Regulatory Fundamentalism: An overly strict application of the rules governing the conduct of clinical trials that increases research costs and slows the speed of RCTs without improving safety. Let’s say you are diagnosed to have a life-threatening cancer that is not curable with approved therapies. You might assume (hope) that you would have access to the very latest in experimental therapies, including those under study in randomized clinical trials (RCTs).

What is a dangerous idea? It’s a concept or worldview that moves us from the way we traditionally do things to a new paradigm. Dangerous ideas usually are inspired by unstable environments and/or recognition that following tradition beliefs and/or practices is untenable. As discussed by John Brockman, in his book, “What’s Your Dangerous Idea?” these ideas force us out of our comfort zone.

Autopsy: a postmortem examination. From Greek, autoptēs 'eyewitness' (autos 'self' + optos 'seen'). Medicine has a longstanding practice of conducting Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) rounds. These rounds serve to improve quality of care and reflect a recognition of our professional fallibility and of the need to constantly monitor and improve Medical practice. M&Ms are a weekly rounds, open to the institutions’ health care professionals, in which cases are presented.

Medical research involving human subjects must conform to generally accepted scientific principles, be based on a thorough knowledge of the scientific literature, other relevant sources of information, and adequate laboratory and, as appropriate, animal experimentation. The welfare of animals used for research must be respected. - Helsinki Declaration, 1964

The South East Local Health Integrated Network and SECHEF (the South East Community Care Access Centre and Hospitals Executive Forum) have launched an initiative called Health Care Tomorrow, which invites comments from the public and professionals to “inform their strategic goals and initiatives (http://healthcaretomorrow.ca/).

When it comes to parasitic infestations, geography (or at least country of origin) is destiny. Billions of people have parasitic infections. They largely relate to social conditions and parasitic diseases will be eradicated when/if countries provide clean water, prevent public defecation and ensure people have shoes and are properly fed.