Pope John Paul is now living the drama of aging and chronic illness himself

VATICAN CITY (AP) - The use of a feeding tube for Pope John Paul illustrates a key point of Roman Catholic doctrine he himself has proclaimed toward the aging and chronically ill: The administration of food and water to a patient is morally necessary....More

Medical experts to join probe into deaths at Oaklands Regional Centre

TORONTO (CP) - Medical experts have joined a probe into the deaths of 10 residents at an Ontario home for the mentally disabled, as the province's chief coroner tries to determine whether an inquest is necessary....More

Ont. doctors vote to accept four-year, $2.4 billion new fee agreement

TORONTO (CP) - Ontario doctors have voted to accept a four-year, $2.4 billion fee agreement with the provincial government, after rejecting an earlier tentative contract last November....More

FDA says Biovail pain drug Tramadol will need new clinical trials before approval

TORONTO (CP) - Drugmaker Biovail Corp.'s pain treating drug Tramadol ER will require yet another round of clinical trials before it can be approved for release in the United States, the company said Wednesday.

Toronto-based Biovail said the U.S....More

Malnutrition has doubled among Iraqi children: UN monitor

GENEVA (AP) - The war in Iraq and its aftermath have almost doubled malnutrition rates among Iraqi children, a UN specialist on hunger has told the world's major human rights body.

Acute malnutrition rates among Iraqi children under five rose late last year to 7....More

Congolese official fears Ebola-like fever will cross border from Angola

BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (AP) - The Republic of Congo's top health official said Monday he fears an outbreak of a rare hemorrhagic fever could spread from neighbouring Angola despite efforts to curtail cross-border traffic and monitor arrivals from the infected area.

Dr....More

New York jury awards woman US$18.8 million for smoking injuries

NEW YORK (AP) - A state court jury has ordered Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA unit to pay $18.8 million US to a woman who said 45 years of smoking cigarettes gave her lung cancer and neurological problems, the woman's lawyer said Tuesday....More

Pandemic planners should focus on care for sick, not death estimates: expert

TORONTO (CP) - The man whose mathematical models provide the basis for U.S. and Canadian pandemic influenza planning is fed up with what he calls the "high noon" of competing projections of how many lives a pandemic might claim....More

China denies Internet report of Ebola deaths in south part of country

BEIJING (AP) - China is denying reports on the Internet that at least four people had died of the deadly Ebola virus in the country's south....More

N.B. judge denies group's request to stop service cuts at francophone hospital

CARAQUET, N.B. (CP) - A Court of Queen's Bench judge in New Brunswick has denied requests for a court order to stop service cuts at a francophone hospital in Caraquet....More

Study: Most American adults sleep poorly

WASHINGTON (AP) - Getting a good night's sleep is hard for many adults and that often means poorer health, lower productivity on the job, more danger on the roads and a less vibrant sex life....More

Drugmaker says it plans to withdraw attention deficit drug

WASHINGTON (AP) - A drug that has been used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder for 30 years is being discontinued....More

FDA approved once-a-month drug to help women battle osteoporosis

WASHINGTON (AP) - A once-a-month pill to help women battle the bone-weakening disease osteoporosis has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Boniva will be the first monthly osteoporosis medication, said Dr. Richard Emkey of Radiant Research in Reading, Pa....More

Panel says women need better information on treating menopause

WASHINGTON (AP) - The most effective therapies for menopause symptoms can have serious side effects and individual women need better information to help them make a decision on what is best for them, a National Institutes of Health consensus panel said Wednesday. The U.S....More

Cambodia confirms Asia's 47th victim of avian flu; Vietnam reports 2 new cases

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - Cambodia confirmed Friday a 26-year-old man died this week of avian flu, becoming Southeast Asia's 47th human victim of a disease that has become entrenched in the region's poultry and raised fears of a global pandemic....More

Cases of Ebola-like virus in northern Angola detected in capital

LISBON, Portugal (AP) - Five cases of an Ebola-like fever that has killed as many as 112 people along the Angola-Congo border have been detected in the Angolan capital....More

Most Canadians have taken note of the threat of a flu pandemic

TORONTO (CP) - Most Canadians have taken note of escalating warnings of the threat of a flu pandemic, but they don't feel the avian influenza virus ravaging parts of Southeast Asia represents a real danger to them, a poll suggests....More

N.B. judge denies group's request to stop service cuts at francophone hospital

CARAQUET, N.B. (CP) - A Court of Queen's Bench judge in New Brunswick has denied requests for a court order to stop service cuts at a francophone hospital in Caraquet....More

Cda sends unique lab to test for fatal virus in Angola; more than 100 dead

TORONTO (CP) - Canada is sending a one-of-a-kind portable laboratory to Angola to help contain an Ebola-like fever that has killed more than 100 people since October.

Dr....More

Former Ottawa Senators owner Rod Bryden appointed chairman of PharmaGap

OTTAWA (CP) - PharmaGap Inc. has appointed former Ottawa Senators owner Rod Bryden as the cancer drug developer's new chairman.

Ottawa-based PharmaGap (TSXV:GAP) said Thursday that Bryden will replace Dan Larkin, who remains a member of the company's board of directors....More

Living will lets family know health-care wishes in case of incapacitation

TORONTO (CP) - The legal and media circus swirling around Terri Schiavo over removal of the brain-damaged Florida woman's feeding tube has many Canadians wondering how to ensure their own treatment wishes would be respected....More

Florida state judge turns down parents again in battle over Terri Schiavo

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) - A state judge and the U.S. Supreme Court refused Thursday to intervene in the case of Terri Schiavo, leaving the brain-damaged woman's parents with only the slimmest hopes in their fight to keep her alive....More

Florida Supreme Court won't overturn judge's ruling in Terri Schiavo case

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. (AP) - With Terri Schiavo visibly drawing closer to death, her parents were rebuffed by both the U.S. and Florida supreme courts Thursday in their battle to reinsert their brain-damaged daughter's feeding tube....More

