Recreational runners aiming for marathon in 2006 should exercise caution: experts

TORONTO (CP) - Audacious would-be athletes who plan to add "complete a marathon" to their list of new year's resolutions should exercise caution and common sense, say running experts....More

Plastic surgery offers hope to mutilation victims in northern Uganda

KITGUM, Uganda (AP) - Sabina Abwo is a victim of one of the most horrifying tactics of Uganda's northern war: her lips and ears were sliced off. Abwo said she believed she then would be killed by rebels, who abducted her when she ventured from a refugee camp to fetch firewood....More

HealthSouth Corp. claims Scrushy seeks to 'pillage' rehab company

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - HealthSouth Corp. accused ousted CEO Richard Scrushy of trying to "pillage" the company of more than $100 million US in court papers filed Wednesday and said he isn't due anything for his firing....More

Hospital overdoses contribute to bleeding problems in heart attack patients

CHICAGO (AP) - Heart attack patients are often given overdoses of powerful blood-thinning drugs in the emergency room, increasing their risk of serious bleeding, a study found. Of the 30,136 heart attack patients studied who were treated last year at 387 U.S....More

Guidant shareholder vote set for Jan. 31 on J&J-Guidant merger

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Guidant Corp. shareholders will vote Jan. 31, four days later than originally planned, on a $21.5 billion US offer by Johnson & Johnson to buy the troubled medical device maker....More

China reports new human fatality from bird flu; no immediate confirmation by UN

BEIJING (AP) - China on Thursday reported its seventh human case of bird flu in a 41-year-old woman who died Dec. 21....More

FDA approves thalidomide-like drug for rare bone marrow disorders

WASHINGTON (CP) - A drug similar to one that causes birth defects has won FDA approval to treat anemia in people who suffer from certain kinds of rare bone-marrow disorders known as myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS. The U.S....More

China says it will soon be able to mass produce human bird flu vaccine

BEIJING (AP) - China is ready and able to mass produce a vaccine - currently undergoing human trials - to protect people from catching the H5N1 flu virus from birds, Xinhua news agency reported....More

Recreational runners aiming for marathon in 2006 should exercise caution: experts

TORONTO (CP) - Audacious would-be athletes who plan to add "complete a marathon" to their list of new year's resolutions should exercise caution and common sense, say running experts....More

Reheating leftovers? Make sure plastic containers are microwave-safe

TORONTO (CP) - Mary Anne McNally has been using a microwave for about a dozen years, mostly for reheating food, but she's picky about the kind of containers she'll put in the oven. Plastic containers, unless they're deemed microwave-safe, are a definite no-no....More

HealthSouth Corp. claims Scrushy seeks to 'pillage' rehab company

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - HealthSouth Corp. accused ousted CEO Richard Scrushy of trying to "pillage" the company of more than $100 million US in court papers filed Wednesday and said he isn't due anything for his firing....More

Hospital overdoses contribute to bleeding problems in heart attack patients

CHICAGO (AP) - Heart attack patients are often given overdoses of powerful blood-thinning drugs in the emergency room, increasing their risk of serious bleeding, a study found. Of the 30,136 heart attack patients studied who were treated last year at 387 U.S....More

Plastic surgery offers hope to mutilation victims in northern Uganda

KITGUM, Uganda (AP) - Sabina Abwo is a victim of one of the most horrifying tactics of Uganda's northern war: her lips and ears were sliced off. Abwo said she believed she then would be killed by rebels, who abducted her when she ventured from a refugee camp to fetch firewood....More

China says it will soon be able to mass produce human bird flu vaccine

BEIJING (AP) - China is ready and able to mass produce a vaccine - currently undergoing human trials - to protect people from catching the H5N1 flu virus from birds, Xinhua news agency reported....More

FDA approves thalidomide-like drug for rare bone marrow disorders

WASHINGTON (CP) - A drug similar to one that causes birth defects has won FDA approval to treat anemia in people who suffer from certain kinds of rare bone-marrow disorders known as myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS. The U.S....More

Guidant shareholder vote set for Jan. 31 on J&J-Guidant merger

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Guidant Corp. shareholders will vote Jan. 31, four days later than originally planned, on a $21.5 billion US offer by Johnson & Johnson to buy the troubled medical device maker....More

Libyan court orders retrial of Bulgarian nurses, Palestinian doctor on AIDS charges

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) - The Libyan supreme court on Sunday overturned death sentences for five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who have been in jail since 1999 on allegations they purposely infected children with the AIDS virus....More

Bulgaria's president optimistic of solution in nurses' AIDS trial in Libya

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - Bulgaria's president said he was hopeful of a breakthrough in the case of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor sentenced to die in Libya for allegedly infecting hundreds of children with HIV....More

U.S. FDA approves new nasal flu vaccine plant, MedImmune Inc. says

WASHINGTON (AP) - The American pharmaceutical company MedImmune Inc. expects to ramp up production of FluMist nasal flu vaccine next year after a newly built plant it owns in England received FDA approval, the company said Tuesday. The U.S....More

U.S. medical firm Guidant gets FDA warning letter about its St. Paul facility

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Guidant Corp. said Tuesday it had received a warning letter about unresolved problems at its St. Paul, Minn., facility from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration....More

Kashechewan residents celebrate Christmas as they boil water

(CP) - For the roughly 1,900 residents of a remote northern Ontario reserve, the only gift they wanted for Christmas was fresh drinking water....More

Authorities detect new H5 bird flu case in southeastern Romania

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - A village in southeastern Romania was quarantined Tuesday after five chickens there tested positive for an H5 variant of bird flu, the head of the country's National Animal Health Agency said....More

U.S. drug maker Pfizer Inc. buys stake in genomics company Perlegen

BOSTON (AP) - Pfizer Inc. on Tuesday said it bought a 12 per cent stake in Perlegen Sciences Inc., a closely held biotechnology-research company, continuing a move into the emerging field of personalized medicine....More

Recreational runners aiming for marathon in 2006 should exercise caution: experts

TORONTO (CP) - Audacious would-be athletes who plan to add "complete a marathon" to their list of new year's resolutions should exercise caution and common sense, say running experts....More

Face transplant patient adapting easier than man who received new hands

LYON, France (AP) - The woman who received a new nose, chin and lips last month in France found it much easier to accept and adapt to her new face than did the world's first double hand transplant, a psychiatrist who has treated both patients said Friday....More

Residents of Walkerton hit with holiday boil-water advisory after pipe breaks

WALKERTON, Ont. (CP) - Residents of this southwestern Ontario community where seven people died and thousands were sickened by tainted water five years ago are spending the holidays under a boil-water advisory after a water main broke....More

Canadian Food Inspection Agency says bean sprouts may be linked to salmonella

TORONTO (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is advising the public not to consume mung bean sprouts produced by Toronto Sun Wah and Hollend Enterprises, because they may have been contaminated by salmonella....More

Australian farm quarantined as bird flu precaution after tests inconclusive

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australian authorities have for the first time quarantined a farm for fear of bird flu infection, the government said Friday....More

