The best health news search engine - My Health News » CBC Health and Science News » April 2010 - Bird flu, Avian influenza, Diabetes, Cholesterol, Caner, HIV

Dozens of children's meds recalled

Posted: April 30th, 2010, 11:23pm CDT

More than 40 formulations of children's medications are being recalled in Canada, the United States and 10 other countries for failing to meet quality standards.

Private Calgary clinic faces bankruptcy

Posted: April 30th, 2010, 7:27pm CDT

A private Calgary clinic contracted by the Alberta government to do hip and knee surgeries is facing bankruptcy after one of its creditors applied for a bankruptcy order against the company.

Laughter works on body like exercise: study

Posted: April 30th, 2010, 5:35pm CDT

When people laugh repetitively, their bodies respond as if they exercised, a small new study suggests.

Dentist touts performance-enhancing mouthguard

Posted: April 30th, 2010, 5:13pm CDT

A Regina dentist who helped develop a pricey sports mouthguard says the unique device is helping athletes improve their game.

Northern food banks, soup kitchens examined

Posted: April 30th, 2010, 3:22pm CDT

A Montreal researcher is studying the true value of food banks and soup kitchens in fast-growing northern centres such as Iqaluit, where more people are using the services.

Whitehorse hospital seeing more intoxicated patients

Posted: April 30th, 2010, 1:52pm CDT

The 2008 death of a Yukon man in RCMP custody has led the force to send more intoxicated patients to the emergency room of Whitehorse General Hospital.

UBC video-game camp disturbs health experts

Posted: April 30th, 2010, 1:15pm CDT

Health professionals are shaking their heads over a decision by the University of British Columbia to offer a summer camp that lets children play video games for several hours a day.

Cuba visitors face new medical insurance rule

Posted: April 30th, 2010, 1:08pm CDT

Canadians travelling to Cuba will be required to present proof of health insurance to enter the country as of Saturday.

Insect stole fungus gene to make plant pigment

Posted: April 30th, 2010, 11:47am CDT

Researchers at the University of Arizona conducted a genetic study of the pea aphid and found the insects make their own carotenoids, nutrients that give plants a red-orange colour.

Genome scan shows man's heart, cancer risks

Posted: April 30th, 2010, 9:37am CDT

The next time Stephen Quake is prescribed a drug, he can consult his genome to see if there are any warning signs in his DNA about a possible bad reaction.

P.E.I. weighs cost of HPV vaccine for boys

Posted: April 30th, 2010, 6:24am CDT

A Prince Edward Island program that offers free HPV vaccines for girls could be extended to cover boys in a few years.

Cribs recalled on safety worries

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 9:28pm CDT

Thousands of cribs have been recalled in the U.S. and Canada, with government agencies warning that babies could suffocate or strangle in them.

Hospital to open drop-off for abandoned babies

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 9:24pm CDT

A Vancouver hospital plans to offer a safe haven for troubled mothers who want to abandon their newborn babies anonymously.

Black-market prescription drugs worry FDA

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 7:34pm CDT

The Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. is warning of increasing theft and a growing black market in prescription and over the counter drugs, medical devices and infant formula.

Heart healed with remote-controlled robot

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 6:08pm CDT

A retired British man had his irregular heart rhythm restored by a remote-controlled robot, doctors say.

Time magazine honours Toronto paramedic

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 6:07pm CDT

Rahul Singh, a Toronto paramedic and the founder and executive director of GlobalMedic, has been listed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.

Mirror movement disorder gene clue found

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 5:15pm CDT

Members of a large family in Quebec who have trouble moving one hand without the other hand doing the same thing all share a genetic mutation, Montreal researchers have discovered.

Physiotherapists call for freeze on cuts

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 5:05pm CDT

It is getting harder for Canadians to access publicly available physiotherapy services, a national group says.

Australia no-logo cigarettes inspire Quebec teens

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 1:16pm CDT

A group of anti-smoking Montreal teenagers wants Quebec to follow Australia's lead and force tobacco companies to use logo-free packaging on cigarettes.

Norovirus hitting young hardest on P.E.I.

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 12:47pm CDT

Norovirus is continuing to spread across P.E.I. and appears to be taking the greatest toll on young people.

Alzheimer's prevention tactics unproven: panel

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 12:34pm CDT

Evidence doesn't support diet, pills, puzzles or exercise as strategies to delay or reduce the severity of Alzheimer's disease, a panel of experts in the U.S. says.

