Sandra Smiley (she/her)
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sandrasmiley.bsky.social
Sandra Smiley (she/her)
@sandrasmiley.bsky.social
110 followers 140 following 47 posts
Smiley by name, smiley by nature | Resident physician @ubcpublichealth.bsky.social | Board @msf.ca | Co-host/producer @justmedicinepod.bsky.social | Posts about public health & social medicine | Opinions mine
Posts Replies Media Videos
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
“The rich & powerful want us to believe there’s never enough to go around. This is a fallacy”

As a doctor, I know cutting health care for refugees hurts us all
via @yipengge.bsky.social #publichealth #healthequity
breachmedia.ca/as-a-doctor-...
As a doctor, I know cutting health care for refugees hurts us all ⋆ The Breach
Targeting the most vulnerable is a slippery slope toward weakening public health for all
breachmedia.ca
February 5, 2026 at 8:14 PM
Reposted by Sandra Smiley (she/her)
krutikakuppalli.bsky.social
#Measles in an ICE facility is a public health failure.

In my latest for @statnews.com, I argue this outbreak was avoidable and the result of policy choices that concentrate risk without basic prevention. V This is both a health and human rights failure.

www.statnews.com/2026/02/04/m...
Measles in an ICE facility is a public health failure
A marginalized population, a highly contagious disease, no systemic vaccination safeguards — no wonder there’s measles in an ICE detention facility.
www.statnews.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Reposted by Sandra Smiley (she/her)
markkersten.bsky.social
"Evidence regarding the massive scale of the crackdown is now trickling out and there must be no impunity for the extreme violence being inflicted upon protesters and the health care workers tending to them across the country.” - Physicians for Human Rights phr.org/news/physici... #Iran
Physicians for Human Rights Call for Protection of Health Care Workers in Iran  - PHR
The Islamic Republic of Iran must immediately stop the persecution, physical harm, and detention of all medical professionals who are reportedly being targeted for treating people injured during the r...
phr.org
January 30, 2026 at 6:45 PM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
‘Disturbing’ scenes, record overdoses, as powerful sedative hits B.C. drug supply

via Nono Shen @cdnpress.bsky.social #publichealth #healthequity #medetomidine #toxicdrugs #harmreduction
vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/01/29/b...
'Disturbing' scenes, record overdoses, as powerful sedative hits B.C. drug supply
Last weekend, frontline health workers in Trail, B.C., reported "disturbing" scenes to Dr. Karin Goodison, medical health officer with Interior Health.
vancouver.citynews.ca
January 30, 2026 at 4:48 AM
Reposted by Sandra Smiley (she/her)
akurjata.ca
Health officials are warning that drug poisonings are on the rise across B.C., with a new single-day record for most drug poisonings attended by paramedics being set last week.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
New single-day record for paramedic calls to drug poisonings in B.C., stats show | CBC News
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has issued a province-wide drug alert, noting new substances in the unregulated drug supply are putting people at risk province-wide.
www.cbc.ca
January 27, 2026 at 3:48 AM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
The deafening silence: A diaspora’s grief in the age of internet blackouts

via @healthydebate.bsky.social #Iran #SDoH #publichealth #mentalhealth
healthydebate.ca/2026/01/topi...
The deafening silence: A diaspora’s grief in the age of internet blackouts - Healthy Debate
For the Iranian diaspora, this is not a debate about policy reform; it's about survival. We need our governments and institutions to do more.
healthydebate.ca
January 27, 2026 at 2:51 AM
Reposted by Sandra Smiley (she/her)
andreawoo.bsky.social
The BC Centre for Disease Control is warning of an increase in drug poisonings across B.C. due to changes in drug supply.

