Cluster-F**ked! How Media Derailed Scientists in New Brunswick's Medical Mystery

For the past four years Canadaland has been investigating a cluster of terrible illnesses in New Brunswick. A group of people were suffering from debilitating symptoms that nobody could explain. Those people lost neurological function. Some lost their lives. What was afflicting them? Was it a prion illness like mad cow disease? Was it somehow linked to shellfish? Might it have to do with blue-green algae blooms or environmental contamination from heavy metals or contamination from the herbicide glyphosate? Was it contagious? Today we speak with a man who was at the centre of the investigation into this cluster of illnesses. Dr. Michael Coulthart was a microbiologist working with the Public Health Agency of Canada. He was the head of Canada’s Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) surveillance system, which surveys all of Canada for prion diseases like mad cow. And he was one of the lead investigators on a short-lived federal/provincial team of scientists investigating what was going on in New Brunswick before the province shut investigation down. Throughout our years of covering this story he never agreed to speak with us directly. We suspected that he was not allowed to. But just a few months back, Dr. Michael Coulthart retired, and shortly after that, just a few weeks ago, he sat down with our reporter, Julian Abraham.Host: Bruce ThorsonCredits: Caleb Thompson (Post Production), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), Tristan Capacchione (Senior Production Supervisor), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)Additional music by Audio NetworkFact checking by Lucie LaumonierMore information:JAMA Study - Jama NetworkTop Canadian scientist alleges in leaked emails he was barred from studying mystery brain illness - The GuardianScientist working on mystery N.B. brain condition claimed he was 'cut off' for 'political' reasons - CBC'The answer cannot be nothing': The battle over Canada's mystery brain disease - BBCSponsors: Squarespace: Check out https://squarespace.com/canadaland for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch use code canadaland to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.Douglas: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today. Visit douglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer.Taskrabbit: Get ahead of your to-do list with fifteen dollars off your first task at https://Taskrabbit.ca or on the Taskrabbit app using promo code canadaland.Can’t get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram for clips, announcements, explainers and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.