The Health Innovation Roundup, sponsored by Health Cities, is written and published weekly by Taproot Edmonton to bring you the latest news and events in research, technology, companies and people changing health for the better in Edmonton. Sign up to get the full edition delivered directly to your inbox. Use the code HEALTHCITY & you’ll get 10% off the first year. Here are some highlights from this week’s Health Innovation Roundup: Headlines Startup TNT is hosting an investment summit to raise over $1,000,000 for life sciences startups. Applications will close on Jan. 17, with the summit finale scheduled for March 17. Athabasca University and Ethically Aligned AI are launching a four-course program addressing the ethical development of AI systems. The PowerED program includes courses on AI ethics, data, machine learning models, and roboethics. Alberta has added Zolgensma to its rare diseases drug coverage program. The one-time gene therapy is used to treat spinal muscular atrophy. The treatment costs $2.91 million and must be administered when the patient is very young. The Alberta government announced it has funded over 8,000 addictions treatment spaces annually, double the original commitment made in 2019. The province also announced it will begin implementing the My Recovery Plan software in the new year, which will allow users to track their treatment and recovery outcomes. NDP critic Lori Sigurdson said more treatment is good, but the province should also be investing in harm reduction measures such as safe consumption sites. Alberta Health Services and the Greater Edmonton Health Advisory Council are inviting residents to join a virtual conversation about the opioid crisis. The session will include information and data about drug poisonings in the Edmonton zone, health promotion and prevention efforts, and available services and supports in the community. A study conducted by a University of Alberta team found no clear link between prescribed opioids for children and opioid use disorder later in life. Senior author Michele Dyson said that in some cases, opioids are part of the best treatment plan to manage a child’s pain if used as indicated. A U of A study led by professor William Gibson found that urinary incontinence could be a contributing factor in falls among older adults. Gibson hopes future research could look at treating overactive bladders to reduce fall risk. Events Dec. 8, 6pm: Join a conversation about the opioid crisis in Edmonton Dec. 9, 6pm: Preparing Your Kids For The Covid-19 Vaccine: What Parents Need To Know Dec. 9, 10am: Vaccine Confidence, Fear, and Misinformation in an Age of COVID Dec. 10, 8am: MGR – “Casting Light on a Mysterious Case of Renal Insufficiency” Dec. 10-11: Reimagining Public Spaces and Built Environments in the Post-pandemic World Jan. 19-21: Rural Surgical Skills Update Have a suggestion for a future edition? Send it to hello@taprootedmonton.ca for consideration. Become a “Roundup Cultivator” and sponsor Taproot Edmonton to help them chronicle health innovation in Edmonton. Learn more