Aimed to create a national network for better researching and responding to the global threat COVID-19 variants pose will enable the real-time assessment of both the immune response to the virus variants and whether these variants are resistant to existing vaccines. The findings will provide decision makers with guidance regarding drug therapy, vaccine effectiveness, and other public health strategies.

The AccessMHA initiative brings together numerous organizations and partners to streamline the process for those seeking help. “We need to make sure that when people are reaching out, that they know where to go,” says Dr. Corace.

Dr. Gary Garber, former medical director of infection prevention and control at Public Health Ontario, told the Ontario long-term care commission that the agency had significant infection prevention and control expertise but that they did not go to long-term care homes suffering from the earliest outbreaks in the province — some of which became among the deadliest — over bureaucratic concerns.

Based out of her dedicated research and training centre, the Montreal Behavioural Medicine Centre (MBMC), Dr. Lavoie’s research will contribute to generating currently lacking empirical data on efficacy and supporting the development of valid and reliable MC competency assessment tools that are increasingly accessible and easier to administer.

Medicine Matters diabetes highlights the impact of psychosocial issues on diabetes care in a series of seven podcasts. Key areas being discussed include dealing with diabetes distress, the psychological impact of hypoglycaemia, using diabetes technology, optimal and consistent medication taking, disengagement with diabetes, and the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 in patients with diabetes.