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• Bednets pay off with plunge in malaria cases in Gambia

  Posted: October 31st, 2008, 5:37pm CDT

  The incidence of malaria in Gambia fell substantially in five years, mainly thanks to strategies protecting pregnant women and children, researchers said.

• Bed nets pay off with plunge in malaria cases in Gambia

  Posted: October 31st, 2008, 5:37pm CDT

  The incidence of malaria in Gambia fell substantially in five years, mainly thanks to strategies protecting pregnant women and children, researchers said.

• Saskatchewan hospital also reused syringes: health officials

  Posted: October 31st, 2008, 4:21pm CDT

  A hospital in Lloydminster, Sask., has been reusing syringes to inject medication into intravenous lines, a practice that has recently raised widespread concern in Alberta.

• B.C. knee brace, Montreal bike system among Time's top inventions

  Posted: October 31st, 2008, 4:18pm CDT

  Montreal's high-tech public bike system and a Canadian-made knee brace that harnesses enough energy from a person's stride to power electronic devices are two of Time magazine's top 50 inventions of 2008.

• E. coli closes 3rd restaurant in southern Ontario

  Posted: October 31st, 2008, 3:10pm CDT

  A 50s-style diner in Burlington, Ont., has voluntarily closed as health officials investigated two confirmed and three possible cases of E. coli connected to the restaurant on Friday.

• P.E.I. pharmacists to be able to prescribe

  Posted: October 31st, 2008, 2:04pm CDT

  Prince Edward Island pharmacists will soon be given the authority to write prescriptions for their customers.

• Ban diabetes drug Avandia: consumer group to FDA

  Posted: October 31st, 2008, 1:18pm CDT

  The diabetes drug Avandia should be banned over its risks of heart and liver damage, a U.S. consumer group urged.

• Inuit welcome Aglukkaq as federal health minister

  Posted: October 31st, 2008, 11:42am CDT

  Inuit leaders applauded Leona Aglukkaq's appointment to the federal cabinet Thursday, while expressing their expectation that the new health minister will improve medicare in Canada's North.

• Too much weight in pregnancy nearly doubles risk of heavy baby: study

  Posted: October 31st, 2008, 10:40am CDT

  Women who gain more than 40 pounds (18 kilograms) during pregnancy have nearly twice the risk of delivering a heavy baby as those who gain less, U.S. researchers said on Friday.

• No good reason to withhold lab error details, manager tells cancer inquiry

  Posted: October 31st, 2008, 6:11am CDT

  A St. John's cancer care manager says she can think of no good reason to explain why information was withheld from breast cancer patients about significant lab testing mistakes.

• Recalled Hershey's candy being sold in Toronto area

  Posted: October 30th, 2008, 10:47pm CDT

  Hershey's chocolates and candies recalled two years ago over salmonella fears and subsequently stolen from a recycling depot are now being sold in Toronto-area stores.

• Therapy plus antidepressant best for kids with anxiety disorder: study

  Posted: October 30th, 2008, 8:02pm CDT

  Children with anxiety disorders are most likely to be helped when treated with psychotherapy as well as an antidepressant, suggests a study that also found benefits in the use therapy alone.

• Vigorous exercise protects against breast cancer, new research says

  Posted: October 30th, 2008, 6:45pm CDT

  Plenty of vigorous exercise can cut a healthy, older woman's breast cancer risk by 30 per cent, researchers said on Friday.

• Gaps remain in monitoring hospital hygiene in Ont.: report

  Posted: October 30th, 2008, 6:29pm CDT

  Most hospitals in Ontario reported having formal hand hygiene policies, but about two-thirds lacked a monitoring process to ensure the procedures are followed, according to a study released Thursday.

• Nunavut's Aglukkaq named federal health minister

  Posted: October 30th, 2008, 4:35pm CDT

  Conservative Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq was sworn in as health minister on Thursday, more than two weeks after she toppled the Liberals in the federal election.

• No-shows contributing to blood shortage, official says

  Posted: October 30th, 2008, 10:53am CDT

  Would-be donors who forget or refuse to keep appointments at blood banks are contributing to a shortage in blood supplies, an official warns.

• MS diagnosis delayed in people with other health conditions: study

  Posted: October 29th, 2008, 6:01pm CDT

  People with medical conditions such as obesity and high blood pressure may experience a delay in being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and the disease may be more severe when it is diagnosed, a new study suggests.

• Assumed patients knew about cancer test woes, lawyer tells inquiry

  Posted: October 29th, 2008, 6:01pm CDT

  A St. John's lawyer who advised Eastern Health not to issue a written advisory to breast cancer patients testified Wednesday that he assumed they had already learned about testing problems through news reports.

• Hospital overcrowding forces cancellation of cancer surgeries

  Posted: October 29th, 2008, 5:01pm CDT

  A Campbell River surgeon is slamming the Vancouver Island Health Authority after a bed shortage forced the cancellation of two urgent cancer surgeries at the Campbell River Hospital on Monday.

• E. coli test results expected, 2nd restaurant closes in Niagara region

  Posted: October 29th, 2008, 4:58pm CDT

  Laboratory tests on the source of an E. coli outbreak in Ontario's Niagara region that may have sickened 23 people are expected as early as Wednesday after a second restaurant in the area closed.

