Medtronic to acquire Transneuronix to fight obesity, shares fall

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Medtronic Inc. has agreed to acquire Transneuronix Inc., a privately held New Jersey company that is developing an implantable device to battle obesity, according to an announcement Wednesday....More

Dosanjh lays out plan for Internet pharmacy; more action likely this fall

WINNIPEG (CP) - Canada's Internet pharmacy industry breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday as the federal health minister chose monitoring and consultation over the immediate crackdown many have feared for months....More

Charest doesn't like Ontario tactics to get Shriners' hospital from Montreal

QUEBEC (CP) - A frustrated Premier Jean Charest said Wednesday he has never seen anything like Ontario's efforts to "worm" a childrens' hospital away from Montreal to London, Ont....More

Canadian class-action lawsuit launched over Guidant cardiac defibrillators

TORONTO (CP) - A Toronto law firm has launched a national class-action lawsuit on behalf of Canadians implanted with U.S.-made cardiac defibrillators that may be faulty....More

Canadian MDS Inc. laboratory agrees to refund U.S. customers for extra billing

TORONTO (CP) - Canada's biggest medical laboratory operator has agreed to refund American customers it billed for tests covered by health insurance, New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said Wednesday. Toronto-based MDS Inc....More

Cambodian capital sees surge in cases of children with serious flu symptoms

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - Hospitals in the Cambodian capital are struggling to cope with an unusually high number of infants apparently sick with influenza, officials said Wednesday....More

Japan pledges $500M US to global fight against AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis

TOKYO (AP) - Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Thursday pledged $500 million US over the next several years to the global effort to eradicate HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis....More

Vietnam reports another avian flu death, bringing regional toll to 55

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Vietnam reported another human death from avian flu Thursday, bringing the regional toll to 55 as the country struggled to contain the virus....More

Specialists urge women to breastfeed even the tiniest preemies

WASHINGTON (AP) - Jameca Benjamin was scared to even hold her premature baby, who weighed just under two pounds. The nurses were urging the teen mother to breastfeed - yet Benjamin had never known a woman who'd breastfed a healthy baby, much less one hooked to machines in intensive care....More

Pfizer says review concludes there is no proof Viagra causes blindness

NEW YORK (AP) - Pfizer Inc. says a review has concluded that Viagra doesn't increase patients' risk of blindness but the company is still working with federal regulators to update the drug's label to reflect rare reports of vision loss. Last month, the U.S....More

Girls in Motion helps preteens focus on healthy eating habits

DALLAS (AP) - Walking briskly along a tree-lined university avenue, a group of fourth-and fifth-grade girls have a lively conversation about food while exercising with their college-age mentors....More

Japanese officials say avian flu outbreak may have been more extensive earlier

TOKYO (AP) - Japanese agricultural officials said Tuesday they suspect that cases of avian flu at a farm in northeastern Japan may have been part of a larger outbreak that has since receded....More

No evidence annual physicals useful for healthy people, survey of experts shows

CHICAGO (AP) - Many adults think a yearly checkup is just part of staying healthy, and a new survey shows doctors do, too. But that practice isn't endorsed by a panel of experts that says there's no evidence annual physicals for healthy people are useful....More

Competition Bureau accuses Quebec weight-loss clinics of misleading claims

OTTAWA (CP) - The federal Competition Bureau is accusing five related Quebec companies and their president, which operate a chain of weight loss clinics, of making misleading claims about certain of their products....More

UN report says world drug use rising, led by cannabis, but ecstasy declining

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - Global drug use is on the rise with cannabis leading the way, but synthetic narcotics such as amphetamines and ecstasy are declining, a UN report said Wednesday....More

Second Indonesian conjoined twin dies after separation surgery

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - The second of two Indonesian girls born joined at the hip and stomach died Wednesday, just weeks after her twin sister passed away following an operation to separate them, a hospital spokesman said....More