Vitamin E shows promise to treat fatty liver

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 10:41am CDT

People with a common, obesity-related liver disease that has no known treatment got a surprising benefit from vitamin E pills, researchers found.

Most Americans breathe polluted air: study

Posted: April 29th, 2010, 9:21am CDT

Six in 10 Americans - about 175 million people - are living in places where air pollution often reaches dangerous levels, despite progress in reducing particle pollution, the American Lung Association said in a report released this week.

Canadians healthier, outliving Americans

Posted: April 28th, 2010, 7:02pm CDT

Canadians tend to lead longer, healthier lives than Americans, say researchers who point to lack of universal health care as one reason.

Vitamin B risk for diabetics with failing kidneys

Posted: April 28th, 2010, 9:16am CDT

Diabetics with impaired kidneys should avoid taking high doses of certain B vitamins because the supplements may do serious harm, researchers say.

Benefits of quick colon scope 'substantial'

Posted: April 27th, 2010, 6:14pm CDT

A one-time scope test to detect signs of colorectal cancer could save hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide each year, according to the world's largest and longest running study.

Young Canadians get failing fitness grade

Posted: April 27th, 2010, 3:25pm CDT

Most children in Canada, even toddlers, are failing to get the recommended amount of physical activity, a new report suggests. .

Maternal plan should unite Canadians: Harper

Posted: April 27th, 2010, 3:04pm CDT

Prime Minister Stephen Harper defends the decision to not fund abortions in its G8 child and maternal health-care initiative for developing countries, saying it wants to focus on non-divisive policies.

Cardiac Science defibrillators may be faulty: FDA

Posted: April 27th, 2010, 2:41pm CDT

Some automated external defibrillators - the life-saving devices used to help someone in cardiac arrest - may not work properly when an emergency strikes, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Chocolate craving linked to depression

Posted: April 27th, 2010, 12:49pm CDT

People suffering from depression tend to eat more chocolate than those without the mood disorder, a new study suggests.

Insurer pays after wife sues 'negligent' husband

Posted: April 27th, 2010, 12:29pm CDT

A Victoria woman denied compensation by her insurer for injuries suffered when her family's car struck a deer will get her payout after successfully suing the driver, her husband, for negligence.

Europe cracks down on fake medications

Posted: April 27th, 2010, 11:37am CDT

The battle against counterfeit medicines takes a big step forward as the European Parliament's public health panel cracks down on a fast-growing industry worth the equivalent of $14 billion Cdn a year in Europe alone.

Clinical trials hindered by red tape: MDs

Posted: April 26th, 2010, 10:24pm CDT

Red tape is hampering clinical trials in Canada and other countries, the Canadian Medical Association Journal says.

No abortion in Canada's G8 maternal health plan

Posted: April 26th, 2010, 10:15pm CDT

The federal government has disclosed for the first time that Canada will not fund abortions in its G8 child and maternal health-care initiative for developing countries.

Veterans worry about hospital transfer

Posted: April 26th, 2010, 7:31pm CDT

Veterans' Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn met with residents at Canada's only federally controlled veterans' hospital to reassure them about the government's plans to transfer responsibility for the facility to the province of Quebec.

Medical residents challenge long shifts

Posted: April 26th, 2010, 6:28pm CDT

Medical residents at the McGill University Health Centre are demanding an end to on-call shifts of 24 hours or more that have become traditional in hospitals.

Cellphone game tracks every exercise move

Posted: April 26th, 2010, 5:43pm CDT

A cellphone with a bit of smart software could help people track their physical activity.

Unhealthy habits add 12 years: study

Posted: April 26th, 2010, 5:24pm CDT

The combination of four common bad habits - smoking, drinking too much, inactivity and poor diet - can age you by 12 years, sobering new research suggests.

Saint John boil water order lifted

Posted: April 26th, 2010, 2:45pm CDT

The boil water order that affected about 35,000 people in Saint John was lifted late Monday afternoon.

Ventilator tubes recalled after 3 deaths

Posted: April 26th, 2010, 2:23pm CDT

A Massachusetts company is recalling tracheostomy tubes used to help patients on ventilators breathe after receiving reports that three people died while using them.

HIV drugs rationed: global report

Posted: April 26th, 2010, 2:15pm CDT

AIDS programs are being starved of funds worldwide, and if the trends continue, millions of people may die as an indirect result, a new report says.

Liberals promise national food policy

Posted: April 26th, 2010, 1:53pm CDT

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says his party would help farmers, improve food safety and encourage healthy eating by bringing in a national food policy, if elected.

