Amid Rising Measles Cases, Alberta Medical Association Urges Stronger Public Health Response

Alberta’s top doctor calls for clarity amid healthcare challenges and misinformation

The president of the Alberta Medical Association is urging greater communication between healthcare providers, patients, and government officials as the province grapples with vaccine hesitancy, a measles outbreak, and the privatization of certain medical services.

Dr. Brian Wirzba emphasized that patient autonomy remains paramount, but decisions must be based on accurate information. “We feel very strongly that patient autonomy is important and that patients should be able to make decisions, but we want those decisions to be informed,” said Wirzba.

The physician acknowledged growing public skepticism toward healthcare and scientific institutions, particularly regarding COVID-19 vaccinations and the current measles outbreak. He stressed the need for a coordinated approach between the government and medical organizations to combat misinformation.

“It is the time of year where respiratory cases spike and systems should be in place to deal with that,” Wirzba noted. The AMA has raised concerns with provincial officials about immunization program implementation for the coming season.

Alberta is currently experiencing a measles resurgence that experts attribute to declining vaccination rates. “The point of a public health immunization program really is to prevent disease,” Wirzba explained. “Lots of people, myself included, had measles with no major complications, but we have otherwise healthy children who can get measles and then have hospitalizations for pneumonia, or end up having neurologic conditions later, or even death.”

Canada risks losing its measles elimination status, which requires a full year without domestic transmission. “We are still seeing spread even this week,” Wirzba said. “We’re going to be losing that status, and that relates to our overall vaccination rates.” He noted that measles elimination requires a 95 percent vaccination rate, a threshold Alberta currently fails to meet.

Wirzba also expressed concern about the provincial government’s plan to allow private payment for certain diagnostic services. His primary worry centers on how patients will interpret test results without professional guidance.

He specifically highlighted the problem of “incidentalomas” – unexpected findings unrelated to the original reason for a medical scan. These can appear in 20 to 80 percent of scans, depending on the patient population.

“What we’re worried about is with direct access and the way it was described in the video, is that patients would be able to have access to almost any kind of tests,” Wirzba explained.

While most incidental findings are benign, they can cause significant patient anxiety and lead to unnecessary additional testing. “If you’ve paid $1,000 to have that scan and you don’t talk to your doctor about it and you get this result, someone might think the worst,” he said. “That is why it is important not to over-test, because we know that the outcomes aren’t better, so patients don’t benefit.”

Without proper medical guidance, patients may spend money unnecessarily on follow-up tests, creating additional costs and delays within the healthcare system. Wirzba advocates for “appropriate guardrails” to prevent these issues.

The AMA president raised additional questions about how patients might transition between private and public healthcare systems and whether privatization could increase overall healthcare costs. He stressed the need for ongoing dialogue with government officials to address these concerns.

“What we’re trying to do is just open the opportunity for conversation,” Wirzba said. “We’re not trying to be antagonistic in any shape or form. We need appropriate screening tests and screening tests that follow evidence-based guidelines. These are recommended. These reduce the likelihood of bad outcomes.”

Throughout his comments, Wirzba consistently emphasized the vital importance of clear communication at all levels – between patients and families, patients and doctors, and between the medical association and government officials.