News from Canada

This is Dr. Angela Cheung, MD, PhD, FRCPC, CCD who Paul Garner was exchanging emails with. This is her response to a CBC national news reporter Karen Paul who posted Toews NHL player LC recovery story from good vibes and deep massages. Not sure what to make of this, but it appears that recovery stories are going to be a focus that they going to hang their hook on, just like PG mentioned in his email to her.

A beacon of hope for many who are affected by Long Covid.

Great to see you home and back
@JonathanToews
And thanks for shining a light on #LongCovid, the post-pandemic pandemic (latest estimate: 65 million are affected worldwide)
 
From Paul Garner email guiding Canada to LC recovery:

There is plenty of biopsychosocial people in Canada, you must know this. Gabor Mate for example, and morerecently there is the DNRS programme is run by Annie Hopper, and she is actually connected to McMaster, aspeople in your Institution have done research on this. DNRS is being used a lot in post covid conditions.

There is lots of people on their videos of people who have recovered Rachel has contact with people using the Gupta Programme too which is widely used-indeed a hospital in Finland is doing an RCT for postcovid condition using a modified Gupta Programme. One person we both know who has recovered from the post covid condition and is now promoting approaches to help is Amy from Postively Covid. She lives in the US. She is really sensible, imaginative, thoughtful,independent.https://www.positivelycovid.org/She would be a great committee member.

Both Rachel, myself and Amy are members of the COFFI Consumer Advisory Committee. Coffi is the Collaborative onfatigue following infection. Consumers are discussed and interviewed by the COFFI Scientific Committee so theselection is serious and these are good people.https://www.coffi-collaborative.com/consumer-advisory-committeeWe won’t send you any more emails now, but do let us know how we can help in your endeavour! Paul Garner and Rachel Whitfield. Paul Garner, professor emeritus, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine How activists try to dismiss recovery stories by bullying and intimidation Truth not triumph: valedictory! (Sept 2022)
 
Nightsong said:
Includes some FOIed emails from Paul Garner, who was trying to influence the process:
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The emails are interesting. Garner and Flottorp appear very assertive and activitst-like. They try to get themselves on the committee and are very dismissive if guideline text doesn't mention psychological treatments and recovery, often suggesting that this will cause harm. They use COFFI and the Oslo consortium to present themselves as experts.

They also seem to have actively search for recovered patients or doctors who use mind-body approaches in Canada (without much success) to get them on guideline panels I suppose.

Some quotes from emails of Garner:
I have been talking a lot with people about your important guideline work and would love to be involved somehow, particularly on the non-pharmacological interventions/psychological. [...] If we can find more practitioners and recovered patients we will come back to you
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But I will continue working with Rachel to find people that may be useful who have recovered. These are important people and contrast with the nihilistic approach of activists
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Rachel is working hard on finding recovered covid consumers. Rachel knows a lot internationally but fewer in Canada so is exploring this.
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One person we both know who has recovered from the post covid condition and is now promoting approaches to help is Amy from Postively Covid. She lives in the US. She is really sensible, imaginative, thoughtful, independent [...] She would be a great committee member.
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we have worked together on advocacy around recovery and Rachel is well networked into mind-body training programmes globally, although not a therapist herself.We have been exploring post covid condition recovery networks in Canada. We haven’t found any.
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@dave30th
 
ME/CFS Skeptic said:
The emails are interesting. Garner and Flottorp appear very assertive and activitst-like. They try to get themselves on the committee and are very dismissive if guideline text doesn't mention psychological treatments and recovery, often suggesting that this will cause harm. They use COFFI and the Oslo consortium to present themselves as experts.

They also seem to have actively search for recovered patients or doctors who use mind-body approaches in Canada (without much success) to get them on guideline panels I suppose.

Some quotes from emails of Garner:






@dave30th
Click to expand...

This man has entirely too much influence.
 
Meet
@rashminhira, a doctoral student @UCalgary

Under Dr. Satish R. Raj's supervision. Rashmin is investigating Long-COVID and its connections to disorders of heart rate and blood pressure, and non-drug-related treatments to help patients with their condition.
 
Why hasn't Dr. Satish Raj investigated pwME/CFS as well? Are there not enough patients to do so?
 
3rd Canadian Symposium on Long Covid

October20-21, 2025
Long Covid Web and Memorial University of Newfoundland are pleased to announce the 2025 Canadian Symposium on Long COVID.

The symposium will bring together people with lived experience of Long COVID, clinicians, trainees, allied health, researchers and others to discuss the latest innovations and scientific developments in Long COVID.