Recreational runners aiming for marathon in 2006 should exercise caution: experts

TORONTO (CP) - Audacious would-be athletes who plan to add "complete a marathon" to their list of new year's resolutions should exercise caution and common sense, say running experts....More

Kashechewan residents celebrate Christmas as they boil water

(CP) - For the roughly 1,900 residents of a remote northern Ontario reserve, the only gift they wanted for Christmas was fresh drinking water....More

Libyan court orders retrial of Bulgarian nurses, Palestinian doctor on AIDS charges

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) - The Libyan supreme court on Sunday overturned death sentences for five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who have been in jail since 1999 on allegations they purposely infected children with the AIDS virus....More

Bulgaria's president optimistic of solution in nurses' AIDS trial in Libya

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - Bulgaria's president said he was hopeful of a breakthrough in the case of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor sentenced to die in Libya for allegedly infecting hundreds of children with HIV....More

Face transplant patient adapting easier than man who received new hands

LYON, France (AP) - The woman who received a new nose, chin and lips last month in France found it much easier to accept and adapt to her new face than did the world's first double hand transplant, a psychiatrist who has treated both patients said Friday....More

Residents of Walkerton hit with holiday boil-water advisory after pipe breaks

WALKERTON, Ont. (CP) - Residents of this southwestern Ontario community where seven people died and thousands were sickened by tainted water five years ago are spending the holidays under a boil-water advisory after a water main broke....More

Recreational runners aiming for marathon in 2006 should exercise caution: experts

TORONTO (CP) - Audacious would-be athletes who plan to add "complete a marathon" to their list of new year's resolutions should exercise caution and common sense, say running experts....More

Canadian Food Inspection Agency says bean sprouts may be linked to salmonella

TORONTO (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is advising the public not to consume mung bean sprouts produced by Toronto Sun Wah and Hollend Enterprises, because they may have been contaminated by salmonella....More

Australian farm quarantined as bird flu precaution after tests inconclusive

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australian authorities have for the first time quarantined a farm for fear of bird flu infection, the government said Friday....More

Libyan court orders retrial of Bulgarian nurses, Palestinian doctor on AIDS charges

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) - The Libyan supreme court on Sunday overturned death sentences for five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who have been in jail since 1999 on allegations they purposely infected children with the AIDS virus....More

Bulgaria's president optimistic of solution in nurses' AIDS trial in Libya

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - Bulgaria's president said he was hopeful of a breakthrough in the case of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor sentenced to die in Libya for allegedly infecting hundreds of children with HIV....More

Kashechewan residents celebrate Christmas as they boil water

(CP) - For the roughly 1,900 residents of a remote northern Ontario reserve, the only gift they wanted for Christmas was fresh drinking water....More

Vasogen files plan to raise US$100 million over next two years

TORONTO (CP) - Drug developer Vasogen Inc. plans to raise up to $100 million US through issues of its stock over the next two years, the company said Thursday....More

Patheon says OSC has ended probe into insider trading by execs

TORONTO (CP) - Pharmaceutical company Patheon Inc. said Thursday it has been told an Ontario Securities Commission probe into share trading by its CEO and chief operating officer is over. The company said it was informed by the OSC in a letter dated Dec....More

CVS confirms talks to buy Albertson's drugstores, says no deal reached

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP) - Drugstore chain CVS Corp. said Thursday it has been in discussions with Albertson's Inc. regarding the purchase of the supermarket chain's Sav-on and Osco drugstores....More

Andromed Inc. completes sale of its assets for $4 million

MONTREAL (CP) - Andromed Inc. has sold the bulk of its medical technology assets to an unnamed U.S. company for $4 million....More

French doctors successfully separate twins joined at the spine

MARSEILLES, France (AP) - French doctors have successfully separated twins joined at the spine, the first operation of its kind in France, hospital officials said. Fifteen-month-olds named Mohamed and Souleymane were successfully separated on Dec. 15....More

Australian farm quarantined as bird flu precaution after tests inconclusive

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australian authorities have for the first time quarantined a farm for fear of bird flu infection, the government said Friday....More

Roche grants sublicence to Indian company for production of Tamiflu

GENEVA (AP) - Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG said Friday it has granted a sublicence to an Indian drugmaker to produce the antiviral drug Tamiflu, which is believed to be the most efficient treatment for the human version of the bird-flu virus....More

WHO Asia Pacific head calls on China to release bird flu samples

BEIJING (AP) - A senior United Nations health official Friday called on China to provide the world body with samples of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, saying that the country was the key to the global war against the disease....More

Journal investigating dog-cloning claim by embattled researcher

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - A second scientific journal is investigating research by an embattled stem cell scientist - this time his claim that he cloned a dog....More

British authorities find 18 websites selling questionable Tamiflu; 2 Canadian

TORONTO (CP) - British authorities have identified 18 websites, including two in Canada, selling what they believe are questionable products claimed to be the antiviral drug Tamiflu....More

WHO confirms two more human bird flu deaths in Indonesia, raising toll to 11

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - The World Health Organization confirmed that a 39-year-old man and an 8-year-old boy died earlier this month of bird flu, raising Indonesia's toll to 11, an official said Thursday. The victims, who were not related, both died in the capital, Jakarta....More

7 million U.S. teens would flunk treadmill tests, study says

CHICAGO (AP) - About a third of U.S. teens would flunk a treadmill fitness test, a new study shows, meaning that more than seven million youngsters could face higher risks for heart disease later in life....More

Biovail receives FDA approval for antidepressant citalopram tablet

TORONTO (CP) - Biovail Corp. has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration to sell its a formulation of the antidepressant citalopram....More

CVS confirms talks to buy Albertson's drugstores, says no deal reached

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP) - Drugstore chain CVS Corp. said Thursday it has been in discussions with Albertson's Inc. regarding the purchase of the supermarket chain's Sav-on and Osco drugstores....More

French doctors successfully separate twins joined at the spine

MARSEILLES, France (AP) - French doctors have successfully separated twins joined at the spine, the first operation of its kind in France, hospital officials said. Fifteen-month-olds named Mohamed and Souleymane were successfully separated on Dec. 15....More

Visudyne firm QLT announces departure of chief business officer Bill Newell

VANCOUVER (CP) - QLT Inc., which recently lowered its sales expectations for its eye drug Visudyne and said it will slash about 100 jobs, said Thursday that Bill Newell will step down as senior vice-president and chief business officer on Jan. 1....More

Quest for better artificial arms spurred on by losses in Iraq

WASHINGTON (AP) - Bend your elbow for a drink and your hand squeezes instead, crushing the cup: It's a frustration common with artificial arms. Charles Wayne Briggs got tired of forgetting if he'd left his arm in the elbow or hand position, and asked its inventors for a fix....More

Smoking down, prescription-drug abuse up among U.S. teens, survey shows

WASHINGTON (AP) - Cigarette smoking is at its lowest level in a survey of teenagers and use of illicit drugs has been declining, but continuing high rates of abuse for prescription painkillers remain a worry, the U.S. government reported Monday....More