My story from Dec on veterinary sedative medetomidine, detected in 38% opioid samples tested by BCCSU in Nov (gift link)
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/1ce6625...
BC warns of increase in drug poisonings, shifts in unregulated supply Vancouver - The BC Centre for Disease Control’s (BCCDC) Harm Reduction and Substance Use Services Team is warning the public of a recent increase in drug poisonings across BC. Novel substances in the unregulated drug supply are putting people who use substances at greater risk province-wide. Opioids like fentanyl are now often mixed with medetomidine, a potent sedative used primarily by veterinarians, that can cause low heart rate (bradycardia), changes to blood pressure and prolonged sedation. It can also potentially make people feel very sleepy or go unconscious, increasing the risk of drug poisoning. As a response, BCCDC has issued a province-wide drug alert BC has experienced high and increasing paramedic-attended overdoses in recent months. At the same time, detections of medetomidine have increased in drug checking samples and law enforcement seizures. Medetomidine was detected in 38 per cent of opioid samples tested by the BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) in November 2025. Non-fatal drug poisoning can cause brain injury from lack of oxygen and other harms. Even though the BC Coroners Service data shows that deaths are not increasing, the increase in non-fatal drug poisoning is a cause for serious concern. Responding to a drug poisoning If you are responding to a drug poisoning or overdose event: Call 9-1-1 A drug poisoning or overdose is a medical emergency. Stay with the person and follow instructions from the 9-1-1 call-taker. Follow the SAVE ME steps to respond to an opioid poisoning (overdose). Check for breathing and give breaths if the person is not breathing normally. Brain injury can happen within minutes without oxygen. Giving breaths provides oxygen until the person can breathe on their own. Use naloxone Naloxone only works on opioids but is safe to give even if the overdose is caused by other substances like medetomidine, which is a non-opioid depressant. Since medetomidine is usually found with opioids, giving naloxone can restore breathing and will not cause harm. If at any time there is no pulse, start CPR with rescue breathing and compressions. Use an automated external defibrillator (AED) if available. Safer substance use If you use substances, there are things you can do to be safer: The safest option is to avoid unregulated opioids, as they may contain medetomidine. Ask a health care provider about opioid agonist therapy (OAT) and use drug checking services. Don’t use alone. Visit an overdose prevention site or take turns with a buddy so there is someone who can respond in the event of an emergency. If you do use alone, consider using the Connect app by Lifeguard. It prompts you to turn off an alarm and sends a notification to BCEHS dispatch if you don’t. Carry naloxone and know how to use it. Sign up for drug alerts by texting the word JOIN to 253787 (ALERTS).
January 26, 2026 at 8:31 PM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
What is medetomidine and why is it showing up in B.C.'s unregulated drug supply?

via @tiffycrawford.bsky.social @vancouversun.bsky.social #publichealth #toxicdrugs #harmreduction #bcpoli
vancouversun.com/news/what-is...
What is medetomidine and why is it showing up in B.C.'s unregulated drug supply?
Health officials say there's been an increase in medetomidine — a powerful sedative used by veterinarians — showing up in unregulated drugs.
vancouversun.com
January 23, 2026 at 6:56 PM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
New @msf.ca report says that 81% of incidents of violence against health care in 2024 were attributed to states

#notatarget #humanitarian
www.doctorswithoutborders.ca/record-level...
States are failing to protect civilians and medical care during war | Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF ...
Attacks on medical care reached record levels have reached a record high, according to a new MSF report.
www.doctorswithoutborders.ca
January 23, 2026 at 4:57 AM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
Toronto hospital to double housing program that reduces ER visits

via Liam Casey @cdnpress.bsky.social #publichealth #healthequity #housing
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Toronto hospital to double housing program that reduces ER visits | CBC News
A Toronto hospital network will double its unique permanent housing program for homeless people who frequently visit emergency departments that has seen great success.
www.cbc.ca
January 22, 2026 at 8:54 PM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
"Support from international governments & agencies to the South Sudanese health system has dwindled in recent years. The international community must renew its commitment: donor fatigue cannot define 2026."

via @msf.ca #SouthSudan #cdnpoli
www.doctorswithoutborders.ca/the-dire-sit...
The dire situation of South Sudanese people and how urgent action is needed to prevent a crisis | Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF ...
South Sudan faces its worst crisis since 2018 as conflict, climate events and aid cuts collide. MSF warns urgent action is needed to prevent catastrophe.
www.doctorswithoutborders.ca
January 22, 2026 at 8:17 PM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
“Global health assistance should be guided by public health need — not political calculations, economic extraction, or ideological coercion”

How US policies are reshaping global health & #humanitarian aid, one year later
via @doctorswithoutborders.org
www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/how-u...
How US policies are reshaping global health and humanitarian aid, one year later
We are witnessing the human costs of actions upending aid programs around the world
www.doctorswithoutborders.org
January 21, 2026 at 4:44 AM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
B.C. health authorities tried to allow purchase of regulated heroin without prescriptions, court hears

via @andreawoo.bsky.social @theglobeandmail.com #publichealth #healthequity #harmreduction #bcpoli #cdnpoli
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
B.C. health authorities tried to allow purchase of regulated heroin without prescriptions, court hears
Effort to reduce toxic-drug deaths was ultimately derailed by political blowback
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 20, 2026 at 5:38 AM
Reposted by Sandra Smiley (she/her)
kristinsnoddon.bsky.social
What my sister Ellen taught me about dignity and the importance of being seen
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Opinion: What my sister Ellen taught me about dignity and the importance of being seen
As a physician and professor specializing in end-of-life care, I teach the Platinum Rule: Do unto others as they would want done unto themselves
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 18, 2026 at 8:10 PM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
B.C. First Nations groups say they were shut out of decision to end drug #decriminalization pilot

via @andreawoo.bsky.social @theglobeandmail.com #publichealth #healthequity #harmreduction
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
B.C. First Nations groups say they were shut out of decision to end drug decriminalization pilot
Health Minister announced Wednesday that the province is ending its three-year, first-in-Canada pilot program
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 18, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Reposted by Sandra Smiley (she/her)
joelleabirached.bsky.social
If not now, when? (Hillel the Elder) or when does health and human rights as a field become politically inconvenient?