Italy takes steps to protect elderly in heat wave; at least 7 reported dead

ROME (AP) - The Italian Health Ministry took emergency measures Monday to protect the frail and elderly from a heat wave that has been linked to at least seven deaths and is putting the country's crops at risk....More

Nurse admits killing 5 more patients he thought were terminal with overdoses

FLEMINGTON, N.J. (AP) - A former nurse who pleaded guilty to killing 24 patients admitted Monday to killing five more people by injecting them with lethal doses of drugs....More

Canadians want their basic, everyday healthcare, survey shows

TORONTO (MRI) - Does the term "primary health care" sound like a bunch of jargon to you? A new poll shows you're not alone. But just because Canadians may not know exactly what it means, it doesn't mean primary care isn't important to them....More

GlaxoSmithKline PLC returns anti-depressant Paxil CR to market

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - GlaxoSmithKline PLC has returned its anti-depressant Paxil CR to the market, nearly four months after federal officials seized the drug from three factories for failing to meet manufacturing standards....More

Experts: Mad cow 'minor' health concern

NEW YORK - The newly identified case of mad cow disease in an animal from an American herd shouldn't worry consumers, experts said, because the condition appears to be very rare and safeguards are in place to protect the food supply....More

Canadians funded by Gates' 'Challenge' aim to solve immune system mysteries

TORONTO (CP) - The immune system is a common theme running through the work of the three Canadian teams chosen to receive large research grants through the historic Grand Challenges project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation....More

Auditor general's report spurs Alberta to review seniors care

EDMONTON (CP) - An Alberta government task forces begins private meetings this week to talk about a scathing auditor general's report that found substandard care in one third of long-term care facilities across the province....More

WHO says 5,000 birds killed by avian flu in China's northwest

BEIJING (AP) - Avian flu has killed 5,000 wild birds in China's northwest, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, five times the number previously reported by the Chinese government....More

Civil War hospital museum was birthplace of modern care ideas

SHARPSBURG, Md. (AP) - Visitors to the Antietam National Battlefield often come knowing about the deaths. Now they can learn how lives were saved by modern medical concepts pioneered at the Civil War site....More

Boston Scientific, government settle probe of 1998 stent recall

BOSTON (AP) - Boston Scientific Corp. has agreed to pay $74 million US to settle a civil complaint over the medical-device maker's 1998 recall of coronary stents. The company did not admit liability as part of the agreement announced Friday afternoon by U.S. Attorney Michael J....More

Japan, Taiwan food safety officials worried by new U.S. mad cow case

TOKYO (AP) - A Japanese government food safety panel expressed concern Saturday about a second confirmed U.S. mad cow case, raising speculation that Tokyo may delay a resumption of American beef imports. Taiwan, meanwhile, reimposed the ban on U.S....More

United States will do mad cow test it deemed unnecessary before latest case

WASHINGTON (AP) - A third and more sophisticated test on the beef cow suspected of having mad cow disease would have helped resolve conflicting results from two initial screenings, but the United States refused to perform it in November....More

Second case of mad cow disease confirmed in United States; Taiwan renews ban

WASHINGTON (AP) - In an effort to find the source of the most recent case of mad cow disease, the U.S. Agriculture Department says it will be using DNA tests to trace the infected animal back to its herd....More

Half-ton man loses 573 lbs in year: 'I look a little more like a human being'

VALENTINE, Neb. (AP) - Patrick Deuel presses his chest with his fingertips, smiles mischievously and makes an announcement worthy of a banner headline: He can feel his ribs. Man Feels Ribs - First Time in Quarter Century. One year ago, Deuel went to the hospital....More

China detains 3 health workers after hepatitis vaccine kills 1, sickens 120

BEIJING (AP) - Police in central China have detained three health workers after one child died and another 120 were sickened by a hepatitis vaccine administered in their schools, the China Daily newspaper reported Monday....More