Florida state judge turns down parents again in battle over Terri Schiavo

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) - A state judge refused Thursday to hear Gov. Jeb Bush's arguments to take custody of Terri Schiavo, leaving the brain-damaged woman's parents with only the slimmest hopes in their fight to keep her alive....More

Fla. officials report kidney failure in 7 children who visited petting zoos

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Seven children have contracted a life-threatening kidney infection, which health officials said may be the result of a rare infection picked up at petting zoos....More

Diabetics warned dialysis solution can interfere with glucose readings

TORONTO (CP) - Diabetic patients who are treated for kidney failure with a peritoneal dialysis solution containing icodextrin need to be aware they may register falsely elevated readings when using certain brands of glucose monitors, creating a risk of injury, Health Canada warned Thursday....More

Cambodia confirms Asia's 47th victim of avian flu; Vietnam reports 2 new cases

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - Cambodia confirmed Friday a 26-year-old man died this week of avian flu, becoming Southeast Asia's 47th human victim of a disease that has become entrenched in the region's poultry and raised fears of a global pandemic....More

Aid groups slam Indian patent law that ends production of cheap drugs

NEW DELHI (AP) - International aid groups criticized India's passage Wednesday of a new patent law ending the decades-old practice of allowing domestic drug companies to make low-cost copies of expensive western medicines, saying millions of poor people across the world will be affected....More

Canada sending mission to Vietnam, Southeast Asia to assess disease needs

TORONTO (CP) - Fuelled by concern about the potential for an influenza pandemic and other emerging disease threats, the federal government is sending a mission of health experts to several Southeast Asian countries - including Vietnam - to assess how Canada can help....More

AEterna Zentaris skin disease drug wins approval in Colombia

QUEBEC (CP) - Drug maker AEterna Zentaris Inc. said Wednesday its Impavido treatment for the skin-affecting form of the disease leishmaniasis has been approved by the Colombian Food and Drug Agency....More

Terri Schiavo's parents beg U.S. appeals court to reconnect her feeding tube

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Warning that Terri Schiavo was "fading quickly" and might die at any moment, her parents begged a federal appeals court Tuesday to order the severely brain-damaged woman's feeding tube reinserted. ...More

Judge hears Schiavo case, seems reluctant to re-insert feeding tube

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Armed with a new law rushed through Congress, the lawyer for Terri Schiavo's parents pleaded with a judge Monday to order the brain-damaged woman's feeding tube re-inserted. But the judge appeared cool to the argument. ...More

Maker of child car seats, high chairs to pay $4 million US to settle charges

WASHINGTON (AP) - Graco Children's Products Inc. has agreed to pay a record $4 million US to settle charges that it belatedly reported problems with car seats, high chairs and other products that resulted in hundreds of injuries and six deaths. ...More

Victhom Human Bionics Inc. raises $18.4 million in convertible debentures

QUEBEC (CP) - Victhom Human Bionics Inc. said Tuesday it has raised $18.4 million in a private placement of convertible debentures. ...More

ViRexx Medical Corp.'s full-year loss grows to $3.4 million from $1.5M

EDMONTON (CP) - ViRexx Medical Corp.'s 2004 loss more than doubled as the maker of treatments for cancer and chronic hepatitis B and C boosted spending on development and prepared to move a number of its drugs through clinical testing phases. ...More

Alberta legislature gives 2nd reading to forced drug treatment bill

EDMONTON (CP) - The horror of crystal meth addiction in teenagers seems to be easy to agree on - it's how best to fight it that's causing trouble for Alberta legislators. ...More

Terri Schiavo's parents beg U.S. appeals court to reconnect her feeding tube

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Warning that Terri Schiavo was "fading quickly" and might die at any moment, her parents begged a federal appeals court Tuesday to order the severely brain-damaged woman's feeding tube reinserted. ...More

Judge hears Schiavo case, seems reluctant to re-insert feeding tube

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Armed with a new law rushed through Congress, the lawyer for Terri Schiavo's parents pleaded with a judge Monday to order the brain-damaged woman's feeding tube re-inserted. But the judge appeared cool to the argument. ...More

Crucial aboriginal health cash on hold until at least June, says Dosanjh

OTTAWA (CP) - Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh says he isn't happy that $700 million for aboriginal health won't flow until at least June - nine months after it was promised for suicide prevention and other urgent needs. ...More

Rubella eliminated in U.S., virtually eliminated in Canada, experts say

TORONTO (CP) - Rubella, once a significant source of childhood illness and congenital birth defects, is no longer a major public health risk in the United States or Canada, public health officials in the two countries said Monday. ...More

Maker of child car seats, high chairs to pay $4 million US to settle charges

WASHINGTON (AP) - Graco Children's Products Inc. has agreed to pay a record $4 million US to settle charges that it belatedly reported problems with car seats, high chairs and other products that resulted in hundreds of injuries and six deaths. ...More

Food agency issues warning about possible hazard of Anmol Red Chilli Powder

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to eat Anmol Red Chilli Powder because it contains non-permitted colours considered to be carcinogenic. ...More

Drug shortage means 'difficult decisions' would need to be made in pandemic

WINNIPEG (CP) - Federal officials drawing up Canada's pandemic influenza response plan estimate the country would need about 222 million doses of a critical antiviral drug to treat and protect key groups of people in the first wave of a mild to moderate flu pandemic. ...More

Lawyer for man who wants kidney transplant fights Montreal hospital in court

MONTREAL (CP) - Baruch Tegegne's reasons for wanting a kidney transplant can't be any simpler. ...More

Victhom Human Bionics Inc. raises $18.4 million in convertible debentures

QUEBEC (CP) - Victhom Human Bionics Inc. said Tuesday it has raised $18.4 million in a private placement of convertible debentures. ...More

World Heart Corp. trims Q4 loss to US$6.3 million, but annual loss widens

OAKLAND (CP) - World Heart Corp., a specialist in mechanical blood circulatory systems, is looking to expand the number of its clinical centres to test its products in the United States as it completes its transition of operations to Oakland from Ottawa. ...More

