Brain Disease ‘Mystery’ Still Unsolved, Scientists Say

Jul 1, 2024

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“All I will say is that my scientific opinion is that there is something real going on in New Brunswick that absolutely cannot be explained by the bias or personal agenda of an individual neurologist.” Those are the words of Dr. Michael Coulthart, a microbiologist employed by our federal government, specifically by Public Health Canada. He’s talking about the mysterious neurological disease that is striking down people in New Brunswick. We were not supposed to read his words. They are from a leaked email obtained by Canadaland, first published by the newspaper The Guardian.

Then there was another leaked email. Doctor Samuel Weiss, a neuroscientist and the scientific director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. In his leaked email, he states, “I felt incredibly optimistic that an all out government effort to unravel the mystery was in the cards. However, in short order, the scientific effort was shut down at the request of the governments.”

It’s nine years since the first case was documented. The numbers, by some reports, have grown to over 300 suspected cases. And we still have no answers. Our reporters, Cherise Sucheran and Sarah Lawrynuik present the latest instalment in our ongoing investigation.

Host: Jesse Brown

Credits: Cherise Sucheran and Sarah Lawrynuik (Reporters)

Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor), Max Collins (Production Manager), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief)

Additional music by Audio Network