ANNUAL MEETING * ASSEMBLEE GENERALE ANNUELLE
Make helmet use mandatory for all bicyclists, CMA recommends Patrick Sullivan T he CMA says all Canadians who ride bicycles should be required by law to wear helmets. General Council, which adopted the recommendation at the association's August annual meeting in St. John's, wants the CMA to lobby governments for mandatory-helmet legislation. (Ontario had already announced that it intends to introduce such a law.) Dr. David Walters, the CMA's director of health care and promotion, notes that the CMA has already adopted an advocacy position on the issue through its promotion of helmet sales at reduced prices. More than 70 000 helmets have been sold under this program, which was introduced last year through pamphlets sent to doctors' offices. Dr. Barry Adams, the Ottawa pediatrician who heads the Council on Health Care and Promotion, said the CMA's reasoning is simple. Up to 130 Canadians are killed each year while riding bicycles, he said, and about 15 000 are injured; preventing just some of these deaths and injuries would not only provide Canadians with a major health benefit, but also would save the health care system a significant amount of money. Helmet use was one of many health care issues discussed' at the Patrick Sullivan is CMAJ news and features editor. 1058
CAN MED ASSOC J 1992; 147 (7)
Aug. 16-19 meeting, where one General Council member said that the quest for Olympic gold can be a dangerous game. In supporting a resolution calling for establishment of a country-wide sports-injury-data system, Dr. Bob Woollard of Vancouver said some sports may themselves be at fault. He was particularly critical of gymnastics, which received primetime coverage during the recent Barcelona Olympics. Woollard compared the stresses young gymnasts face to those experienced by child miners at the turn of the century. In gymnastics, he said, the incidence of injuries to growing bodies is "abysmal - a significant number of athletes sacrifice their health to
participate."
Adams: 15 000 bike injuries
However, Dr. Bill Mackie of Vancouver, who moved the motion calling for establishment of an injury database - it passed unanimously - appeared more concerned about the overall rate of sports injuries. He said studies have shown that they account for up to 21% of visits to emergency departments. "Many of these could be prevented," said Mackie, a former national gymnastics champion who said the CMA should play an advocacy role in the area. "It is mandatory that we pass this," added Dr. James Lane of Port Coquitlam, BC. "At Whistler [BC], skiing and bike-riding accidents occupy a casualty officer full time." AIDS, which was a huge issue at many earlier annual meetings, was discussed at the St. John's meeting, but it was not the issue as it was earlier. General Council decided that "where safe alternatives exist," it opposes breastfeeding by mothers who are at high risk for HIV infection. Dr. Victor Dirnfeld of Richmond, BC, said a recent study has shown that there is a two-fold increase in the incidence of HIV infection for infants who are breast-fed by infected mothers. Council approved as CMA policy a position paper entitled HIV Infection in the Work Place, even though some speakers were sharply critical of it. "I don't think this document should be LE I er OCTOBRE 1992
-
accepted," said Dirnfeld. However, many other physicians supported the paper and his move to have the document referred was defeated. Dr. John Osterman, a Montreal public health official and member of the Council on Health Care and Promotion, made a strong plea to have AIDS made a "nominally notifiable" disease in all provinces. His motion was accepted by General Council. Currently, every province except Quebec and Alberta reports AIDS patients by name. In Quebec, he said, public health officers have been ordered to remove all patient identifiers when dealing with AIDS cases. As a result, when they are informed about the same case by both the treating physician and a laboratory they cannot identify it as a single case and it is counted twice. "Basically, our database is becoming worthless," he complained. During the meeting, the CMA called on Canadian governments to amend existing legislation to allow for the development of private health insurance plans in Canada. Dr. Edwin Coffey of Montreal, who moved the successful motion, said the move would allow both innovation and experi-
- - ,Il l l l l l l lil w
-
mentation. "Currently we are not allowed to innovate," he said. "We need to nudge the reform process." General Council also learned that MD Management Ltd. will have its lawyers see if anything can be done to force doctors who let their CMA membership lapse to remove their money from company plans. Dr. Earl Myers, the president of MD Investment Services, explained that once membership lapses no more investments can be made. However, investors do have the right to continue with existing investments. This angers Dimfeld. "I recognize the right [of every doctor] not to be a CMA member, but they shouldn't be allowed to invest [in MD Management programs]," he said. The CMA meeting was being held while last-ditch constitutional talks were getting under way in Ottawa. That Ottawa meeting prompted two CMA past presidents, Dr. Normand Belliveau and Dr. Gustave Gingras, to move that the CMA is committed "to the continued existence of Canada as a unified country." "All Canadians are in favour of a strong, united Canada," said Belliveau, a staunch federalist
I.,
from Montreal. "The problem is with the politicians." Dr. Ron Whelan, the new president, said national unity "will be very much a part of my agenda" during his year in office. The resolution passed unanimously.