• Special clinic in Saint John to address rising diabetes cases

  Posted: October 29th, 2008, 4:00pm CDT

  A special clinic is being set up in Saint John to handle the growin numbers of New Brunswickers being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

• Canadians urged to donate blood to ease critical shortage

  Posted: October 29th, 2008, 3:55pm CDT

  The national blood inventory has dwindled so much that hospitals may have to delay treatments or postpone elective surgeries if the shortage is not reversed soon, Canadian Blood Services said Wednesday in urging donors to come forward.

• Greying nation: Getting older doesn't necessarily mean burdening the health-care system

  Posted: October 29th, 2008, 3:46pm CDT

  As Canada gets collectively older, naturopathic medicine can play a role in the effort to minimize the financial burden on the healthcare system.

• E. coli test results expected imminently after second restaurant closes in Niagara region

  Posted: October 29th, 2008, 3:34pm CDT

  Laboratory tests on the source of an E. coli outbreak in Ontario's Niagara region that may have sickened 21 people are expected as early as Wednesday after a second restaurant in the area closed.

• Staff shortages a chronic problem at Manitoba nursing homes

  Posted: October 29th, 2008, 3:11pm CDT

  Family members of patients and health-care professionals say Winnipeg nursing homes don't have enough properly trained staff to deal with their patients.

• Earlier retesting could have saved lives: cancer survivor

  Posted: October 29th, 2008, 10:01am CDT

  A St. John's breast cancer survivor says she was pleased to hear Premier Danny Williams apologize for mistakes that led to hundreds of patients receiving inaccurate results from crucial lab work.

• Hospital official questions food-safety database

  Posted: October 29th, 2008, 9:13am CDT

  A new online database that shows eight Nova Scotia hospitals have food-safety violations may give the public the wrong impression, a hospital official says.

• Ghiz government playing politics with health care: Crane

  Posted: October 29th, 2008, 6:29am CDT

  The P.E.I. government's decision to maintain the status quo regarding the hospitals in West Prince will hurt health care there, says Opposition leader Olive Crane.

• Boost fines for abusers of disabled-parking permits, advocates urge

  Posted: October 28th, 2008, 6:39pm CDT

  A disabled-parking permit has become the ticket to free parking for thousands of people who are abusing the system, raising the ire of those who have a legitimate claim to the spots and want better enforcement.

• E. coli outbreaks grow in North Bay, Niagara

  Posted: October 28th, 2008, 6:19pm CDT

  More people are under investigation or reporting symptoms of a serious E. coli infection linked to a restaurant in North Bay, Ont., health officials said Tuesday.

• Vitamin C brands recalled over vitamin A overdose risk

  Posted: October 28th, 2008, 5:22pm CDT

  Consumers, especially expectant women, should not use two vitamin C products sold under the brand names New Roots Herbal Vitamin C8 and Vitazan Professional Vitamin C Advanced Ascorbate, which may contain excessively high doses of vitamin A, Health Canada warned Tuesday.

• Williams apologizes, takes 'full responsibility' at cancer inquiry

  Posted: October 28th, 2008, 3:20pm CDT

  Premier Danny Williams apologized Tuesday for any grief and anguish that Newfoundland and Labrador breast cancer patients have suffered because of flawed laboratory tests.

• Women underrepresented in heart, stroke trials, review finds

  Posted: October 28th, 2008, 1:56pm CDT

  Women are less likely to be included in clinical trials on cardiovascular disease, even though women suffer more than half of deaths caused by heart disease and stroke, a review suggests.

• More questions asked after High Prairie syringe scare

  Posted: October 28th, 2008, 12:58pm CDT

  Some people in High Prairie, Alta. are questioning the safety of their hospital after it was revealed Monday that staff at the hospital had been reusing syringes to inject medication through IV lines for years.

• Bed rails linked to injuries, deaths at nursing homes

  Posted: October 28th, 2008, 12:30pm CDT

  Bed rails are supposed to protect nursing-home patients from a fall, but a CBC I-Team investigation has turned up dozens of incidents involving bed rails at Winnipeg homes - most resulting in injury, but some linked to deaths.

• E. coli vaccine approved for cattle, but food safety risk remains

  Posted: October 28th, 2008, 11:30am CDT

  The threat to humans posed by a dangerous strain of E. coli remains despite the approval of a new vaccine for cattle, the lead investigator of Walkerton, Ont.'s, tainted water tragedy said Tuesday.

• Hospital program helps smokers butt out

  Posted: October 28th, 2008, 8:00am CDT

  Asking patients whether they smoke and automatically offering them treatment as soon as they are seen in hospital boosts the likelihood they will quit, a cardiologist said Tuesday.

• Nursing home retracted offer to test residents for listeriosis

  Posted: October 28th, 2008, 5:16am CDT

  A decision to retract an offer to test residents for listeriosis at a Toronto-area nursing home is being questioned by family members.

• Free flu shots linked to fewer deaths, demands on health care system

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 6:45pm CDT

  Offering free flu shots to everyone may help reduce influenza-related deaths and visits to emergency rooms, according to a study that compared the results of Ontario's campaign with other provinces.

• Williams needs to apologize at cancer inquiry: patient

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 6:17pm CDT

  The last week of testimony in Newfoundland and Labrador's breast cancer inquiry has begun, with final witnesses including the man who ordered the probe last year: Premier Danny Williams.