Ontario won't regulate personal care workers

Posted: April 26th, 2010, 8:32am CDT

Ontario's health ministry has decided not to press ahead with regulation of personal service workers - a decision based on financial considerations, some say.

Skater Rochette shares story for heart campaign

Posted: April 24th, 2010, 5:31pm CDT

Olympic medallist Joannie Rochette shared emotional stories about her mother during the launch of a women's heart health campaign in Ottawa Saturday.

Vatican funds adult stem-cell research

Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 10:23pm CDT

The Vatican will fund research into the potential use of adult stem cells to treat disease, a field where Canadian researchers are hard at work.

Salmonella leads to new HIV clue

Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 6:08pm CDT

HIV damages the immune system differently than previously thought, a study on a bacterial infection suggests.

Sydney doctor offers same-day service

Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 5:39pm CDT

Offering his patients same-day access to his services has reduced the number of his patients going to a hospital emergency room by 30 per cent, a Nova Scotia doctor says.

Hockey helmet maker sued for brain injury

Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 12:42pm CDT

A major hockey gear manufacturer and a national safety standards agency are being sued by a Victoria family whose son suffered a severe brain injury during a midget hockey game.

Full-face transplant in Spain called world 1st

Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 12:38pm CDT

A man is recovering in Spain after undergoing what hospital officials say is the world's first full-face transplant.

Polio detected in Tajikistan

Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 12:24pm CDT

A polio outbreak in Tajikistan has led the World Health Organization to send a team to investigate and offer support.

Saint John boil water order affects 35,000

Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 11:56am CDT

A boil water order has been issued for much of Saint John after untreated water got into the system.

Sex ed opponents claim victory in Ontario

Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 10:08am CDT

Opponents of Ontario's new sex education curriculum are cheering after the premier backed down and said the material needs a "serious rethink."

Dreaming boosts learning, creativity

Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 10:07am CDT

Taking a nap while studying works even better if you dream about the task you are trying to learn, scientists show.

Nursing-home death linked to dementia

Posted: April 23rd, 2010, 9:30am CDT

The death of an Ottawa man and murder charge against a fellow nursing-home resident are reminders that facilities need to work to manage patients with dementia, says the Alzheimer's Society of Ontario's head.

Baby-wipe solution laced with bacteria

Posted: April 22nd, 2010, 7:01pm CDT

Consumers should stop using a brand of imported baby-wipe solution because it is contaminated, warns Health Canada.

Drug spending in Canada hits $30B

Posted: April 22nd, 2010, 6:03pm CDT

Spending on prescription and non-prescription drugs in Canada reaches an estimated $30 billion, or $836 per person, but the rate of increase is slowing.

Sex-ed change needs 'rethink': Ont. premier

Posted: April 22nd, 2010, 5:29pm CDT

A controversial new sex education curriculum that would have seen Ontario children learn about sexual orientation in Grade 3 and masturbation in Grade 6 will be postponed and reworked, Premier Dalton McGuinty says.

Deadly Oregon fungus may spread on West Coast

Posted: April 22nd, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

A newly discovered strain of airborne fungus that has caused several deaths in Oregon seems set to spread, researchers say.

Dirty endoscopes used at Victoria hospital

Posted: April 22nd, 2010, 2:41pm CDT

The Vancouver Island Health Authority says about 500 patients might have come in contact with dirty endoscopes, used to examine the liver, pancreas and gallbladder.

Research HIV vaccine centre not needed

Posted: April 22nd, 2010, 2:29pm CDT

Politics played no part in the decision to scrap plans for a multimillion-dollar HIV vaccine research facility, says the country's chief public health officer.

Measles kills 185 Africans this year: UNICEF

Posted: April 22nd, 2010, 1:52pm CDT

Measles outbreaks have hit 16 countries in West and Central Africa, the United Nations children's agency says.

3-D TV warning for kids, pregnant women

Posted: April 22nd, 2010, 1:20pm CDT

A warning from a 3-D TV manufacturer may prompt parents and pregnant women to think twice about allowing space heroes and pirates to jump off the screen into their living rooms.

McGuinty defends controversial sex ed changes

Posted: April 21st, 2010, 9:16pm CDT

Premier Dalton McGuinty says Ontario's Catholic schools will have to teach a revamped sex ed curriculum that has drawn fire from conservative groups who charge it will corrupt young minds.

B.C. to dump $20M in swine flu vaccine

Posted: April 21st, 2010, 9:00pm CDT

The B.C. government hopes to recover at least part of the $20-million cost of swine flu vaccine it has to dump because the serum is unexpectedly spoiling far in advance of its best-before date.

