Latest news with #CBCHealth
CBC
03-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Step up measles vaccinations, say doctors as outbreaks accelerate in Ontario, Alberta
This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. Doctors are urging public health officials in Ontario and Alberta to step up vaccination and messaging efforts as measles outbreaks in those provinces continue to grow. Ontario reported 223 new confirmed and probable infections of measles over the past week. As of May 2, a total of 210 confirmed measles cases were reported to Alberta Health. "That's the largest single week increase since the outbreak began in October of 2024," said Dr. Sarah Wilson, a public health physician with Public Health Ontario. "A lot of important developments in the last week, unfortunately." The bulk of Ontario's cases are in the Southwestern Public Health region that includes the city of St. Thomas and surrounding counties. In a sign of how serious measles can be, Public Health Ontario reported 84 people have been hospitalized — including 63 children — during the outbreak. Eight patients were hospitalized in the last week, including seven who needed intensive care, Wilson said. The vaccine-preventable disease commonly causes fever, cough, red watery eyes and, later, a blotchy rash. Because the measles virus is so infectious, it can spread rapidly among those who have not been vaccinated, even if most people in a community are immunized. Public health authorities aim for 95 per cent of people in a community to be protected from measles to prevent outbreaks. But vaccination rates are nowhere near that in many places, for a variety of reasons — from disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, to vaccine misinformation proliferating online. While current top provincial doctors have said little, or nothing at all, since the outbreak began, one doctor didn't mince words during a recent lecture at the University of Alberta. "I think there has been a complete failure of leadership at all levels, and there's public complacency," said Dr. Mark Joffe, Alberta's former chief medical officer of health, whose contract ended about two weeks ago. Measles cases surge in Ontario, Alberta 1 day ago Duration 2:10 Vaccination rates low in many areas The Canadian Immunization Guide recommends kids get their first routine dose of measles-containing vaccine at 12 to 15 months of age and the second dose at 18 months but no later than when the child starts school. Children who aren't yet vaccinated are most at risk, doctors say. The Public Health Agency of Canada says people who are at higher risk of developing severe complications from measles include those who are pregnant, people with weakened immune systems and children who are less than 5 years of age. In Ontario, vaccination coverage to protect seven-year-olds from measles ranged as low as 24.6 per cent in the 2022-23 school year in Halton Region, which includes the city of Oakville, according to the most recent publicly available data. In terms of having 95 per cent of people immunized to prevent outbreaks, only the public health unit for Kingston and surrounding areas met that goal for seven-year-olds in Ontario. In Alberta, no public health unit reached that threshold, according to the latest provincial data from 2023. In Oakville, Ont., Dr. Joanna Oda, an associate medical officer of health for Halton Region, thinks vaccination rates in that region may be higher than what public records show due to underreporting. "Our experience is actually most people are immunized, most people want to be protected," Oda said. "They just don't know how to report. They didn't know they needed to report." In Ontario and New Brunswick, parents and caregivers are required to report student vaccine records to public health to enforce legislation like the Immunization of School Pupils Act. The act requires proof of immunization for students to attend school, with exceptions just for medical or ideological reasons. During the height of COVID, Oda said limits on in-person appointments and the diversion of health care resources away from preventative care like immunization created barriers to routine childhood vaccinations. Now, lack of access to primary care providers continues to limit access to vaccines even for willing families, she said. Countering misinformation But access to vaccinations isn't the only problem. Countering anti-vaccine misinformation is another challenge. Michael Gardam, an infectious diseases physician based at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, called it unfortunate, but also not surprising, that measles vaccination rates in Ontario fell so low. He'd like to see provincial public health messaging promoting uptake of the measles vaccine. Gardam said what's new is how prevalent misinformation about vaccines is on social media. It can come from anywhere in the world and spread in Canada, while news stories are blocked on Facebook and Instagram in this country. "While you're trying to message positively and meet people halfway and understand their concerns, there is an entire group of people whose sole purpose in life is to undermine everything that you're saying," Gardam said. Joffe, Alberta's former top doctor, said before he left his post, he was speaking with colleagues about low immunization rates, and the need to get information about measles to people who don't interact with the government closely. "We need to meet them, and explain in their language, and in a way they can understand. And we need to work with faith leaders and community leaders, cultural leaders who have a big influence." What are provincial authorities doing? CBC News has repeatedly requested an interview with Dr. Kieran Moore, the chief medical officer of Ontario, within the Ontario's Ministry of Health, and Dr. Sunil Sookram, Alberta's interim top doctor. Neither have been made available. Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones defended Moore on Thursday, saying he is working behind the scenes on controlling the measles outbreak. Moore directed local public health units 18 months ago to refocus their effort to ensure childhood vaccinations were up to date, Jones said at an unrelated news conference. "He's been working incredibly hard and I just want to acknowledge and thank him for his work with the public health units," Jones said. More recently, Jones said the province restarted a public education campaign, on Moore's recommendation, to help parents and caregivers understand the importance of getting vaccinated to protect against measles. No deaths have been reported in Canada during the current outbreak, which began in October 2024. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada's website, death occurs in one to 10 of every 10,000 cases of measles in higher income countries. Countering complacency Dr. Allison Gonsalves, a medical officer with Alberta Health Services in the province's South Zone, pointed to several reasons why children may not be fully vaccinated against measles, including vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. "There's the issue of complacency," Gonsalves said. "A lot of people think that measles is benign and it's absolutely not." Gonsalves's team lead has been discussing vaccine concerns with families in communities with particularly low immunization uptake, she said. "Our teams have been noticing an increase in calls to public health for immunization for MMR [measels, mumps and rubella] in particular," Gonsalves said. "We've seen an increase of about 78 per cent uptake in measles-containing vaccine in April alone compared to March," for the South Zone. Shelley Duggan, president of the Alberta Medical Association, said average measles immunity in Edmonton and Calgary is a little above 70 per cent, but it falls as low as 10 per cent elsewhere in the province. "I think that public health really needs to step up at this point," Duggan said. "This is a grave, grave concern." Duggan called for weekly public updates from the chief medical officer of health and additional vaccination clinics, including pharmacies, to make it easier to receive measles immunizations. "Public health needs to be front and centre trying to educate Albertans on what measles is, that the vaccine is safe."
CBC
26-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
A cancer diagnosis can also be a 'financial double-whammy.' Here's what advocates want to change
Social Sharing This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. A quarter of a million Canadians are diagnosed with cancer every year. When that happens, says Stephen Piazza, director of advocacy for the Canadian Cancer Society, people need to focus on their treatment plan and telling family members — not budgeting for medical expenses. "The last thing you need is to then think about how do I balance my chequebook this month?" said Piazza. But a survey conducted for the society suggested about one in five cancer patients found it difficult to pay household expenses, and 40 per cent saw their retirement savings suffer. People accessing cancer care may struggle to afford everyday housing or rent increases on top of new costs related to treatment. While many of the costs associated with treatment are covered by provincial health plans or private insurance, many aren't. Costs include devices, physiotherapy, and travel to clinics paid for by Canadians who are living with cancer, are in remission, or are no longer being actively treated. The cancer society's December 2024 report estimated that adds up to nearly $33,000 on average over a patient's lifetime. Along with lost income due to time off work, it's a "double-whammy," say experts. WATCH | Out-of-pocket cancer expenses: Cancer costs Canadian patients $33K on average 5 months ago Duration 2:03 A new report from the Canadian Cancer Society suggests cancer patients are paying tens of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for expenses including transportation, prescription drugs and medical devices. And those costs make fighting the disease much more difficult. That's why this federal election, the Canadian Cancer Society is calling for tax changes and other solutions to boost affordability. What the society proposes In general, Piazza said Canadians are fortunate