• Countries mull adding asbestos to UN hazardous list

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 4:52pm CDT

  Quebec's asbestos industry is keeping a close eye on a major meeting in Italy that got underway Monday to discuss whether the substance it mines will be listed as hazardous by the international community.

• More cases linked to northern Ont. E. coli outbreak

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 4:41pm CDT

  The number of people reporting symptoms of a serious E. coli infected linked to a restaurant in North Bay, Ont., has increased to 217, including cases in Ontario, Quebec and now British Columbia, health officials said Monday.

• P.E.I. launches palliative home care program

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 3:42pm CDT

  P.E.I.'s new palliative home care drug program started Monday.

• Court rejects Ottawa's bid to uphold federal medical marijuana monopoly

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 3:27pm CDT

  The Federal Court of Appeal rejected an appeal from government lawyers on Monday who argued that the federal government should retain its monopoly as the sole distributor of medical marijuana.

• Artery hardening worse among immigrants: study

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 3:00pm CDT

  The longer immigrants stay in Canada, the worse their cardiovascular health and risk of premature death becomes, say researchers who suspect the stress of settling down could be part of the problem.

• MD rejected for immigration because daughter could burden medicare

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 2:32pm CDT

  A Calgary critical care doctor's application for permanent residency has been rejected because his daughter might be a drain on the health care system.

• Thousands face infection risk after syringes reused at Alberta hospital

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 2:01pm CDT

  About 2,700 former patients of the hospital in High Prairie, Alta., may need to be tested for infection after officials discovered that syringes may have been used on multiple intravenous lines.

• Coronary artery disease hitting younger Quebecers

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 1:44pm CDT

  Coronary artery disease is emerging as an important cause of sudden death in individuals under age 40 in western Quebec, according to a new study.

• 5 E. coli cases confirmed in Ontario's Niagara region

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 12:00pm CDT

  An E. coli outbreak in Ontario's Niagara-on-the-Lake region has sickened five people, health authorities confirmed over the weekend.

• Scientists develop purple, cancer-fighting tomato

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 11:14am CDT

  A purple tomato genetically engineered to contain higher levels of antioxidants helped prolong the lives of cancer-prone mice, British researchers reported.

• Nurses don wristbands as campaign against N.L. heats up

  Posted: October 27th, 2008, 6:24am CDT

  A contract dispute between the Newfoundland and Labrador government and unionized nurses is quietly moving to ward floors, as nurses add protest wristbands to their daily uniforms.

• Typhoid fever on the rise in B.C.

  Posted: October 26th, 2008, 3:12pm CDT

  Health officials are warning people travelling to South Asia to get vaccinated for Typhoid fever after a major spike in the number of British Columbians infected

• Faces, stories live behind clinical data, cancer inquiry told

  Posted: October 25th, 2008, 7:47am CDT

  A heartfelt commentary came from an unexpected source Friday at Newfoundland and Labrador's breast cancer inquiry, as a specialist who manages health databases talked about the human side of statistics.

• U of C scientist wants to wipe away common cold

  Posted: October 24th, 2008, 5:47pm CDT

  Coughing, sniffling and other symptoms are caused by our immune system's reaction to cold viruses, says a University of Calgary scientist, who is researching gene responses in the hope of finding new treatments.

• Cruise ship battles suspected norovirus during stop in Halifax

  Posted: October 24th, 2008, 4:56pm CDT

  Federal health officials boarded a cruise ship in Halifax on Friday to assess efforts to contain a suspected outbreak of norovirus.

• Northern Ontario E. coli outbreak leaves child in critical condition

  Posted: October 24th, 2008, 4:35pm CDT

  A child infected with a dangerous strain of E. coli was in critical condition Friday, health officials in North Bay said in updating the city's restaurant outbreak.

• Findings from probe of lead in toys 'deeply disturbing': Clement

  Posted: October 24th, 2008, 2:32pm CDT

  Health Canada on Friday acknowledged consumer concern over recently recalled children's products for high lead levels, saying parents should feel safe purchasing toys for their children.

• Maintain muscle power to prevent falls later in life: study

  Posted: October 24th, 2008, 1:34pm CDT

  Taking up exercise helps elderly women to gain muscle strength, but not the power they need to prevent falls, a study suggests.

• Norovirus hits cruise ship in Halifax

  Posted: October 24th, 2008, 1:25pm CDT

  A cruise ship visiting Halifax has been hit with a norovirus.

• Time 'of the essence,' N.W.T. official says of flesh-eating disease case

  Posted: October 24th, 2008, 12:44pm CDT

  An unidentified patient is in serious but stable condition from a rare but potentially deadly case of flesh-eating disease in the Northwest Territories, health officials say.

• N.L. nurses to hold strike vote in January

  Posted: October 24th, 2008, 10:32am CDT

  A confrontation between the Newfoundland and Labrador government and more than 5,000 nurses heated up Friday, with a call for a strike vote.

• Cholera epidemic spreading quickly in Guinea-Bissau

  Posted: October 24th, 2008, 9:44am CDT

  A cholera epidemic is spreading quickly in Guinea-Bissau, UN agencies said Friday. Some 12,225 people in the West African state have caught cholera so far this year and 201 have died from the water-borne disease.

• Oickles Tasty Bites sandwiches recalled in N.S. for listeria contamination

  Posted: October 24th, 2008, 8:53am CDT

  Canada's food watchdog has issued a recall of certain Oickles Tasty Bites sandwiches sold in Nova Scotia because they may be tainted with Listeria monocytogenes.

