Our Commitment: Science First. Always.
At Durand Health, we believe your health decisions should be guided by evidence, not marketing.
The health and wellness industry is experiencing a surge of premium screening products marketed directly to consumers and employers. From multi-cancer blood tests costing thousands of dollars to full-body MRI scans and direct-to-consumer longevity blood panels, the promise is compelling: detect disease before it starts.
We understand the appeal. Early detection saves lives. We have built our entire practice around prevention and early intervention.
But there is a critical difference between proven science and premature commercialization. And we believe Canadians deserve to know the difference.
Durand Health does not offer, promote, or recommend health screening products or tests that have not been validated by rigorous, peer-reviewed clinical evidence and endorsed by recognized professional medical societies.
THE GALLERI MULTI-CANCER BLOOD TEST
GRAIL’s Galleri test claims to detect 50+ cancer types from a single blood draw. It costs over $2,000 in Canada (more than double the US list price of $949) and is available through a single provider that holds exclusive national distribution rights.
The test is not approved by Health Canada.
The test is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
The test has not been endorsed by any professional medical society.
On February 19, 2026, the largest randomized controlled trial ever conducted on multi-cancer early detection testing reported its results. The NHS-Galleri trial studied 142,000 people across England over three years. The primary endpoint was not met. The test did not produce a statistically significant reduction in late-stage cancer diagnoses.
The New York Times reported this story on the front page of its print edition:
“Grail’s Cancer Detection Test Fails in Major Study”
By Rebecca Robbins and Gina Kolata
The New York Times, Section A, Page 1, February 21, 2026
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/health/grail-cancer-test-galleri-results.html (subscription may be required to access the full article) (PDF Version)
GRAIL’s stock dropped approximately 50% following the announcement.
Dr. Eric Topol, Director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, one of the most cited scientists in the world with over 1,200 peer-reviewed publications and a TIME 100 honoree, stated: “The trial is negative. End. Stop. Period.” (GenomeWeb, February 20, 2026)
Dr. Adewole Adamson, a cancer researcher at the University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School, told the New York Times: the study failed. “End of story.” (The New York Times, February 20, 2026)
Dr. Richard Houlston, who studies cancer genetics at the Institute of Cancer Research in Britain, told the New York Times: the Galleri test is “not a very good test” and the results do not support rollout within the American health care system. (The New York Times, February 20, 2026)
Dr. Eleftherios Diamandis, a professor at the University of Toronto’s laboratory medicine department and medical biochemist at Mount Sinai Hospital and University Health Network, has published critical analyses of the Galleri test for seven years, including a paper titled “Implosion of Grail’s Galleri Cancer Screening Test?” (PubMed Central, 2025)
Our team at Durand reviewed the damning research published in the Lancet in December 2024 and concluded the science was not ready. Others in the market raced to secure exclusive deals and build insurer partnerships around this technology, perhaps for business reasons. We chose a different path. We chose science.
FULL-BODY MRI SCREENING
Full-body MRI scans are being marketed to healthy Canadians at prices ranging from $2,500 to $5,000+, promoted by celebrity endorsements and social media influencers as a way to “find cancer before it finds you.”
No professional medical society recommends full-body MRI screening for healthy, asymptomatic patients without risk factors.
The American College of Radiology stated: “At this time, the ACR does not believe there is sufficient evidence to justify recommending total body screening for patients with no clinical symptoms, risk factors or a family history suggesting underlying disease or serious injury. To date, there is no documented evidence that total body screening is cost-efficient or effective in prolonging life.” (ACR Statement, 2023)
The American Academy of Family Physicians stated: “There are no data suggesting that these imaging studies will improve survival or improve the likelihood of finding a tumor (estimated tumor detection is less than 2% in asymptomatic patients screened).” (AAFP / Choosing Wisely)
Dr. Matthew Davenport, a radiologist at the University of Michigan, stated: “There is a reason that there is no cancer society, radiology society, or credited medical society that recommends whole-body MRI screening in asymptomatic healthy patients without risk factors. It is not a safe and effective way to detect potential ailments early in the average healthy person.” (Michigan Medicine, 2025)
Research shows that 15% to 30% of all diagnostic imaging in adult patients contains at least one incidental finding. These are abnormalities that are doing no harm and would never have been found without the scan. These findings trigger unnecessary biopsies, specialist referrals, cascading medical costs, and significant patient anxiety, often without improving outcomes.
DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER “LONGEVITY” BLOOD PANELS
A growing number of telehealth platforms are now selling “longevity” blood panels directly to Canadian consumers, testing 30-40 biomarkers and providing a “biological age” score, often without the context of a comprehensive physician-led health assessment, without integration into an ongoing care relationship, and without the clinical judgment needed to interpret results within a patient’s full health picture.
A blood test without context is just a number. At Durand, we believe testing must be part of a longitudinal health relationship, not a one-time transaction marketed as “empowerment.”
We do not oppose blood biomarker testing. We include advanced biomarker panels in our own health assessments. The difference is that our testing is physician-led, clinically integrated, and interpreted within the full context of your health history, genetics, lifestyle, and goals, by a team that knows you and follows you year after year.
Durand Health provides evidence-based, physician-led health intelligence for executives and all levels of staff.
Our approach: Comprehensive Health Assessments: Leveraging proven, continuously evolving testing protocols, from advanced cardiovascular imaging and resting metabolic analysis to pharmacogenomics and metabolic health panels. Every test we include has a clinical reason for being there. We do not pad our assessments with unproven premium add-ons.
The Durand-McMaster Institute: Launched March 2026, our research partnership with McMaster University, one of the birthplaces of evidence-based medicine, anchors our scientific work in peer-reviewed research and clinical rigor. Our scientific relationships include Dr. Sonia Anand (Associate Vice President, Global Health, McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences) and Dr. Guillaume Pare, whose epigenetic and proteomic research represents the next generation of biological intelligence.
Year-Round Circle of Care: Your Durand health team, including physicians, nurse practitioners, naturopaths, chiropractors, health navigators, and mental health professionals, works with you throughout the year. We track progress, adjust interventions, and keep you accountable. Health is not a single-day event. It is a lifelong journey.
Testing That Is Integrated, Not Isolated: Every result is interpreted within your full clinical picture: your genetics, your lifestyle, your family history, your goals. That is how you turn data into outcomes. That is what separates health intelligence from health marketing.
We believe in governing your health over time, not gambling on a single test.
Durand Health is not a startup riding the wellness wave. We are a multi-disciplinary clinical practice with a 10,000-square-foot treatment centre in Hamilton, Ontario, approximately 4,000 patients, and a team of 30+ health professionals.
Our founder, Paven Bratch, comes from a three-generation global public health family. His late uncle, Dr. Satnam Singh, was a World Health Organization physician. Paven holds a B.Comm from McMaster University and grew up in Ancaster alongside the children of David Sackett and Gordon Guyatt, the founders of evidence-based medicine.
The principle we were raised on is simple: if the science is not there, you say so. Even when it costs you business. Especially when it costs you business.
If you are an employer, insurer, or benefits broker looking for a health partner that puts science before sales, we welcome the conversation.
We offer customizable Executive and Staff Health Assessments, ongoing Circle of Care memberships, and integration with your existing benefits plan. We can work with your team to design a program that meets your organization’s needs without relying on unproven premium screening products to inflate the price.
Your employees deserve health partners who follow the evidence. So do you.
Durand®. With You for Life®.
Evidence-based. Physician-led. Continuously evolving. For executives and all levels of staff.
Book a complimentary consultation to learn how Durand Health can serve your organization.
durandhealth.com | durand.life | 905-527-1342 | contact@durandhealth.com
