The transcript for this witness testimony is currently in production by our volunteers. It will be available soon here on this page and as a downloadable PDF.

Summary

McLeod presents a comprehensive analysis of how COVID-19 pandemic responses severely impacted cancer care and outcomes. She demonstrates through administrative and registry data that there was a significant drop in cancer screenings, diagnoses, and treatments during 2020 lockdowns, followed by concerning increases in cancer cases through 2021-2022. The data reveals that 6,362 fewer female cancer screenings occurred in 2020, with 5,894 fewer new cancer diagnoses and 8,000 fewer cancer surgeries. This suspension of care resulted in cancers progressing from early, treatable stages to advanced, often fatal stages. McLeod shows that excess mortality among cancer patients increased by 4.5% during lockdowns, precisely when care was suspended. She argues that public health officials violated principles of equitable care by prioritizing COVID-19 response over cancer treatment, despite cancer being six times more deadly than COVID-19. The testimony reveals that hospital surge capacity reserved for COVID patients went largely unused (less than 5% in wave one) while cancer patients were denied care. McLeod also discusses how lockdowns promoted unhealthy lifestyles that increase cancer risk, and presents emerging evidence suggesting mRNA vaccines may be associated with increased cancer risk. She advocates for returning to shared clinical decision-making rather than centralized public health directives, emphasizing that future pandemic responses must not compromise care for patients with more serious conditions.

Credentials

Deanna McLeod is a cancer research expert with a degree from McMaster University who founded an independent medical research firm in 2000. She has over 50 peer-reviewed publications and specializes in analyzing clinical data and cancer trends. In her testimony, McLeod presents compelling evidence showing how COVID-19 lockdowns and healthcare suspensions led to delayed cancer diagnoses, progression to later stages, and increased mortality among cancer patients. She reveals that cancer care was compromised for a virus six times less deadly than cancer itself, and discusses concerning rises in female cancers post-2020.\n\nWith nearly a decade of experience in cancer research within the pharmaceutical industry, McLeod recognized the tendency of pharmaceutical companies to skew data in favor of benefits while minimizing risks. This insight led her to establish her independent firm dedicated to helping Canadian medical oncologists prepare balanced clinical guidelines. Her expertise spans analyzing clinical data, identifying cancer trends, and ensuring that medical recommendations are based on comprehensive, unbiased evidence. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she expanded her research focus to examine the intersection of pandemic policies and cancer care outcomes, revealing troubling patterns of neglect and harm to cancer patients that resulted from prioritizing COVID-19 response measures over established cancer care protocols.