Officials begin culling chickens at Japanese farm after flu outbreak

MITSUKAIDO, Japan (AP) - Officials began culling chickens and disinfecting a farm in northeastern Japan on Monday following an outbreak of bird flu, though the strain involved is not considered dangerous to humans....More

Montreal neurosurgeon Johnston wins Pashby award for work on concussions

(CP) - Dr. Karen Johnston admits she's not your typical sports fan. She doesn't cheer for her athletes to win - to her, getting back on the playing field is victory enough. "I'm really glad if something I do to help allows a player to get back to their health," said Johnston....More

Microbix talks on licence for breakthrough flu vaccine process extended

TORONTO (CP) - A Canadian biotech firm that is looking to licence a process that could revolutionize flu vaccine production is expected to announce it is extending talks with an unnamed global vaccine manufacturer. Microbix Biosystems Inc....More

Genetically modified foods in supermarkets are safe, says WHO study

GENEVA (AP) - Genetically modified foods on supermarket shelves are as safe as their conventional counterparts, but new GM products should be carefully tested, the United Nations health agency said Thursday....More

Dosanjh says a strain of genetically modified corn will stay on the market

OTTAWA (CP) - Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh says a strain of genetically modified corn produced by Monsanto will stay on the market in Canada despite allegations it may pose a risk to health....More

Five deaths probed after Ontario pharmacy allegedly dispensed fake pills

HAMILTON (CP) - Five heart patients may have died after taking bogus heart medication in what authorities say appears to be the first Canadian case involving allegations that pharmacists dispensed fake drugs for profit....More

Dads get postnatal depression, too - and it can hurt kids' behaviour: study

TORONTO (CP) - It's well-known that new mothers can get the baby blues, but fathers can also suffer from postnatal depression - and having a despondent dad early in life can leave long-lasting psychological marks on children, a study suggests....More

B.C. Supreme Court rules foreign tobacco companies must be defendants in suit

VANCOUVER (CP) - A judge has dismissed an application by at least nine foreign tobacco manufacturers to remove them as defendants in British Columbia's lawsuit aimed at recovering medicare costs....More

Accusations hurled as federal officials brief N.B. residents on Agent Orange

CFB GAGETOWN, N.B. (CP) - People who say they were exposed to Agent Orange and other defoliants at this New Brunswick military base decades ago are rejecting Ottawa's efforts to calm their fears....More

Severe injuries from booze-related road accidents on the rise, report shows

TORONTO (CP) - Motor vehicle collisions accounted for more than half of alcohol-related hospitalizations in Canada - a nine per cent jump over three years, a report released Wednesday shows....More

Quebec adopts prevention efforts to reduce hospital infections by a third

QUEBEC (CP) - Quebec's health minister is introducing new steps he hopes will cut hospital infections by a third. Philippe Couillard says 30,000 infections a year can be prevented....More

Monsanto research raises health concerns about genetically modified corn

OTTAWA (CP) - Monsanto research obtained after a court battle in Germany suggests that a genetically altered corn approved in Canada produces adverse effects in rats, scientists who've seen the study say....More

Less intense exercise may lead to blood sugar decline

TORONTO (MRI) - Going for a jog and other forms of moderate exercise may pose a greater risk of low blood sugar for people with type I diabetes than intense activities like playing hockey, according to a recent study....More

Merck researchers pushed for safer, reformulated Vioxx in 2000

NEW YORK (AP) - Merck & Co. researchers privately sought to reformulate Vioxx in 2000 to reduce its cardiovascular side effects, even as the drug maker was publicly playing down a study that highlighted the pain relief medication's potential heart attack risk, an internal company...More

Federal officials to hold Agent Orange meeting at N.B. military base

FREDERICTON (CP) - Federal officials will be at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown on Thursday to try to calm fears about the use of toxic defoliants such as Agent Orange in the 1960s....More

