Health Tech and Society Lab

Inside the Booming Industry Selling Lifestyle Drugs Online | The Local From erectile dysfunction medicine to hair loss treatment to weight loss drugs—a thriving online market has emerged to seamlessly deliver drugs straight to your door. But what happens when prescriptio...

We spoke with @royinori.bsky.social and @thelocal.to
about growing marketplace of online DTC virtual care platforms for lifestyle drugs. Check it out!
thelocal.to/online-pharm...

The quiet commercialization of primary care records - Healthy Debate An emerging model is quietly turning Canadian patient medical records, and patients themselves, into lucrative commercial assets – often without patients' explicit knowledge or consent.

A new commentary from the Health Tech & Society Lab in @healthydebate.bsky.social looks at an emerging model of commercialization of medical records in the Canadian healthcare system, and asks what we can learn from other jurisdictions. Check it out below!

healthydebate.ca/2026/01/topi...

Canadian Doctors for Medicare Warns Albertans of Premier’s Plan to Undermine Public Health Care Seeking to strengthen and improve Canada's universal publicly-funded health care system. Evidence-based, values driven.

We are very concerned about Premier Smith's draft legislation to introduce dual practice care into Alberta. This would lead to significant consequences to our health care system and to patients' ability to access care.

See our press release below.
www.canadiandoctorsformedicare.ca/canadian_doc...

AI bot recorded doctors’ meeting, sent patient info to current and former hospital staff, watchdog says The transcription tool recorded the meeting on behalf of a physician who no longer worked at the hospital

A group of hospital physicians met for a virtual rounds meeting.

What they didn't realize was that Otter.ai was on the call, too.

They found out when the AI transcriber sent a transcript of the meeting -- patient information and all -- to dozens of current and former staff after the call.

CMAJ cover image

Doctors warn of risks in provinces' deals with private virtual care companies www.cmaj.ca/content/197/... @lindsayhedden.bsky.social @tarakiran.bsky.social @ruthlavergne.bsky.social @cmaj.ca

More news → CanadaHealthwatch.ca 🍁

Leaky genes: How an alarming hack shows that Canada needs new rules around health information Poor security practices at genetic testing company 23andMe exposed the data of hundreds of thousands of Canadians.

23andMe, you & 300,000 others in Canada.

My latest, with Sheryl Spithoff of @healthtechsoclab.bsky.social

www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

Millions of Canadians' health data available for sale to pharmaceutical industry, study shows | CBC News Details about your health, medical history and prescriptions can all be found in your medical record. A new Canadian study found in some cases, private companies are accessing parts of that data and s...

www.cbc.ca/news/health/...

Our newest study reports on the primary care medical record industry in Canada.

Data brokers claim to have acquired between 2-4 million records from for-profit chains of medical clinics. Their primary client is the pharmaceutical industry.
#privacy

Read more:
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

© CBC/Radio-Canada 2025. All rights reserved.

Check out this morning's interview with Dr Sheryl Spithoff, lab director, on CBC Metro Morning.

She discussed how commercial data brokers are making money from Canadian medical records and what this means for patients.
#privacy #Health #data #Canada #pharma

www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...

Health-data companies selling access to patient records, study says Research paper highlights potential downsides when private companies are integrated into the health care system in crucial roles without enough oversight

"Some health-data companies are selling access to patient records to pharmaceutical companies without patients’ knowledge, according to a new study."

Yes, a Canadian finding. Via @healthtechsoclab.bsky.social.

www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...

We need virtual care that cares for everyone - Healthy Debate Non-profit virtual care has the most potential to not only improve health outcomes but promote health system sustainability.

Check out this commentary by Health Tech and Society members @danyaalraza.com and Sheryl Spithoff, putting forward a model of virtual care that prioritizes care over profit and complements existing comprehensive primary care models healthydebate.ca/2025/01/topi... #OntMed #virtualcare

We need virtual care that cares for everyone Canada Healthwatch | The most important health news, in one place. 🍁

We need virtual care that cares for everyone canadahealthwatch.ca/2025/01/22/w... by Sheryl Spithoff & @danyaalraza.com

For an excellent breakdown of virtual primary care and how it's paid for in Canada, check out this article by Sheryl Spithoff, Ewan Affleck and @lindsayhedden.bsky.social

www.cfp.ca/content/70/1... #cdnhealth