Stroke of Genius
This article was originally written and submitted as part of a Canada 150 Project, the Innovation Storybook, to crowdsource stories of Canadian innovation with partners across Canada. The content has since been migrated to Ingenium’s Channel, a digital hub featuring curated content related to science, technology and innovation.
People at risk of stroke are often prescribed low-doses of Aspirin to stave off heart disease thanks to Dr. Henry Barnett’s research. In the 1970s, he lead a large international clinical trial into Aspirin, showing that any antiplatelet drug could prevent diseases due to arterial thrombosis. Co-founder of Robarts Research Institute at Western University, Barnett would go on to become the world’s leading consultant in stroke care.
His research changed the way doctors manage the risk of heart disease, averting untold suffering and saving lives.