Sleepwalking may be a symptom of an overactive thyroid: study

An overactive thyroid may lead to sleepwalking, say the authors of a small study documenting this previously unrecognized symptom....More

Waistline a better indicator of diabetes risk than body-mass index

BALTIMORE (AP) - A man's waist size seems to be a stronger indicator of diabetes risk than the body-mass index, new research suggests. ...More

ViRexx Medical Corp.'s full-year loss grows to $3.4 million from $1.5M

EDMONTON (CP) - ViRexx Medical Corp.'s 2004 loss more than doubled as the maker of treatments for cancer and chronic hepatitis B and C boosted spending on development and prepared to move a number of its drugs through clinical testing phases. ...More

Terri Schiavo's parents beg U.S. appeals court to reconnect her feeding tube

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Warning that Terri Schiavo was "fading quickly" and might die at any moment, her parents begged a federal appeals court Tuesday to order the severely brain-damaged woman's feeding tube reinserted....More

Study finds link between problem gambling and abundance of VLTs

WINNIPEG (CP) - The combination of casinos and video-lottery terminals is proving an overpowering duo in several provinces, says a new study that suggests a link between accessibility and problem gambling....More

Lawyer for man who wants kidney transplant fights Montreal hospital in court

MONTREAL (CP) - Baruch Tegegne's reasons for wanting a kidney transplant can't be any simpler....More

Maker of child car seats, high chairs to pay $4 million US to settle charges

WASHINGTON (AP) - Graco Children's Products Inc. has agreed to pay a record $4 million US to settle charges that it belatedly reported problems with car seats, high chairs and other products that resulted in hundreds of injuries and six deaths.

The company also is recalling 1....More

Sleepwalking may be a symptom of an overactive thyroid: study

(MRI) - An overactive thyroid may lead to sleepwalking, say the authors of a small
study documenting this previously unrecognized symptom....More

Drug shortage means 'difficult decisions' would need to be made in pandemic

WINNIPEG (CP) - Federal officials drawing up Canada's pandemic influenza response plan estimate the country would need about 222 million doses of a critical antiviral drug to treat and protect key groups of people in the first wave of a mild to moderate flu pandemic....More

Alta father says feds' refusal to fund drug help may kill young son

CALGARY (CP) - The father of a nine-year-old First Nations boy stricken with a rare disease says Ottawa's refusal to fund expensive drug treatments for his son is putting the child's life at risk....More

Crucial aboriginal health cash on hold until at least June, says Dosanjh

OTTAWA (CP) - Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh says he isn't happy that $700 million for aboriginal health won't flow until at least June - nine months after it was promised for suicide prevention and other urgent needs.

But he says it takes time to develop good programs....More

Judge hears Schiavo case, seems reluctant to re-insert feeding tube

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Armed with a new law rushed through Congress, the lawyer for Terri Schiavo's parents pleaded with a judge Monday to order the brain-damaged woman's feeding tube re-inserted. But the judge appeared cool to the argument.

U.S....More

Human bird flu cases in Asia probably undercounted, expert says

WASHINGTON (AP) - The incidence of a particularly lethal variation of influenza in Southeast Asia is probably greater than has been reported so far, a flu expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday....More

Food agency issues warning about possible hazard of Anmol Red Chilli Powder

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to eat Anmol Red Chilli Powder because it contains non-permitted colours considered to be carcinogenic....More

Alberta legislature gives 2nd reading to forced drug treatment bill

EDMONTON (CP) - The horror of crystal meth addiction in teenagers seems to be easy to agree on - it's how best to fight it that's causing trouble for Alberta legislators....More

Fight against Quebec hospital infections helping to combat superbug: minister

QUEBEC (CP) - Quebec's recent efforts to limit deadly bacteria in hospitals are helping in the fight against an antibiotic-resistant superbug gaining prominence in the province, Health Minister Philippe Couillard said Monday....More

Aerobic exercise like walking can improve memory power in seniors: researcher

TORONTO (CP) - That old saying "use it or lose it" is taking on a whole new meaning when it comes to retaining the ability to remember and to focus attention as we age. In fact, research suggests that exercising both body and brain can turn that adage into "use it and gain it....More

"Senior moments" may be a sign of epilepsy

(MRI) - They're often called "senior moments" - memory lapses, periods of
zoning out and other temporary moments of confusion. But experts warn that these
seemingly harmless incidents may actually be a sign of epilepsy....More

Important SARS outbreak dates

(CP) - Some key dates in the SARS saga:

Feb. 10, 2003: The WHO issues an urgent call for information on a highly infectious respiratory ailment rumoured to be spreading in China.

Feb....More

ID Biomedical to seek U.S. accelerated approval process for influenza vaccine

VANCOUVER (CP) - ID Biomedical Corp. said Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is allowing it to seek accelerated approval of its influenza vaccine....More

Brain-damaged Florida woman's feeding tube removed as last-ditch effort fails

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. (AP) - With a furious legal and political battle raging outside her hospice room, doctors removed Terri Schiavo's feeding tube Friday after a judge rebuffed an unprecedented attempt by Congress to keep the brain-damaged woman alive....More

Canada, U.S. to simulate international outbreak of foot and mouth disease

OTTAWA (CP) - Canada and the United States plan to test how well prepared they are to face a cross-border outbreak of foot and mouth disease, a virulent disease that strikes cloven-hoofed animals.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it will work with the U.S....More

Already fittest Canadians, British Columbians need to do better, says premier

VANCOUVER (CP) - British Columbia has a well-deserved reputation as home to granola-eating, mountain-biking fitness nuts....More

Limited antiviral drugs in flu pandemic could pose Solomon-like dilemmas

TORONTO (CP) - Little known and rarely used in North America, antiviral drugs will be the first line of defence when the next influenza pandemic strikes, in the months before a vaccine can be made available....More

Water pollution violations remain endemic in Ontario post-Walkerton tragedy

TORONTO (CP) - Despite some improvement in the aftermath of the E. coli tragedy five years ago, industrial pollution of Ontario's water sources remains a chronic problem, latest government data show....More

