From opioids to infertility, some health stories evoked both emotion and opinions in 2017.
Here are our picks for the top health issues for Albertans last year.
1. Opioid overdose deaths
By the end of September, 482 people had died of an opioid overdose in Alberta. That’s nearly two people a day, and a 40 per cent increase from the year before.
Of those, 400 deaths were related to fentanyl, or the even more toxic carfentanil.
READ MORE: Opioid-related deaths continue to soar in Alberta, up 40% over last year
Watch below: On Nov. 27, 2017, Quinn Ohler filed this report about new numbers showing the severity of Alberta’s growing opioid crisis.
2. Pot benefits?
Pot was a hot topic, with the federal Liberal government announcing plans to legalize recreational cannabis in the summer of 2018. The Alberta College of Family Physicians warned members about the shortage of research showing any health benefits of cannabis. Albertans are among Canada’s biggest users of medical marijuana, second only to Ontarians.
READ MORE: Health ministers to talk cannabis, opioids during Edmonton meeting
3. Dental sedation rules
2017 brought big changes to Alberta’s dental profession. At the end of May, the Alberta Dental Association and College barred dentists from providing general anesthesia without another operator present. The new policy came after then-four-year-old Amber Athwal suffered brain damage under general anesthesia in an Edmonton dental clinic in 2016.
READ MORE: Alberta dentists no longer allowed single operator sedation
4. Dental fee guide
After a review found Albertans were paying 44 per cent more for common dental procedures than the rest of Canada, Alberta implemented a dental fee guide. The recommendations are expected to eventually reduce prices by up to 8.5 per cent.
READ MORE: New Alberta dental fee guide recommends 8.5% drop for dozens of procedures
Watch below: On Nov. 22, 2017, Kendra Slugoski filed this report about Alberta expecting dental bills to go down.
5. Infertility treatment access
In November, many patients found out via social media that Alberta’s only public infertility clinic would stop offering uninsured services, such as in vitro fertilization.
AHS said patients could be transferred to private clinics in Alberta, but patients pointed out the fees were up to 25 per cent higher. More than 25,000 people signed a petition, and a crowd of about 100 people rallied at the Alberta legislature on Nov. 30.
6. Abortion pill access
Universal coverage for the controversial abortion drug Mifegymiso began in July in Alberta.
READ MORE: Health Canada to allow abortion pill Mifegymiso up to 9 weeks into pregnancy
7. Medical assistance in dying
Since the service was decriminalized in June 2016, 248 Albertans have chosen to end their lives with the help of a medical professional. That includes 95 in Edmonton and 89 in Calgary.
The most commonly cited health conditions were cancer, multiple sclerosis, and ALS.
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
- Canadians more likely to eat food past best-before date. What are the risks?
- ‘Sciatica was gone’: hospital performs robot-assisted spinal surgery in Canadian first
- Treatment from female doctors leads to lower death rates, study finds
Comments