Pregnancy weight gain surveyed

Posted: April 21st, 2010, 6:54pm CDT

Canadian women who give birth for the first time or were overweight before pregnancy were among those most likely to gain more weight than recommended, Statistics Canada says.

Prison HIV nears African rates: advocates

Posted: April 21st, 2010, 5:45pm CDT

The HIV infection rates in federal prisons rivals that of many African countries, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network says.

Doctor groups aim to curb industry influence

Posted: April 21st, 2010, 4:29pm CDT

Leading medical groups will limit the influence drug and device makers have over patient care under a new code of ethics.

Spa caught with fake receipts in 2007

Posted: April 21st, 2010, 2:14pm CDT

A health spa that was part of a CBC News probe into insurance fraud was investigated and forced to repay an insurance company in 2007.

Medical specialist waits are longer for women

Posted: April 21st, 2010, 1:01pm CDT

Canadian women were less likely than men to see a medical specialist within a month, Statistics Canada reports.

Blood agency again asked to keep N.B. office

Posted: April 17th, 2010, 11:43am CDT

A bipartisan group of New Brunswick MLAs is again demanding that Canadian Blood Services keep its distribution facility in Saint John instead of moving it to Dartmouth, N.S.

High volcano ash levels pose lung hazard

Posted: April 16th, 2010, 9:55pm CDT

People with breathing problems should take precautions if air quality worsens across northern Europe from ash particles following the eruption of a volcano in Iceland, the WHO says.

House for quadriplegic is Alberta woman's goal

Posted: April 16th, 2010, 7:38pm CDT

An Alberta woman is leading a campaign in her community to build an accessible house for a college football player who was left in a wheelchair last year after an accident.

Arm movement regained years after stroke

Posted: April 16th, 2010, 7:28pm CDT

Intense, robot-assisted therapy can help stroke victims regain some arm movement years after their brain injury, U.S. researchers have found.

Chinese quake spurs plague watch

Posted: April 16th, 2010, 2:58pm CDT

Rescuers of victims of earthquakes in a Tibetan area of western China should be on alert for potential cases of pneumonic plague, health officials say.

Ont. nurse practitioners may ease hospital flow

Posted: April 16th, 2010, 12:54pm CDT

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty sayd he'll consider easing the flow of traffic at the province's hospitals by allowing nurse practitioners to admit and discharge in-patients.

Measles outbreak spreads north in B.C.

Posted: April 16th, 2010, 11:13am CDT

B.C.'s measles outbreak appears to have spread to northeastern areas of the province, after doctors confirmed two new cases of the disease in the Fort St. John and Fort Nelson areas on Thursday.

P.E.I. tackles mammography frustrations

Posted: April 16th, 2010, 6:23am CDT

P.E.I. is moving to expand its breast cancer screening program, decrease wait times and lower the frustration levels of women entering the system.

Que. researchers uncover gene therapy treatment

Posted: April 15th, 2010, 6:57pm CDT

Researchers at Quebec City's Laval University say they have taken steps toward a treatment of a severe form of muscular dystrophy.

Health insurers investing in fast food: study

Posted: April 15th, 2010, 6:03pm CDT

Life and health insurance companies, including two Canadian giants, have invested nearly $2 billion in the fast food industry, a practice that raises questions about putting profits above health, researchers say.

Cancer drug research in Ont. expands

Posted: April 15th, 2010, 3:52pm CDT

Canadian cancer drug research has received a $17.3-million boost.

Big, small pharmacies unite in fee fight

Posted: April 15th, 2010, 3:38pm CDT

Large and small pharmacies are banding together in a media campaign urging consumers to reject the Ontario government's plan to eliminate the allowances they get from generic drug manufacturers.

DNA swap aims to prevent inherited disease

Posted: April 15th, 2010, 12:02pm CDT

Scientists have created an embryo with genetic material from a man and two women, using a technique they say could someday help prevent mothers with rare inherited diseases from passing them on to their children.

Ont. smoking club appeal tossed by top court

Posted: April 15th, 2010, 12:01pm CDT

The Supreme Court of Canada is refusing to hear an appeal request by the owner of a smoking club who argued the facility was private and therefore Ontario's smoking regulations didn't apply to it.

Doctor contracts may save $200M: Ont. report

Posted: April 15th, 2010, 11:57am CDT

Putting doctors in Ontario hospitals under contract could save more than $200 million a year, a group of health-care providers says.