Drug offers first advance in 30 years for treating deadly brain tumour: study

TORONTO (CP) - A drug that disrupts DNA to stop cancer cells from multiplying can prolong the lives of some people with the most common and deadliest type of brain tumour, a study by Canadian and European researchers has found....More

Experts say low-sugar cereals are no better for you - calories same in most

(AP) - Could this be the end of cereal aisle showdowns between parents and sweet-toothed tots? New reduced-sugar versions of popular children's breakfast cereals - everything from Froot Loops to Frosted Flakes - certainly sound promising, but consumers might want to hold off chiming in when...More

Health committee to study ways to add transparency to drug regulatory system

TORONTO (CP) - Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh has formally asked the Commons health committee to study ways to add transparency to and improve public confidence in the drug regulatory process....More

"Senior moments" may be a sign of epilepsy

(MRI) - They're often called "senior moments" - memory lapses, periods of
zoning out and other temporary moments of confusion. But experts warn that these
seemingly harmless incidents may actually be a sign of epilepsy....More

Critically ill baby dies after being removed from life support in Texas

HOUSTON (AP) - A critically ill five-month-old was taken off life support and died Tuesday, a day after a judge cleared the way for doctors to halt care they believed to be futile. The infant's mother had fought to keep him alive....More

China says it has begun testing new AIDS vaccine on volunteers

BEIJING (AP) - China has begun testing a new AIDS vaccine on a group of volunteers after they were given physical exams and signed waivers, the government said....More

Beryllium disease re-emerging worldwide, expert tells Montreal conference

MONTREAL (CP) - A top American health expert says more workers are becoming sick from exposure to dust from beryllium, an element contained in several metals. ...More

Debate grows over public grading of American hospitals, doctors

CHICAGO (AP) - The trend toward issuing "report cards" on the nation's hospitals and doctors has not been shown to improve care, and might even harm patients, some physicians warn....More

Health Canada issues recall notice for a generic cough syrup

OTTAWA (CP) - Health Canada is advising consumers across Canada not to use specific brands of a generic cough syrup that could possibly result in seizures for children under three years of age....More

Adding Plavix to other drugs for heart attack patients saves lives: studies

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Adding Plavix to other anti-clotting drugs typically given to heart attack patients saves lives and prevents second heart attacks, two huge international studies found....More

Quit smoking with a pill? Researchers say new drugs show promise

GROTON, Connecticut (AP) - Researchers are racing to develop a drug that would make smoking as treatable - and lucrative - as erectile dysfunction, high cholesterol and acid reflux disease. ...More

GlaxoSmithKline says FDA has halted trials of multiple sclerosis drug

LONDON (AP) - Clinical trials of GlaxoSmithKline PLC's experimental multiple sclerosis drug have been halted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the British pharmaceutical company said Wednesday.

The U.S....More

'Mystery illness' claims 3 more lives in Angola; three-month toll now 64

LUANDA, Angola (AP) - Three people died from an unidentified illness Wednesday at a hospital in northeastern Angola, bringing the death toll from a mystery ailment there to 64 over the last three months, officials said....More

Florida court won't stop removal of feeding tube from brain-damaged woman

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A Florida appeals court refused Wednesday to block the removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube later this week, shifting the focus in the right-to-die dispute to the state legislature.

The 2nd District Court of Appeal in Lakeland, Fla....More

Canadians travelling should get flu shot before leaving or while abroad

TORONTO (CP) - Canadians travelling outside the country are advised to get a flu shot before they leave or while they are abroad if a safe source of vaccine can be found....More

Grammy winner Youssou N'Dour performs at concert to fight malaria

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) - Youssou N'Dour added his voice to the fight against malaria, taking the stage in Senegal to help boost awareness of the leading killer of the continent's children....More

PM Martin announces $222 million for health research, including soldier study

CALGARY (CP) - The mental-health toll of peacekeeping on Canadian soldiers, brought home by the emotional breakdown of retired general Romeo Dallaire, is one of the projects that will be studied with $222 million in research grants announced Monday by Prime Minister Paul Martin....More

More Canadians used alternative health care in 2002, says Statistics Canada

OTTAWA (CP) - More Canadians used alternative health care such as chiropractors, massage therapists and acupuncturists in 2002, says Statistics Canada.

"An estimated 5....More

Dee Snider to visit high school where he helped keep rock bands on stage

HAMBURG, Pa. (AP) - Dee Snider will go just about anywhere to defend the right to rock. ...More

Florida court won't stop removal of feeding tube from brain-damaged woman

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A Florida appeals court refused Wednesday to block the removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube later this week, shifting the focus in the right-to-die dispute to the state legislature.

The 2nd District Court of Appeal in Lakeland, Fla....More

Vietnam confirms 5-year-old boy tests positive for avian flu

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - A five-year-old boy from central Vietnam has become the latest person to contract the avian flu virus that has killed 46 people in the region, health officials said Friday....More

Safe drug-injection sites reduce needle-sharing, HIV spread, study suggests

TORONTO (CP) - Giving addicts a safe, supervised place to inject drugs may help reduce syringe-sharing, thereby preventing the spread of hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS, Canadian research suggests....More

UN says governments should ban use of sun beds for those under 18

GENEVA (AP) - Governments should pass laws on the responsible use of sun beds, banning their use for all people under 18, the UN health agency said Thursday....More

Palm oil may contain non-permitted colour considered carcinogen, agency warns

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warned people Thursday not to consume certain Heritage brand Palm Oils because they may contain a non-permitted colour that has been associated with cancer....More

Florida, Congress efforts to keep brain-damaged woman alive hit roadblocks

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Last-ditch efforts to block the removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube foundered Thursday as courts rebuffed her parents' appeals and legislators failed to agree on legislation to intervene in the contentious battle to keep the severely brain-damaged woman alive....More

New Zealand study: thousands could die in possible avian flu pandemic

WELLINGTON, N.Z. (AP) - Thousands of New Zealanders could die and more than 750,000 could be sickened if the avian flu virus mutates and triggers a pandemic, severely straining the country's health-care resources, researchers said in an article published Friday....More

