NNOUVELLESOUVELLES

New blood donor restrictions on visitors to France Queen’s oncologist Quebecers’ love for travel to France has forced the province to alter its blood-collec- tion rules. After 3 cases of variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease surfaced in France re- gives $3.8 million cently, the province’s blood agency, Héma-Québec, started excluding as donors those to alma mater who have spent a cumulative total of 6 months or more in France between 1980 and 1996. Canadian Blood Services (CBS) instituted a similar restriction for residents of A cancer researcher at Queen’s Univer- other provinces. already had a similar ban in place for residents who had spent sity has given the school a huge boost. a total of 1 month in the United Kingdom since 1980, while CBS set this limit at 6 Dr. Elizabeth Eisenhauer, director of months in the rest of (see Germain M, Décary F, Chiavetta J, Goldman M. the Investigational New Drug Program Variant Creutzfeldt–disease and the Quebec blood supply. CMAJ 2000;163[4]:412-3). at the Queen’s-based National Cancer The latest move has resulted in a 1% decrease in the number of donors in Que- Institute of Canada (NCIC) Clinical bec, but Héma-Québec spokesperson Jean-François Lamarche says no blood short- Trials Group, is donating $2.5 million ages have resulted. — Susan Pinker, Montreal for a new research chair and a further $1.3 million toward a new Cancer Re- search Institute on the Queen’s campus. The Edith Eisenhauer Chair in Will Bush’s America draw doctors south? Clinical Cancer Research is named af- ter Eisenhauer’s mother, who died of President George Bush wants Congress vider between the 2 nations is the way breast cancer in 1970. “My mother to approve tax cuts worth $1.6 trillion their citizens regard their health care showed me the importance of con- over 10 years, and he wants income tax services: in Canada they are a right, in tributing and making a difference,” rates slashed. Will this persuade yet more the US they are a privilege. says her daughter. Canadian physicians to move south? In his book, which took 2 years to re- The holder of the new chair will Not likely, says Jeffrey Simpson, au- search and involved mostly face-to-face also serve as director of the NCIC thor of Star-Spangled : Canadi- interviews with 250 Canadians in 13 Clinical Trials Group, while the new ans Living the American Dream states, Simpson carefully explores the institute will house under one roof the (Harper–Collins, 2000). “Bush’s tax cut reasons for physician emigration in the 3 NCIC units: the Clinical Trials may make a marginal difference,” says 1990s. He looks at both “push factors” Group, the Queen’s Cancer Research the Globe and Mail columnist, “but it — capped incomes, excessive workloads Laboratories and the Radiation On- won’t drive people’s behaviour. The — and the “pull factors,” such as the cology Research Unit. Together, brain drain to the US is triggered by a growing US need for family doctors. these 3 groups receive more than $15 variety of more complex pressures.” His analysis will not surprise anybody million a year in research funding. Simpson’s book offers an interesting who follows physician work patterns, but “We’d been talking for some time look into the history and consequences he was surprised by a recent report from about coming together,” says Eisen- of Canadian emigration to the US, the Tommy Douglas Research Institute hauer. “This will give us some desper- where about 660 000 Canadians cur- that contested evidence of a physician ately needed new space. My donation rently live. Moreover, he argues that shortage (see CMAJ 2001;164[6]:857). is an opportunity to increase the scope Canadians are becoming more and more “It’s out of line with every other study of cancer research and recognize the American in their cultural preferences I’ve seen,” he says. “I wonder whether unique mix of expertise that we have at and political and economic choices. their analysis isn’t wishful thinking, re- Queen’s.” Increasingly, the most important di- flecting a planner’s conceit that [plan- Queen’s does not discuss the ners] can always anticipate pressures and source of gifts beyond identifying the allocate resources sensibly.” donor, but Eisenhauer’s donation is The kaleidoscope of attitudes among widely acknowledged to be a dividend doctors who have moved south surprised from the university’s protection of the Simpson. “I anticipated ardent devotees, intellectual property rights of its re- but I found plenty of misgivings about searchers. — Charlotte Gray, the system and a real dislike of HMOs. Many of the doctors I talked to went south to join a free-market system, and system, but we are also open to some pri- now they find the regulation and paper- vate service delivery if the integrity of the work just as bad there.” system can be maintained.” Simpson has now turned his attention Simpson says some public discussion to the future of the Canadian system. on the issue is beginning, but serious de-

Canapress “I’m struggling with attitudes within bate won’t start until Canadians realize George Bush and Jean Chrétien: health Canada about medicare. The polls say that change is essential “if we want to care the main distinguishing mark be- we are still wedded to universality and keep what we’ve got.” — Charlotte Gray, tween 2 nations? hostile to the idea of a parallel private Ottawa

1482 JAMC • 15 MAI 2001; 164 (10)