to be able to access high quality cancer care. But cost is a barrier that leaves a huge psychological impact on people, he said, when cancer care should be truly universal. In Canada's western provinces and northern territories, take-home cancer drugs and those administered in the hospital are both covered, but that's not the case in Ontario and the Atlantic provinces for oral cancer medication, the society said. In Quebec, anyone without private insurance pays a public insurance premium after which take-home cancer medications are fully covered. The society said the next federal government can make cancer care more affordable in several ways: Change the Canada caregiver credit, which can be claimed by people who support their spouse or other family member with physical or mental impairment, to make it refundable. Expand financial support programs. Reduce out-of-pocket costs. Piazza said if the caregiver tax credit were refundable, the patient receives money back even if they owe taxes, which helps people living in the lowest-income bracket pay for services outside of the hospital. Cancer's financial double whammy Michael Prince, a professor of social policy at the University of Victoria, welcomed the suggested change to the caregiver tax credit. The individual and their family may not only see a loss of earnings during cancer, but they're also incurring out-of-pocket expenses for essential medications and services. WATCH | Cancer among those aged 18 to 39: As cancer rates rise in young adults, this hospital offers tailor-made support 2 months ago Duration 2:03 "It's kind of a double whammy," Prince said. Prince notes someone else in the family may also have to cut back on their working hours to support the individual. As middle-income Canadians talk about affordability, Prince said those with lower income and people with disabilities continue to struggle. He's in favour of making the credit refundable to help them. Federal party tax credit commitments A spokesperson for the Canadian Cancer Society said the federal Conservative and Green parties committed to making the Canada caregiver tax credit refundable and included it in the costing of their platforms. The Bloc Québecois did not include that commitment in its platform, but in its response to the society's questionnaire on the topic, it said "The Bloc Québécois is committed to reviewing the tax credit for caregivers so that it becomes refundable." The Liberal Party did not commit specifically to making the Canada caregiver credit refundable, but did commit to continue to advance its National Caregiving Strategy, which includes "simplified and increased access to government benefits and services, and better coordinating on emotional, financial, and practical support with the provinces and territories." The NDP did not make any specific commitments regarding financial supports for caregivers in its platform, although a spokesperson told CBC News that the party supports the call. Broaden view of accommodations, disability expert says Considering about a quarter of adults or eight million Canadians self-identify as having a disability, according to Statistics Canada, Prince also suggests shifting away from thinking of workplace accommodations as special breaks. Instead of assuming only a segment of the population needs accommodations, consider including everyone trying to find work-life balance work or working remotely. "It's most workers," Prince said. Employers, unions and insurance providers could also help people after their cancer treatment ends. For example, the Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan provides its members with one-on-one guidance from oncology nurses, connections to oncologists for second opinions and specialized counsellors providing psychological support and coping strategies.
CBC
12-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Measles outbreaks spark concern over rare 'horrific' neurological disorder
This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. Dr. Michelle Barton has been working at the heart of Ontario's measles outbreak for months, trying to contain the damage the highly-infectious disease can wreak on children hospitalized with the virus. Barton heads up the pediatric infectious disease team at London Health Sciences Centre children's hospital in the province's southwest, the region with the highest rate of the illness. "We offer the best treatment that we can under the circumstances," Barton said. "If the child proceeds to deterioration, that is difficult to watch because you know that you probably wouldn't be here if they had had vaccines." Barton and other doctors are worried that outbreaks in Canada will follow the same trajectory as those in the U.S., where two unvaccinated children have died of measles. Pediatricians and immunologists say they are also watching for extremely rare neurological conditions that can occur even years after children who've had measles recover from it. As of Friday, provincial health authorities across the country had reported 914 cases of measles, surpassing the 751 infections for all of 2011. The total is the highest since measles