Beryllium disease re-emerging worldwide, expert tells Montreal conference

MONTREAL (CP) - A top American health expert says more workers are becoming sick from exposure to dust from beryllium, an element contained in several metals. ...More

Dee Snider to visit high school where he helped keep rock bands on stage

HAMBURG, Pa. (AP) - Dee Snider will go just about anywhere to defend the right to rock. ...More

Nurse suspected of contracting bird flu in northern Vietnam

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Vietnamese health officials said Saturday they suspect a nurse who cared for a bird flu patient has contracted the disease that has killed 46 people across Southeast Asia....More

Overweight basketball players? A cautionary tale about measuring fat

NEW YORK (AP) - Last week it was obese football players. Now it's .. overweight basketball players? ...More

Longer rehab for heart patients is cost-effective, improves quality of life: study

TORONTO (CP) - The threat of impending death can be a powerful motivator when it comes to exercise.

"Having a heart attack is impetus to (exercise)....More

Bird flu has killed thousands of chickens in North Korea, report says

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Thousands of chickens in North Korea died from bird flu at a processing plant last month, according to a news report Tuesday....More

McDonald's rolls out new worldwide healthy lifestyle campaign

NEW YORK (AP) - Shifting the spotlight from french fries to fruit, McDonald's Corp. launched a new worldwide initiative Tuesday promoting healthy living - the latest effort by the world's largest restaurant chain to combat criticism of its food and business....More

Infant who became the smallest to have robotic surgery is recovering

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Amber Vairo has grown two inches and gained nearly a pound, and the three tiny scars on her belly have all but vanished - along with any doubts she'd survive a complex surgery to fix a life-threatening condition.

Last month, at just 5....More

Health Canada issues warning about patient warming system units

TORONTO (CP) - Specific batches of a patient warming device used in hospitals but also sometimes in home care poses risks of fire and burns, Health Canada warned Monday....More

Bird flu has killed thousands of chickens in North Korea, report says

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Thousands of chickens in North Korea died from bird flu at a processing plant last month, according to a news report Tuesday....More

Overweight basketball players? A cautionary tale about measuring fat

NEW YORK (AP) - Last week it was obese football players. Now it's .. overweight basketball players? ...More

Triathlon not just for elite athletes; now attracts all ages, abilities

EDMONTON (CP) - Once the domain of uber-fit, athletic overachievers, the mother of all endurance sports now attracts people of all ages and abilities. ...More

Man rejects $1 million to give up right to decide wife's medical treatment

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The husband of a brain-damaged woman being kept alive by a feeding tube has turned down a $1 million US offer to let his wife's parents decide her medical treatment....More

Newfoundland researchers, Chinese to develop seal oil nutrient

ST. JOHN'S, Nfld. (CP) - Newfoundland researchers have signed a multimillion-dollar deal with a Chinese pharmaceutical company to develop and market a seal oil nutritional product for distribution to hospitals in the Asian country.

Four researchers from Memorial University in St....More

Hong Kong wants chicken population cut by half as precaution against bird flu

HONG KONG (AP) - Hong Kong's government said Monday it plans to step up precautions against bird flu and slash the local chicken population by half to 1.8 million, sparking outrage from the poultry industry....More

Architect of public health agency concerned about progress post-SARS

TORONTO (CP) - The chief architect of the Public Health Agency of Canada - created to protect this country against another SARS-like crisis - is concerned crucial elements of the new institution are coming together too slowly.

Dr....More

Babies should get breast milk only for 6 months, then add solids: doctors

TORONTO (CP) - Women should exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months without adding solid foods or formula in order to promote optimal health, the Canadian Pediatric Society recommends....More

Dramatic acts of violence show need for more mental health services: experts

TORONTO (CP) - Canada's largest city has been stunned by dramatic acts of violence this week, with one man setting himself ablaze and another throwing his young daughter and himself off a busy highway overpass....More

Mentally ill mother found not responsible for daughter's death

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - A mother who repeatedly swung her seven-month-old daughter headfirst into a sidewalk was found not responsible for the baby's death because she is mentally ill....More

Toronto surgeons successfully separate conjoined Zimbabwean twin boys

TORONTO (CP) - Surgeons at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children have successfully separated seven-month-old twin boys from Zimbabwe who were born conjoined at the abdomen and shared a liver.

"The separation surgery went as planned, with no unexpected complications," said Dr....More

Aspirin prevents strokes but not heart problems for most women, study shows

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Middle-age women can cut their risk of strokes but not heart attacks by regularly taking low doses of aspirin, and the pills help prevent both problems in women 65 and older, a major study found....More

Babies should get breast milk only for 6 months, then add solids: doctors

TORONTO (CP) - Women should exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months without adding solid foods or formula in order to promote optimal health, the Canadian Pediatric Society recommends....More

Manitoba government creates bill of rights for nursing home residents

WINNIPEG (CP) - The Manitoba government is introducing a bill of rights for the 9,000 people who live in nursing homes across the province....More

Judge says Florida social services cannot intervene in brain damage case

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A judge ruled Thursday that Florida's social services agency cannot intervene to delay the removal of the feeding tube keeping a brain-damaged woman alive....More

Canadians filled over 382 million prescriptions in 2004, says tracking firm

MONTREAL (CP) - Canadians bought more than 382 million medical prescriptions last year for a total value of $17.3 billion, but the annual growth was lower than for any year since 1998, IMS Health Canada reported Thursday....More

Bird flu infections in north Vietnam prompt new concerns over virus

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - A string of bird flu infections in northern Vietnam involving several families has raised troubling questions over whether the deadly virus that has killed 46 people in Asia may be changing, health experts said Thursday....More

AIDS experts want drug addicts to have better access to clean needles

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Thousands of lives could be saved if more drug users had access to clean needles, reducing the risk of HIV infections, several AIDS experts said Thursday....More

WHO says Canada may not need to consider stockpiling pandemic vaccine

TORONTO (CP) - In the next week or two, the World Health Organization will call on countries to consider stockpiling vaccine against the influenza strain known as H5N1, responsible for the deadly avian flu outbreak plaguing Southeast Asia. ...More

Health-care funding to be centrepiece of Manitoba budget: Selinger

WINNIPEG (CP) - Manitobans will learn just how the government plans to spend some of its share of increased health-care funding from Ottawa when it rolls out its provincial budget Tuesday. ...More

Quit smoking with a pill? Researchers say new drugs show promise

GROTON, Connecticut (AP) - Researchers are racing to develop a drug that would make smoking as treatable - and lucrative - as erectile dysfunction, high cholesterol and acid reflux disease. ...More

Beryllium disease re-emerging worldwide, expert tells Montreal conference

MONTREAL (CP) - A top American health expert says more workers are becoming sick from exposure to dust from beryllium, an element contained in several metals.