Health Canada warns antibiotic linked to fluctuations in blood sugar levels

TORONTO (CP) - An antibiotic used to treat certain lung, sinus or urinary tract infections and certain sexually transmitted diseases has been linked to occasional but potentially serious fluctuations in blood sugar levels, Health Canada and the drug's manufacturer warned Tuesday....More

FDA warns Calif. maker of popular blood-sugar monitors for diabetics

WASHINGTON (AP) - The FDA has warned a California company over problems with its blood-sugar monitors, used by million of diabetics around the world. The Food and Drug Administration said LifeScan Inc....More

North Korean firm says it has developed anti-smoking candy

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - A North Korean drug firm claims to have developed a candy that suppresses the desire to smoke cigarettes and heals smoking-related diseases....More

Complications common for mastectomy patients who get breast implants

CHICAGO (AP) - Breast implants in women who have undergone mastectomies often result in complications that require more surgery, a study in Denmark found....More

Edge Wang named president and CEO of pain drug maker Wex Pharmaceuticals Inc.

VANCOUVER (CP) - Edge Wang has been named president and CEO of Wex Pharmaceuticals Inc. as the pain drug developer makes a number of managerial changes. Wang was elected to the company's board in August and became interim CEO shortly afterwards....More

Avian influenza tops WHO poll of health issues; tobacco most neglected issue

GENEVA (CP) - Avian influenza ranked as the top health concern of 2005 while tobacco was seen as the most neglected health issue of the year, an informal poll conducted by the World Health Organization suggests....More

Bird flu outbreak could cost economy up to $14 billion, say Finance officials

OTTAWA (CP) - If an avian flu pandemic spreads to Canada, it could carve as much as $14 billion off the country's economy, say senior federal Finance Department officials....More

Swiss hospital agrees to allow assisted suicides of terminally ill

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - A Swiss hospital has agreed to let assisted-suicide organization help terminally ill patients take their own lives on its premises....More

Pilot project reduces wait times for hip and knee replacements

CALGARY (CP) - A pilot project that has drastically reduced waiting times for hip and knee replacements in Alberta's public health-care system could work nationally, says one of the program's architects....More

Popular heartburn drugs appear to raise risk of acquiring C. difficile

CHICAGO (AP) - Holiday revelers beware: Seasonal indulgences like eggnog and fruitcake might give you heartburn, but the acid-fighting medicine you take for relief might lead to something worse, researchers believe....More

SKorean university closes scientist Hwang's stem-cell lab amid investigation

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korea's top university closed off its stem-cell research lab and seized the computers of researchers as it stepped up investigation into allegations that scientist Hwang Woo-suk falsified research results, officials said Monday....More

Cross-border gender selection: Cdns travel south for service banned here

(CP) - Melissa Vatkin is seven months pregnant, happily awaiting the birth of a baby girl. But unlike expectant parents who find out the gender of their child part-way through a pregnancy, after amniocentesis or ultrasound, Vatkin has known from the beginning....More

Alberta pilot project reduces wait times for hip and knee replacements

CALGARY (CP) - An architect of a pilot project that has drastically reduced wait times for hip and knee replacements in Alberta says it could work at a national level. The Alberta government contributed $20 million to the trial project last April....More

Diesel exhaust may impair blood vessel function, lead to heart attack: study

TORONTO (CP) - Breathing in diesel exhaust fumes at levels typically found in large cities disrupts important blood vessel functions, new research has shown, suggesting a potential mechanism linking increased heart attack rates during periods of high air pollution....More

China reports 6th human case of bird flu, new poultry outbreak

BEIJING (AP) - China has reported its sixth human case of bird flu and a new outbreak in a flock of ducks....More

CDC reports West Nile cases up, especially along the Gulf Coast

ATLANTA (AP) - West Nile virus cases in the U.S. rose more than 16 per cent this year, with a marked increase - as feared - along the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast, the government reported Thursday....More

Alcohol-hormone mix associated with higher breast cancer risk

TORONTO (MRI) - Drinking alcohol and using hormone therapy may be a dangerous combination, according to the results of a new study....More

Birth control pills safe for women with lupus, say researchers

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Upending the conventional medical wisdom, two studies found that birth control pills do not worsen lupus and appear to be safe for the tens of thousands of women with the crippling immune disorder. "For 30 years, we were all wrong," said Dr....More

Antibiotics overprescribed for kids' sore throats, study finds

TORONTO (MRI) - Your child's doctor should do more than just make them say "Ah" before prescribing antibiotics to treat a sore throat, says a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association....More

Novartis halts development of cholesterol drug, will post US$266M charge

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Swiss drug company Novartis AG said Friday it has halted development of cholesterol drug pitavastatin and will post a charge of $266 million US in the fourth quarter as a result....More

Self affirmation helps buffer stress, study finds

TORONTO (MRI) - Before you face a stressful situation, reflecting on some of your personal values may help loosen the knots in your stomach....More

Alberta restricts access to some cold remedies used to make crystal meth

EDMONTON (CP) - Alberta will follow the lead of the other Prairie provinces by limiting access to a group of cold remedies used to make crystal meth. Effectively immediately, pharmacists must restrict the sale of products made primarily with pseudoephedrine by moving them behind the counter....More

Antibiotics overprescribed for kids' sore throats, study finds

TORONTO (MRI) - Your child's doctor should do more than just make them say "Ah" before prescribing antibiotics to treat a sore throat, says a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association....More

Alcohol use survey by B.C. group shows Canadians are drinking more

VANCOUVER (CP) - There's more than money separating the rich and the poor - they also drink differently, the co-author of an addiction research survey said Thursday....More

Alcohol-hormone mix associated with higher breast cancer risk

TORONTO (MRI) - Drinking alcohol and using hormone therapy may be a dangerous combination, according to the results of a new study....More

Alberta restricts access to some cold remedies used to make crystal meth

EDMONTON (CP) - Alberta will follow the lead of the other Prairie provinces by limiting access to a group of cold remedies used to make crystal meth. Effectively immediately, pharmacists must restrict the sale of products made primarily with pseudoephedrine by moving them behind the counter....More

Novartis halts development of cholesterol drug, will post US$266M charge

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Swiss drug company Novartis AG said Friday it has halted development of cholesterol drug pitavastatin and will post a charge of $266 million US in the fourth quarter as a result....More

South Korea stem cell researcher apologizes for research controversy

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korean researcher Hwang Woo-suk on Friday stood by his purported breakthroughs in stem cell research despite accusations he falsified key evidence, saying his work would be authenticated after tests performed within days....More

Alberta restricts access to cold remedies used to make crystal meth

EDMONTON (CP) - Alberta will follow the lead of the other Prairie provinces by limiting access to cold remedies that are used to make crystal meth....More