was eradicated in Canada more than 25 years ago. The bulk of the cases in the country have been reported in Ontario, with Public Health Ontario detailing 804 confirmed and probable cases of measles this year so far. In March, the province's chief public health officer said the rise in measles cases in southwestern Ontario linked back to a travel-related case in New Brunswick last fall, which sparked what the Public Health Agency of Canada has called a multi-jurisdictional outbreak. P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Office said two adults who tested positive for measles on the island had travelled together to an area in Canada where outbreaks continue. On the Prairies, provincial figures show measles cases are climbing in Alberta. Barton is particularly concerned about children with suppressed immune systems, such as those receiving chemotherapy. If they contract measles and "don't get to the hospital fast enough, we could end up losing patients." Canadian doctors worry there will be deaths In Alberta, every zone in the province now has measles. Dr. Cora Constantinescu, a pediatrician and infectious diseases specialist at Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary, is watching the cases mount and spread, calling her worry about a death from measles "incredibly distressing." "We're probably looking at the beginning of a significant measles outbreak," she said. South of the border, two unvaccinated children with no underlying health conditions have died of measles in Texas, including an eight-year-old girl last week. On Friday the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 712 cases of measles so far this year in 25 jurisdictions, including Texas and New Mexico. Gaines County, Texas, the centre of the outbreak, measles counts on Friday rose to 355, up from the 328 reported on Tuesday, the Texas Department of State Health Services said. The federal agency said 97 per cent of U.S. measles cases are individuals who are either unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status. The reason measles is so dangerous is because it is so highly infectious, said Dr. Dele Davies, a Canadian professor of pediatrics and infectious diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Measles usually starts with a cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed by spots inside the mouth and a rash that starts from the top of the head and moves down. The measles virus causes a high fever, but it also suppresses the immune system. "The lining of the airway gets affected and it becomes an ineffective barrier," Barton said. "In the face of this virus, which is very what we call immunosuppressive, you can end up with pneumonia." She noted that ear and other secondary infections are also common. Davies says in children under five, about 10 per cent will get ear infections and many will develop diarrhea. More serious complications include swelling of the brain or encephalitis in about one in 1,000 cases, which can lead to drowsiness, confusion and seizures that resolve, Barton and Davies said. 'Horrific' and rare complication While they are extremely rare, long-term neurological problems can occur even after a young child has recovered from measles. Barton says the measles virus itself stays at a low level in the brain and can wake up six to 10 years later as a devastating disorder called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, or SSPE. Immunologist Dawn Bowdish, a professor of medicine at McMaster University, says the measles virus has mutations that allow it to hide out from the immune system, then move from neuron to neuron where the parts of the brain required for cognition and movement can be damaged. "It starts with challenges in learning or memory," Bowdish said. "They don't reach their full intellectual potential … something no parent wants for their child." Those with SSPE can have seizures. Medical experts say that in almost all cases, the disorder progresses until the patient is in a vegetative state, and it eventually ends in death. Davies estimates SSPE occurs in about one in 10,000 people with measles, but he notes that "statistics are irrelevant to that one mother whose child [has] now all of a sudden gotten this really horrific disease." Vaccine very safe and highly effective, doctor says Conversely, Davies says the measles vaccine is very safe and highly effective. "It's important not only for saving lives, but also for preventing chronic disease." In Alberta, Constantinescu notes the province's electronic immunization record is accurate, but vaccination uptake drops as low as 50 per cent in some communities, meaning there are a lot of people unprotected from measles. "This is a big deal disease," she said. "You do not want to have what people call natural immunity from measles because the risk of having measles itself is so significant." Constantinescu suggested that what she called the silent majority of parents who have vaccinated their children should share why they did so on their social media accounts to help others feel confident to do the same and "ultimately protect our communities and stop these outbreaks."