The CMA's new presidentelect is Dr. Richard Kennedy, a Calgary internist who will assume the presidency next August in that city. In the only election, Dr. Gilles Massicotte, a plastic surgeon from Sherbrooke, Que., defeated Dr. David Jones and Dr. Gur Singh, both past presidents of the British Columbia Medical Association, for the post of honorary treasurer. Massicotte replaces Dr. Richard Railton of Welland, Ont., who held the post for 4 years. All other candidates were acclaimed. General Council approved a $10 fee increase, bringing the 1993 total to $255. Railton said fees account for about 40% of CMA revenue. Next year's annual meeting will be held in Calgary from Aug. 22-26. General Council did agree to consider holding a future meeting in the Yukon. The most likely year is 1998, when Yukoners will celebrate the centenary of the Klondike gold rush.u
We'd like to tdll you a thing or two about infant ,A-
:^
WOT GROW ON Infant fornula is recommended only when breastfeeding is
not possible
Make helmet use mandatory for all bicyclists, CMA recommends Patrick Sullivan T he CMA says all Canadians who ride bicycles should be required by law to wear helmets. General Council, which adopted the recommendation at the association's August annual meeting in St. John's, wants the CMA to lobby governments for mandatory-helmet legislation. (Ontario had already announced that it intends to introduce such a law.) Dr. David Walters, the CMA's director of health care and promotion, notes that the CMA has already adopted an advocacy position on the issue through its promotion of helmet sales at reduced prices. More than 70 000 helmets have been sold under this program, which was introduced last year through pamphlets sent to doctors' offices. Dr. Barry Adams, the Ottawa pediatrician who heads the Council on Health Care and Promotion, said the CMA's reasoning is simple. Up to 130 Canadians are killed each year while riding bicycles, he said, and about 15 000 are injured; preventing just some of these deaths and injuries would not only provide Canadians with a major health benefit, but also would save the health care system a significant amount of money. Helmet use was one of many health care issues discussed' at the Patrick Sullivan is CMAJ news and features editor. 1058
CAN MED ASSOC J 1992; 147 (7)
Aug. 16-19 meeting, where one General Council member said that the quest for Olympic gold can be a dangerous game. In supporting a resolution calling for establishment of a country-wide sports-injury-data system, Dr. Bob Woollard of Vancouver said some sports may themselves be at fault. He was particularly critical of gymnastics, which received primetime coverage during the recent Barcelona Olympics. Woollard compared the stresses young gymnasts face to those experienced by child miners at the turn of the century. In gymnastics, he said, the incidence of injuries to growing bodies is "abysmal - a significant number of athletes sacrifice their health to
participate."
Adams: 15 000 bike injuries
However, Dr. Bill Mackie of Vancouver, who moved the motion calling for establishment of an injury database - it passed unanimously - appeared more concerned about the overall rate of sports injuries. He said studies have shown that they account for up to 21% of visits to emergency departments. "Many of these could be prevented," said Mackie, a former national gymnastics champion who said the CMA should play an advocacy role in the area. "It is mandatory that we pass this," added Dr. James Lane of Port Coquitlam, BC. "At Whistler [BC], skiing and bike-riding accidents occupy a casualty officer full time." AIDS, which was a huge issue at many earlier annual meetings, was discussed at the St. John's meeting, but it was not the issue as it was earlier. General Council decided that "where safe alternatives exist," it opposes breastfeeding by mothers who are at high risk for HIV infection. Dr. Victor Dirnfeld of Richmond, BC, said a recent study has shown that there is a two-fold increase in the incidence of HIV infection for infants who are breast-fed by infected mothers. Council approved as CMA policy a position paper entitled HIV Infection in the Work Place, even though some speakers were sharply critical of it. "I don't think this document should be LE I er OCTOBRE 1992
-
accepted," said Dirnfeld. However, many other physicians supported the paper and his move to have the document referred was defeated. Dr. John Osterman, a Montreal public health official and member of the Council on Health Care and Promotion, made a strong plea to have AIDS made a "nominally notifiable" disease in all provinces. His motion was accepted by General Council. Currently, every province except Quebec and Alberta reports AIDS patients by name. In Quebec, he said, public health officers have been ordered to remove all patient identifiers when dealing with AIDS cases. As a result, when they are informed about the same case by both the treating physician and a laboratory they cannot identify it as a single case and it is counted twice. "Basically, our database is becoming worthless," he complained. During the meeting, the CMA called on Canadian governments to amend existing legislation to allow for the development of private health insurance plans in Canada. Dr. Edwin Coffey of Montreal, who moved the successful motion, said the move would allow both innovation and experi-
- - ,Il l l l l l l lil w
-
mentation. "Currently we are not allowed to innovate," he said. "We need to nudge the reform process." General Council also learned that MD Management Ltd. will have its lawyers see if anything can be done to force doctors who let their CMA membership lapse to remove their money from company plans. Dr. Earl Myers, the president of MD Investment Services, explained that once membership lapses no more investments can be made. However, investors do have the right to continue with existing investments. This angers Dimfeld. "I recognize the right [of every doctor] not to be a CMA member, but they shouldn't be allowed to invest [in MD Management programs]," he said. The CMA meeting was being held while last-ditch constitutional talks were getting under way in Ottawa. That Ottawa meeting prompted two CMA past presidents, Dr. Normand Belliveau and Dr. Gustave Gingras, to move that the CMA is committed "to the continued existence of Canada as a unified country." "All Canadians are in favour of a strong, united Canada," said Belliveau, a staunch federalist
I.,
from Montreal. "The problem is with the politicians." Dr. Ron Whelan, the new president, said national unity "will be very much a part of my agenda" during his year in office. The resolution passed unanimously.
The CMA's new presidentelect is Dr. Richard Kennedy, a Calgary internist who will assume the presidency next August in that city. In the only election, Dr. Gilles Massicotte, a plastic surgeon from Sherbrooke, Que., defeated Dr. David Jones and Dr. Gur Singh, both past presidents of the British Columbia Medical Association, for the post of honorary treasurer. Massicotte replaces Dr. Richard Railton of Welland, Ont., who held the post for 4 years. All other candidates were acclaimed. General Council approved a $10 fee increase, bringing the 1993 total to $255. Railton said fees account for about 40% of CMA revenue. Next year's annual meeting will be held in Calgary from Aug. 22-26. General Council did agree to consider holding a future meeting in the Yukon. The most likely year is 1998, when Yukoners will celebrate the centenary of the Klondike gold rush.u
We'd like to tdll you a thing or two about infant ,A-
:^
WOT GROW ON Infant fornula is recommended only when breastfeeding is
not possible
