The CBC coverage
A review of twelve articles published between June 2025 and April 2026.
Since June 2025, CBC Saskatchewan has published twelve articles about Dr. Dayan Goodenowe and the Dr. Goodenowe Restorative Health Center (Lakeview Wellness Centre) in Moose Jaw, ten of them by senior investigative reporter Geoff Leo. The coverage has been extensive, generating political action, regulatory referrals, and a police investigation.
What follows is not a claim that the articles are entirely inaccurate. It is an accounting of what the coverage reports, what verified information is absent, and how the coverage compares to the reporter's own established standards in previous investigations.
Every observation on this page can be verified by reading the original CBC articles, which are freely available at cbc.ca. We encourage readers to do so.
The articles
Twelve articles in eleven months
Listed in chronological order.
What the coverage does not mention
Context absent from the reporting
Across twelve articles, the following verified facts about Dr. Goodenowe have not appeared. Each fact is independently verifiable via the source cited.
More than 90 published research papers, 35 of which are indexed on PubMed
Dr. Goodenowe has authored more than 90 peer-reviewed research papers across plasmalogen biochemistry, metabolomics, colon cancer screening, and neurodegeneration. Thirty-five of these are indexed on the U.S. National Library of Medicine's PubMed database. His published work has been cited more than 5,700 times by other scientists.
The 5,000-patient colon cancer screening trial (2008–2010)
Dr. Goodenowe led what was at the time the largest colon cancer screening trial in Saskatchewan history, a study of nearly 6,000 participants conducted in partnership with the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region.
Compounds he co-invented are now in Health Canada-approved trials
Plasmalogen precursor compounds originally designed by Dr. Goodenowe at Phenomenome Discoveries are now the subject of trials approved by Health Canada and registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. Phase 1 results were published in 2025.
Saskatchewan Medical Laboratory License
Dr. Goodenowe held a Saskatchewan Medical Laboratory License and a Qualified Professional designation under the Saskatchewan Medical Laboratory Licensing Act.
Source: Saskatchewan regulatory records
Family roots in Saskatchewan since 1909
Dr. Goodenowe's family has been in Saskatchewan since 1909. He grew up in Moose Jaw. The choice to build his facilities there was personal, not arbitrary.
Source: Family records; local history
CBC's own 2008 positive coverage
On June 12, 2008, CBC News published a positive report on the approval of Dr. Goodenowe's colon cancer screening trial. Dr. James McHattie, head of gastroenterology at the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, was quoted endorsing the research. This article has not been referenced in any subsequent CBC coverage.
3,000+ health professionals use his blood assessment platform
More than 3,000 health professionals worldwide use Dr. Goodenowe's blood assessment platform through Prodrome Sciences.
50+ employees in Moose Jaw; free community programs
The Dr. Goodenowe enterprise employs more than 50 people in Moose Jaw and provides free community health programs for residents including seniors, autism support, and ALS wellness.
The primary witness in Article 10 had an undisclosed financial interest
Peter Blaney, featured as the primary investor witness in Article 10, co-founded GraySpace Therapeutics following the receivership of Phenomenome Discoveries Inc. (PDI), the Saskatoon-based metabolomics company Dr. Goodenowe co-founded and led until 2016. GraySpace was formed to commercialize PPI-1011, a compound co-invented by Dr. Goodenowe at PDI. According to Dr. Goodenowe's October 2016 written account, Blaney voted in favour of the PDI receivership on February 19, 2016. These relationships were not disclosed in the article.
Expert sourcing
Who was consulted, and who was not
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices state that coverage should "reflect equitably the relevant facts and significant points of view" and express "the widest possible range of views."