Birth control pills safe for women with lupus, say researchers

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Upending the conventional medical wisdom, two studies found that birth control pills do not worsen lupus and appear to be safe for the tens of thousands of women with the crippling immune disorder. "For 30 years, we were all wrong," said Dr....More

Tests on high-tech pandemic flu vaccine prototype look promising

LONDON (AP) - Preliminary tests on a prototype pandemic flu vaccine based on the H5N1 strain of bird flu circulating in Asia have shown promise in achieving a practical injection....More

WorldHeart ex-chief financial officer quits, board to slash Cdn residency quota

OAKLAND, Calif. (CP) - WorldHeart Corp., a maker of mechanical blood circulation equipment, has reincorporated under federal rules to reduce the Canadian residency quota for directors to 25 per cent....More

Bedwetting is not a big deal; children will outgrow it, pediatricians advise

TORONTO (CP) - Children who wet the bed will outgrow it, and treatment probably isn't necessary, the Canadian Paediatric Society says in recommendations to doctors published in Paediatrics & Child Health....More

Blacks, poor more likely to breathe most unhealthy air, data indicate

CHICAGO (AP) - Kevin Brown's most feared opponent on the sandlot or basketball court while he was growing up wasn't another kid. It was the polluted air he breathed....More

Canada's first prescription drug atlas maps billions in spending

VANCOUVER (CP) - Canada's $20-billion drug spending has been mapped in an atlas that shows which provinces pop lots of pills and which provinces buy the most expensive new drugs....More

Consistent condom use lowers genital herpes risk

TORONTO (MRI) - In addition to lowering your risk of a number of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, new research shows consistent condom use can also protect against the virus that causes genital herpes....More

FDA in the U.S. considers vaccine against dangerous diarrheal infection

WASHINGTON (AP) - A new vaccine against a sometimes deadly diarrheal infection does not appear to cause the problems associated with an earlier vaccine, but the Food and Drug Administration said it needs more information to fully gauge its effectiveness....More

Mice grow human brain cells after stem cell injections: published study

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Add another creation to the strange scientific menagerie where animal species are being mixed together in ever more exotic combinations....More

Pioneering first gene-therapy attempts to rescue brain cells from Parkinson's

WASHINGTON (AP) - Mike Castle lay motionless as surgeons drilled two holes into his skull and injected a virus deep into his brain. The virus carries a gene and a tantalizing hope: that just maybe it could stall the Parkinson's disease slowly crippling him....More

Confirmed 9th human death from bird flu in Indonesia, more Japanese culls

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesia confirmed its ninth human death from bird flu Tuesday and Japan said it will kill 90,000 more chickens after an outbreak at a farm north of Tokyo....More

Face transplant of French woman gives hope to other disfigured patients

CHICAGO (AP) - In some circles, the partial face transplant performed on a woman in France is more than a medical oddity. It is an exciting new source of hope to burn victims like Bernhard Heitz....More

High-tech for seniors includes phones with visual identification

WASHINGTON (AP) - One day, people with Alzheimer's disease could have telephones that show them a picture of the caller and remind them who it is and when they last talked. They might walk across a floor with sensors that check their gait and sound an alarm if they fall....More

HIV-positive man found guilty of knowingly spreading HIV to sexual partners

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. (CP) - A B.C. jury has decided an HIV-positive man knowingly spread the virus to his sexual partners....More

Canadian laws seen as favouring hypocritical two-tier sex trade

OTTAWA (CP) - It may not rank with two-tier health care as an election issue, but Canada's two-tier sex trade poses an even greater affront to Canadian values, critics say....More

Victhom shares rise nearly 11% after company issues statement saying finances strong

QUEBEC (CP) - Shares of Victhom Human Bionics Inc. rose nearly 11 per cent Monday after the medical devices maker issued a statement saying its finances are strong. Victhom stock rose nine cents to 94 cents, a gain of 10.59 per cent, on the Toronto Stock Exchange....More

Ukraine's bird flu outbreak expands to at least 12 Crimean villages

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - The outbreak of bird flu in Ukraine has expanded to at least 12 villages on the Crimean peninsula, the country's top emergency official said Monday, while nine other places have reported mass bird deaths....More

Judge declares mistrial in first U.S. federal lawsuit over painkiller Vioxx

HOUSTON (AP) - The first U.S. federal Vioxx trial ended Monday with a hung jury, but the case involving the 2001 death of a Florida man who took the once-popular painkiller for a month will be retried, a judge said. The mistrial leaves Vioxx's maker Merck & Co....More

Medical journal charges medical association with editorial interference

TORONTO (CP) - The Canadian Medical Association Journal has accused its owner, the Canadian Medical Association, of infringing on the journal's editorial independence by demanding changes to an article questioning the way pharmacists were handling sales of the morning-after birth control...More

Roche chooses potential partners for Tamiflu, grants one sublicence

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG said Monday it has chosen 12 potential partners for the production of Tamiflu and granted one sublicence for the antiviral drug to Shanghai Pharmaceutical....More

Health ministers set wait time benchmarks for medical procedures

TORONTO (CP) - Canadians in dire need of open-heart surgery could expect treatment within two weeks while hip fractures would demand medical attention within two days under new national benchmarks targeting the thorny issue of patient wait times....More

Could tea help fight ovarian cancer? Swedish study says it might

CHICAGO (AP) - Swedish researchers have found tantalizing but far-from-conclusive evidence that drinking a couple of cups of tea every day might help reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer....More

In Appalachia, senior citizens charged with selling their prescription drugs

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (AP) - Dottie Neeley, 87, was fingerprinted, photographed and thrown in jail, imprisoned as much by the tubing from her oxygen tank as by the concrete and steel around her....More

Report: Face transplant patient was amazed to see her new face

LONDON (AP) - The French woman who received the world's first partial face transplant says she was amazed to see her new face in the mirror and has no regrets about the operation, a British newspaper reported Saturday....More

Poultry farms in B.C.'s Fraser Valley declared free of bird flu

VANCOUVER (CP) - A quarantine on dozens of poultry farms in British Columbia's Fraser Valley was lifted Saturday after they were found free of avian influenza....More

CFIA declares poultry farms in B.C.'s Fraser Valley free of bird flu

ABBOTSFORD (CP) - A quarantine on dozens of poultry farms in B.C.'s Fraser Valley has been lifted after they were found free of avian influenza. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the surveillance zones affecting 80 premises have been removed....More

Showdown over private health care expected this week in Manitoba

WINNIPEG (CP) - When Louise McDonald needed a magnetic resonance imaging scan for her troublesome knee, she faced two options, both of which had drawbacks....More

Hong Kong stocks up on herbs in case of flu outbreak

HONG KONG (AP) - Tamiflu is the vaccine governments are stocking up on in case of deadly super-flu outbreak. But herbalist Wong Chi-sun is putting his trust in what looks like a plastic zip-lock bag full of some really bad weed....More

