(MIS)Treated

This episode is about forced and coerced sterilization of Indigenous women and girls in Canada. Please listen with care. In 2025, Senator Yvonne Boyer, Ontario's first Indigenous senator, proposed a bill to criminalize forced and coerced sterilization. If passed, Bill S-228 will amend the Criminal Code to ensure that forced sterilization would be included in the definition of aggravated assault, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The bill follows Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission - the TRC. The TRC was meant to bring a "fair and lasting" resolution to the legacy of Indian residential schools, and by extension, Canadian colonialism. One of the Calls to Action from the TRC was for Canada to hold a national inquiry into the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. That Inquiry dealt with a wide range of concerns, including forced and coerced sterilizations. This Red Dress Day, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka features Harmony Redsky from the Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice. Harmony reveals how one survivor was sterilized as recently as 2024. The episode discusses the history of forced and coerced sterilization, the organization's survivor-led initiatives, and the current push for legislative change to criminalize these violations. Special thanks to Pam Palmeter for production support. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. Research links: Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice https://www.reproductivejusticesurvivors.ca/  Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100015576/1571581687074  UN Special Rapporteurs Highlight Forced Sterilization of Indigenous Women in Canada https://cglj.org/2019/07/18/un-special-rapporteurs-highlight-forced-sterilization-of-indigenous-women-in-canada/  Canada indigenous women were coerced into sterilisations, lawsuit says https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/27/canada-indigenous-women-sterilisation-lawsuit  National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1448633299414/1534526479029  Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action https://nctr.ca/about/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-of-canada-calls-to-action/  Hundreds gather to celebrate Murray Sinclair's legacy with round dance in Winnipeg https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/murray-sinclair-round-dance-9.7059423  Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g16/000/97/pdf/g1600097.pdf?OpenElement  A legacy of colonialism: Senate Bill S-228 aims to criminalize the forced sterilization of womenhttps://www.ipolitics.ca/2025/08/07/a-legacy-of-colonialism-senate-bill-s-228-aims-to-criminalize-the-forced-sterilization-of-women/  Rather than a ‘chilling effect’, Bill S-228 provides protection from forced sterilization https://healthydebate.ca/2026/04/topic/bill-s228-protection-forced-sterilization/  A federal bill aimed at protecting women could actually cause harm https://healthydebate.ca/2026/03/topic/bill-s228-sterilization-womens-health/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Only 3% of studies in neuroscience examine a female-only population, even though women make up 50% of the population. When it comes to neuroscience, research on women's brain health is greatly lacking. Host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks with two scientists who are leading the research, not only on women's brain health but how hormonal changes impact women's brain health. Nam asks the experts about the latest findings, the gaps in research in this field, and the challenges that neuroscientists face when trying to get their work funded in the first place. Is Canada falling behind in women's brain health research? What opportunities are there in this research space? In collaboration with MaRS Impact Health and recorded in front of a live audience at a conference putting women's health at the forefront, Nam interviews Dr. Liisa Galea from CAMH, The Galea Lab and Dr. Natasha Rajah from the Brain Health Equity in Aging and Memory (BHEAM) Lab at Toronto Metropolitan University. Links:  The Lab of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology: https://www.galealab.com/ The Brain Health Equity in Aging & Memory (BHEAM) lab: https://www.bheamlab.ca/ Mind the Gap: Hormonal Contraceptives and Brain Healthhttps://womenshealthresearchcluster.com/professional-development/conferences/mind-the-gap/  Estradiol-based Menopausal Hormone Therapy is associated with improved episodic and prospective memory scores in the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aginghttps://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.13.25320471v1  Biological sex & menopause effects on vascular health and rsFMRI connectivity in middle-aged adults https://www.bheamlab.ca/downloads/AAIC_abstract_Kearley_2025.pdf  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the U.S., Black women are more than three times as likely to die during childbirth as white women. In the U.K., Black women are more than twice as likely to die in childbirth, and babies born to Black mothers are at an increased risk of stillbirth. Here in Canada, stats to better understand health outcomes for Black mothers aren't even available. While there are provinces in Canada that collect race-based data, historically, this country hasn't tracked health outcomes by race, which means the picture for what Black maternal health looks like across the country is unclear. However, if statistics from other jurisdictions are any indication, birthing and pregnancy are a greater risk to Black mothers, no matter where they live or what their socioeconomic background is. On this episode, we speak with Jennifer Dockery and Jenelle Ambrose Dash about the work that the Black Maternal Health Collective is doing, including Toronto's Black Maternal Health Week taking place April 11-17th. We also talk about accountability, the concerns of collecting race-based data in Canada, and what action looks like. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. Research links: The weathering hypothesis and the health of African-American women and infants: evidence and speculations https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1467758/ Weathering” and Age Patterns of Allostatic Load Scores Among Blacks and Whites in the United States https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1470581/ Black Women Excluded from Critical Studies Due to ‘Weathering’ https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/black-women-excluded-from-critical-studies-due-to-weathering/ Childbirth Is Deadlier for Black Families Even When They’re Rich, Expansive Study Finds https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/02/12/upshot/child-maternal-mortality-rich-poor.html Black midwife's death highlights racial gap in maternal mortality https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/black-midwifes-death-highlights-racial-gap-in-maternal-mortality "Colorblind Care" Is Costing Lives. Meet The Woman Who Started Toronto’s First Black Maternal Health Week To Change Thathttps://www.essence.com/news/toronto-first-black-maternal-health-week/ Racial variations of adverse perinatal outcomes: A population-based retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9246499/ Black Maternal Morbidity and Mortality https://www.bornontario.ca/initiatives-resources/health-equity-and-indigenous-health/black-maternal-morbidity-and-mortality/  Beyonce opens up about pregnancy complications with twins https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/beyonce-opens-pregnancy-complications-twins/story?id=62480855  Serena Williams: What my life-threatening experience taught me about giving birth https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/20/opinions/protect-mother-pregnancy-williams-opinion Systemic racism affects maternity care for black women in England, say MPs https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/sep/17/systemic-racism-affects-maternity-care-for-black-women-in-england-say-mps https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/u-s-maternal-deaths-more-than-doubled-over-20-years-heres-who-fared-the-worst https://www.npr.org/2024/05/28/nx-s1-4977627/rachel-somerstein-invisible-labor-c-section https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2020posts/state-of-maternal-mortality-the-inequitable-burden-on-black-mothers.html https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667193X22002253 https://www.communitysolutions.com/resources/medical-bias-weathering-deadly-impact-black-mothers https://nationalpost.com/news/maternal-death-injury-in-canada https://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/i-made-a-documentary-about-the-black-maternal-health-crisis-then-i-experienced-it-1.7101607 https://www.cdc.gov/womens-health/features/maternal-mortality.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/maternal-mortality/index.html https://www.mckinsey.com/institute-for-economic-mobility/our-insights/closing-the-black-maternal-health-gap-healthier-lives-stronger-economies https://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/newswire/black-maternal-mortality-rate-reaches-3-5-times-white-women-racial-gap-childbirth-widens/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doctors are calling for action. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, and rates in Canada had been dropping for years. Canada had even pledged to eliminate it completely by 2040. Not anymore. Rates have plateaued, and cervical cancer is the fourth most diagnosed cancer and fourth leading cause of cancer death among females worldwide. Is Canada still on track? On this episode, we talk about the causes of cervical cancer, how prevention strategies fall short because of vaccine hesitancy, how under-served communities are at risk and what jurisdictions around the world are on track to eliminate cervical cancer. Guests: Michelle Halligan Director of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and Nakia Lee-Foon, a Health equity researcher at the Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners. Research links: Disparities in the allocation of research funding to gynecologic cancers by Funding to Lethality scores https://www.gynecologiconcology-online.net/article/S0090-8258(18)31302-7/abstract Denmark could eradicate cervical cancer by 2040: study https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/denmark-could-eradicate-cervical-cancer-by-2040-study/  Addressing Anxiety and Fear during the Female Pelvic Examination https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2150132721992195 Researchers redesign vaginal speculum to ease fear and pain https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/researchers-redesign-vaginal-speculum-to-ease-fear-and-pain/  New vaginal speculum design might motivate women to go for health checkups https://www.tudelft.nl/en/ide/delft-design-stories/new-vaginal-speculum-design-might-motivate-women-to-go-for-health-checkups  Cervical cancer is ‘fastest-rising’ form in Canada as doctors urge action https://globalnews.ca/news/11698821/cervical-cancer-cases-rising-canada/  Progress Against Cervical Cancer in Canadahttps://health-infobase.canada.ca/cancer/progress-against-cancers/reports.html?type=1  New Canadian Cancer Statistics report suggests Canada may fall short of its 2040 goal to eliminate cervical cancer https://cancer.ca/en/about-us/media-releases/2025/canadian-cancer-statistics-2025  https://www.instituteforbetterhealth.com/member/lee-foon-nakia/  https://www.partnershipagainstcancer.ca/   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pregnancy loss affects millions each year – so why do so many women have to suffer in silence after a miscarriage or stillbirth? According to a 2021 Lancet Study, an estimated 23 million miscarriages occur every year worldwide: 44 pregnancy losses each minute. For those who have experienced a miscarriage or a stillbirth, the joy of welcoming a child into the world can quickly turn into a nightmare of loss and isolation. On today's episode, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks to Idalina Leandro about the motivations for her documentary, "An Open Conversation," which aims to destigmatize pregnancy and infant loss. The conversation explores how the silence around pregnancy loss impacts parents differently, why mothers blame themselves and how the healthcare system fails to support grieving families. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. Research Links: Canadian gynecologists group issues new compassionate care guidelines for miscarriage patients https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-new-guidelines-early-pregnancy-loss-patients/ Idalina Leandro’s ‘An Open Conversation’ Aims To Destigmatize Pregnancy & Infant Loss https://www.shedoesthecity.com/idalina-leandros-an-open-conversation-aims-to-de-stigmatize-pregnancy-infant-loss/  Pregnancy, Infant & Child Loss Support Centre https://pilsc.org/ Why those suffering miscarriages could benefit from specialized clinics https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/pregnancy-loss-sogc-1.7563527 My wife and I were left on our own after miscarriage https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/mothers-day-miscarriage-pregnancy-loss-first-person-1.6836319 New Zealand approves paid leave following miscarriage or still birth https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-paid-leave-miscarriage-still-birth-1.5964604 Thousands of Canadians miscarry every year. For them, Mother's Day can be a reminder of loss https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/mothers-day-grief-loss-1.7532302 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0015028223017193 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00682-6/abstract https://www.jogc.com/article/S1701-2163(25)00154-9/fulltext See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may know Viagra as the "blue pill" but what about Addyi, the "pink pill"?  