"We are at the tip of an iceberg of an epidemic of beryllium disease," Dr....More

U.S. authorities seize prescription drug orders from Canada, Ireland, U.K.

CHICAGO (AP) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has seized prescription drug orders sent from Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom to customers of a multistate program in the United States to import cheaper prescription drugs from Europe and Canada....More

Study: Newborn euthanasia often goes unreported in Netherlands

(AP) - Euthanizing terminally ill newborns, while still very rare, is more common in the Netherlands than was believed when the startling practice was reported a few months ago - and experts say it also occurs, quietly, in other countries....More

Bird flu infections in north Vietnam prompt new concerns over virus

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - A string of bird flu infections in northern Vietnam involving several families has raised troubling questions over whether the deadly virus that has killed 46 people in Asia may be changing, health experts said Thursday....More

Drug offers first advance in 30 years for treating deadly brain tumour: study

TORONTO (CP) - A drug that disrupts DNA to stop cancer cells from multiplying can prolong the lives of some people with the most common and deadliest type of brain tumour, a study by Canadian and European researchers has found....More

McDonald's rolls out new worldwide healthy lifestyle campaign

NEW YORK (AP) - Shifting the spotlight from french fries to fruit, McDonald's Corp. launched a new worldwide initiative Tuesday promoting healthy living - the latest effort by the world's largest restaurant chain to combat criticism of its food and business. ...More

Military intelligence warns that avian flu could be used as weapon: report

TORONTO (CP) - The military's intelligence arm has warned the federal government that avian influenza could be used as a weapon of bioterrorism, a heavily censored report suggests. ...More

Water warning in Stratford, Ont., lowered to boil-water advisory

STRATFORD, Ont. (CP) - Health officials advised residents Tuesday they could drink their tap water again after a don't-use advisory was lowered to a boil-water advisory. ...More

Smoking raises breast, kidney cancer risks

(MediResource) -- The link between lighting up and a number of cancers, including lung, mouth and throat, has long been established. But two new studies support the link between smoking and breast cancer in some women and smoking and kidney cancer in men and women....More

Water warning in Stratford, Ont., lowered to boil-water advisory

STRATFORD, Ont. (CP) - Health officials advised residents Tuesday they could drink their tap water again after a don't-use advisory was lowered to a boil-water advisory. ...More

Military intelligence warns that avian flu could be used as weapon: report

TORONTO (CP) - The military's intelligence arm has warned the federal government that avian influenza could be used as a weapon of bioterrorism, a heavily censored report suggests. ...More

McDonald's rolls out new worldwide healthy lifestyle campaign

NEW YORK (AP) - Shifting the spotlight from french fries to fruit, McDonald's Corp. launched a new worldwide initiative Tuesday promoting healthy living - the latest effort by the world's largest restaurant chain to combat criticism of its food and business. ...More

Smoking raises breast, kidney cancer risks

(MediResource) -- The link between lighting up and a number of cancers, including lung, mouth and throat, has long been established. But two new studies support the link between smoking and breast cancer in some women and smoking and kidney cancer in men and women....More

Health Canada tells Asians using cholesterol drug Crestor to reduce dosage

TORONTO (CP) - Daily doses of the cholesterol drug Crestor should be severely reduced for people of Asian descent and other patients displaying risk factors for muscular problems, says Health Canada.

The warning comes just days after U.S....More

Health Canada tells Asians using cholesterol drug Crestor to reduce dosage

TORONTO (CP) - Daily doses of the cholesterol drug Crestor should be severely reduced for people of Asian descent and other patients displaying risk factors for muscular problems, says Health Canada. ...More

WHO says Canada may not need to consider stockpiling pandemic vaccine

TORONTO (CP) - In the next week or two, the World Health Organization will call on countries to consider stockpiling vaccine against the influenza strain known as H5N1, responsible for the deadly avian flu outbreak plaguing Southeast Asia....More

Triathlon not just for elite athletes; now attracts all ages, abilities

EDMONTON (CP) - Once the domain of uber-fit, athletic overachievers, the mother of all endurance sports now attracts people of all ages and abilities....More

Schwarzenegger says he wants to ban junk food at California schools

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - At the bodybuilding event named for him, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Sunday that he wants to ban all sales of junk food in California schools and fill vending machines with fresh fruits, vegetables and milk....More

Military intelligence warns that avian flu could be used as weapon: report

TORONTO (CP) - The military's intelligence arm has warned the federal government that avian influenza could be used as a weapon of bioterrorism, a heavily censored report suggests.

It also reveals that military planners believe a naturally occurring flu pandemic may be imminent....More

High doses of cholesterol drugs can help people with heart disease

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Giving people with modestly clogged arteries very high doses of a drug to drive their cholesterol down to very low levels cut their risk of strokes and heart attacks even more impressively than expected, the first study to test this strategy found....More

Grandfather of two Vietnamese avian flu patients also infected: doctors

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - The grandfather of two siblings infected with avian flu in Vietnam also has contracted the virus, which has killed 46 people in the region, Vietnamese health officials said Wednesday....More

Beryllium disease re-emerging worldwide, expert tells Montreal conference

MONTREAL (CP) - A top American health expert says more workers are becoming sick from exposure to dust from beryllium, an element contained in several metals.