Drug boosts stem cells in cord blood for transfusing cancer patients: study

TORONTO (CP) - An experimental drug already being tested in patients with diabetes and Alzheimer's disease has been found to boost the number of stem cells from umbilical cord blood, allowing them to more quickly regenerate the blood system, Canadian researchers have found....More

Roche chooses potential partners for Tamiflu, grants one sublicence

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG said Monday it has chosen 12 potential partners for the production of Tamiflu and granted one sublicence for the antiviral drug to Shanghai Pharmaceutical....More

A decade later, Lasik still a luxury procedure

CHICAGO (AP) - Christopher Tomes, 43, opened his eyes one morning, looked out the window and could read the licence plate of a parked car - without his glasses....More

Normal blood sugar doesn't negate risk of diabetes: study

TORONTO (MRI) - Even if they are otherwise healthy and have normal fasting blood sugar levels, some men appear to be at risk of type 2 diabetes, a new study indicates....More

Eye images set sights on stroke risk

TORONTO (MRI) - Your eyes may offer a view to a future stroke, according to a new study. Australian researchers found that retinal diseases may be linked to an increased risk of a stroke following an examination of blood vessels in people's eyes....More

Depression sufferers more at risk for epilepsy, study indicates

TORONTO (MRI) - People with symptoms of major depression and a history of suicidal attempts may be more likely to develop epilepsy, new research suggests....More

Pandemic could create losses of US$800 billion in one year: World Bank

GENEVA (CP) - An influenza pandemic could lead to losses of $800 billion US in a single year if its impact was similar to that of SARS. But a severe pandemic could produce an even larger economic shock, an economist from the World Bank cautioned Monday....More

China reports 3 suspected cases of bird flu in humans; six million bird culled

BEIJING (AP) - Stepping up its fight against bird flu, China said Monday it has killed six million birds around its latest outbreak of the virus and ordered the immediate closure of all 168 live poultry markets in Beijing....More

Roche to increase production of Tamiflu to 300 million treatments annually

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG said Monday it will increase production of Tamiflu to make 300 million treatments of the antiviral drug annually by 2007 in order to meet government orders amid fears of a flu pandemic....More

China orders more vaccine research; U.S. official urges caution in poultry ban

BEIJING (AP) - China ordered tighter monitoring for bird flu and more aggressive vaccine research Wednesday while a U.S. envoy urged caution in banning poultry imports, saying excessive steps could discourage countries from reporting outbreaks....More

Aspreva Pharmaceuticals earns $3.2M US Q3 profit compared with loss year ago

VICTORIA (CP) - Aspreva Pharmaceuticals Corp. earned $3.2 million US in its latest quarter compared with a loss a year ago, the company said Wednesday. The Victoria-based drug developer, which records its results in U.S....More

B.C. to push Ottawa to clean up water problems on First Nations reserves

VICTORIA (CP) - The B.C. government will push the federal government to clean up water problems in First Nations communities, the province's aboriginal relations and reconciliation minister said Wednesday....More

WHO seeking information about link between bird flu and girl's death in China

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - World Health Organization experts were seeking confirmation Friday that a girl who died in a bird flu-affected Chinese village did not succumb to a deadly strain of the virus, while Indonesian authorities awaited the outcome of tests on dead chickens found on the...More

Edmonton's Biomira says it needs new funding to continue cancer research

TORONTO (CP) - Biomira Inc. will need to raise additional cash within the next year to fund further clinical research required on its cancer vaccine, the Edmonton-based biotechnology firm said Thursday....More

A-G subpoenas 73 workers from New Orleans hospital over patient deaths

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Scores of doctors, nurses and support staff at Memorial Hospital have been subpoenaed as the state investigates deaths and possible euthanasia at hospitals and nursing homes in the New Orleans area during and after hurricane Katrina....More

EU says dangerous bird flu strain found in Croatia; new outbreak in China

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - The European Union announced Wednesday the dangerous H5N1 strain of avian influenza has been found in Croatia, the latest European country to be hit by the virus....More

British government to introduce bill to ban smoking in pubs Thursday

LONDON (AP) - The British government will publish plans Thursday for a ban on smoking in most public places, including pubs and restaurants....More

Bayer, Johnson & Johnson to develop, market thrombosis drug

FRANKFURT (AP) - Bayer Healthcare, a unit of Bayer AG, said Wednesday it will develop and market a drug to treat blood clots with Johnson & Johnson in a $290-million-US deal. The drug is undergoing phase II clinical trials....More

Baby born after alleged fetus-theft attack is living with adoptive parents

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A woman who was attacked in an alleged attempt to steal her fetus had planned to give the baby up for adoption, and her newborn son is now with his adoptive parents, their lawyer said. The boy was born by emergency caesarean section after the Oct....More

Australia lifts ban on bird imports from Canada; to test all bird imports

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Australia lifted a ban on live bird imports from Canada on Wednesday, imposed after three racing pigeons carrying bird flu antibodies were destroyed in quarantine....More

Anesthesiologists adopt guidelines on waking, but don't push use of monitor

ATLANTA (AP) - A national doctors' group adopted new standards Tuesday to help prevent patients from awakening during surgery. But the physicians stopped short of embracing the use of new devices that monitor patient awareness....More

Roche temporarily suspends shipments of Tamiflu to the United States

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche Holding AG said Thursday it had temporarily suspended shipments of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu in the United States to ensure that enough treatments will be available for the regular influenza season....More

Three possible human cases of bird flu under investigation in China

BEIJING (AP) - China said Thursday it is taking effective measures to prevent the spread of bird flu and keep it from infecting people as the world's most populous nation reported three outbreaks of the disease in a week....More

Cardiovascular congress presents new research on protecting heart health

MONTREAL (CP) - About 3,000 health professionals are attending the annual Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Montreal this week....More

Canada to increase antiviral stockpile with more Tamiflu, other drugs

OTTAWA (CP) - Canada will be increasing its stockpile of antiviral drugs to protect against a possible flu pandemic, with additional purchases of Tamiflu and new purchases of the drug Relenza, the country's chief medical officer of health said Tuesday. Dr....More

AIDS epidemic fastest growing and getting worse in ex-communist countries: UN

GENEVA (AP) - The former communist countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia are suffering the fastest growing AIDS epidemic in the world and the situation there is getting worse, a UN agency said Tuesday. An estimated 1....More

Anesthesiologists adopt guidelines on waking, but don't push use of monitor

ATLANTA (AP) - A national doctors' group adopted new standards Tuesday to help prevent patients from awakening during surgery. But the physicians stopped short of embracing the use of new devices that monitor patient awareness....More

Alberta nurses says staff shortages, quality of care still big issues

EDMONTON (CP) - Staff shortages and heavy workloads remain major issues for the province's nurses, suggests a telephone survey of more than 1,000 members of the United Nurses of Alberta....More

European Union says dangerous H5N1 strain of bird flu found in Croatia

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - The European Union announced Wednesday the dangerous H5N1 strain of bird flu has been found in Croatia, the latest European nation to be hit by the virus....More

Australia lifts ban on bird imports from Canada; to test all bird imports

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Australia lifted a ban on live bird imports from Canada on Wednesday, imposed after three racing pigeons carrying bird flu antibodies were destroyed in quarantine....More

China reports 3rd bird flu outbreak; bypass of anti-viral drug patents urged

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - China reported its third outbreak of bird flu in a week on Wednesday, as public health groups urged officials to bypass patent laws and mass-produce generic versions of potentially life-saving anti-viral drugs....More

Ottawa, Ontario spent years ignoring water concerns at reserve: critics

TORONTO (CP) - After ignoring years of warnings about contaminated drinking water on a remote northern Ontario reserve, Ottawa and the province are now engaged in "jurisdictional haggling" over how to solve the problem, critics charged Monday....More

Onex to pay $750M for Skilled Healthcare Group of western U.S.

