The World Health Organization recently announced that depression has the greatest health burden worldwide compared to any other disease. This comes as no surprise to Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute scientist Dr. Raymond Lam, who says mental illness—primarily depression—is getting attention not only because of its health burden but also because of its huge economic impact.  “Depression affects 300 million people worldwide. When people are depressed they can’t function well and they can’t work well. Yet, most people who are clinically depressed are still at work.”

Q: If marijuana is legalized does that mean it’s safe to drive after using it?
A: No, just because it’s legal doesn’t mean you can drive after using. It is illegal to drive if you are impaired by any drug. That includes cannabis and also other prescription medications that can cause impairment. Even if someone is using marijuana for medical reasons, they may be considered legally impaired, just as they would be if they took prescription drugs like opiates or sleeping pills or even some over-the-counter antihistamines. 

If you’re healthy and mobile, it’s easy to take for granted the simple, everyday act of sitting up in bed. However, for an immobile person bound to a hospital bed, being sat upright via a bed adjustment can result in pressure and pain. 

Compassion clubs and marijuana dispensaries in B.C., in particularly in Vancouver and Victoria, have been at the forefront of the movement to legalize and regulate cannabis in Canada. With such organizations having operated in Vancouver longer than in any other Canadian city, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) clinician scientist Dr. Amrish Joshi wanted to study the relationship between cannabis dispensaries and the patients seeking out cannabis for their health conditions.

In the fight against bladder cancer, a new and unexpected hero is emerging: malaria. Recently published findings from a study led by Vancouver Prostate Centre (VPC) researcher Dr. Mads Daugaard show the efficacy of using a specific malaria protein to transport a toxin to bladder cancer cells in mice, reducing or deleting bladder cancer tumours entirely.

Seek shade and avoid the sun in peak hours. Those are two of the common suggestions for skin cancer prevention. But what if you can’t follow that advice? Outdoor workers—in construction, landscaping and road maintenance—can’t pick and choose when they’ll be outside. And they can’t seek out shade in an open worksite. These workers are in a high-risk category for skin cancer, and researchers are starting to focus on prevention strategies for them. 

Dr. Philip Cohen, a Research Scientist with Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI), has spent 35 years studying how to track and treat cancer using nuclear medicine—a medical specialty that uses radioactive substances in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. 

As a clinical professor of radiology at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Cohen has seen trial after trial fail to significantly improve detection and treatment options. But he is very excited about a new tracer he’s testing for prostate cancer. 

Many people know all too well the difficulty of getting motivated to exercise. It’s not easy. Transitioning from being sedentary to exercising regularly can feel like an uphill battle, but getting started is important. A growing mountain of evidence shows that regular exercise can drastically improve a person’s well-being and prevent major health problems later in life. And it’s never too late to get moving and reap the health rewards, says Dr.