Across twelve articles, the following experts and sources were consulted:
| Source | Role | Orientation |
|---|---|---|
| Timothy Caulfield | University of Alberta law professor; health-claims critic | Skeptical of unproven health claims |
| Dan Florizone | Former Saskatchewan Deputy Minister of Health | Regulatory gap framing |
| Janice Parente | Author, Ethics on Trial (research ethics) | Regulatory compliance critique |
| Martin Letendre | Quebec lawyer; medical ethics advocate | Accreditation advocacy |
| David Taylor | Chief Scientific Officer, ALS Society of Canada | ALS disease context |
| Denis Simard | Executive Director, ALS Society of Saskatchewan | Warned patients against Goodenowe |
| Bryan Salte | Registrar, College of Physicians and Surgeons of SK | Jurisdictional/regulatory |
| Jared Clarke | NDP MLA, rural/remote health critic | Called for investigations |
| Jeremy Cockrill | Saskatchewan Health Minister | Called for regulatory review |
| Teresa Sando | Former client | Negative experience testimony |
| Peter Blaney | Former investor; Article 10 primary witness | Characterized Goodenowe's announcements as "new lies and new promises" |
| Anonymous former employees | Former Goodenowe centre staff | Negative experience testimony |
The gap
Across twelve articles over eleven months, no expert with published credentials in plasmalogen science, lipid biochemistry, metabolomics, or the specific area of neuroscience relevant to Dr. Goodenowe's research was consulted.
The published peer-reviewed evidence base, more than 90 published research papers cited more than 5,700 times, was not independently evaluated by a qualified scientist in any article.
Readers can verify this observation by reviewing the sourcing of each article listed above.
An undisclosed source conflict
Article 10 and Peter Blaney
Article 10, published March 30, 2026, features Peter Blaney as its primary witness. Blaney is described as a former investor who says Dr. Goodenowe has a history of making unproven promises. The article does not disclose the following documented facts about Blaney's relationship to the subject matter of this reporting series.
PDI was placed in court-ordered receivership in February 2016. Its assets were valued at $133,514,150 in Golden Opportunities Fund's own audited annual report just months earlier, and were ultimately acquired through that receivership by Med-Life Discoveries (MLD).
In July 2020, MLD published an announcement on its own website stating that it had partnered with Blaney's firm, Induran Ventures, to create GraySpace Therapeutics Inc. According to that announcement, GraySpace received exclusive worldwide rights to PPI-1011 for the treatment of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, along with all know-how relating to plasmalogen drug synthesis and formulation developed at MLD. The announcement states that Blaney "assembled the team and is overseeing investment strategy."
PPI-1011 is the plasmalogen precursor compound co-invented by Dr. Goodenowe at PDI. It is the same compound now at the center of the world's only clinical trial for Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata (RCDP), a rare and fatal pediatric disease.
GraySpace Therapeutics has been dormant since late 2021. PPI-1011 has since been fully reconsolidated under Med-Life Discoveries LP. No current financial link between Blaney and MLD or PPI-1011 has been confirmed.
According to Dr. Goodenowe's October 2016 written account, Blaney voted in favour of the PDI receivership on February 19, 2016. Blaney is identified in the account as the authorized representative of Dynex Capital Limited Partnership, Tancho Capital 1 Limited Partnership, Tancho Capital 3 Limited Partnership, and Induran Ventures 1 Limited Partnership, a group of PDI shareholders with the combined power to veto finance-related PDI board resolutions.
None of these relationships were disclosed in Article 10. Readers can review the publicly available receivership record and form their own assessment of the completeness of the disclosure.
Recurring language
Patterns in how information is presented
Four phrases appear across the majority of the twelve articles, regardless of the specific topic being covered:
"100 per cent success rate"
This phrase, drawn from a sales call recording, appears in Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12. It is repeated even in articles about the FDA, police complaints, or regulatory jurisdiction, topics unrelated to the original sales call context.
"Private, unregulated facility"
This description appears in Articles 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, and 12. Every wellness centre, naturopathic clinic, and supplement company in Canada operates as a private facility outside the publicly funded healthcare system. The description is accurate but is applied selectively to this facility.