TORONTO (CP) - Onex Corp. is looking for more expansion opportunities in the U.S. health sector after announcing Monday its $750-million acquisition of Skilled Healthcare Group Inc....More

Martin and Layton to discuss NDP concerns about two-tier medicare

OTTAWA (CP) - The prime minister meets NDP Leader Jack Layton on Tuesday to discuss concerns the country is sliding toward a two-tier health system, but both are playing down expectations of any formal deal. "In terms of the discussion with Mr....More

New play explores American women's obsession with improving their bodies

WASHINGTON (AP) - American women have become obsessed with good looks, instead of the good works that preoccupied their grandmothers, says a social historian whose ideas inspired a new play. "It isn't just the search for a mate....More

N.S. pediatric medical community wants children banned from riding ATVs

HALIFAX (CP) - The Nova Scotia government is facing growing pressure from health-care providers who say the province is putting children at risk by failing to ban those under 16 from driving all-terrain vehicles....More

Britain confirms its first case of avian flu since 1992 with dead parrot

LONDON (AP) - Britain confirmed its first case of avian flu since 1992, saying the virus that killed a parrot in quarantine is the same deadly strain that has plagued Asia and recently spread to Europe....More

AIDS epidemic fastest growing and getting worse in ex-communist countries: UN

GENEVA (AP) - The former communist countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia are suffering the fastest growing AIDS epidemic in the world and the situation there is getting worse, a UN agency said Tuesday. An estimated 1....More

Dosanjh warns the world needs to deal with Roche patent on key flu drug

OTTAWA (CP) - Canada's health minister hinted the world may be heading for a showdown over the antiviral drug Tamiflu, saying it would be morally defensible to break the drug's patent in some situations....More

Scientists try to identify bird flu strains found in Croatia, Sweden, Britain

LONDON (AP) - Scientists were conducting tests Saturday to determine whether bird flu cases discovered in Britain, Sweden and Croatia are the lethal strain that has killed more than 60 people, as countries around the world scrambled to halt the spread of the virus....More

Australian ban on Canadian birds called 'knee-jerk response' to flu fears

TORONTO (CP) - The decision by Australian officials to ban bird imports from Canada after three racing pigeons from this country were found to have antibodies to an unspecified avian flu virus was a "knee-jerk reaction," a senior Canadian official said Friday. But Dr....More

Federal government seeks less-expensive ways to get the lead out

OTTAWA (CP) - The federal Finance Department is struggling with a liquidity crisis. Drinking fountains at the department's downtown headquarters have been pumping out dangerous lead-laced water for more than three years....More

Patients with rare Fabrys disease, MPS-1 will get drugs; govt won't say when

TORONTO (CP) - Sufferers of the rare ailments Fabrys disease and MPS-1 got some good news Sunday with the announcement that they will get expensive drugs and treatment....More

Croatia culls birds, disinfects areas where swans found dead of bird flu

ZDENCI, Croatia (AP) - Authorities in Croatia began killing thousands of domestic birds Saturday and ordered disinfection for a large area near a national park where six swans were found dead from bird flu....More

New play explores American women's obsession with improving their bodies

WASHINGTON (AP) - American women have become obsessed with good looks, instead of the good works that preoccupied their grandmothers, says a social historian whose ideas inspired a new play. "It isn't just the search for a mate....More

Britain says flu strain that killed parrot is deadly H5N1 strain

LONDON (AP) - The British government said Sunday that a strain of bird flu that killed a parrot in quarantine is the deadly H5N1 strain that has plagued Asia and recently spread to Europe....More

European Union to discuss possible ban on imports of wild birds

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - EU bird flu experts will discuss a possible ban on imports of wild birds into the 25-country bloc on Tuesday, the EU head office said Sunday....More

Expert says obesity boom makes baby boomers no healthier than their parents

VANCOUVER (CP) - Canadians are drinking less alcohol, smoking fewer cigarettes and getting more exercise, but the author of a book about aging baby boomers says they are no healthier than their parents were because of growing obesity rates....More

Edmonton diabetes researchers say much work remains on islet transplants

EDMONTON (CP) - Five years ago, a group of Edmonton researchers electrified the medical world with news of a treatment that could free patients with severe diabetes from the need for daily insulin injections....More

Drugmaker Pfizer's Q3 profit falls by half, company cuts outlook

NEW YORK (AP) - Pfizer Inc., the world's biggest drugmaker, said Thursday its third-quarter earnings fell by 52 per cent on acquisition-related charges and said sluggish revenue growth drove it to cut profit estimates for this year and withdraw guidance beyond that....More

Drug proves remarkably effective against early breast cancer

(AP) - A drug that targets only diseased cells has proved astonishingly effective against an aggressive form of early breast cancer - a long-sought breakthrough that has doctors talking about curing thousands of women each year in the U.S. alone....More

Clinton Foundation teams with Nickelodeon to fight childhood obesity

NEW YORK (AP) - Bill Clinton is teaming with SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer in a campaign to nudge kids to eat healthy foods and to get up off the couch and move, the former president and Nickelodeon television executives announced Thursday....More

Domestic poultry deaths in southern Russia not tied with bird flu: report

MOSCOW (AP) - The deaths of up to 150 domestic birds in a village in the southern Russian region of Rostov are not tied with bird flu, the Emergency Situations Ministry said Friday, citing a preliminary diagnosis....More

Alberta will have Canada's first law to seize children from addicted parents

RED DEER, Alta. (CP) - Alberta is preparing a new law that will allow the province to seize children from parents who are either reckless addicts or involved in the illegal drug trade....More

Australia bans imports of Canadian birds; pigeons said to have flu antibodies

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Australian authorities said Friday they are banning the import of birds from Canada after three racing pigeons tested positive for bird-flu antibodies. The birds were in a consignment of 102 pigeons that arrived in Australia on Sept....More

Roche's Q3 sales rise 20% on demand for cancer drugs, Tamiflu

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Roche Holding AG's third-quarter sales rose 20 per cent on demand for cancer drugs and Tamiflu, an antiviral being stockpiled by governments and individuals as a defence against a possible flu pandemic. Sales rose to 8.82 billion Swiss francs ($6....More