Silver dressings for wounds questioned

Posted: April 15th, 2010, 9:24am CDT

Costly silver dressings should not be routinely used on wounds until there is better evidence to support their use, British researchers say.

Food agency warns about Kraft tartar sauce

Posted: April 15th, 2010, 8:31am CDT

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Kraft Canada are warning people with egg allergies to be careful before consuming Kraft tartar sauce.

Nurses scramble to exit St. John's ER

Posted: April 15th, 2010, 7:06am CDT

The largest hospital in Newfoundland and Labrador is trying to cope with nurses who want to leave their jobs, citing excessive workloads and stress.

Haitian boy to get surgery at Montreal hospital

Posted: April 14th, 2010, 6:55pm CDT

Canadian immigration officials will allow a young Haitian boy to travel to Montreal to receive surgery on his deformed legs.

Cancer genome project expands

Posted: April 14th, 2010, 5:08pm CDT

An international partnership including Canadians who plan to decode the genomes of 25,000 cancer samples announced their research plans on Tuesday.

Stroke admissions fall in Ont.: report

Posted: April 14th, 2010, 4:33pm CDT

Fewer people in Ontario are being admitted to hospital with stroke despite an aging population, a new study suggests.

Robot helps measure stroke effects

Posted: April 14th, 2010, 4:14pm CDT

With the help of a robot named KINARM, a Calgary doctor is studying the impact strokes have on people in the hope of speeding up their recovery times.

MS vein surgery innovator urges caution

Posted: April 14th, 2010, 3:34pm CDT

People with multiple sclerosis should not rush to seek out a new surgical procedure to unblock veins outside of proper clinical studies, says the Italian doctor who first publicized the treatment.

Ignatieff rules out health-care user fees

Posted: April 14th, 2010, 1:33pm CDT

Michael Ignatieff says a Liberal government would not allow provinces to impose health-care user fees.

2 maternal death reports in sharp conflict

Posted: April 14th, 2010, 8:59am CDT

The number of women dying in childbirth has dropped dramatically, according to a British medical journal that says it was under pressure to delay its findings until after UN meetings on public health funding.

N.B. drug project to improve seniors' safety

Posted: April 14th, 2010, 6:06am CDT

The New Brunswick government is teaming up with pharmacists on a pilot project aimed at helping seniors understand their prescriptions better to improve safety.

Sask. kidney transplants should resume: NDP

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 9:53pm CDT

The provincial government is being asked why a suspended kidney transplantation program has not been restarted seven months after officials announced a temporary halt to the procedure being done in Saskatchewan.

Pharmacy giant begins fee-cut protest

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 9:01pm CDT

The battle between pharmacy retailers and Ontario continues to escalate, with two chains saying proposed changes will force them to trim staff and cut opening hours.

MS treatment sought in India by P.E.I. woman

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 6:40pm CDT

A Prince Edward Island woman plans to travel to India soon to try the latest experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis.

Sask. baby had flesh-eating disease: family

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 6:22pm CDT

A family from Moosomin First Nation near North Battleford has questions after a baby girl became ill from what they say was flesh-eating disease.

Few severe H1N1 vaccine reactions found

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 5:28pm CDT

The H1N1 vaccine was not linked to a spike in cases of a rare paralyzing condition as some had feared, a U.S. study suggests.

Stem cell injection to heart shows promise

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 5:05pm CDT

Injecting stem cells into a Montreal man's heart seems to have helped heal the organ, say researchers investigating the feasibility of the experimental procedure.

Nunavut plane jump inquest hears from MD

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 4:55pm CDT

A Nunavut coroner's inquest into the death of Julian Tologanak, the Cambridge Bay man who jumped out of a plane in mid-flight, heard Tuesday from an emergency room doctor and psychiatrist who examined him hours before the fatal trip.

Killam Prizes honour 5 science researchers

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 12:55pm CDT

Killam Prizes reward Canadian researchers who advanced understanding in fields ranging from bilingualism, digital imaging for human disease research, and nuclear physics.

Measles outbreak sends unvaccinated students home

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 12:35pm CDT

Unvaccinated students are being sent home from school because of the growing measles outbreak in Vancouver, and that has at least one parent concerned that the policy is unfair.

Cancer society's hard-hitting video wins award

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 9:38am CDT

An unscripted Canadian Cancer Society video called Fight, featuring real cancer patients, survivors and caregivers, is among the winners in an international contest.

ERs groaning with patients: N.L. docs

Posted: April 13th, 2010, 4:35am CDT

Patients are waiting far too long in Newfoundland and Labrador's emergency rooms, often for services that should be provided elsewhere, physicians say.