Hosted by the Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Long COVID Web, this event will take place in-person in St. John’s and virtually on the Whova platform on October 20th-21st, 2025

The overall learning objectives of the 3rd Canadian Symposium on Long COVID are:

  1. Engage in sharing research, discussing challenges, and exploring solutions with clinicians, researchers, and persons with lived experience regarding Long COVID conditions.
  2. Evaluate recent advancements in basic science and clinical studies related to Long COVID, including epidemiology, pathophysiology, and potential therapeutic targets.
  3. Assess the significance of patient advocacy and partnership in driving impactful research and improved outcomes.
Masking for Attendees

In line with our commitment to the health and safety of all participants, we highly recommend that all attendees wear masks during the symposium. Masks will be provided at registration for those who need them. While masking is not currently mandated by provincial law for public events in Newfoundland & Labrador, this policy is part of our event safety measures. We also ask that anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or other respiratory illnesses consider staying home if they are unwell. Thank you for helping us maintain a safe environment for all.

Note on Community Materials:

We welcome Long COVID advocacy and support group resources at the Symposium. Since the event is accredited, all brochures, pamphlets, and other printed materials must be submitted in advance for review. Approved items will be placed on a designated table for attendees to browse.
 
Manitoba government employee sues province, Canada Life over denial of long-term disability
Plaintiff was diagnosed with long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome: lawsuit

It says Canada Life made the decision to deny her claim, but the Manitoba government could have overruled that decision and ought to have done so. The plaintiff was diagnosed with long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome, the lawsuit says, "which has wholly prevented her from performing her regular duties."​
​
In November 2024 she submitted a claim to Canada Life for long-term disability, stating that she has been unable to work.​
​
In an April 24 letter denying the claim, Canada Life said it had to assess whether her continuing medical symptoms are of a severity that would prevent her from performing her duties as a gift shop manager.​
​
It concluded that the medical information on file supports that the plaintiff "would be able to function within a sedentary level," and that she would not be prevented from performing her occupational duties.​
...​
The physiatrist referred to the plaintiff's symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog, saying, "the plaintiff has features in her presentation of post covid, post viral prolonged recovery of symptoms, at times this is called Long Covid."​
...​
The plaintiff alleges Canada Life and the Manitoba government "have arbitrarily and without justification denied her right to the payment of LTD benefits and have done so in a high handed, egregious and cavalier manner without any regard to their actions and knowing, but not caring, of the consequences of their actions."​

There will have to be so many lawsuits to clear out once we get out of the dog shed. So many basic things people were entitled by law and were denied based on lies and fraudulent claims. All of this is a choice. All this needless suffering made so much worse by the constant lying and corruption.
 
I was denied CPP disability the first time around claiming I was capable of gainful employment. The ME specialist told me that it's not unusual to be denied on the first application. The doctor has a time frame of appealing the decision. Second time was approved within 3 months.
 
Mij said:
3rd Canadian Symposium on Long Covid
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I found an announcement for this event on the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association website:
Long Covid Web and Memorial University of Newfoundland are pleased to announce the 2025 Canadian Symposium on Long COVID.

The symposium will bring together people with lived experience of Long COVID, clinicians, trainees, allied health, researchers and others to discuss the latest innovations and scientific developments in Long COVID.

Hosted by the Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Long COVID Web, this event will take place in-person in St. John’s and virtually on Whova platform on October 20-21, 2025.
Click to expand...

The Long Covid Web group also posted this preview video:



Reposting the whova registration link here:

https://whova.com/portal/registration/8kCciV-Br9sADUfuMq20/

EDIT: On some pages it shows a registration deadline of Oct. 3. But the registration page appears to be allowing new registrations. I did not actually register and pay but it allowed me to select the $5 option for "Virtual: People with Lived Experience" and go on to the next page.
 
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Wouldn't it be helpful if they also included pwME/CFS who have long lived experience with PEM for decades? Dr. Satish Raj has patients with ME/CFS and yet has never mentioned POTS in pwME. A bit odd imo.
 
www.thestar.com

Iris Gorfinkel: How politics, not science, is putting vulnerable patients and health care workers at risk

As a family doctor, I have seen first-hand the difference masking makes. Since my clinic adopted consistent masking, staff absences from colds, flus, and COVID‑19 have plummeted. Scaled across the
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com

Ai Summary:
The article argues that mask-wearing in health care settings is essential to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, especially for vulnerable patients. Despite clear scientific evidence supporting masks, many Canadian provinces have not reinstated mandates due to political resistance rather than public health reasoning. This puts high-risk groups — such as the elderly, immunocompromised, and cancer patients — at unnecessary risk in medical environments. Studies show universal masking significantly reduces infections, hospitalizations, and health care worker absences. The author stresses that health policies should prioritize prevention over reaction and urges both patients and staff to continue masking where mandates are lacking.
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