Addyi was first approved in the U.S. in 2015 to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) – the medical term for women experiencing low libidos. According to the National Institutes of Health, it is "the most commonly identified sexual problem among women." It was first identified in 1977 but getting drugs to market for women's sexual health faces unique challenges. Addyi is one of two approved drugs that help improve women's low libido, while 26 drugs have been approved for male sexual health by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. On this episode, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks with Aisling Chin-Yee about the history of how Addyi came to market and what making her documentary, "The Pink Pill: Sex, Drugs & Who Has Control", has taught her about how this pink pill is changing the conversation about women's libido.   Links: How U.S. Tried but Failed to Wipe Out 70 Years of Global Consent on Women’s Rights https://msmagazine.com/2026/03/19/usa-csw-70-women/ A Pill for Sexual Desire Reaches a New Group of Women https://time.com/7341012/sexual-desire-pill-addyi-cindy-eckert/ The Pink Pill : New documentary exposes the long battle to bring Addyi — the first libido drug for women — to market https://theconversation.com/the-pink-pill-new-documentary-exposes-the-long-battle-to-bring-addyi-th… https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8673442/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32301355/ https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/414363 https://www.sproutpharmaceuticals.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Because the male body has been the default in medicine, conditions that primarily impact women, like PCOS and endometriosis, are under researched, misunderstood and under funded. Even conditions that are commonly understood in men like autism, ADHD and cardiovascular disease are misunderstood, misdiagnosed and under diagnosed in women. On today's episode we speak with journalist Tracey Lindeman about her book, "Bleed: Destroying Myths and Misogyny in Endometriosis Care". We talk to her about how her pain was dismissed for decades and how it took 24 years to be diagnosed with endometriosis and adenomyosis. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. Research links: Endometriosis and Misogyny With Tracey Lindemanhttps://canadianwomen.org/blog/endometriosis-and-misogyny-with-tracey-lindeman/https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/women-health-second-opinion-1.7531876 https://www.ellecanada.com/culture/society/the-gender-health-gap-misogyny-in-medicine https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/polycystic-ovary-syndrome https://www.cfp.ca/content/72/1/e17 https://www.oma.org/newsroom/news-releases/2026/january/new-study-finds-female-family-doctors-spend-more-time-caring-for-patients-yet-earn-less/ https://m-power.mecca.com/blog/what-is----medical-misogyny----and-how-is-it-impacting-women---s-health- https://www.bmj.com/content/387/bmj.q2780.full https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/women-pain-dismissed-1.7390686   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the last few years, menopause has become a big business and the global market for it is worth billions of dollars. Yet the people who need care during this transition are still struggling to get the help they need. In a special live episode of (MIS)Treated, we talk about how women's health is having a moment. We talk about surgical menopause, the impact the family doctor crisis is having on those in the menopause transition, why one guest used AI to self-diagnose their cancer and the harms caused by misinformation in women's health. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Research links The menopause gap: why some women suffer more and get less care: https://theconversation.com/the-menopause-gap-why-some-women-suffer-more-and-get-less-care-272753 What You Should Know About the Non-White Experience of Menopause: https://katiecouric.com/health/wellness/non-white-menopause-healthcare-gap/ Menopause: our study revealed how it affects the brain, cognition and mental health: https://theconversation.com/menopause-our-study-revealed-how-it-affects-the-brain-cognition-and-mental-health-275329 After Decades of Misunderstanding, Menopause is Finally Having Its Moment: https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/after-decades-of-misunderstanding-menopause-is-finally-having-its-moment/ Managing menopause after cancer: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)02802-7/fulltext https://menopauseandcancer.org/alternatives-to-hrt-during-menopause-after-cancer-what-you-need-to-know/ https://obgyn.utoronto.ca/faculty/marie-christakis https://possibilityseeds.ca/team/farrah-khan-she-her/ https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-cohen-1025333  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Until recently, menopause was a whisper between friends and trusted ones. And if you were going through it, there was an unspoken secrecy about saying that you were. This stigma still exists in some communities. But menopause is more than just hot flashes. It is associated with increased risks of long-term health issues such as osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes and impacts brain health. Nam Kiwanuka speaks to Dr. Wendy Wolfman, a pioneer in Canada and an internationally renowned menopause expert, about the lack of funding in women's health, the impact of the Women's Health Initiative study and how Canada can become a world leader in women's health. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Research links Behind the scenes with Dr. Wendy Wolfman: https://sinaimaturewomenshealth.ca/behind-the-scenes-with-dr-wendy-wolfman Menopause: our study revealed how it affects the brain, cognition and mental health: https://theconversation.com/menopause-our-study-revealed-how-it-affects-the-brain-cognition-and-mental-health-275329 Halle Berry shouts 'I'm in menopause' on Capitol Hill as she fights for funding to improve women's care: https://abcnews.com/GMA/Wellness/halle-berry-shouts-im-menopause-capitol-hill-fights/story?id=109881356 After Decades of Misunderstanding, Menopause is Finally Having Its Moment: https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/after-decades-of-misunderstanding-menopause-is-finally-having-its-moment/ What to know about menopause hormone therapy after FDA removed 'black box' warnings: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/what-to-know-about-menopause-hormone-therapy-after-fda-removed-black-box-warnings Hormones for menopause are safe, study finds. Here's what changed: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/05/01/1248525256/hormones-menopause-hormone-therapy-hot-flashesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Women are diagnosed on average 2 to 4 years later than men in over 1300 different disorders. These include conditions like depression and anxiety, and Alzheimer's disease, which disproportionately impact women. Most of our medical knowledge, including how to diagnose someone, is based mostly on symptoms for males or the experiences of men. Nam Kiwanuka speaks to world-renowned neuroscientist, Dr. Liisa Galea from CAMH, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, about why researching sex and gender differences in health matters and how hormones influence the female brain, especially during pregnancy and postpartum. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Research links Dr. Liisa Galea bio https://ims.utoronto.ca/faculty/liisa... Women’s Health Research Cluster https://womenshealthresearchcluster.c... Study: Across Diseases, Women Are Diagnosed Later Than Men https://www.cpr.ku.dk/cpr-news/2019/s... Proper funding for women’s health research could save lives during pandemic https://policyoptions.irpp.org/2020/0... Why women are bearing more of the impact of dementia https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/... Women are diagnosed years later than men for same diseases, study finds https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health... 5 conditions that highlight the women’s health gap https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/5-c... New report identifies a blueprint to close the womens health gap https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/media-ce...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Ontario, family doctors are the gateway to the healthcare system, including providing a referral for a specialist. If you are one of the nearly 2 million Ontarians without a family doctor and need to see a specialist, say a gynaecologist, it can be incredibly challenging to get the care you need. Nam Kiwanuka speaks to Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, the president of the Ontario Medical Association about the crisis in public healthcare. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Research links Meet the first Black woman elected to represent Ontario doctors: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/meet-the-first-black-woman-elected-to-represent-ontario-doctors-1.7525349 Gynecologic Surgery Delayed for Up to 3 Years in Canada: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/gynecologic-surgery-delayed-3-years-canada-2025a1000iev?form=fpf A Toronto-area doctor spent 10 days caring for a dying baby without pay. Here’s why she’s speaking up: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doctors-ontario-ohip-billing-rejected-9.6958953 Ontario, medical association near new compensation deal they say will help retain, recruit family Ontario Government and Ontario Medical Association Confirm Funding Increase That Will Protect Provincial Health Care: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1005805/ontario-government-and-ontario-medical-association-confirm-funding-increase-that-will-protect-provincial-health-care Ontario, medical association near new compensation deal they say will help retain, recruit family doctors: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-family-doctors-new-contract-1.7602189 Province's response: Ontario's Medical Claims Payment System (MCPS) efficiently processed more than 200 million claims annually. To be clear, over 99% of these claims are paid automatically, exactly as submitted, reflecting the system's productivity. Only a small fraction, 0.58%, of all claims are sent for manual review, and even among these, more than 95% are resolved within 30 days. In general, two thirds of these claims are categorized as Complex Surgical Claims, where there are multiple procedures performed, and where a three-tier review process, as is used in a manual review, is fitting. Claims are reviewed in three tiers. A Claims Assessor handles the initial review, and if deemed necessary, it is escalated to an Assessment Officer, who further evaluates the claim and supporting context. More nuanced cases go to a Medical Advisor, a physician, for final review. Outcomes include full payment, partial payment, or return to the provider, and physicians can appeal with additional information. This reliable, structured process ensures that claims subjected to manual review comprehensively align with the payment requirements of the Schedule of Benefits. It’s ultimately disappointing that the OMA is choosing to focus on .58% of OHIP claims, rather than highlighting the real progress we’ve made together to support physicians.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Until the early 1900s if a woman had symptoms like cramps, depression, or a headache, a doctor would probably diagnose her with hysteria, which was removed as a medical diagnosis in 1980 by the American Psychiatric Association. When you consider that women weren’t included in clinical trials until 1993, how much do we really know about women’s mental health? We speak to science researcher Misty Pratt about this and her book “All in Her Head: How Gender Bias Harms Women’s Mental Health.” Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Research links https://quillandquire.com/authors/misty-pratts-own-experiences-inspired-her-book-on-women-and-the-mental-health-care-system https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/history-quackery/history-hysteria https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/for-some-women-with-serious-physical-ailments-mental-illness-has-become-a-scapegoat-diagnosis-180986203 https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bhchar.html https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-florida/blog/the-history-of-hysteria-and-how-it-impacts-you https://theconversation.com/inaccurate-and-misogynistic-why-we-need-to-make-the-term-hysterectomy-history-257972#:~:text=From%20the%20defunct%20condition%20'hysteria,link%20the%20uterus%20to%20hysteria. https://medicine.yale.edu/news/yale-medicine-magazine/article/from-hysteria-to-empowerment/ https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric-treatment/article/conversion-disorder-the-modern-hysteria/73F77976DFC9802B4C0E3EC7CA88F1A9 https://adaa.org/find-help-for/women/anxiety https://www.relationalpsych.group/articles/adhd-in-women-why-its-often-misdiagnosed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32007945 https://www.uchealth.com/en/media-room/wellness/suicide-risk-women https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-leading-edge/202505/why-womens-mental-health-needs-special-attention Charcot argues that hysteria isn't just a gynaecological issue but neurological disorder: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21154220/#:~:text=Results:%20In%201870%20the%20interpretation,transformed%20into%20a%20neurological%20disorder https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39186636  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consider that while the symptoms of ADHD were first identified back in 1798, it wasn’t until the 1990s that science began to study how ADHD presents in girls and how it might be affecting them. Nam Kiwanuka speaks to writer Carla Ciccone, who became one of the growing numbers of women to be diagnosed with ADHD during the pandemic. She speaks to her about the challenges she felt in school as a young child and why she wrote the book “Nowhere Girl: Life as a Member of ADHD's Lost Generation”. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Research links How ADHD Shaped My Life Without Me Knowing It: https://www.elle.com/culture/books/a65994230/nowhere-girls-book-excerpt-women-adhd-2025 The “devastating” findings of a decades-long ADHD study: https://www.understood.org/en/podcasts/hyperfocus/the-devastating-findings-of-a-decades-long-adhd-study The history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3000907 Children with ADHD Avoid Failure and Punishment More Than Others, Study Says: https://www.additudemag.com/children-with-adhd-avoid-failure-punishment/?srsltid=AfmBOorSMFFUiJhgFMZ00QNIHdj4V63WDJfrC3o7jgSKOqkF604tYl-1 The History of ADHD: A Timeline: https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/history#1902 Does ADHD Need a New Name?: https://www.additudemag.com/other-names-for-adhd-add/?srsltid=AfmBOoqhu7TMDAktkX9L6iyuBVwg7eoXjHvER_bZZ0MMixwlC7kF9Adr Miss. Diagnosis: A Systematic Review of ADHD in Adult Women: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10870547231161533#:~:text=There%20is%20also%20gender%20bias%20in%20the,participants%20being%20male%20and%20only%2019%25%20female What Lies Behind the Rise in ADHD Diagnoses?: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/brain-curiosities/202505/the-truth-about-the-adhd-epidemic ADHD in Women vs. Men: Does Gender Play a Role in Symptoms?: https://psychcentral.com/adhd/adhd-and-gender#prevalence Obstetric complications in mothers with ADHD: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/reproductive-health/articles/10.3389/frph.2022.1040824/full Screening for Adult ADHD in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome: https://academic.oup.com/painmedicine/article-abstract/19/9/1825/4584482?redirectedFrom=PDF Life expectancy and years of life lost for adults with diagnosed ADHD in the UK: matched cohort study: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/life-expectancy-and-years-of-life-lost-for-adults-with-diagnosed-adhd-in-the-uk-matched-cohort-study/30B8B109DF2BB33CC51F72FD1C953739See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Much of gynaecology was built on surgical experiments conducted on enslaved African women. These procedures were done by Doctor James Marion Sims, who has been called the "father of modern gynaecology". His legacy lives on today with the Sims position, the speculum and the surgical technique to treat vaginal fistula. So how to reconcile that history with what happened to those young women, with the advances in gynaecology? Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Research links: "Father of Modern Gynaecology" J. Marion Sims: https://www.history.com/articles/the-father-of-modern-gynecology-performed-shocking-experiments-on-slaves https://www.npr.org/2016/02/16/466942135/remembering-anarcha-lucy-and-betsey-the-mothers-of-modern-gynecology https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/cancer-detectives-brief-history-speculum/ https://news.berkeley.edu/2020/02/17/historian-uncovers-gynecologys-brutal-roots-in-slavery/#:~:text=James%20Marion%20Sims%2C%20who%20was,same%20capacity%20as%20white%20men https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/03/how-lucy-betsey-and-anarcha-became-foremothers-of-gynecology/ Operating on poor Irish women: https://ugapress.manifoldapp.org/read/medical-bondage/section/403f560a-7f2d-4def-8bdf-a5767588b78b https://www.healthinnowest.net/news/join-the-movement-to-rename-the-sims-speculum/ First record of use of anesthesia: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26828088/#:~:text=Abstract,labor%20and%20recovery%20from%20surgery. The pain these women suffered: https://drjengunter.com/2017/09/08/dr-sims-built-a-lab-and-experimented-on-enslaved-women-take-down-his-statues Documentary on Anarcha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjLL-fEj0fw https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11682838/ https://www.ogmagazine.org.au/23/4-23/lucys-legacy-why-sims-speculum-needs-a-different-name https://www.npr.org/2018/04/22/604789513/controversial-statue-of-19th-century-gynecologist-removed-from-central-park https://archives.icahn.mssm.edu/disappearing-hospitals-where-did-they-go-womans-hospitalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Nam Kiwanuka January 20th on (MIS)Treated to hear real life stories and expert interviews on how the mistreatment and misdiagnosis of women affects us all. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is it genetics or age that causes more women to have Alzheimer's? It's more complicated than that. Studies show that of every three patients with Alzheimer's, two are women even after accounting for longevity. Researchers are now only learning the importance of hormones in brain health and it's part of the reason why there's a push behind studying the ways brain health impacts women's health. To find out more about hormones and the role they play during menopause, Nam Kiwanuka speaks with professor M. Natasha Rajah who leads the Brain Health Equity in Aging and Memory lab at Toronto Metropolitan University. Research links ‘This is a big deal’: Health Canada approves 1st drug to slow Alzheimer’s disease: https://globalnews.ca/news/11500367/health-canada-approves-alzheimers-treatment As the U.S. ages, dementia is on the rise. Here are ways to reduce your risk: https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/11/22/nx-s1-5050956/health-brain-dementia-sleep-diet-alzheimers Depression in women: Understanding the gender gap: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression/art-20047725 Doctors looking into hormone therapy as a way to ward off dementia in women: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/estrogen-dementia-prevention-hormone-replacement-women-perimenopause-rcna245664 Hysterectomy may be linked to brain function: https://www.endocrine.org/news-and-advocacy/news-room/2018/hysterectomy-may-be-linked-to-brain-function Men and women have opposite genetic changes in depression: https://www.camh.ca/en/camh-news-and-stories/men-and-women-have-opposite-genetic-changes-in-depression Hormone replacement therapy will no longer carry a warning label, FDA says: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/hormone-replacement-therapy-no-warning-label-fda-rcna243008 Migraine remains second among the world's causes of disability, and first among young women: findings from GBD2019: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33267788/ More than half of women in Canada are caregivers: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/2649-more-half-women-canada-are-caregivers Shingles vaccine may slow progression of dementia, new study suggests: https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/02/health/shingles-vaccine-dementia-progression-study-wellness Dementia prevention, intervention, and care 2024: https://www.thelancet.com/commissions-do/dementia-prevention-intervention-and-care The Rise of Anxiety Among Women: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/multicultural-mental-health/202502/the-rise-of-anxiety-among-women Why are so many women suffering from “long Covid” symptoms?: https://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/immune-health/are-you-a-covid-long-hauler/ Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In July 2023, Sydney Gesualdi was rear-ended at a red light. She was told by her doctors that she had whiplash and tissue damage, but instead of getting better - she got worse. Her mobility began to suffer, her motor skills disappeared, and she felt like she was forgetting how to breathe and swallow. This began her years long journey through Ontario's medical system as she tried to receive a diagnosis for Craniocervical Instability and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Nam Kiwanuka speaks with Sydney about her experiences of being forgotten in the medical system and her hope to receive funding from the government for a surgery she says is her right. Research links EDS Foundation: https://edscanada.org/ ‘We live in constant fear’: the reality of life with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/nov/05/we-live-in-constant-fear-the-reality-of-life-with-ehlers-danlos-syndromes Billie Eilish Has Hypermobility — Here's What That Is: https://www.shape.com/billie-eilish-hypermobility-7091708 Desperate to walk again, this 25-year-old Ontario woman is ready to pay $40K for U.S. spinal assessment: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/ontario-woman-seeking-spine-care-1.7512862 Millions have the same ‘bendy body’ disease as my daughter. Why isn’t the medical profession paying more attention?: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/24/health/hypermobile-ehlers-danlos-syndrome-health-hnk-spc-dst-intl Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: More than “just loose joints”: https://acaciahealth.ca/blog/ehlers-danlos-syndrome-more-than-just-loose-joints The GoodHope Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Clinic: development and implementation of the first interdisciplinary program for multi-system issues in connective tissue disorders at the Toronto General Hospital: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13023-021-01962-7 Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Femtech focuses on technological innovation within the women's health space. Innovations can include everything from a new version of the speculum to a bra that can track heart health. But innovators face hurdles in a market where funders still find the word "vagina" a challenge. To find out more, Nam Kiwanuka speaks with journalist Marina Gerner about her book "The Vagina Business", which looks at Femtech's market opportunity and the pitfalls. Research links The Vagina Business: https://www.marinagerner.com/about The dawn of the FemTech revolution: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/the-dawn-of-the-femtech-revolution Researchers redesign vaginal speculum to ease fear and pain: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/researchers-redesign-vaginal-speculum-to-ease-fear-and-pain MIT Develops 'Smart Bra' for Early Breast Cancer Detection: A New Frontier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3uqmexASIY The ‘huge disadvantage’ women behind femtech phenomenon face: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/oct/08/the-huge-disadvantage-women-behind-femtech-phenomenon-face Women in tech statistics: The hard truths of an uphill battle: https://www.cio.com/article/201905/women-in-tech-statistics-the-hard-truths-of-an-uphill-battle A subsection of tech is set to be worth $1 trillion. But taboos are holding it back: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/12/a-subsection-of-tech-is-set-to-be-worth-1-trillion-but-taboos-are-holding-it-back.html Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know that women in Canada spend 24% more time in ill health compared to men? That's just one of the findings from The McKinsey Health Institute's report "Closing the women's health gap: Canada's $37 billion opportunity." Nam Kiwanuka speaks with one of the report's authors Marie-Renée B-Lajoie, a former ER doctor, about how addressing the gaps in women's health would benefit the economy and lead to better health outcomes for women. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the World Health Organization, it can take 4 to 12 years to be diagnosed with endometriosis. In Canada, it's 5 years, and in the U.K., 9 years. We speak to Evelyn Scott, who is from the U.K., about her experience with endometriosis. It took 15 years for her to receive a diagnosis, and she tells us what's it like to live with a condition that doesn't have a cure and how doctors repeatedly dismissed her symptoms. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Research links Endometriosis: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/endometriosis Endometriosis: three reasons care still hasn’t improved: https://theconversation.com/endometriosis-three-reasons-care-still-hasnt-improved-157457 Pathways to Diagnosis: https://endometriosisnetwork.com/paths-to-diagnosis Women in UK waiting almost nine years for endometriosis diagnosis, study finds: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/04/women-in-uk-waiting-almost-nine-years-for-endometriosis-diagnosis-study-finds 1 in 10 Women Have Endometriosis. Why Don’t Their Doctors Believe Them?: https://www.vice.com/en/article/1-in-10-women-have-endometriosis-why-dont-their-doctors-believe-them Why hasn’t endometriosis care improved?: https://www.independent.co.uk/health_and_wellbeing/endometriosis-awareness-week-2022-nhs-b2026658.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Women were excluded from clinical trials until 1993 in the United States and until 1997 in Canada. Nam Kiwanuka speaks to Dr. Michelle Cohen, a family physician and an assistant professor of medicine at Queen's University, about why women were excluded and the historical harms that were caused by not including women in clinical trials. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Research links Closing the women’s health gap: Canada’s $37 billion opportunity: https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/closing-the-womens-health-gap-canadas-37-billion-dollars-… Cuts, uncertainty over NIH grants disrupt innovation in health fields, researchers say:https://marylandmatters.org/2025/09/15/cuts-uncertainty-over-nih-grants-disrupt-innovation-in-healt… Gender Equity in Clinical Trials in Canada: Aspiration or Achievement?: https://digitalcommons.osgoode.yorku.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3576&context=scholarly_works History of Women’s Participation in Clinical Research: https://orwh.od.nih.gov/toolkit/recruitment/history Guidance Document: Considerations for Inclusion of Women in Clinical Trials and Analysis of Sex Differences: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/applications-su…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nam Kiwanuka speaks with Kearie Daniel, the executive director and founder of The Black Women's Institute for Health about a first-of-its-kind survey on Black Canadian women and girls about their their health and experiences with the healthcare system. Read the report: https://bwhealthinstitute.com/voices-unheard Clip Courtesy of The Black Women's Institute for Health Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kendall Soucie, an associate professor at the University of Windsor, has spoken with many people suffering with polycystic ovarian syndrome. She explains that in Canada, it can take anywhere from 5 to 15 years for a diagnosis. She tells us why studying the lived experiences of people with PCOS is an integral part to the research of this poorly-understood condition. Nam Kiwanuka speaks with Kendall about her hopes and how her own lived experience with it informs her work. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Research links Canadian PCOS Resource List: https://www.healuwindsor.com/copy-of-canadian-pcos-resources  Monash University:  PCOS Guideline and Resources - Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (MCHRI)  PCOS Challenge: PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association  The Season's collective (Ontario-specific): The Seasons Collective | Thriving with PCOS   PCOS together: (Alberta): Home - PCOS.Together  H.E.A.L Lab: https://www.healuwindsor.com  Name change for ‘outdated’ PCOS term backed by majority of health professionals, patients: https://www.healio.com/news/womens-health-ob-gyn/20250606/name-change-for-outdated-pcos-term-backed-by-majority-of-health-professionals-patients  The under-researched and often misunderstood disorder that affects 1 in 8 women: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/pcos-symptoms-name-change-meaning-b2759872.html  The Diagnostic Experiences of Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in Ontario, Canada: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33213256/  “It Wasn’t Until I Took the Reins and Said….” Power and Advocacy in Canadian Women’s Narratives of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Diagnosis and Treatment: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23293691.2022.2054671 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a good chance you've heard of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). By some estimates, nearly 1.4 million Canadians have it, but did you know it's sometimes called a 'lazy girl's disease'?   Nam Kiwanuka discusses what it's like to have PCOS with actress and producer Andrea Lewis. They talk about the misconceptions of the condition, the symptoms women can experience, and how complex the condition can be, especially when dealing with the medical world's preconceptions.   Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]   If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.   The Government of Ontario’s Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo   Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters   Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org   Research links Polycystic ovary syndrome: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/polycystic-ovary-syndrome Rethinking the Terminology: A Perspective on Renaming Polycystic Ovary Syndrome for an Enhanced Pathophysiological Understanding: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11528641 PCOS affects 1 in 8 women worldwide, yet it's often misunderstood. A name change might help: https://theconversation.com/pcos-affects-1-in-8-women-worldwide-yet-its-often-misunderstood-a-name-change-might-help-256872 Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a big threat to women's health, but it's still under-recognized, under-diagnosed and under-treated: https://theconversation.com/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-is-a-big-threat-to-womens-health-but-its-still-under-recognized-under-diagnosed-and-under-tr...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By 2050, global cancer rates are set to increase by 75 per cent, but the human impact is already being felt. Nam Kiwanuka speaks with Farrah Khan who was diagnosed with not one but two forms of cancer at the same time. They discuss what Farrah's diagnoses meant for her life, her young family, and her career. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.   