MS blogger's surgery journey

Posted: April 12th, 2010, 8:57pm CDT

Watch multiple sclerosis blogger Ginger MacQueen who decided to go to Katowice, Poland, to have her veins checked, and follow her into the operating suite.

Smoking bans cut hospital admissions: study

Posted: April 12th, 2010, 6:49pm CDT

Public smoking bans seem to have paid off in fewer hospital admissions for heart and lung problems, a new Canadian study suggests.

Ont. pharmacies threaten closures over fees

Posted: April 9th, 2010, 9:57pm CDT

Ontario pharmacists warn that vulnerable patients will be caught in the crossfire in a fee dispute with the province over how much pharmacies can charge for generic drugs.

Global life expectancy hits 68 years

Posted: April 9th, 2010, 7:23pm CDT

Life expectancy worldwide has risen steeply over the last half-century because of improvements in nutrition and hygiene, as well as advances in vaccines and medical treatments, a new UN report says.

MS patients rally to get treatment covered

Posted: April 9th, 2010, 6:52pm CDT

Calgarians suffering from multiple sclerosis rallied at the Foothills hospital Friday, pleading with the provincial government to approve a new treatment already being used in Europe - but not yet available here.

H1N1 adjuvant vaccine expires earlier

Posted: April 9th, 2010, 4:49pm CDT

The expiry date for adjuvanted H1N1 vaccine should be moved up based on a decline in strength noted in specific lots, Health Canada announces.

HIV invades through leaky cells: study

Posted: April 9th, 2010, 4:45pm CDT

HIV infects women by weakening a cell barrier in the reproductive tract that normally keeps viruses out, Canadian researchers have discovered.

'Professional allowances' and the price of generic drugs

Posted: April 9th, 2010, 2:23pm CDT

Pharmacy chains in Ontario say they need the professional allowances that generic drug makers pay them to carry their products if they are to continue offering high-quality service. The Ontario government want to do away with them in order to lower the cost of generic drugs.

Combine mental illness, addiction care: report

Posted: April 9th, 2010, 9:21am CDT

People with both mental illness and an addiction would benefit from a pulling together of services to treat and care for them, suggests a new report that calls for a national approach to the problem.

P.E.I. students won't tan for prom

Posted: April 9th, 2010, 6:14am CDT

Students at Kensington High School in P.E.I. are challenging their classmates to avoid tanning for this year's prom.

Antibacterial in soap probed in U.S.

Posted: April 8th, 2010, 6:52pm CDT

The safety of triclosan, an antibacterial ingredient used in soap and toothpaste, is under review in the U.S.

Fewer health-care providers move around Canada

Posted: April 8th, 2010, 5:18pm CDT

Health-care providers don't move around Canada nearly as much as they used to, a new report says.

DBRS puts Shoppers debt under review

Posted: April 8th, 2010, 4:27pm CDT

The DBRS bond rating agency Thursday placed the debt of Toronto-based Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation under review with negative implications.

Kids get illegal cigarettes too easily: coalition

Posted: April 8th, 2010, 3:01pm CDT

More needs to be done to stop children and teens from smoking contraband cigarettes, a coalition of health-care groups in Ontario say.

Marijuana club butts heads in Montreal

Posted: April 8th, 2010, 1:24pm CDT

The Montreal borough of Lachine says it's doing everything in its power to discourage a medical marijuana supplier from operating in the area.

Quebec residents fight pig lab plan

Posted: April 8th, 2010, 8:14am CDT

Residents in Boisbriand, Que. are fuming over plans for a new biotechnology firm that uses pigs to test medical implants.

Baby boom hits Halifax hospital

Posted: April 8th, 2010, 6:54am CDT

Officials at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax expect between 4,900 and 5,000 babies will be born this year - the most since the early 1990s.

Superbug linked to 2 B.C. hospital deaths

Posted: April 8th, 2010, 6:12am CDT

Two patients at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital have died after an outbreak of the C. Difficile bacterium.

No blood from chronic fatigue donors: agency

Posted: April 7th, 2010, 9:16pm CDT

Canadian Blood Services has banned donations from anyone with chronic fatigue syndrome as a precaution.

Ontario cuts generic drug cost

Posted: April 7th, 2010, 9:00pm CDT

Some pharmacists in downtown Toronto responded to government cutbacks Wednesday by halting the dispensing of drugs for at least an hour.