• Distraught mothers decry lack of N.L. services for suicidal teens

  Posted: October 24th, 2008, 7:59am CDT

  The mothers of two Newfoundland and Labrador children with severe mental illnesses say it is appalling that they will have to leave the province to find medical treatment.

• Diabetics still waiting for promised program

  Posted: October 24th, 2008, 5:51am CDT

  Some diabetics on P.E.I. are getting frustrated with the delay in the launch of a program that will pay for their insulin test strips.

• Depression during pregnancy doubles risk of preterm delivery: study

  Posted: October 23rd, 2008, 5:34pm CDT

  Women with symptoms of depression may have nearly twice the risk of preterm delivery compared with women with no symptoms, a study suggests.

• Genetic mutation linked to club foot

  Posted: October 23rd, 2008, 4:53pm CDT

  Club foot, one of the most common birth defects, may be caused by a genetic mutation, a finding that opens the door to genetic counselling, prevention and treatment, researchers said Thursday.

• Flesh-eating disease case confirmed at Yellowknife hospital

  Posted: October 23rd, 2008, 4:45pm CDT

  The chief medical officer in the Northwest Territories has confirmed one case of flesh-eating disease at Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife.

• Child hospitalized in northern Ont. E. coli outbreak

  Posted: October 23rd, 2008, 3:06pm CDT

  A child is in hospital and at risk of kidney damage, North Bay's medical officer of health said Thursday in updating the number of E. coli cases linked to city's restaurant outbreak.

• Renew cancer fight, panel tells White House

  Posted: October 23rd, 2008, 2:52pm CDT

  Cancer is the "bioterrorist within" and needs to be a top priority for the U.S. government, a presidential panel urged Thursday.

• Drug limits damage in early MS: study

  Posted: October 23rd, 2008, 1:40pm CDT

  A drug licensed to treat a type of leukemia appears to reduce the damaging effects of multiple sclerosis in its early stages, researchers said Thursday.

• Toronto health officials issue hep-A warning for diners at Sushi eatery

  Posted: October 23rd, 2008, 1:33pm CDT

  Toronto Public Health officials are warning people who recently ate at a west-end restaurant that they may have been exposed to hepatitis A.

• Yukon doctors call for improved mental health facilities at hospital

  Posted: October 23rd, 2008, 12:02pm CDT

  As the Yukon's lawmakers return to the house on Thursday, the territory's doctors are pressing Premier Dennis Fentie's government for better mental health services for patients at the Whitehorse General Hospital.

• More roast beef recalled in Ontario for listeria contamination

  Posted: October 23rd, 2008, 11:50am CDT

  Canada's food watchdog is expanding an earlier recall of roast beef sold at deli counters to include additional distribution information.

• Never wanted test result problems disclosed, manager tells cancer probe

  Posted: October 23rd, 2008, 11:32am CDT

  A senior manager has admitted to Newfoundland and Labrador's breast cancer inquiry that she didn't want anything said publicly about serious problems involving lab tests.

• Nursing groups decry Ontario decision to delay 9,000 hirings

  Posted: October 23rd, 2008, 9:18am CDT

  The province of Ontario says it can save $50 million by delaying the hiring of 9,000 nurses

• Lung tumours reveal more genetic mutations

  Posted: October 22nd, 2008, 5:59pm CDT

  Scientists have identified 26 genetic mutations that play a role in lung cancer, including some that may be targeted by existing or future treatments.

• Surgical mesh tied to complications in women

  Posted: October 22nd, 2008, 5:34pm CDT

  A surgical mesh used to treat incontinence, prolapsed uterus and other health problems in women can cause rare but serious complications, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned.

• Cases of E. coli jump in northern Ont. outbreak

  Posted: October 22nd, 2008, 4:41pm CDT

  The extent of an E. coli outbreak linked to a Harvey's restaurant in North Bay, Ont., widened with a jump in suspected cases, health officials said Wednesday. There are now 190 confirmed and suspected cases in Ontario and Quebec.

• B.C. man paralyzed after flu shot warns of risks

  Posted: October 22nd, 2008, 3:58pm CDT

  A New Westminster man is raising a warning flag after he contracted a rare and debilitating condition linked to the flu shot that left him paralyzed for almost five months.

• Toronto's poorest die earlier, suffer more health problems: report

  Posted: October 22nd, 2008, 3:23pm CDT

  People living in the poorest areas of Toronto also have the worst health, including higher rates of lung cancer and sexually transmitted infections, the city's medical officer of health says.

• N.L. premier to testify at cancer inquiry

  Posted: October 22nd, 2008, 2:10pm CDT

  Testimony at the public inquiry into faulty breast cancer tests in Newfoundland and Labrador is expected to wrap up next week after the appearance of one of its most high-profile witnesses, Premier Danny Williams.

• Erectile dysfunction ignored as sign of heart trouble, urologist says

  Posted: October 22nd, 2008, 12:56pm CDT

  Erectile dysfunction gives an early warning of a heart attack that doctors often ignore, a British urologist said Wednesday.

• Radiologist urges earlier start for mammograms

  Posted: October 22nd, 2008, 9:42am CDT

  Women should start having yearly mammograms when they're 40, says P.E.I.'s head of radiology.