CBC
05-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Top American scientists just lost their jobs. Canada is rolling out the welcome mat
This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. Many top scientists in the U.S. are now out of a job. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is aiming to cut 20,000 jobs at agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration FDA). Not all of them are scientists, but Canada could have a role to play in making sure American scientists are able to continue their research, say researchers on both sides of the border. Anecdotally, Canadian academics say they're hearing daily from American colleagues looking for job opportunities in Canada. One example: Dr. Madhukar Pai, the director of the McGill global health programs, told CBC News he's expecting a record number of applicants for a new tenure-track job in his department, opening in the coming weeks. It's a field hit especially hard amid sweeping cuts at the U.S. Agency for International Development that are slashing life-saving programs across the world tackling diseases like HIV and malaria. Scientists overseeing cancer research, vaccine and drug approvals, public health and tobacco regulations are also among 10,000 already laid off. Public health experts say the mass firings could have catastrophic impacts for the U.S. and the world. "Some of the top public health experts in the world just lost their jobs," said former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden. Without the CDC, more people will get sick with infectious diseases, and potentially die, in the US and around the world — including Canada, he said. "There are risks to Canada — and possibilities for Canada to step up." Kevin Griffis, a former CDC communications director, resigned in protest two weeks ago after three years at the agency. He said the mass firings were widely felt and could have unanticipated consequences. WATCH | RFK Jr. as top U.S. health official raises 'misinformation' concerns: doctor: RFK Jr.'s top U.S. health official job raises 'misinformation' concerns: doctor | Canada Tonight 2 months ago Duration 6:06 Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a vaccine critic who has pledged to tackle chronic disease, was named U.S. Health Secretary on Thursday after overcoming resistance from the medical establishment and members of Congress with promises to limit his role in vaccination policy. Dr. Joss Reimer, the president of the Canadian Medical Association, says 'misinformation does not respect borders,' adding that any misinformation is very concerning. If the agency needed to hold a press conference today about a major public health threat, "there's no one who even knows how to run the sound anymore. Because they fired the studio team," he said. Cuts to U.S. research funding will also create gaps in evidence because there'll be less research being funded and conducted overall, says Kirsten Patrick, the editor-in-chief of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). That's why it's all the more important for Canada to step up its research funding, she says. "If we have a situation where, down south, research is not being as well funded as it should be and some research isn't even being done, then we need to have a strong research system in Canada," she said. Provinces 'rolling out the welcome mat' Canadian provinces are already trying to attract American health experts suddenly out of a job. Manitoba is "rolling out the welcome mat" for U.S. trained doctors, nurses and researchers affected by the cuts, said Minister of Health Uzoma Asagwara in a statement to CBC. The province is currently talking to over a dozen physicians in the U.S. who are interested in making the move, Asagwara said. They are also in the process of developing a "fulsome U.S. recruitment campaign in the coming weeks." British Columbia also says it's keeping an eye on the latest developments in the US. A Health Ministry spokesperson said in a statement it will "provide what support [it] can" to American colleagues, so they can continue their crucial work. BC, too, is actively recruiting U.S. health professionals. In Toronto, University Health Network is also set to announce its strategy to attract top scientists Monday. But other groups are also trying to recruit the same scientists: Frieden, the former CDC director, has already extended an offer to a fired government scientist for the non-profit he now runs, Resolve to Save Lives. Local and state governments in the U.S. are also trying to snap up fired federal workers — not to mention universities around the world. But Canada is well positioned among the competition. We already punch above our weight when it comes to research, says Stephanie Michaud, CEO of BioCanRx, a research network that focuses on developing immune therapies to fight cancer. It received $40 million in federal funding between 2015 and 2019 — and $109.5 million in funding from others, like industry partners, provinces and charities. "We have excellent researchers and excellent clinicians that already work here," she said, pointing out that Canadian researchers tend to publish prolifically. Where Canada could do better, she says, is in translating discoveries into treatments through clinical trials and, eventually, into practice. "What it takes in terms of investments to get a discovery that's been found, published in a Canadian lab and take it towards a clinical trial. This is where Canada [has] a harder time," she said. As American scientists look at other countries to continue their work, it's an opportunity for Canada to tackle that weakness, by listening to scientists and clinicians and investing in more research — making Canada more attractive to top talent. Canada funds much less research than the United States per capita, according to analysis from the Canadian Association for Neuroscience. From 2020 to 2021, the NIH funded approximately $55.7 billion Cdn in research. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, in comparison, funded $1.44 billion. Even considering the U.S. population is about nine times larger than Canada's, that's a 39-fold difference. "I think we have all of the right ingredients, we just need to bring all of the pieces together," said Michaud. Increasing research funding Another strategy Canada could take: making it easier for researchers working in Canada to keep the lights on in their labs, says Dr. William Ghali, the vice president of research at the University of Calgary. In Canada, if a researcher gets a federal grant, the government also sets aside some money to cover costs like hiring support staff, operating and maintaining labs or paying for computer/data servers. But it gets paid out to universities annually, untethered to any individual researchers or grants — and it's not enough money in the end to cover the costs of everything that makes the research possible, according to Ghali. Ghali says it's a good moment for Canada to reconsider our approach. He says those indirect costs make a huge difference for researchers — and guaranteeing good indirect funding will attract top talent from outside Canada. That, in turn, will benefit all Canadians, he says: scientific growth leads to economic growth. A research partnership, changed But underpinning the sense of opportunity, there's also grief. But scientists leaving the U.S. because they don't feel safe or supported in their country is sad, according to Ghali, who says it feels like a blow against global co-operation. Dr. Pai, the director of the McGill Global Health Programs, says he feels uncomfortable with the idea of poaching American scientists. "American scientists deserve to work in their own country, not leave their families, feel safe in their own country, be adequately funded [and] respected and rewarded," he wrote on BlueSky. But it's a new reality that the world is reckoning with: the U.S. cannot be depended upon to fulfil the role it has for decades. It's a lesson economists are learning in the wake of "Liberation Day" tariffs. Scientists are warning that the same lesson awaits in health and medical research. "There is an opportunity for Canada to reshape its global partnerships, perhaps gain closer ties with Europe, perhaps become stronger in terms of cohesion within Canada," said Ghali.
CBC
29-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Social media suggests seed oils — like canola — are bad for you. More science is saying otherwise
Social Sharing This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. There's a sizzling debate on social media over seed oils, with some people adamantly claiming they are unhealthy. But new research, which expands on previous studies in this area, finds that they could reduce your risk of an early death. Adding fuel to the social media controversy is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, who has also taken aim at seed oils. In October, he posted on social media platform X, claiming that seed oils are poisoning Americans and are a driving cause of obesity. Health experts continue to push back, saying seed oils are, in fact, not toxic. And they say it's processed foods, not the oils themselves, that are the problem. According to a vast majority of research, says Robert Bazinet, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto, seed oils "aren't as bad as everyone is saying that they are." And he points to an extensive new study as another example of research that says plant-based oils are linked to better long-term health. But before diving into that, let's break down some of the controversy. What are seed oils? Often known as cooking or vegetable oils, seed oils come from the seeds of plants such as canola, corn, soybeans or sunflowers. The oils have a high concentration of omega-6 fatty acids and low concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids. Both are polyunsaturated fats, which can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in blood — reducing the risk for heart disease and stroke. In comparison, animal-based oils or fats have saturated fats, which can raise your bad cholesterol levels. What are the social media claims? In a TikTok video, a man stands in the middle of a grocery store aisle holding a bottle of canola oil and says that if you want to be healthier, you need to "completely remove seed oils" from your diet. He's not the only one. A quick search pulls up dozens of similar videos, one with several clips cut together of a person in grocery store aisles, grabbing food from shelves and naming the type of seed oil it contains. All these posts come with a similar message: seed or plant-based oils are toxic and can cause varying health issues. Some people on social media say that the chemical process of extracting the oil leaves hexane, an organic compound, behind in the final product. They worry it's harmful to their health. Another argument against seed oils: high levels of omega-6 fatty acids in the seed oils turn into harmful toxins that cause headaches, weight gain or inflammation when cooked. How are they processed? Commercial