"We are at the tip of an iceberg of an epidemic of beryllium disease," Dr....More

Health-care funding to be centrepiece of Manitoba budget: Selinger

WINNIPEG (CP) - Manitobans will learn just how the government plans to spend some of its share of increased health-care funding from Ottawa when it rolls out its provincial budget Tuesday....More

Triathlon achievable with proper conditioning: Olympic coach

EDMONTON (CP) - It is possible for moderately active people to finish a triathlon - with proper conditioning, says the coach of Olympic triathlete Simon Whitfield. ...More

Schwarzenegger says he wants to ban junk food at California schools

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - At the bodybuilding event named for him, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Sunday that he wants to ban all sales of junk food in California schools and fill vending machines with fresh fruits, vegetables and milk. ...More

In world without sun, life revolves around sick daughter

CLAVERACK, N.Y. (AP) - Caren and Dan Mahar can't stop the sun from shining to save their 12-year-old daughter, but they've done everything short of it. ...More

Health-care funding to be centrepiece of Manitoba budget: Selinger

WINNIPEG (CP) - Manitobans will learn just how the government plans to spend some of its share of increased health-care funding from Ottawa when it rolls out its provincial budget Tuesday....More

Supermodel Liya Kebede named goodwill ambassador by UN health agency

GENEVA (AP) - Supermodel Liya Kebede, best known as the face of cosmetics giant Estee Lauder, was named a goodwill ambassador by the UN health agency on Monday....More

Snacking nutritiously an alternative to grabbing unhealthy fast food

(CP) - Could it be that the Canadian tradition of three meals a day is going the way of the dodo?

Snacking at all hours day and night has become an obsession with many people....More

At-home genetic testing raises questions among observers

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Commercials hawking prescription drugs directly to consumers have driven doctors crazy for years. Now comes a new kind of medical marketing that is already troubling some medical professionals: at-home genetic testing....More

Drug-coated stents help many avoid heart bypass surgery, studies show

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A new generation of tiny metal scaffolds that prop open arteries has transformed heart care in just a few years and is allowing a growing number of people to avoid having bypass surgery....More

Agency seeks to investigate 30 abuse allegations in right-to-die case

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The state's social services agency is seeking to delay the removal of a brain-damaged woman's feeding tube so it can investigate about 30 new allegations of "abuse, neglect or exploitation" by her husband, according to a court document made public Friday....More

Triathlon achievable with proper conditioning: Olympic coach

EDMONTON (CP) - It is possible for moderately active people to finish a triathlon - with proper conditioning, says the coach of Olympic triathlete Simon Whitfield....More

In world without sun, life revolves around sick daughter

CLAVERACK, N.Y. (AP) - Caren and Dan Mahar can't stop the sun from shining to save their 12-year-old daughter, but they've done everything short of it....More

Canadian cattle pose no new health risk to American beef consumers: experts

TORONTO (CP) - Keeping Canadian cows from crossing the 49th parallel won't safeguard U.S. beef consumers from the human form of mad cow disease, experts on prion diseases say....More

Shoppers try natural, unproven cold remedies, sometimes without realizing it

CHICAGO (AP) - Standing inside a downtown Chicago chain drugstore, shopper Beth McClanahan considered the product Zicam.

"I wouldn't have known it was homeopathic," she said looking at the bright orange label. "The name Zicam sounds very scientific....More

Chiron optimistic it can make flu vaccine for next winter, offers few details

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - Chiron Corp. chief executive Howard Pien said Thursday he is optimistic the beleaguered company will be allowed to produce vaccine for next winter's influenza season but declined to say how many doses might be delivered....More

Studies offer help in detecting, hope for overcoming fetal alcohol syndrome

TORONTO (CP) - A test of a newborn's stool that can show whether a mom drank heavily during pregnancy suggests that more than three per cent of Canadian children are born with some form of fetal alcohol syndrome, researchers say....More

Measles deaths dropped 39 per cent following mass immunization campaign: U.N.

GENEVA (AP) - Global deaths from measles have plummeted 39 per cent since the 2001 launch of an international vaccination campaign to curb the killer disease, the World Health Organization and UNICEF said Friday....More

UN says AIDS will kill 80 million Africans by 2025, 90 million could get HIV

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - More than 80 million Africans may die from AIDS by 2025, the United Nations said in a report released Friday, and HIV infections could soar to 90 million - or more than 10 per cent of the continent's population - if more isn't done soon to fight the disease....More

Missouri bill allowing importation of Canadian drugs faces stiff opposition

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., (AP) - Lobbyists for drugmakers and pharmacies criticized legislation Wednesday that would license Canadian pharmacies to sell drugs in Missouri....More

IQ loss linked to mercury deemed costly, New York hospital study shows

WASHINGTON (AP) - Lower IQ levels linked to mercury exposure in the womb costs the United States $8.7 billion a year in lost earnings potential, according to a study released Monday by researchers at a New York hospital....More

FDA issues caution for use of cholesterol drug Crestor by Asians

WASHINGTON (AP) - The cholesterol drug Crestor is being relabelled to add a caution that starter doses should be reduced in Asian-Americans and some other patients....More

U.S. concern recalls charms over lead poisoning fears; 88,000 sold in Canada

WASHINGTON (CP) - A New Jersey company is recalling about 2.8 million metal charms sold at Michaels stores in Canada and the United States as well as other arts and crafts retailers in the U.S. because they contain high levels of lead, the government said Thursday....More

FedEx van delivering anthrax to Winnipeg lab involved in accident

WINNIPEG (CP) - There were some anxious moments in downtown Winnipeg on Wednesday after a FedEx van carrying samples of anthrax and other infectious agents was in an accident....More

WHO concerned lack of avian flu reports from Vietnam impedes risk assessment

TORONTO (CP) - A top World Health Organization official expressed concern Tuesday over Vietnam's lack of official reporting on recent human cases of the dangerous H5N1 avian flu strain, feared by flu experts as being poised to spark an influenza pandemic.

Dr....More

MS drug's withdrawal triggers scrutiny of stock sales at Biogen Idec Inc.

