MUHC in the Media - April 27, 2026

In an article in the Journal de Montréal, Dr. Marc Rodger, head of the Department of Medicine at the MUHC, shares his perspective on the use of the Épic system as part of the rollout of the Digital Health Record (DHR).

He describes the tangible benefits of this digital transformation, both for clinical teams and for patient safety, following a necessary adjustment period.

Hospitalizations of children due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) more than doubled in 2022–2023 in Canada compared to those observed during three pre-pandemic seasons, from 2017 to 2019, according to a new study published today in CMAJ and co-led by Dr. Jesse Papenburg, an infectious disease specialist at the MCH and a scientist at the Institute, and researchers from the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. This increase, attributed to the lifting of public health measures following the pandemic, exceeded 5,000 hospitalizations, with the majority involving infants under six months of age. This led to the saturation of capacity at Canadian pediatric hospitals during this period. Dr. Papenburg explains how these data can help prevent RSV infections during the upcoming respiratory virus season. La Presse, CityNews, Global News, University of Minnesota CIDRAP

The Child Life Department at the Montreal Children’s Hospital (MCH) is celebrating its 90^th anniversary this year! Founded in 1936 at the MCH, it was the first department of its kind in North America. Erica Crimi, Child Life Specialist, reflects on this important milestone. CityNews

Luisia Miniaci and Jonathan Vanderzon are in the process of joining the brand-new Kidney Transplant Ambassador Program at the Montreal General Hospital. Launched this past March for the first time in Quebec, the program connects MUHC patients with kidney failure to individuals who have undergone a transplant, to provide information, demystify transplantation and offer support to those considering this option. Dr. Ahsan Alam, a nephrologist at the MUHC, as well as Serge Pisapia, the program’s first ambassador in Quebec, also took part in the report broadcast last Friday on CityNews and OmniNews during National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week.

The massive investment in research spurred by the pandemic enabled the rapid development of the first messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. This revolutionary technology teaches cells to produce a protein that triggers a targeted immune response, and it is now showing promise in cancer treatment. Dr. Ramy Saleh, Medical Director, Oncology Clinical Trials at The Institute’s Centre for Innovative Medicine, appeared on CBC's radio show The Current to discuss the clinical use of personalized mRNA treatments for cancer. He emphasized the great potential of this technology and how the MUHC is at the forefront of mRNA treatment trials for cancer. In 2024, MUHC patients were the first in Canada and among the first in the world to enroll in individualized mRNA treatment trials for lung cancer. The same feat was repeated in 2025 as part of a clinical trial for bladder cancer.  CBC (starts at 22:00)

Dr. Kaberi Dasgupta, a physician at the MUHC and a researcher at The Institute, was a guest on Benoit Dutrizac’s show on QUB Radio. She discussed the side effects of GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, which are not yet fully understood and vary from person to person. She emphasized the importance of promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits for weight loss. QUB radio

With the return of spring comes the return of pollen allergies. Dr. Moshe Ben-Shoshan, an allergy and immunology specialist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, discusses the links between climate and seasonal allergies. Radio-Canada, CBC

As part of National Organ and Tissue Donation Week 2026, Dr. Samara Zavalkoff, Director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Montreal Children’s Hospital (MCH), participated in a powerful conference on pediatric organ donation. A touching video telling the story of Léo, a MCH patient whose parents donated his heart after his death, was also shown, featuring Dr. Patricia Fontela, an intensive care physician at the MCH.

The terrorist group 764 targets children and teenagers on online platforms such as Telegram, Discord, Roblox, Minecraft and Twitch to encourage them to commit acts of violence or sexual nature. Young people are not safe online, and it’s important to take an interest in what they’re viewing — without being controlling — says Dr. Cécile Rousseau, a psychiatrist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Montreal Gazette, Global News

A study conducted by Robert Zatorre at The Neuro measured the brain activity of blind people as they attempted to locate sounds. Surprisingly, they found that the study participants were using a region of the brain typically involved in processing visual information. Radio-Canada

Two leading figures at The Neuro, Dr. Guy Rouleau and Brenda Milner, are among the 41 top Montrealers making a difference, according to Tourism Montreal.

Dr. Simon Ducharme, a neuropsychiatrist at The Neuro, talks to us about Leqembi, a drug for Alzheimer's disease that offers new hope to patients. Radio-Canada

In this episode of Découverte, we join neurosurgeon Dr. Kevin Petrecca for a demonstration of his new AI-powered surgical tool, that detects cancer cells with extreme precision. Radio-Canada