• Lawyer in Maple Leaf suit says listeriosis death toll could be higher

  Posted: October 22nd, 2008, 5:03am CDT

  The lawyer representing families in a lawsuit seeking damages from Maple Leaf Foods, whose Toronto meat processing plant was linked to a listeriosis outbreak that may have claimed the lives of up to 20 people, told CBC News the death toll might be even higher.

• Why faster eaters pack on pounds

  Posted: October 21st, 2008, 6:49pm CDT

  People who devour their meals quickly and eat until full are three times more likely to become overweight, a Japanese study on eating habits suggests.

• More patients complaining about doctors' annual fees: health group

  Posted: October 21st, 2008, 6:14pm CDT

  A health care advocacy group says the number of complaints they get about doctors billing patients directly is growing.

• Confirmed cases of E. coli rise in northern Ontario

  Posted: October 21st, 2008, 4:12pm CDT

  The number of confirmed E. coli cases linked to a Harvey's restaurant in North Bay, Ont., have risen to 35, health officials said Tuesday.

• Tie hospital budgets to patients, CMA head says

  Posted: October 21st, 2008, 3:40pm CDT

  The funding of Canada's health-care system should be directly tied to patient care, so patients become a source of revenue for hospitals rather than an expense, the president of the Canadian Medical Association said Tuesday.

• Spike in lung cancer concerns Dawson Creek doctor

  Posted: October 21st, 2008, 3:07pm CDT

  The recent death of the mayor of Dawson Creek has raised concerns about a cluster of similar lung cancer cases in the northern B.C. community.

• Quebec sandwich brand recalled because of listeria

  Posted: October 21st, 2008, 2:05pm CDT

  For the second time this month, meat from a Quebec meat processor has been recalled because of possible listeria contamination.

• Safety problems found in nearly 1 in 4 biotech drugs: study

  Posted: October 21st, 2008, 1:12pm CDT

  Safety warnings have been issued for about a quarter of the 174 biologically derived medicinal products approved in the U.S. and Europe since 1995, a new study has found.

• Massive U.S. recall of baby cribs made over suffocation risk

  Posted: October 21st, 2008, 9:28am CDT

  New York-based Delta Enterprises is recalling almost 1.6 million cribs over an entrapment and suffocation risk after the death of at least one baby.

• Western diet to blame for 35% of heart attacks, global study suggests

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 5:32pm CDT

  A Western diet rich in fried foods, salt and meat accounts for 35 per cent of heart attacks worldwide, researchers say.

• E. coli outbreak victims worried, angry

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 4:52pm CDT

  People sickened in an E. coli outbreak in northern Ontario are angry and worried about the long-term effects of the illness.

• Canada an 'avid cheerleader' for asbestos: CMAJ editorial

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 4:44pm CDT

  The Canadian government continues to promote exports of asbestos to developing countries, a position likened to arms trading in an editorial published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

• Canadian to head World Medical Association

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 4:40pm CDT

  A Fredericton dermatologist will be the next leader of the World Medical Association, the first time a Canadian doctor has been elected the group's president in almost four decades.

• Ontario farmer convicted in raw-milk trial, seeks maximum penalty

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 3:40pm CDT

  An organic farmer found guilty Monday morning of ignoring a court order to stop selling unpasteurized milk asked the judge to give him the maximum penalty.

• High fracture risk seen in heart failure patients

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 3:32pm CDT

  People with heart failure have an elevated risk for bone fractures, particularly a broken hip, and doctors should be on the lookout in these patients for signs of osteoporosis, Canadian researchers said Monday.

• Accused knew of status, HIV murder trial told

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 2:42pm CDT

  An HIV-positive man charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of two sexual partners knew of his status for seven years before he was arrested, Crown lawyers alleged as the landmark trial got underway Monday.

• Police seek venomous snake that bit Winnipeg man

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 2:36pm CDT

  A Winnipeg man is receiving medical treatment after being bitten by an African snake early Sunday evening.

• Melamine risk expands to sex shops

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 12:16pm CDT

  Chocolate-flavoured body spreads sold in British sex shops have been found to be tainted with melamine, the chemical that made thousands of babies ill in China, food safety authorities said on Monday.

• Booklets help young people make safer tanning choices: study

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 11:09am CDT

  Scaring young women about the skin cancer risks of indoor tanning doesn't help prevent them from soaking up the rays, but giving them educational materials may help change how much time they spend under the lights, a trial suggests.

• Toddler virus flares up in China, kills 3

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 9:38am CDT

  Three children have died in eastern China from hand, foot and mouth disease in the country's second outbreak of the potent toddler virus this year, state media reported on Monday.

• Work underway for N.S. mental health court

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 9:04am CDT

  Nova Scotia is getting ready to hire the staff it needs to set up the province's first mental health court.

• Nurses 'forced us to become very public,' Williams says

  Posted: October 20th, 2008, 7:28am CDT

  Premier Danny Williams defended his government's new ad campaign about its contract dispute with nurses, saying he felt it was time the public knew exactly what nurses were being offered.

• Hand, foot and mouth disease kills 3 children in China

  Posted: October 19th, 2008, 10:46pm CDT

  Three children have died from hand, foot and mouth disease that has also sickened 110 others in China, state media reported late Sunday.

• More people sick in Ontario E. coli outbreak

  Posted: October 19th, 2008, 12:25pm CDT

  The number of confirmed and suspected cases of E. coli poisoning in northern Ontario has risen to 159, a health official said Sunday.