Grits seek ban on generic drug fees

Posted: April 7th, 2010, 9:00pm CDT

Some pharmacists in downtown Toronto responded to government cutbacks Wednesday by halting the dispensing of drugs for at least an hour.

Multiple sclerosis forum seeks answers

Posted: April 7th, 2010, 7:56pm CDT

People living with multiple sclerosis have many questions about what Canada is doing to test how safe and effective an unproven surgical treatment is and when it might be available.

Grassy Narrows protests mercury poisoning

Posted: April 7th, 2010, 6:30pm CDT

Members of Grassy Narrows First Nation converge on Queen's Park to protest against decades of mercury poisoning in their community.

Airway swab may predict lung cancer risk

Posted: April 7th, 2010, 5:22pm CDT

A new approach for detecting and possibly preventing the deadliest form of cancer in current and former smokers is under investigation by U.S. and Canadian researchers.

FDA warns against use of fat-busting injections

Posted: April 7th, 2010, 4:07pm CDT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on what are billed as fat-melting injections used in spas across the U.S., saying the drugs have not been proven safe or effective.

Weight-loss surgery in demand in Ont.

Posted: April 7th, 2010, 3:36pm CDT

A growing number of Ontarians are taking advantage of Ontario's decision a year ago to expand access to procedures such as gastric bypass surgery.

Smoking ban floated for Vancouver parks, beaches

Posted: April 7th, 2010, 3:31pm CDT

The Vancouver Park Board is considering banning smoking at beaches, parks and playgrounds after receiving overwhelming support for some sort of ban in a recent online survey.

Sexual-health clinic draws few young men

Posted: April 7th, 2010, 10:45am CDT

Nurses at a youth clinic in Vancouver say there's a troubling imbalance in who walks through their doors to seek sexual-health information and treatment: almost all of them are female.

Obese treated fairly by doctors: study

Posted: April 7th, 2010, 10:14am CDT

Obese and overweight patients are just as likely to receive the proper preventive care as people of normal weight, and often get additional care, a U.S. study finds.

Seasonal flu shot link to H1N1 questioned

Posted: April 7th, 2010, 9:36am CDT

A set of controversial Canadian studies that suggested getting a previous seasonal flu shot doubled a person's risk of catching pandemic H1N1 last spring has finally been published, but the mystery of whether the finding is real remains.

Mercury still plagues Ont. First Nation: report

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 7:42pm CDT

The health impacts of mercury poisoning in a northern Ontario First Nations community are worse now than when fishing in waters contaminated by the substance was first banned there 40 years ago, according to a report released in Toronto Tuesday.

Jacques Parizeau hospitalized

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 6:54pm CDT

Former Parti Québécois premier Jacques Parizeau was admitted to the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal Monday.

Mercury still a health issue for Ont. First Nation: report

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 6:19pm CDT

The health impacts of mercury poisoning in a northern Ontario First Nations community are worse now than when fishing in waters contaminated by the substance was first banned there 40 years ago, according to a report released in Toronto Tuesday.

Lung disease underdiagnosed in adults

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 6:04pm CDT

Many adults may be unaware that they're suffering from a respiratory condition that could be diagnosed earlier by family doctors, a new study suggests.

Walk to lower stroke risk, women urged

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 4:47pm CDT

Women can lower their stroke risk by lacing up their sneakers and walking, a new study suggests.

Atlantic companies lobby for cheaper drugs

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 2:53pm CDT

Some of the biggest companies in Atlantic Canada, such as Bell Aliant, J.D. Irving and Michelin Tire, are banding together so they can access generic drugs at a lower cost.

Most holiday kids' injuries everyday mishaps

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 1:24pm CDT

It's not fireworks blasts that cause the most injuries for children during holidays, but everyday injuries like falls, U.S. study finds.

Allon drug wins fast-track review

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 1:14pm CDT

Shares in Vancouver-based Allon Therapeutics Inc. gained six cents, or almost 11 per cent, Tuesday to close at 62 cents after the company announced it has won approval for a fast-track review from U.S. regulators for its drug davunetide.

Drug review report for P.E.I. still a year off

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 12:35pm CDT

It will be another year before the P.E.I. government completes a review of its pharmaceutical program, says Health Minister Carolyn Bertram.

Child poisoned by air freshener in N.L.

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 12:11pm CDT

A two-year-old is in intensive care at a St. John's hospital after swallowing a poisonous air-freshening product.

Winners of Gairdner medical prize unveiled

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 11:26am CDT

The 2010 Canada Gairdner Awards honour groundbreaking medical research behind cancer, epilepsy and heart disease and malaria treatments.