BOSTON (AP) - The withdrawal of a new multiple sclerosis drug has focused scrutiny on millions of dollars in insider stock sales at Biogen Idec Inc. and executive bonuses awarded before the company disclosed a death and illness that led to the drug's removal from the market....More

Biogen and Elan voluntarily withdraw multiple sclerosis drug; shares plunge

BOSTON (AP) - The makers of Tysabri, a new drug used to treat multiple sclerosis, are voluntarily suspending sales of the drug after one patient died and another developed a serious disease of the central nervous system.

Stocks of both Biogen Idec Inc. and Elan Corp....More

Canada's dietitians take aim at portion sizes, weight issues for nutrition month

(CP) - If you want to lose weight, watch the portions you dish out on your plate.

That's one of the messages the Dietitians of Canada (DC) will be focusing on during nutrition month in March....More

Canada's dietitians take aim at portion sizes and weight issues for nutrition month

(CP) - If you want to lose weight, watch the portions you dish out on your plate.

That's one of the messages the Dietitians of Canada (DC) will be focusing on during nutrition month in March....More

More Canadians eat fresh fruit for snack at least once a week: study

TORONTO (CP) - Hold the potato chips and pass a banana.

Fresh fruit is the fastest growing snack food in Canada, according to a market research report released Wednesday....More

Isolated world of deaf-blind being cracked open by new technologies

(CP) - The isolated world of deaf-blind impaired people is slowly being cracked open by new devices, from hockey pucks that rattle to beds that shake sleepers awake....More

India's main opposition party promotes medicines made from cow urine, milk products

NEW DELHI (AP) - From constipation to cancer, diarrhea to diabetes, they offer to cure nearly everything - with medicines made from cow urine....More

FDA issues caution for use of cholesterol drug Crestor by Asians

WASHINGTON (AP) - The cholesterol drug Crestor is being relabelled to add a caution that starter doses should be reduced in Asian-Americans and some other patients....More

Health Canada, company to set up expert panel to study suspended ADHD drug

TORONTO (CP) - The maker of an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drug forced off the market last month by Health Canada signalled Wednesday it has triggered a review process aimed at getting the regulator to let sales of the drug resume....More

Stroke risk same for newer dementia drugs as forerunners, Canadian study says

TORONTO (CP) - Witnessing a once sweet-tempered loved one turn belligerent and physically aggressive is one of the most difficult aspects of dementia for family members to contend with....More

Group block road in Acadian Peninsula to oppose hospital changes

CARAQUET, N.B. (CP) - About 70 people blocked a road in northeastern New Brunswick on Monday to protest a reduction in services at a francophone hospital in the area.

S.O.S....More

Deep brain stimulation promising in treatment of chronic depression: study

TORONTO (CP) - A Canadian research endeavour may offer a glimmer of hope for people suffering debilitating treatment-resistant depression....More

Sears Canada recalls boys top/pant set for toddlers due to choking hazard

TORONTO (CP) - Sears Canada issued a recall for a boys' top/pant set on Tuesday because of a possible choking hazard.

The plastic fire truck image on the front of the top may break off in pieces, creating a potential choking hazard for young children, Sears said in a statement....More

B.C. cancer centre opens with potential to be world research leader

VANCOUVER (CP) - As fast as researchers make gains against cancer, it seems more people fall ill - so the head of B.C.'s Cancer Agency says a new multimillion-dollar cancer research centre may help experts keep up with the future of cancer....More

EU fights U.S. attempt to put anti-abortion clause into UN women's declaration

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The European Union opposes a U.S. demand to add anti-abortion language to the final declaration of a major UN meeting reviewing implementation of a landmark platform adopted 10 years ago to achieve women's equality, a French minister said....More

Vietnam alarmed about bird flu in northern province after another death

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - A 14-year-old girl in Vietnam has contracted the deadly bird flu - the third case in the past week from northern Thai Binh province - health officials confirmed on Monday....More

Vietnam confirms new bird flu case as international conference ends

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (AP) - Vietnam confirmed a new bird flu case Friday, heightening the sense of urgency as an international conference on fighting the deadly virus ended with calls for concerted action to prevent a possible pandemic....More

While pandemic warnings reverberate, Ottawa cuts agency's funding request

TORONTO (CP) - Last week in Washington, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control warned ominously that the outbreak of avian influenza in Asia is the single biggest threat facing the world today.

As Dr....More

Kellogg to develop products fortified with heart-healthy compound

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (AP) - Kellogg Co. could begin adding a heart-healthy compound to its products next year, according to a biotech company that recently signed a supply agreement with the cereal and cookie maker.

Kellogg has signed a 15-year agreement with Columbia, Md....More

Foreign-trained and home-grown doctors equal in treating heart attacks: study

TORONTO (CP) - Doctors trained outside Canada provide the same standard of care for heart attack patients as home-grown physicians, a finding that should reassure patients as well as policy makers seeking to ease the country's doctor shortage, Ontario researchers say....More

Group representing medical users of pot pulls negative comments from website

WINNIPEG (CP) - A group representing medical users of marijuana has pulled negative comments from its website after receiving a cease-desist notice from the company Ottawa hired to grow the pot....More

Biogen and Elan voluntarily withdraw multiple sclerosis drug; shares plunge

BOSTON (AP) - The makers of Tysabri, a new drug used to treat multiple sclerosis, are voluntarily suspending sales of the drug after one patient died and another developed a serious disease of the central nervous system.

Stocks of both Biogen Idec Inc. and Elan Corp....More

Canada's dietitians take aim at portion sizes, weight issues for nutrition month

(CP) - If you want to lose weight, watch the portions you dish out on your plate.

That's one of the messages the Dietitians of Canada (DC) will be focusing on during nutrition month in March....More

International conference on avian flu ends with call for long-term strategy

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (AP) - A new case of avian flu in Vietnam on Friday heightened the sense of urgency for top health and animal experts gathered at a conference in the Southeast Asian country with the goal of mapping out a long-term strategy for fighting the deadly virus....More