"Not a medical doctor"
This appears in Articles 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, and 12. Dr. Goodenowe holds a PhD in Medicine (Psychiatry) from the University of Alberta. He uses "Dr." per standard academic convention, as do tens of thousands of PhD holders across Canada. His actual academic credentials and peer-reviewed publications are not described in any article.
Cost figures ($75,000–$84,000 US)
These appear in Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The figures are presented without context about what the program includes or comparison to other residential wellness or investigational programs.
By the reporter's own standards
A comparison of investigative practice
Geoff Leo is a Michener Award-nominated, Canadian Screen Award-winning investigative journalist who has been covering Saskatchewan stories since 2001. His career includes several nationally significant investigations. The following comparison examines how the Dr. Goodenowe coverage differs from his own established investigative practice on specific, observable criteria.
Readers can verify each observation by reviewing the original CBC articles for each investigation, all available on cbc.ca.
The GTH Land Scandal (2016–ongoing)
Leo's investigation of the Global Transportation Hub land scandal in Saskatchewan is widely regarded as one of the most significant pieces of provincial accountability journalism in recent Canadian history. It was nominated for a Michener Award.
In that investigation, Leo consulted domain-relevant experts: forensic accounting specialists and expropriation lawyers who could independently evaluate whether the land transactions were financially appropriate. The subject, then-Minister Bill Boyd, was interviewed, and his policy justifications for the transactions were consistently reported across dozens of articles.
The Carrie Bourassa Investigation (2021)
Leo's investigation of Carrie Bourassa's false claims to Indigenous ancestry was brought to him by four Métis scholars whose institutional complaints had been dismissed. In that investigation, Leo consulted genealogists and Indigenous studies experts who could independently evaluate the evidence. Bourassa's career accomplishments and her defence were reported alongside the fraud evidence.
| Criterion | GTH Investigation | Bourassa Investigation | Goodenowe Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Were domain-relevant experts consulted? | Yes: forensic accountants, expropriation lawyers | Yes: genealogists, Indigenous studies scholars | No scientist with published credentials in plasmalogen research, lipid biochemistry, or metabolomics was consulted across twelve articles |
| Was the subject's professional record reported? | Boyd's policy rationale was consistently included | Bourassa's career and accomplishments were documented | Dr. Goodenowe's more than 90 published research papers, 5,700+ citations, and the Saskatchewan colon cancer trial are not mentioned in any article |
| Was the subject's response given substantive treatment? | Boyd was interviewed; his position was reported across dozens of articles | Bourassa's defence was reported | Dr. Goodenowe's detailed rebuttals were available but received minimal treatment; the most substantive response article led with his most dismissible claim rather than his factual points |
| Were primary source conflicts of interest disclosed? | Not applicable | Not applicable | Peter Blaney, the primary witness in Article 10, co-founded GraySpace Therapeutics following the PDI receivership to commercialize PPI-1011. This relationship was not disclosed |
This comparison is not an assessment of any reporter's intentions. It is a factual comparison of observable sourcing and editorial practices across published articles. Readers can review the original coverage for each investigation and draw their own conclusions.
The legal record
Legal challenges related to this reporting
Legal challenges to reporting are part of the landscape of investigative journalism. The following is a factual summary of legal actions related to Geoff Leo's reporting, drawn from public records and published news reports.
Boyd v. CBC (2016–2018)
Following the publication of Leo's GTH land scandal articles, then-Minister Bill Boyd filed a defamation lawsuit against CBC. The case was resolved through confidential mediation in May 2018.
"The CBC reported on a matter of public interest. We regret if Mr. Boyd or anyone else believed that the CBC was implying criminality or illegal conduct on the part of Mr. Boyd. That was not the case."
David Hutton, CBC Managing Editor for SaskatchewanBoyd received no financial consideration. He stated: "For me, this was never about the money. This was about defending my reputation."