Lithium doesn't slow Lou Gehrig's: study

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 9:09am CDT

Lithium doesn't help patients with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, contrary to previous study results, new research says.

Tax claim for pot from black market

Posted: April 6th, 2010, 8:27am CDT

A Nova Scotia man who buys medical marijuana from drug dealers says he should be able to write it off for tax purposes because the government-supplied version of the drug is of a poor quality.

Toward better milk, healthier cows

Posted: April 5th, 2010, 2:50pm CDT

The Atlantic Dairy and Forage Institute in New Brunswick wants to build an $8.5 million expansion in order to improve the quality of milk.

Orthopedic surgeons fight changes to response times

Posted: April 5th, 2010, 12:28pm CDT

B.C.'s orthopedic surgeons are squaring off against two regional health authorities over changes that may affect how long someone with a broken bone has to wait for treatment.

Exercise in pregnancy leads to smaller babies

Posted: April 5th, 2010, 11:39am CDT

Want a smaller baby to deliver? Doing regular moderate-intensity workouts throughout your pregnancy could lead to a lower birth weight.

Nurse graduates staying in N.L.

Posted: April 5th, 2010, 9:54am CDT

The province's largest health authority says it's had a banner year recruiting new nurses.

Surgical checklist in effect in Ontario

Posted: April 5th, 2010, 8:50am CDT

Operating room staff in Ontario hospitals now have to go through a safety checklist before starting and after completing surgery.

More breastfeeding could save lives: U.S. study

Posted: April 5th, 2010, 8:25am CDT

The lives of nearly 900 babies would be saved each year, along with billions of dollars, if 90 per cent of U.S. women breastfed their babies for the first six months of life, a cost analysis says.

Young travellers need health advice

Posted: April 4th, 2010, 11:06pm CDT

A new study suggests most children and teens who travel overseas to visit friends and families risk getting deadly rabies and other preventable diseases because their parents don't seek medical advice for them before packing the luggage.

Calgary food tampering work of 'idiots': chief

Posted: April 2nd, 2010, 4:25pm CDT

Calgary's police chief slammed the "idiots" behind a rash of food tampering in the city, as two locations of the Real Canadian Superstore became the latest targets.

Calgary food tampering cases hit 11

Posted: April 2nd, 2010, 1:05pm CDT

Calgary police have announced two more cases of food tampering, bringing the total to 11 cases at nine different grocery stores since January.

Alberta eye surgery patients in limbo

Posted: April 2nd, 2010, 10:49am CDT

Alberta Health Services is under fire for leaving thousands of eye surgery patients in limbo after a switch in which clinics can provide those services.

China rabies vaccine recall prompts changes

Posted: April 2nd, 2010, 8:52am CDT

China will step up monitoring of a faulty rabies vaccine that has been recalled but may still be on the market, the country's Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

Cheese recalled over Listeria concerns

Posted: April 2nd, 2010, 8:36am CDT

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to consume a Silani brand mozzarella cheese product because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

ERs to report shootings in new law

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 9:28pm CDT

A law making it mandatory for doctors and nurses to tell police when they see patients with gunshot or stab wounds has some health professionals worried.

Protesters disrupt McGill hospital groundbreaking

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 8:03pm CDT

The groundbreaking for the new McGill University Hospital Centre was cancelled Thursday because of protests, but Quebec Premier Jean Charest says work on the long-promised superhospital, one of two being built in the city, is on track.

Prostate drug dutasteride reduces cancer risk

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 4:21pm CDT

Dutasteride, a drug used to shrink enlarged prostates might also help reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer in some men, a large, international study suggests.

Medical pot decision worries N.S. premier

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 12:52pm CDT

Nova Scotia's premier fears that a court ruling ordering the province to pay for the medical marijuana of a woman on income assistance may set a costly precedent.

Uzbek child HIV deaths punished

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 12:32pm CDT

Medical staff behind the HIV infection of nearly 150 children in Uzbekistan have been jailed for negligence, a news website says.

Rochette struts catwalk for heart health

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 10:29am CDT

Figure skater Joannie Rochette received a rousing standing ovation in Toronto as she took to the fashion runway to promote awareness about heart health.

New berry shows health promise

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 9:39am CDT

A new berry being introduced to farms in eastern Canada is proving to have some potentially exciting health benefits.

Toxic N.L. mine hasn't harmed residents: tests

Posted: April 1st, 2010, 7:43am CDT

Relief has replaced anxiety for people in central Newfoundland who were worried about lead contamination from old mines near their community.

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