My latest with @eric-reinhart.com on institutional and moral integrity as well as the future of global health.

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Health, human rights, and the Palestine exception
In December, 2025, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health announced that Mary T Bassett would be stepping down as Director of the François-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Center for Health and Human Rights. Fr...
www.thelancet.com
January 17, 2026 at 12:26 PM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
'Superagers' reveal how to stay sharp as you get older

#publichealth #brainhealth
www.cbc.ca/news/health/...
A young brain at 101? Scientists track 'superagers' to find out how | CBC News
People over 80 with memory of those in their 50s show less brain shrinkage and other differences. For a Canadian centenarian, the secret might lie in his passion for sharing a vocation turned hobby.
www.cbc.ca
January 18, 2026 at 7:27 PM
Reposted by Sandra Smiley (she/her)
healthlawadamh.bsky.social
"The sudden rise of #scabies: ‘I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy’ - These microscopic mites, which burrow under your skin and cause ferocious itching, are incredibly hard to get rid of – and cases in the UK have soared. What is causing the outbreak, and is there anything we can do about it?"
The sudden rise of scabies: ‘I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy’
These microscopic mites, which burrow under your skin and cause ferocious itching, are incredibly hard to get rid of – and cases in the UK have soared. What is causing the outbreak, and is there anyth...
www.theguardian.com
January 18, 2026 at 6:53 PM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
Alberta to change the way it screens for cervical cancer

#publichealth #HPV #cervicalcancer
www.cbc.ca/lite/story/9...
Alberta to change the way it screens for cervical cancer
www.cbc.ca
January 17, 2026 at 5:34 PM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
Many Indigenous mothers must travel hundreds of kilometres to give birth. Meet the midwives changing that

via @michellecyca.com @thewalrus.ca #publichealth #healthequity #longreads #cdnpoli
thewalrus.ca/indigenous-m...
Many Indigenous Mothers Must Travel Hundreds of Kilometres to Give Birth. Meet the Midwives Changing That | The Walrus
A resurgence of traditional midwifery is bringing deliveries back home
thewalrus.ca
January 17, 2026 at 1:42 AM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
Life expectancy in #Canada nearly back to pre-pandemic levels: StatCan

via @udayrana.bsky.social @globalnews.ca
#publichealth #COVID #influenza
globalnews.ca/news/1161131...
Life expectancy in Canada nearly back to pre-pandemic levels: StatCan - National | Globalnews.ca
Life expectancy at birth in Canada increased for the second consecutive year in 2024, with women living longer on average than men, Statistics Canada said.
globalnews.ca
January 15, 2026 at 12:40 AM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
What has three years of #decriminalization of drug possession yielded in B.C.?

via @picardonhealth.bsky.social @theglobeandmail.com
#publichealth #healthequity #harmreduction #bcpoli
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
January 15, 2026 at 12:28 AM
Reposted by Sandra Smiley (she/her)
canadahealthwatch.ca
Study of 25,000 teens says social media time does not increase teenagers' mental health problems https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jan/14/social-media-time-does-not-increase-teenagers-mental-health-problems-study

News and analysis ⇢ canadahealthwatch.ca/featured
University of Manchester researchers tracked 25,000 teenagers over three school years.
January 14, 2026 at 8:36 PM
Reposted by Sandra Smiley (she/her)
picardonhealth.bsky.social
Drôle à mourir: Le gaz hilarant, perçu comme inoffensif, peut devenir nocif et même mortel. Cette drogue devient à la mode chez les jeunes consommateurs, par Mayssa Ferah www.lapresse.ca/actualites/g... via @lapresse.ca
Dossier | Gaz hilarant | Drôle à mourir (3 articles)
Le gaz hilarant, perçu comme inoffensif, peut devenir nocif et même mortel. Au moment où cette drogue devient à la mode chez les jeunes consommateurs, les gangs de rue se sont emparés de ce marché cla...
www.lapresse.ca
January 14, 2026 at 5:45 PM
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
B.C. won't extend its drug #decriminalization project, health minister announces

#publichealth #healthequity #substanceuse #harmreduction #bcpoli
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
B.C. won't extend its drug decriminalization project, health minister announces | CBC News
The three-year pilot project, which allowed people to be in possession of small amounts of illicit drugs, began on Jan. 31, 2023, and will expire at the end of this month.
www.cbc.ca
January 14, 2026 at 10:29 PM