10 Health Stories that Matterted this week – CMAJ

There were more hospitalizations in Canada for alcohol-related harm than for heart attacks in 2015-2016, according to a report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Rates of heavy drinking are higher than average in Quebec, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Preventing suicides in Indigenous communities will require a comprehensive approach that takes into account social, economic and cultural factors, stated Breaking Point: The Suicide Crisis in Indigenous Communities, a report by the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs. The report lists 28 recommendations, including an overhaul of child and family services, funding to improve housing, and collaboration between federal and provincial governments to boost economic development and job creation.
There will soon be consultations in Ontario about whether drug companies should be required to disclose all payments made to physicians, announced Dr. Eric Hoskins, the province’s health minister. Hoskins’ announcement followed the voluntary disclosure of data from 10 drug companies that revealed $50 million in payments to Canadian health care professionals and organizations in 2016.