processing usually extracts oil from seeds by mechanically pressing them. Whatever remains of the seeds is mixed with a chemical called hexane. That mixture is heated to extract the remaining oil — usually what's left behind is a combination of oil and hexane. That substance is distilled to remove the chemical. The oil is processed before being packaged. Despite further treatment, small traces of hexane can sometimes stay in the final product — but research has said these levels are "well below the safety limits." In large amounts or with long-term exposure, hexane can cause health issues, including numbness in hands or feet, muscular weakness, blurred vision and fatigue. Health Canada regulations say the allowed maximum residue limits of hexane in vegetable fats and oils is 10 parts per million. What does research say? A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) this month expands on previous research, which finds that plant-based oils can possibly lower your risk of dying. Researchers came to their conclusion after looking at questionnaire answers from more than 220,000 U.S. men and women over 33 years. During that time, participants shared information about their diet every four years. WATCH | Detox regimens make big health claims. Many doctors say they're unnecessary: Detox regimens make big health claims. Many doctors say they're unnecessary 3 months ago Duration 2:31 According to the study, people who consumed 2.5 to three teaspoons of butter every day increased their risk of dying from any cause by 15 per cent, compared to consuming little to no butter. The more teaspoons of butter a person had per day, the more they were likely to die from cancer. Meanwhile, those who consumed high amounts of plant-based oils, specifically canola, soybean and olive oil, had a lower risk of dying from any cause. And having higher amounts of canola oil and soybean oil seemed to lower the person's risk of dying from cancer. As well, it found that using two teaspoons of plant-based oil each day, instead of two teaspoons of butter, lowered the risk of death by 17 per cent. Even though the study can't prove a causal link, which is a common pitfall of nutrition research because it's difficult to control other confounding factors, nutritional sciences professor Bazinet says it samples a large number of people over a prolonged period, which makes the findings more robust. "I think this study should influence people's behaviours," he said. "We've had a lot of pushback on the seed oils lately, and this is another piece of evidence showing that in fact, they're protective." But he did still express some caution about the findings. In particular, he pointed out that the people who consumed vegetable oils had slightly healthier lifestyles compared to the people who ate butter. The study says that participants who had higher butter consumption also consumed more calories and had a higher body mass index. They were also more likely to actively smoke and less likely to exercise and use multivitamins. Even though the researchers did their best to account for these differences, Bazinet said, they could have had a bigger impact on the person's overall health compared to butter. Other drawbacks listed in the research include people mistakenly reporting margarine as butter in the questionnaire. "People often will lie or not fill out part of a form and they just forget what they've been eating, so those food frequency questionnaires, they're not super accurate," said Abby Langer, a registered dietitian in Toronto. The study also says that a majority of participants were mostly white health-care professionals, which means the findings aren't necessarily representative of everyone. But what about the claims of toxic chemicals? When asked about hexane remaining in the final product, Bazinet said the amount is "widely accepted to be trivial, if detectable at all." He added that the remaining levels are "well below any set safe limits." It's because of the chemicals used in extracting seed oils during the heating process that some people point to cold-pressed oils, like avocado or olive oil, as being a better option. Critics also say seed oils are often in processed foods, which can make you feel sluggish or gain weight. But Langer says this isn't because of the seed oils. Rather, she said, just eating a lot of processed foods can cause people to gain weight more rapidly — and that's not necessarily because of the oils, but rather from the way the food was cooked or other ingredients in it. As for concerns about inflammation in the body, the experts who spoke with CBC News say they aren't aware of evidence that points to seed oils. One 2017 analysis published in the journal Food and Function looked at 30 high quality studies related to inflammation. It found that consuming the omega-6 fatty acid, specifically linoleic acid — which is found in seed oils — doesn't "have a significant effect on the blood concentrations of inflammatory markers." The one area that needs more research, said Bazinet, is how seed oils can change when they are reused and reheated, such as in restaurant deep fryers. He said the oils can break down and possibly become harmful, but notes that in these cases usually you can taste that the oil has gone bad. So what should you do? Having a balanced diet with "a variety of fats" is important, says Langer. As for whether cold-pressed oils are better, Langer said that while they "may have more antioxidants in them … at the end of the day it is the totality of your diet that really matters."