• Heroin-assisted treatment safe and effective: study

  Posted: October 18th, 2008, 5:47pm CDT

  A University of B.C. epidemiologist says there is now evidence to support a heroin-assisted addictions therapy clinic in Vancouver.

• Canada moves to ban bisphenol A in baby bottles

  Posted: October 18th, 2008, 12:16pm CDT

  The federal government has decided to add bisphenol A to the country's list of toxic substances and draft regulations that ban the sale in Canada of plastic baby bottles containing the chemical.

• More E. coli cases linked to restaurant in North Bay

  Posted: October 17th, 2008, 6:40pm CDT

  The number of confirmed and suspected cases of E. coli poisoning in northern Ontario has jumped to 131, health officials announced Friday.

• Toxic status possible for bisphenol A in Canada

  Posted: October 17th, 2008, 5:25pm CDT

  The federal government proposed to declare bisphenol A, a chemical found in many plastic products, a toxic substance, but Canadians will have to wait to find out what the declaration means.

• Sled dogs could hold clues to human health problems: researchers

  Posted: October 17th, 2008, 3:54pm CDT

  Northern sled dogs, like the ones that run the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest, could help solve diseases in humans, according to an American researcher who has been looking into the dogs' athletic abilities.

• Aspirin no help in preventing heart attacks for diabetics: study

  Posted: October 17th, 2008, 2:55pm CDT

  Taking Aspirin does not help prevent heart attacks or strokes in people with diabetes, according to a study that contradicts current recommendations.

• N.L. turns to ad campaign to give its side in nurses dispute

  Posted: October 17th, 2008, 1:29pm CDT

  The provincial government has countered stepped-up efforts by the nurses union to end a bargaining impasse, announcing a public advertising campaign so people in Newfoundland and Labrador can "have an informed opinion."

• Mental health services need to improve, says N.B. ombudsman

  Posted: October 17th, 2008, 12:32pm CDT

  The New Brunswick ombudsman has called on the provincial government to improve mental health services after a special care home in Shippigan, N.B., suddenly closed on Thanksgiving weekend.

• Ontario to shorten general surgery waits

  Posted: October 17th, 2008, 12:06pm CDT

  Ontario will spend $11.64 million this year to shorten wait times for general surgery, Health Minister David Caplan announced Friday.

• Nova Scotia revamps food allergy rules for schools

  Fetched: October 17th, 2008, 11:04am CDT

  An allergy specialist in Nova Scotia is working on a plan that could see a banned substance back in schools - peanut butter.

• Big Chinese dairies discuss fate of company at heart of scandal

  Posted: October 17th, 2008, 10:22am CDT

  Five of China's major dairy companies met in Beijing on Friday to discuss the fate of the company at the centre of the country's tainted milk scandal.

• Had to take direction from lawyers, Eastern Health manager says

  Posted: October 16th, 2008, 4:25pm CDT

  A manager at Eastern Health, the Newfoundland health authority at the centre of a public inquiry about how hundreds of breast cancer patients received incorrect test results, said Thursday she had contacted lawyers regarding how much to say about testing inaccuracies.

• Alberta delivers good news for midwives, expectant mothers

  Posted: October 16th, 2008, 4:18pm CDT

  After public pressure, the Alberta government announced it will cover the costs for expectant mothers who choose to deliver their babies using a midwife.

• Weight gain linked to less pleasure in eating: study

  Posted: October 16th, 2008, 3:49pm CDT

  Overweight women may overeat because the reward centres in their brains seem to respond less than those of lean people, according to researchers who were able to predict weight gain based on the results of a brain imaging study.

• E. coli outbreak in North Bay linked to Harvey's restaurant

  Posted: October 16th, 2008, 2:46pm CDT

  An E. coli outbreak in North Bay, Ont., has spread to include 93 confirmed and suspected cases, a number expected to grow.

• Canadians urged to get flu shots despite problems

  Posted: October 16th, 2008, 1:39pm CDT

  As Canadians prepare for another flu season, infectious disease experts are sticking with recommending widespread vaccination despite a study suggesting its benefits may have been overstated.

• Cellphone use may trigger skin allergy, doctors warn

  Posted: October 16th, 2008, 10:55am CDT

  People who use their cellphones for long periods may develop a rash on their ears or cheeks from an allergic reaction to the nickel in handsets, British dermatologists warn.

• CFIA recalls strawberry sour milk due to melamine contamination

  Posted: October 16th, 2008, 8:56am CDT

  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is recalling Mengniu strawberry flavour sour milk because it contains melamine.

• Proposed test may help reveal deadliest liver cancers

  Posted: October 15th, 2008, 5:25pm CDT

  Looking at the cells around liver tumours may help doctors predict if the cancer is cured, researchers say.

• Regina babies recovering from C. difficile outbreak: health region

  Posted: October 15th, 2008, 3:57pm CDT

  Nine newborn babies hit with a potentially dangerous infection of the bacterium Clostridium difficile have responded well to treatment, health officials in Regina said Wednesday.

• Ontario failing adults with autism spectrum disorders: report

  Posted: October 15th, 2008, 3:39pm CDT

  An advocacy group for people with autism says the province has a "piecemeal approach" that leaves some of society's most vulnerable without the help they need.

