The LA Times has an interesting piece on the environmental costs of the Alberta tar sands.
Buried in the middle of the report is the story of Dr. John O'Connor of Fort Chipewyan, who serves as the regional chief of family practice. O'Conner became concerned at the incidence of fish abnormalities in Lake Athabasca:
"O'Connor said he had seen an alarming number of rare cancers and cases of autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
"'It raised the question,' he said. 'Were the numbers and types of illnesses we were seeing the result of genetics, lifestyle, bad luck or environmental?' He worried that the oil sands might be an environmental cause.
"O'Connor was especially concerned about a bile duct cancer called cholangiocarcinoma, which had previously claimed his father's life. This disease occurs in about two of 100,000 people. But O'Connor was certain of four cases and suspected one or two others in Fort Chipewyan, which has fewer than 1,200 residents.
"Statistics recently compiled by the local nursing station show an increase in mortality and of cancer-related deaths in the last decade. Twenty-one residents died last year, eight of cancer.
"After the doctor expressed his concerns in a radio report last year, federal health authorities filed a complaint this year alleging that he was unduly alarming the public. Alberta's medical licensing body is investigating the complaint.
"A year ago, the Alberta Health & Wellness ministry had conducted a study that found more cases of certain cancers than expected in Fort Chipewyan, but only one case of cholangiocarcinoma. It concluded that overall cancer levels were not significantly different from elsewhere in the province.
"But local residents and colleagues of O'Connor questioned the thoroughness of the study and accused the government of trying to shut up the doctor to protect the oil industry.
"'The message for anyone who blows a whistle is you will be clobbered,' said Dr. Michel Sauve, the regional chief of medicine.
It's curious that it's necessary to find out about this from an American newspaper, especially as distant as Los Angeles.
Buried in the middle of the report is the story of Dr. John O'Connor of Fort Chipewyan, who serves as the regional chief of family practice. O'Conner became concerned at the incidence of fish abnormalities in Lake Athabasca:
"O'Connor said he had seen an alarming number of rare cancers and cases of autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
"'It raised the question,' he said. 'Were the numbers and types of illnesses we were seeing the result of genetics, lifestyle, bad luck or environmental?' He worried that the oil sands might be an environmental cause.
"O'Connor was especially concerned about a bile duct cancer called cholangiocarcinoma, which had previously claimed his father's life. This disease occurs in about two of 100,000 people. But O'Connor was certain of four cases and suspected one or two others in Fort Chipewyan, which has fewer than 1,200 residents.
"Statistics recently compiled by the local nursing station show an increase in mortality and of cancer-related deaths in the last decade. Twenty-one residents died last year, eight of cancer.
"After the doctor expressed his concerns in a radio report last year, federal health authorities filed a complaint this year alleging that he was unduly alarming the public. Alberta's medical licensing body is investigating the complaint.
"A year ago, the Alberta Health & Wellness ministry had conducted a study that found more cases of certain cancers than expected in Fort Chipewyan, but only one case of cholangiocarcinoma. It concluded that overall cancer levels were not significantly different from elsewhere in the province.
"But local residents and colleagues of O'Connor questioned the thoroughness of the study and accused the government of trying to shut up the doctor to protect the oil industry.
"'The message for anyone who blows a whistle is you will be clobbered,' said Dr. Michel Sauve, the regional chief of medicine.
It's curious that it's necessary to find out about this from an American newspaper, especially as distant as Los Angeles.
5 comments:
This information was all well publicized in the Edmonton Journal when it was happening last year. The LA Times is not breaking anything "new" here.
None of this is a secret or being politically buried but it is curious and disturbing that a professional complaint would be filed by Health Canada.
They seem to be complaining based on PR issues of "unduly alarming the public" and yet they provide so litle response to the substance of Dr. O'Connor's allegations. I wonder if Harper Cons have been reading too much Lewis Carroll as of late.
The investigation into the complaint will be a telling test case for the political prowess of the AMA and the professional regulatory responsibility capacity of the Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons.
I agree,Ken, that the basic health story has been around for a while, especially if you get the Edmonton Journal. The point of this story is the professional complaint filed by Health Canada which appears calculated to stifle criticism. Thanks for the note.
Enna says...Just as was mentioned in a comment to one of your other personal journals regarding "Democracy", the "Are the Feds Trying to Cover-Up Oil Patch Cancer?" is just the way democracy works...clobber the person so they can't get up again because they spoke out.
While living in Korea, there were times when visits to the doctor were necessary. There was some concern that colon cancer might be my problem. The doctor was open enough to tell me that chemicals we are eating, breathing and washing in, are causing the increase in cancers and developing new ones from new combinations of chemicals. He said, "if we ( doctors)were to go public with this, we would lose our jobs." He also said, "there is no doubt that chemicals in food were contributing to colon cancer." A few people with abhorrent wealth are the driving factor and governments support it.
Probably has more to do with the lifestyle in the area.....It really is disturbing how riggers live on the camps...
Manuel, I'm sure the good doctor's dad wasn't living the riggers' life. The point that you're missing is what in Hell is Harper's Health Canada doing bringing a professional complaint about a doctor who speaks out on an apparently serious problem? Stalin, Manuel, is dead. We don't need Harpo to bring back his ways. Look at the piece on Steven Owen and UBC going on bended knee to Reynolds to seek Tory dispensation to hire Owens. This is weird shit. It is the ugly, not very well hidden, face of Canada's New Government.
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