The Government of Ontario’s Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Research links Advocacy group urges Canada to lower starting age for colorectal-cancer screening: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-advocacy-group-urges-canada-to-lower-starting-age-for-colorectal Breast Cancer Isn't Just a 50+ Problem-So Why Are Younger Women Told Not to Worry?: https://www.ellecanada.com/beauty/health-and-fitness/breast-cancer-isnt-just-a-50-problem-so-why-are-younger-women-told-not-to-worry Breast cancer screenings now easier to access at age 40 in most of Canada, though experts warn of more false positives: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-breast-cancer-screenings-age-risk-benefit Canada pauses health task force amid breast screening review: https://globalnews.ca/news/11065162/breast-cancer-screening-task-force-pause Cancer risk in families: https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/what-is-cancer/genes-and-cancer/cancer-risk-in-families New report released by the Canadian Cancer Society reveals that cancer costs the average patient nearly $33,000 in their lifetime: https://cancer.ca/en/about-us/media-releases/2024/cancer-statistics-special-report New study reveals doctors in Canada are paid less for surgeries on women: https://www.sinaihealth.ca/news/new-study-reveals-doctors-in-canada-are-paid-less-for-surgeries-on-women Ontario Increases Access to Breast Cancer Screening by Lowering Starting Age: https://www.ontariohealth.ca/news/breast-cancer-screening-lowering-starting-ageSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In September, Donald Trump sparked a public health crisis when he claimed there was a link between the prenatal use of Tylenol and autism. The health and scientific community was quick to respond, citing studies that debunked his claims, but has the harm already been done? Nam Kiwanuka speaks with Dr. Rebecca Titman and pharmacist Najla Tabbara, who work at a clinic that addresses pain during pregnancy, at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. They discuss the reasons why acetaminophen is recommended during pregnancy and why other medication shouldn't be used; and how doctors know it's safe to use. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.   The Government of Ontario’s Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine waiting for years, sometimes decades, to receive a diagnosis for an illness that's made you change every aspect of your life. If you're living with endometriosis, you probably understand this better than most. To learn more about this life-changing condition, Nam Kiwanuka speaks with gynaecological surgeon and sonologist Dr. Mathew Leonardi and researcher Shay Freger from McMaster University. They say the state of endo research has never been stronger, but that there's still a lot to be done to understand the scope of the condition's effect on women. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] The Endometriosis Network Canada: https://endometriosisnetwork.com If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.   The Government of Ontario’s Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Attractiveness of women with rectovaginal endometriosis: a case-control study: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22985951 Closing the women's health gap: A $1 trillion opportunity to improve lives and economies: https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/closing-the-womens-health-gap-a-1-trillion-dollar-opportunity-to-improve-lives-and-economies The phenotypic and genetic association between endometriosis and immunological diseases: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40262193 Women with endometriosis say they are enduring extreme pain due to pandemic surgery delays, lack of expertise: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/woman-endure-endometriosis-pain-during-pandemic-1.6377249 Hysterectomy is more common, and occurs at younger ages, for women with less education:  https://theconversation.com/hysterectomy-is-more-common-and-occurs-at-younger-ages-for-women-with-less-education-237937 Meet Shay Freger: endometriosis researcher and greenhouse volunteer: https://news.mcmaster.ca/meet-shay-freger-endometriosis-researcher-and-greenhouse-volunteerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fibroids will impact up to 80% of women by age 50 so why don't we know what causes them? As celebrities like Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o and tennis superstar Venus Williams share their stories on the challenges of living with fibroids, will this change things? Nam Kiwanuka speaks to entrepreneur, author and speaker Amber Mac about why she chose to talk publicly about her fibroids. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.   The Government of Ontario’s Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org Link to report on Black women and fibroids: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3874080 Link to report on lack of medical research related to women's health: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8812498/ Link to Sunnybrook Hospital's guidance on intravenous iron treatment and typical costs: https://sunnybrook.ca/content/?page=intravenous-iron-therapy#:~:text=Do%20I%20need%20to%20pay,anemia%20did%20not%20get%20better. Wait times for gynecological surgery in Canada and Ontario: https://healthydebate.ca/2024/01/topic/canadian-women-waiting-gynecologic-surgery/#:~:text=May%20Sanaee%2C%20a%20urogynecologist%20in,that%20also%20requires%20urgent%20attention. Cost of annual fibroid treatments in the United States: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3292655/#:~:text=The%20estimated%20annual%20direct%20costs,$5.9%20to%20$34.4%20billion%20annually. CBC article on why more women get Alzheimer's than men: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/alzheimer-women-risks-1.7604574See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(MIS)Treated explores how medicine has – and still is – failing women and speaks to the people looking to make a difference. Join host Nam Kiwanuka to hear real life stories and expert interviews on how the mistreatment and misdiagnosis of women affects us all. Available September 30, listen to (MIS)Treated, a new TVO Today podcast that debunks the myth that our healthcare is gender neutral. It examines the real-life consequences when women's health care – from birth to death – goes undiagnosed and untreated because women's health is underfunded and under researched. We cover questions like: Why were women once excluded from clinical trials? Why is it so hard to get diagnosed with endometriosis? What's a fibroid and why don't we talk about them? Why do women represent 80 per cent of autoimmune diseases? What has been the impact of the forced sterilization of Indigenous women? And more. To find out the answers, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected] Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/theagendatvo/?hl=en Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.