June the worst month for booze-related road accidents among teens: report

TORONTO (CP) - Young Canadians all aflutter about end-of-school parties should keep in mind a sobering fact: June may mean proms, graduation and we're-outta-here celebrations, but it's also potentially the deadliest month of the year....More

Founder and thousands of others still lace up to Run for the Cure

TORONTO (CP) - After her grandmother suffered in silence before breast cancer claimed her life, Andrea Thomas Hill was further flabbergasted to learn that her best friend's mother had the disease....More

Dosanjh says private health insurance would lead to longer wait times

OTTAWA (CP) - Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh says a parallel private health system would not result in shorter wait lists and some of Canada's leading health policy experts agree....More

David Main out as CEO of Inex Pharmaceuticals Corp., workforce slashed

VANCOUVER (CP) - Inex Pharmaceuticals Corp. cut its workforce to less than half and announced its chief executive and two other senior executives were leaving Tuesday as the drug developer looked for "a new strategic path....More

Antibiotics do not help most bronchitis sufferers, study finds

CHICAGO (AP) - A study found that bronchitis sufferers who are otherwise healthy do not get better any faster by taking antibiotics. "Antibiotics for the vast majority of people don't seem to make much difference," said Dr....More

Ontario to give hospitals $1.75 billion over 3 years to help balance books

TORONTO (CP) - Ontario hospitals will get $1.75 billion in new funding from the province over the next three years, but concerns linger over whether the money will be enough to eliminate hospital deficits by next spring as required by law....More

Some men with breast cancer may not need radiation after mastectomy: study

TORONTO (CP) - Some men with breast cancer may be treated unnecessarily with radiation, in part because of a long-held belief among some physicians that men's risk of recurrence and death differs from that of women with the disease, researchers say. A 10-year study by the B.C....More

Blood sugar control reduces heart risk for type 1 diabetes

TORONTO (MRI) - Here's yet another reason for people with type 1 diabetes to keep their blood sugar under tight control: Doing so can dramatically reduce their risk of heart attacks, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems....More

Aging population in Atlantic Canada will put stress on health care, workforce

HALIFAX (CP) - Atlantic Canada is facing increased strain on its health-care system and a major shortage of skilled workers over the next two decades as its population ages and fertility rates continue to drop....More

Study indicates pregnancy complications higher with donated eggs

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - New research indicates that women who become pregnant with donated eggs are more likely to suffer miscarriages and dangerous high blood pressure than those who undergo fertility treatments with their own eggs....More

Ex-McDonald's manager uses discrimination case to become AIDS advocate

CLEVELAND (AP) - It was tradition in Russell Rich's family that every Friday night his dad would take the kids to McDonald's....More

Dutch pathologist struck off British register over organ removal scandal

LONDON (AP) - A pathologist who took organs from hundreds of dead children at a British hospital without the permission of their parents was struck off Britain's medical register Monday. The General Medical Council banned Prof....More

Drug firm Wyeth reducing sales staff who call on primary-care doctors

MADISON, N.J. (AP) - Pharmaceutical company Wyeth has begun reducing the number of salespeople who call on primary-care doctors, a spokesman said Monday....More

Belgian scientists clone human embryo from immature eggs for first time

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Scientists have cloned human embryos for the first time using eggs matured in a laboratory - a technique that may help cloning become a viable option for growing patients' own replacement tissue to treat diseases....More

Anthrax inhibitor improves survival in infected mice

WASHINGTON (AP) - A small molecule helps block the deadliest part of the toxin produced by anthrax, somewhat increasing the survival of infected mice, researchers report....More

Study indicates pregnancy complications higher with donated eggs

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - New research indicates that women who become pregnant with donated eggs are more likely to suffer miscarriages and dangerous high blood pressure than those who undergo fertility treatments with their own eggs....More

Summertime poses higher risk of severe injury to pregnant women: study

TORONTO (CP) - Pregnant women have an increased risk of trauma during summertime, even though most don't drink alcohol, speed while driving or behave recklessly, a Canadian study has found....More

