health.

2: Can Rituximab Put a Stop to Primary Ovarian Insufficiency?

A proof-of-concept study of women with autoimmune premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) assessed whether rituximab could enhance ovarian responsiveness to hormones and restore fertility. In women aged 18 to 35 years who had not previously responded to ovarian hyperstimulation therapies, rituximab helped half of the group achieve follicular development that led to oocyte retrieval. Subsequently, some were able to deliver healthy children via IVF. A randomized controlled trial is needed to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of rituximab in women with autoimmune POI trying to conceive.

3: The Value of Rapid Diagnosis Beyond Outbreak Control

A cluster randomized trial of 20 nursing homes found that using a point-of-care PCR instrument increased testing, improved case detection, and shortened time to antiviral therapy initiation for residents with respiratory virus infections, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV. However, seasonal adoption of the on-site test did not reduce the number or size of outbreaks. Nevertheless, the intervention was estimated to avoid 4 hospital transfers per 100 nursing home beds, which could make a meaningful difference in health care utilization during peak-capacity periods.

Sponsored by Wealthsimple

Most physicians are careful about big financial decisions: buying a home, paying down debt, planning for retirement.

But one smaller number can quietly have a big impact over time: investment fees.

Many physicians begin investing with the same institution that helped them through medical school — often because it's familiar and convenient. But the cost of holding certain investments can vary, and even small differences in annual fees can compound significantly over a career.

Consider this hypothetical: a physician who invested $100,000 in an average Canadian mutual fund — with a management expense ratio (MER) of 1.47% — and assumed a 5% annual return before fees, would have approximately $238,000 after 25 years. Now imagine that same $100,000 invested instead at a 0.40% MER — it would grow to approximately $307,000. That's a difference of nearly $69,000 — on the same starting amount, in the same market, over the same time period. The numbers will vary, but the takeaway holds: even a small difference in fees can add up to a meaningful amount over time.

The good news? Fees are one of the few parts of investing you can control.

Whether you're a resident just starting out, a new attending building your portfolio, or a physician who hasn't reviewed your investments in years, it may be worth taking a closer look at what you're paying — and whether your money could be working harder for you.

You didn't spend a decade in training to hand your returns over to fees. See exactly what they're costing you — and find out if it's time to find your money a better home.

Disclaimer: MER example provided for illustrative purposes only. All investment involves risk and may involve loss of principal. Past investment performance of a security, asset class, portfolio or firm does not guarantee or predict future performance. To get more info on our products, investment decisions, fee schedules, user testimonials, promos & more visit wsim.co/disclaimers.

1: ⚽ As the World Cup heads toward the finals, a study from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference is putting soccer’s long-term brain health risks under the microscope. Retired professional soccer players were more likely to report anxiety, depression, and problems with thinking or decision-making compared with people who hadn’t played contact sports. While some may not think of soccer the same way they think of American football, researchers say repeated head impacts, including headers, may affect brain health over time. Brain scans also showed lower grey matter in regions tied to memory, attention, decision-making, and emotional regulation, though the findings are still preliminary.

2: 🍓 Thinking about picking your own produce this summer? You may want to watch out for an outbreak of a diarrhea-causing parasite. Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that infects the bowels and is commonly linked to contaminated fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. More than 1,500 people in Michigan have been diagnosed, with similar illnesses being investigated in 30 other states, and officials still haven’t identified the exact source. Experts recommend basic hygiene, including washing hands with soap and water, since alcohol-based sanitizer doesn’t kill Cyclospora.

3: 💵 Prime Minister Mark Carney is defending his decision to split net toll profits from the Gordie Howe International Bridge with the US. The bridge, which connects Windsor and Detroit, is set to open on July 27 after weeks of delays. The hope is that it will decrease congestion at the Ambassador Bridge and streamline cross-border trade. Under the new deal, Canada gets the bridge revenues first, then servicing and debt costs are paid, and whatever net profit is left will be split for 15 years, with half going into an economic development fund for the US side of the region.

4: 💔 Anti-gun violence advocates are calling for action after a violent weekend in Toronto that included a shooting at Salsa on St. Clair, where 2 people were killed, and another shooting near Polson Pier hours later. Police data shows there have been 6 firearm discharges in Toronto so far this July, compared with 2 during the same period last year. Robert Bennett, founder of Silence the Violence and Shunning Guns, said officials haven’t done enough to get ahead of gun violence. He said when the economy goes down, crime goes up, and one way to reduce violence is by offering employment opportunities that help close the wealth gap.

You've likely had this experience in your practice.

A patient opens up about anxiety, burnout, stress, or low mood and together you discuss treatment options. These options could vary, but sometimes therapy might be a helpful addition to their treatment plan. If your patient agrees, the next question might be: "How do I find the right therapist?" 

For many patients, this is where the process can become overwhelming.

Often people begin searching for support online and encounter hundreds of therapist profiles, varying credentials, therapeutic approaches, fees, and sometimes a waitlist.

What starts as a simple recommendation can quickly become a complicated search. This is where Layla Care can help.

Rather than asking patients to sort through directories and make decisions alone, Layla's team works directly with each individual to understand their unique needs, goals, preferences, and circumstances. A dedicated Care Coordinator will help identify therapists who are a strong fit, provide clear next steps and support that stays with them. 

To date, Layla has guided more than 25,000 people to therapy and facilitated over 250,000 therapy sessions. On average, patients have rated their quality of care 9.5 out of 10, and the quality of their therapist match a 9.3 out of 10. 

For physicians, referring to Layla helps close the gap between clinical recommendation and first therapy session. If you think your patients would benefit from therapy, Layla provides a clear, supported path forward.

Patients can self refer at www.layla.care/get-started, or practitioners can directly refer through most EMRs. 

10,000+: the number of excess deaths reported in Europe during the record-breaking late-June heat wave. The data included deaths from all causes (not just heat) but scientists say there weren’t any other known factors that could have contributed to the surge, other than temperatures which would have been “virtually impossible” without man-made climate change.

78: the age of Martha Lillard, the last known US polio survivor still using an iron lung, when she died. She contracted polio at age 5, 2 years before the vaccine became available, and outlived a childhood prognosis by nearly 6 decades.

5: the number of our basic taste qualities: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (savoury), all of which are dulled by GLP-1s. To counteract these taste profile changes, Nestlé is enhancing flavours of products specifically for GLP-1 users.

📚 Learn: how the GLP-1 landscape is shifting beyond the scale. This 1-hour webinar with Dr. Sean Wharton unpacks the new therapeutic entries reshaping patient access and makes the case for treating GLP-1s as a total metabolic health play, not just a weight loss tool.

🥒 Make: this cucumber salad that turns thinly sliced cucumbers and red onion into a cool, with a tangy summer side. A quick honey vinegar dressing and a fresh finish of dill and chives.

✈️ Save: on a flight to Seoul. WestJet has dropped prices on nonstop Calgary to Seoul flights to $683 CAD roundtrip, about 58% below typical fares, with carry-on luggage still included.

📖 Read: about whether liquid biopsies could finally answer if cancer is really gone. This CBC piece follows a Toronto trial testing blood-based tumour DNA detection in 7,000 cancer survivors, and the ethical questions that come with knowing too soon.

📺 Watch: Doctor Mike react to sitcom medical scenes, from The Office to MASH. This compilation fact-checks TV's most dramatic (and most wrong) moments, on everything from concussions to chest compressions to that infamous junior mint.

The World Cup started with 48 teams and nearly 6 weeks of matches. It all comes down to Sunday's final.

First clue: To be NPO is to ___

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.

Want to reach thousands of Canadian physicians every week? Email [email protected] to learn more.