New Ontario health agency to offer expertise, advice on future outbreaks

TORONTO (CP) - Canada's largest province needs a centralized hub of medical expertise, a report prepared for the Ontario government urged Wednesday as it outined plans for a new public health agency to help officials grapple with the threat of a possible pandemic....More

Man dies after power outage at Edmonton seniors home cuts oxygen supplies

EDMONTON (CP) - One senior died but many others were saved by emergency crews when a power failure cut off their oxygen in a high-rise nursing home. The power at the Kiwanis Place seniors lodge near downtown Edmonton went out when a car snapped a pole....More

Indian Affairs Minister visits remote reserve battling waterborne hazards

OTTAWA (CP) - Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott headed for a remote First Nation plagued for years by dirty water as the Opposition demanded answers for a third straight day....More

Dizzying explosion of 'bird flu' events, coverage create confusion

TORONTO (CP) - To many people trying to make sense of their newspapers or newscasts these days, it must seem like actresses Tippi Hedren (The Birds) and Sandra Bullock (Speed) conspired to write a script for a really bad horror movie....More

Signs of further spread of bird flu; China, Russia, Romania report new cases

MOSCOW (AP) - Russian authorities detected a deadly strain of bird flu south of Moscow on Wednesday and China reported a fresh outbreak in its northern grasslands, signs the deadly virus was spreading across Siberia to the Mediterranean along the pathways of migratory birds....More

Canada considers donating 10 per cent of flu drug stockpile: Dosanjh

(CP) - Canada will endorse and promote a plan to have wealthy nations contribute 10 per cent of their flu drug stockpiles and later vaccines to help less affluent countries weather an influenza pandemic, Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh said Wednesday....More

Drugmaker Pfizer's Q3 profit falls by half, company cuts outlook

NEW YORK (AP) - Pfizer Inc., the world's biggest drugmaker, said Thursday its third-quarter earnings fell by 52 per cent on acquisition-related charges and said sluggish revenue growth drove it to cut profit estimates for this year and withdraw guidance beyond that....More

UN agency warns of increased risk of bird flu spreading to Middle East, Africa

ROME (AP) - A UN agency warned Wednesday that the risk of bird flu spreading to the Middle East and Africa has markedly increased following the confirmation of outbreaks in Romania and Turkey....More

Suspected cases of bird flu emerge in central Russia: reports

MOSCOW (AP) - Suspected cases of bird flu have emerged in the Tula region of central Russia, about 200 kilometres south of Moscow, Russian media reported Wednesday....More

Sibutramine found to not trigger spike in blood pressure

TORONTO (MRI) - Contrary to previous studies, new research suggests obese people taking the weight management medication sibutramine are not likely to experience a spike in blood pressure....More

Roche's Q3 sales rise 20% on demand for cancer drugs, Tamiflu

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Roche Holding AG's third-quarter sales rose 20 per cent on demand for cancer drugs and Tamiflu, an antiviral being stockpiled by governments and individuals as a defence against a possible flu pandemic. Sales rose to 8.82 billion Swiss francs ($6....More

China reports 2,600 birds dead of bird flu, EU suspects disease in Macedonia

BEIJING (AP) - Some 2,600 birds have been found dead of bird flu in northern China's grasslands, the government said Wednesday. In Brussels, a European Union official said there is a suspicion of bird flu in Macedonia....More

S. Korea opens bank that will make new stem cell lines for global scientists

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - A bank that will create and supply new lines of embryonic stem cells for scientists around the world opened in Seoul on Wednesday as part of a global partnership in the contentious field....More

Bird flu expected to hit other countries but Asia remains biggest threat: WHO

LONDON (AP) - Bird flu can be expected to spread to other countries, but the biggest threat is of it mutating into a human virus that could kill millions remains in Asia, the World Health Organization said Monday....More

Breast cancer patients opt for mastectomy when involved in treatment decisions, study finds

TORONTO (MRI) - When women with breast cancer are involved in making decisions about surgical treatments, they are often opting for mastectomy, a new study has found....More

37% of Albertans report experiencing serious medical errors: health council

EDMONTON (CP) - Don Lemna knew right away that something was horribly wrong. Recovering from surgery in a Calgary hospital, Lemna had a tube going directly into his heart, and the nurse was supposed to inject a benign saline solution to keep it clean....More

Roche to build plant in U.S. to boost Tamiflu production amid flu fears

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche Holding AG said Tuesday it was building a new plant in the United States to boost production of its Tamiflu drug amid fears of a global flu pandemic....More

Novartis reports 14 per cent rise in Q3 profit on higher sales

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Swiss drug giant Novartis AG reported Tuesday a 14 per cent increase in third-quarter earnings on strong sales growth and lower marketing expenses. Net profit came to $1.67 billion US, up from $1.47 billion in the year-earlier period....More

Dying village in Malawi underscores impact of AIDS on farmers

NAPASHA, Malawi (AP) - It's so quiet you can hear scrawny hens pecking at the dust. A few ragged children peer timidly from the shadow of their mud huts but show no interest in playing. Beyond them lie barren cornfields, abandoned to the blistering heat....More

Losing weight can mean gaining a sex life, researchers report

VANCOUVER, B.C. (AP) - Losing a little weight can do wonders for your sex life. So says Duke University psychologist Martin Binks, who presented a study Monday at a meeting of The Obesity Society showing that shedding a few pounds can improve things in the bedroom....More

EU foreign ministers call spread of bird flu a 'global threat'

LUXEMBOURG (AP) - EU foreign ministers on Tuesday declared the spread of bird flu from Asia into Europe a "global threat" requiring broad international co-operation to contain....More

Further reports of Tamiflu resistance in avian flu virus pending: expert

TORONTO (CP) - There is additional, unpublished evidence of resistance to the anti-flu drug Tamiflu in human cases of H5N1 avian influenza, an U.S. expert in antiviral drugs hinted Saturday. Dr....More

Alta using surplus money to fund 20 health-care projects around the province

CALGARY (CP) - Alberta is working to reduce wait times in the health-care system by using some of its burgeoning oil revenue to fund more than 700 new hospital beds across the province. The government is taking $1....More

Bird flu found in Romania is same deadly strain as detected in Asia, Turkey

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Romanian authorities called for calm Saturday as they quarantined an eastern region where tests confirmed Europe's first appearance of a deadly strain of bird flu that has devastated flocks and killed dozens of people in Asia....More

Authorities say bird flu in Turkish village contained; outbreak risks remain

KIZIKSA, Turkey (AP) - Veterinarians checked about 30 villages near a nature preserve that attracts migratory birds for signs of bird flu and authorities said Saturday that while the virus in a village in western Turkey has been contained there were still risks of new outbreaks in other...More

Warming up is required, even when getting those fall leaves off the lawn

(CP) - This is the time when deciduous trees across Canada don robes of gold, amber and crimson. It's also the time when we have to rake the lawn, stuff all that beauty in large plastic bags and moan about our aching backs....More