Goodenowe v. CBC and Geoff Leo (2025–present)
On August 8, 2025, Dr. Goodenowe and Lakeview Regional Wellness Centre Inc. filed a defamation lawsuit against CBC and Geoff Leo in the Court of King's Bench, Judicial Centre of Regina (case number KBG-RG-01794-2025). The claim alleges the reporting contained false statements and was published with reckless disregard for the truth. It seeks damages, removal of the articles, and a prohibition on further publication.
Leo is personally named as a defendant. He has continued to publish articles about Dr. Goodenowe since the lawsuit was filed. Whether continued reporting by a personally named defendant is consistent with CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices is a question readers and CBC's independent ombudsman can assess.
The case is active. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
An independent perspective
Tammy Robert's analysis
On December 3, 2025, Saskatchewan independent journalist Tammy Robert published a detailed analysis titled "On Dayan Goodenowe, ALS, and the Story You're Not Being Told" on her Substack platform.
"Solely to establish a more fulsome narrative around what's happening with this story, because the truth matters."
Tammy Robert, on her purpose for publishing the analysisRobert, who states she has known Dr. Goodenowe for about a decade, made the following observations:
- Multiple credible people who worked with Dr. Goodenowe at his University of Saskatchewan laboratory spoke highly of him and continue to do so
- The centre employs more than 50 Moose Jaw residents and contracts with local service providers
- Political rhetoric describing the facility using words like "garbage" and "grotesque" inflicts real social damage on an entire community workforce
- Significant political and regulatory context about Saskatchewan's history with health innovation is absent from CBC's framing
Robert also noted that Dr. Goodenowe has published unedited video excerpts of Leo's interviews with him, which she characterized as showing an approach that was:
"Highly combative, aggressive and in my opinion, intimidating."
Tammy RobertWe encourage readers to read Robert's full analysis and form their own assessment.
The 2008 article
CBC's earlier coverage
On June 12, 2008, CBC News published the following story:
"Colorectal cancer screening research trial approved in Sask."
The article reported positively on the approval of a colon cancer screening trial developed by Dr. Goodenowe. Dr. James McHattie, head of gastroenterology at the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, was quoted endorsing the research.
That trial went on to assess nearly 6,000 participants in partnership with the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency and the Government of Saskatchewan.
This article has not been referenced in any subsequent CBC coverage of Dr. Goodenowe.
Source
CBC News, June 12, 2008What we acknowledge
Transparency and accountability
Transparency requires acknowledging the areas where the coverage raises legitimate questions.
The "100% success rate" language was used in sales communications. Regardless of the clinical context, that language was a compliance failure. It has been addressed.
The story of Susie Silvestri raises real questions about care standards for rapidly declining ALS patients in a non-medical facility. ALS is a universally fatal disease, and ensuring appropriate support for people in advanced stages is a legitimate concern.
The FDA warning letter regarding the 2022 Frontiers study identified a procedural compliance issue: the failure to file an Investigational New Drug application before conducting the study. The letter itself notes that no subjects suffered adverse outcomes, but the procedural gap was real and should not have occurred.
Prodrome Sciences USA submitted a written response to the FDA on January 29, 2026 describing the corrective actions the company was taking. On March 19, 2026, the FDA acknowledged that response and stated that the corrective actions described would be adequate to bring Prodrome Sciences USA into compliance with FDA regulations, with the correspondence entered as a permanent part of the company's regulatory file. The full acknowledgement letter is part of the public record.
We do not ask for uncritical support. We ask for complete information.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices are anchored by five principles: accuracy, fairness, balance, impartiality, and integrity. These principles represent a promise to Canadians about how CBC does its journalism.
This page documents what twelve articles report, what verified information they omit, how the expert sourcing compares to the reporter's own established practice, and what the legal record shows.
Every observation on this page can be verified by reading the original CBC articles. Every source is cited and linked. We invite scrutiny of this page with the same rigor we are asking be applied to the coverage.
Read the coverage. Read the record. Form your own opinion.
The political dimension
What happened next
Following CBC's coverage, politicians responded publicly without contacting Dr. Goodenowe first.
The political response →