• Brain signals revive paralyzed muscles in monkeys

  Posted: October 15th, 2008, 3:23pm CDT

  An experimental device that connects to individual neurons in the brain has enabled monkeys to overcome wrist paralysis, a development researchers say could help people with spinal injuries.

• Sweet malaria pill goes down easier for children: study

  Posted: October 15th, 2008, 1:52pm CDT

  A cherry-flavoured pill for malaria may make it easier for children to stick with the treatment, researchers said Wednesday.

• Ancient bones show tuberculosis older than thought

  Posted: October 15th, 2008, 1:04pm CDT

  Human tuberculosis may be 3,000 years older than previously thought, say researchers who analyzed DNA from 9,000-year-old human bones found off the coast of Israel.

• Stroke on P.E.I.? 'God help you,' says doctor

  Posted: October 15th, 2008, 12:29pm CDT

  P.E.I.'s Heart and Stroke Foundation is calling on the province to build a specialized unit for stroke victims.

• Wash hands with soap to prevent disease, UNICEF tells kids

  Posted: October 15th, 2008, 9:23am CDT

  Millions of children around the world will be encouraged to wash their hands with soap on Wednesday to mark the UN's first Global Handwashing Day.

• CFIA updates warning over No Name flour

  Posted: October 15th, 2008, 9:19am CDT

  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is updating the number of grocery stores involved in a previous warning not to eat No Name brand all-purpose flour sold in Ontario.

• Dangerous bacteria hit newborns in Regina hospital

  Posted: October 14th, 2008, 9:19pm CDT

  Five babies in the neonatal unit of a Regina hospital are being treated for an infection of the bacterium clostridium difficile, more commonly known as C. difficile.

• B vitamins no help in slowing Alzheimer's: study

  Posted: October 14th, 2008, 5:36pm CDT

  Taking high doses of B vitamins did not slow the rate of cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer's disease, a randomized trial has shown.

• Drinking leads to shrinking, brain study suggests

  Posted: October 14th, 2008, 2:59pm CDT

  Consuming even small amounts of alcohol seems to shrink the brain, researchers have found.

• Web searches boost aging brain beyond books: study

  Posted: October 14th, 2008, 12:32pm CDT

  Deciding what to click on next when searching the internet may help stimulate the brain of middle-aged and older adults beyond the benefits of reading alone, researchers have found.

• China issues blanket recall of milk for melamine testing

  Posted: October 14th, 2008, 11:44am CDT

  China is recalling all liquid and powdered milk made before Sept. 14 and Chinese manufacturers must test it for melamine contamination, Chinese government news agency Xinhua reported Tuesday.

• Turn down personal music players, EU warns youth

  Posted: October 14th, 2008, 11:33am CDT

  Music lovers risk permanent hearing loss from blasting their MP3 players too loud for too long, according to a European report, and authorities are considering a reduced limit on sound volumes.

• 'Go back to basics' on health care, WHO tells governments

  Posted: October 14th, 2008, 9:41am CDT

  Nearly 60 million women will give birth without any medical assistance this year, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday in a report calling for an overhaul of how health care is financed and managed globally.

• High caffeine intake linked to worsening of some breast cancers: study

  Posted: October 13th, 2008, 4:04pm CDT

  Breast cancer may worsen in some women who drink four or more cups of coffee a day, but consuming coffee and other caffeinated beverages doesn't seem to increase the overall risk of getting malignant breast cancer, researchers say.

• Bedbugs should be declared a health hazard: councillor

  Posted: October 13th, 2008, 3:39pm CDT

  A Toronto municipal councillor wants the city's health board to take steps to declare the growing problem of bedbugs a "health hazard."

• More genetic baldness links uncovered

  Posted: October 12th, 2008, 1:02pm CDT

  Some men who carry two genetic variants may have a sevenfold increased chance of showing male pattern baldness, international researchers have found.

• Economic downturn poses threat to mental health: WHO

  Posted: October 10th, 2008, 3:07pm CDT

  The added stress of a global economic downturn could lead to a rise in mental health problems, the World Health Organization said Friday.

• Strep strain not a widespread threat: health officials

  Posted: October 10th, 2008, 1:39pm CDT

  A potentially deadly strain of streptococcal infections that contributed to the deaths of 10 people in northwestern Ontario doesn't pose a widespread threat, the province's chief medical officer of health says.

• Morgentaler receives Order of Canada in Quebec City

  Posted: October 10th, 2008, 9:58am CDT

  Abortion-rights activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler received his Order of Canada award on Friday at a ceremony in Quebec City.

• Nurses trying to undermine contract, N.L. health boards claim

  Posted: October 10th, 2008, 7:08am CDT

  The boards managing Newfoundland and Labrador's hospitals say they had no choice but to get tough with nurses, following a union's decision to scale back what work its members would do.

• Advocates want funding restored for community AIDS programs

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 7:56pm CDT

  A coalition of AIDS advocacy groups are calling on Canada's next federal government to restore funding they say the Conservatives diverted from support programs for people living with AIDS and HIV.

• N.L. nurses say employers threatening discipline over job action

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 5:12pm CDT

  The union representing Newfoundland and Labrador's nurses said Thursday their employers are threatening them with discipline if they don't continue with non-nursing duties.

• Most recent listeria finding 'very, very low,' says Maple Leaf CEO

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 4:37pm CDT

  Maple Leaf's CEO says the most recent findings of listeria at the company's Toronto plant are a sign its testing system is working.