Is it OK to eat chicken? Should I report a dead bird? Worries about bird flu

ATLANTA (AP) - Americans fearful of bird flu are peppering health officials with all sorts of questions: Is it safe to have a bird feeder in my yard? If I see a dead bird, should I report it? Is it still OK to have turkey at Thanksgiving? The answers are yes, no, and yes....More

New ways to get stem cells might skirt ethical objections, studies say

NEW YORK (AP) - Two new mouse experiments may show how to obtain human embryonic stem cells without ethical hurdles, a step that could allow U.S. federal funding for such research, scientists reported Sunday....More

37% of Albertans report experiencing serious medical errors: health council

EDMONTON (CP) - Don Lemna knew right away that something was horribly wrong. Recovering from surgery in a Calgary hospital, Lemna had a tube going directly into his heart, and the nurse was supposed to inject a benign saline solution to keep it clean....More

Ontario lab warned years ago legionnaires test not sensitive enough

TORONTO (CP) - Ontario's provincial health laboratory was warned more than five years ago the in-house test it developed to detect legionnaires' disease wasn't sensitive enough, the U.S. expert who issued the caution said Thursday. True to Dr....More

Nova Scotia sets out health-care lawsuit proposal against big tobacco

HALIFAX (CP) - Nova Scotia's Conservative government began clearing the way Thursday for a lawsuit against the tobacco industry to recover billions dollars spent on smoke-related illnesses in the province....More

No West Nile cases detected in Nova Scotia this summer, province says

HALIFAX (CP) - A dry summer may have helped keep West Nile virus in check in Nova Scotia this summer. The Natural Resources Department tested 190 dead crows, blue jays and ravens, but found no trace of the virus....More

Cases of polio virus infection found in four Minnesota Amish children

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Four children in a Minnesota Amish community have become infected with the polio virus, the first known infections in the U.S. in five years, state health officials said....More

Medical groups attack government backtracking on wait-time benchmarks

OTTAWA (CP) - There is consternation in Canada's medical community over claims by some provinces that it's not possible to set evidence-based benchmarks for medical wait times by year-end, as promised in last year's health accord....More

EU foreign ministers to hold emergency meeting on bird flu, world trade talks

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - European Union veterinary experts were expected to endorse additional precautionary measures Friday to prevent the deadly bird flu virus strain H5N1 spreading from Turkey westward into the EU....More

Bird flu found in Turkey is deadly H5N1 strain; Romanian outbreak being tested

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - The European Union on Thursday said the avian flu virus found in Turkish poultry was the H5N1 strain that scientists worry might mutate into a human virus and spark a pandemic. Turkey's health minister said the outbreak had been contained....More

Avian flu worry: Like SARS, the deadly disease could spread at jet speed

WASHINGTON (AP) - Planes provide the quickest way to get from one part of the world to another - for deadly contagious diseases as well as for people. In the spring of 2003, the respiratory virus SARS journeyed to five countries in 24 hours after emerging in rural China....More

Ottawa hands out $354 million in 1,600 new health research grants

VANCOUVER (CP) - Killing cancer cells, tuning the body's internal clock, figuring out why the blind hear better. They're among the 1,600 research projects being funded by $354 million in grants by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research....More

Pfizer wins key patent challenge on cholesterol drug Lipitor in Britain

NEW YORK (AP) - Pfizer Inc. won a significant victory Wednesday when a British judge upheld a key patent covering its blockbuster cholesterol drug Lipitor in the United Kingdom but the medication still faces a similar yet more important case in the United States....More

New SIDS policy by U.S. pediatrics academy recommends pacifiers

CHICAGO (AP) - Babies should be offered pacifiers at bedtime, and they should sleep in their parents' room - but not in their beds - in order to lessen the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, says the largest group of pediatricians in the United States....More

More cases of legionnaires' found near site of deadly nursing home outbreak

TORONTO (CP) - Two more cases of legionnaires' disease have been discovered near a Toronto nursing home, but health officials said Wednesday they are not worried about a resurgence of the outbreak that claimed 17 lives in recent weeks....More

Cholesterol levels fall in older Americans; little change in younger adults

CHICAGO (AP) - Americans are heavier now than 40 years ago but have lower cholesterol levels mainly because of the introduction of statin drugs in the late 1980s....More

British judge upholds one patent on cholesterol drug Lipitor, invalidates one

LONDON (AP) - A British judge upheld the exclusivity of a United Kingdom patent covering the active ingredient in Pfizer Inc's blockbuster cholesterol drug Lipitor on Wednesday, but ruled that a second patent was invalid. Pfizer's shares rose more than three per cent....More

Bird flu confirmed in samples in Romania, agriculture minister says

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Experts have confirmed a bird flu virus has been found in samples taken from dead birds in Romania's Danube Delta, the country's agriculture minister said Thursday. The samples are being sent to Britain to identify the specific strain of the virus....More

1 in 7 hospital admissions involve Canadians with mental illness: report

TORONTO (CP) - Mental illness - either as a primary or associated diagnosis - is responsible for one-third of the total number of days Canadians spend in hospital each year, a report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information says....More

Little being done to house homeless mentally ill, says B.C. advocate

VANCOUVER (CP) - For Roderick Louis there's a direct connection between the empty residential buildings at Riverview Hospital and some of the lost-looking homeless men and women who people step carefully around on Vancouver's streets....More

Numbers of nurse practitioners in Canada increasing, but roadblocks remain

(CP) - The number of nurse practitioners working in Canada may be slowly increasing, but health officials say there are still significant obstacles to the profession receiving full acceptance in the health-care system....More

Risk of birth defects higher when mom-to-be used Paxil in first trimester

TORONTO (CP) - Health Canada has issued a warning about the use of Paxil during pregnancy, based on evidence that suggests the risk of major birth defects is doubled in babies born to women who took the antidepressant during the first trimester of pregnancy. A large U.S....More

Genentech profits surge on drug sales

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Genentech Inc. reported a 56 per cent surge in third-quarter net income, fuelled by strong drug sales of its newest colon cancer drug and its flagship breast cancer fighter....More

Colombia reports its first suspected cases of bird flu; no risk to humans

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Colombian authorities said Monday they had detected the first suspected cases of bird flu in this South American country, but insisted the strain was not harmful to humans....More

Businesses need to do continuity planning for flu pandemic, report suggests

TORONTO (CP) - Canadian businesses need to devise plans for weathering an influenza pandemic, a leading brokerage firm warns in its second report on the potential economic toll such an event would claim....More

Eating fish slows age-related mental decline, new study suggests

CHICAGO (AP) - Eating fish at least once a week is good for the brain, slowing age-related mental decline by the equivalent of three to four years, a study suggests. The research adds to the growing evidence that a fish-rich diet helps keep the mind sharp....More

Officials in Turkey and Romania try to contain suspected cases of avian flu

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkish authorities on Tuesday ordered poultry farmers in a quarantined area in western Turkey to hand over birds for culling or face fines and possible jail sentences as Turkey tried to contain an outbreak of suspected avian flu....More