• Drug makers to change codeine labels to prevent overdose in babies

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 3:51pm CDT

  Nursing mothers who take codeine medication should be aware that, depending on how quickly they metabolize the drug, their breastfed babies may be at increased risk of morphine overdose, Health Canada warns.

• Chinatown restaurant closed after rat spied in window

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 2:42pm CDT

  Toronto public health officers have ordered the closure of a Chinatown restaurant after rats were seen scampering in the window on Spadina Avenue.

• Check driving ability of seniors with dementia: study

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 2:39pm CDT

  Doctors should assess whether seniors who show psychiatric symptoms or are prescribed antidepressants and sedatives for dementia are fit to drive, Canadian researchers say.

• New rules could lead to fewer doctors for rural Sask.

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 1:09pm CDT

  The agency that oversees physicians in the province is warning that new rules on labour mobility could empty rural Saskatchewan of doctors.

• Canadian researchers call for end to 'politicization' of science

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 12:31pm CDT

  A group of Canadian scientists signed another open letter on Thursday, calling on political parties to end to what they see as the "politicization" and "mistreatment" of science.

• Strep outbreak kills 10 in Thunder Bay area

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 9:41am CDT

  An outbreak of streptococcal infection contributed to the deaths of 10 people in the Thunder Bay area over the past year but the risk to the general public is low, health officials say.

• New strep strain moving east across Canada

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 9:41am CDT

  A new strain of streptococcal bacteria infection contributed to the deaths of 10 people in northern Ontario area over the past year, public health experts said Thursday.

• Auditor says Ontario should post wait times for every surgeon

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 8:41am CDT

  Ontario Auditor General Jim McCarter says the government should do more to help people avoid delays in surgery by posting wait times for every surgeon.

• Friendship will keep hospitals ticking, minister says amid nurses' campaign

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 7:49am CDT

  Good working relations on hospital floors will ensure patients receive appropriate care as Newfoundland and Labrador's nurses withdraw more voluntary services, the province's health minister says.

• Computer records at dump, breast cancer inquiry learns

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 6:26am CDT

  Some of the records connected to hundreds of inaccurate breast cancer tests are likely buried at the St. John's dump, an inquiry has been told.

• Tests results show extent of listeria contamination, experts say

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 5:28am CDT

  Two-thirds of meat samples taken from Toronto-area nursing homes and hospitals in mid-August for testing were contaminated with listeria, according to records obtained by CBC News and the Toronto Star in a joint investigation.

• 'I'd never seen anything like this,' expert says of listeria test results

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 5:28am CDT

  Two-thirds of meat samples taken from Toronto-area nursing homes and hospitals in mid-August for testing were contaminated with listeria, according to records obtained by CBC News and the Toronto Star in a joint investigation.

• 4 more products test positive for listeria at Maple Leaf's Toronto plant

  Posted: October 9th, 2008, 1:51am CDT

  Four product tests at a Maple Leaf plant in Toronto have come up positive for listeria, the deli meat producer at the heart of a deadly nationwide listeriosis outbreak said Wednesday.

• CFIA told to warn public about tainted meat days before advisory

  Posted: October 8th, 2008, 11:12pm CDT

  Toronto health officials told Canada's food inspection agency to warn the public several days before it announced a link between Maple Leaf deli meats and a deadly nationwide listeriosis outbreak, CBC News has learned.

• BPA linked to chemotherapy resistance

  Posted: October 8th, 2008, 4:10pm CDT

  Exposure to bisphenol A, a chemical commonly found in plastic food containers, may reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatments, according to researchers who studied the effects on human breast cancer cells.

• Scientists construct genetic map for malaria parasites

  Posted: October 8th, 2008, 3:51pm CDT

  Scientists have sequenced the genomes of two of the parasites known to carry malaria, developments they hope will lead to improvements in vaccines and treatments for the deadly virus.

• Honey to treat burns? Sweet

  Posted: October 8th, 2008, 3:04pm CDT

  Putting honey on burns may help the wound heal faster, a review suggests.

• Painkillers may reduce breast cancer risk: study

  Posted: October 8th, 2008, 12:13pm CDT

  Painkillers such as Aspirin and ibuprofen may help reduce the risk of some breast cancers, but it's too soon to suggest taking the pills as a prevention strategy, according to a Canadian researcher who led the study.

• Dunn's smoked meat may contain listeria: CFIA

  Posted: October 8th, 2008, 10:17am CDT

  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to consume certain Dunn's Famous brand Smoked Meat pouches because they may contain listeria.

• China milk victims may have doubled to over 90,000

  Posted: October 8th, 2008, 9:18am CDT

  The toll of Chinese children ill from toxic milk formula may have nearly doubled since the Health Ministry's last public count, local media reports show, but an official said on Wednesday the number of new cases was falling.

• No proof circumcision cuts HIV risk for gay men: study

  Posted: October 8th, 2008, 9:05am CDT

  There is not enough evidence to say circumcision protects men from getting the AIDS virus during sex with other men even as studies show it protects them when having sex with women, U.S. researchers said.

• Standardize rules for all N.S. nursing homes: seniors' group

  Posted: October 8th, 2008, 8:56am CDT

  Seniors' advocates are calling for mandatory licensing of all businesses acting as nursing homes in light of allegations of elder abuse at a Dartmouth facility

• Paramedics protest in Vancouver over underfunding of ambulance service