China says it will stop misuse of antiviral drug, denies encouraging its use

BEIJING, China (AP) - China's government said Tuesday it was dispatching experts to stop the misuse of an antiviral drug on poultry and denied a report that farmers were encouraged to use it, possibly making it ineffective for treating deadly bird flu in humans....More

Study shows human embryo stem cells could develop into sperm or eggs in lab

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Scientists in Britain have shown that stem cells extracted from human embryos can develop in the laboratory into the early forms of cells that become eggs or sperm, raising the possibility that one day eggs and sperm needed for infertility treatment could be grown...More

Twins study indicates childhood influences key to predicting future dementia

WASHINGTON (AP) - Education and a healthy youth may override genes in determining who gets Alzheimer's disease, says a new study of dementia patients and their healthy identical twins....More

Scarcity of autopsies on bird flu victims blinds science to course of disease

TORONTO (CP) - In a soon-to-be-released issue of a scientific journal, researchers from Thailand and Hong Kong will report the findings of an autopsy of a six-year-old Thai boy who died from avian influenza....More

Scientists seeking to prevent Alzheimer's find earliest signs of the disease

WASHINGTON (AP) - A subtle change in a memory-making brain region seems to predict who will get Alzheimer's disease nine years before symptoms appear, scientists said Sunday....More

Sex researchers convene in San Francisco to study 'moral panics'

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Researchers here want to talk about sex, and not just the naughty bits. Academics, social scientists and policy makers from around the world are gathering this week at San Francisco State University for a conference on human sexuality and the "moral panics"...More

Five kidney donors in one family, one more in the wings

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (AP) - Karen Bryce had endured kidney transplant surgery once, and frankly, that was enough for her. Her body ached as if she'd been mowed down by a truck, but pain was a small price to pay for saving her dad's life....More

Health experts at Chinese conference say schizophrenia drug cures SARS

BEIJING (AP) - A drug used to treat schizophrenia has been shown to prevent and treat severe acute respiratory syndrome, according to Chinese and European experts at a conference in China, the government said Sunday....More

Federal fines for violation of Canada Health Act totalled just $77,000 in last year

OTTAWA (CP) - The federal government fined two provinces a total of $77,000 last year for permitting private surgical clinics to violate the Canada Health Act, but the fines had no apparent impact and the clinics remain in business....More

Massachusetts hospitals investigating whether hundreds were exposed to TB

BOSTON (AP) - Four Massachusetts hospitals are asking hundreds of patients and staff to be tested for tuberculosis after learning a worker was diagnosed with the disease, health officials said....More

Increasing dust storms in Asia affecting health of Canadians, study says

TORONTO (CP) - A growing number of sandstorms as far away as China that researchers blame on climate change are contributing to an increase in health problems for Canadians, such as coughing, fevers and sore eyes, a new international report warns....More

FDA approves new antibiotic - good news in fight against drug-resistant bugs

WASHINGTON (CP) - The U.S. government approved a new antibiotic Thursday to give hospitals another weapon against tough-to-treat infections....More

Counterfeit heart medication seized from Hamilton pharmacy by police

HAMILTON (CP) - Police seized an unknown quantity of counterfeit heart medication from a local pharmacy Wednesday in what investigators say could be part of a disturbing and growing trend in medicinal counterfeiting in Canada....More

Breast cancer survivors reap the rewards of fitness

TORONTO (MRI) - Women who have undergone chemotherapy for breast cancer have numerous benefits to reap from exercise, including stronger immune systems, reduced fatigue and better body image, two new studies show....More

AIDS drug tests on foster children violated rules, investigators conclude

WASHINGTON (AP) - Some government-funded researchers who tested AIDS drugs on foster children over the past two decades violated federal rules designed to protect vulnerable youths, U.S. investigators have concluded....More

1st human case of bird flu found in Indonesia; poultry worker tests positive

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - An Indonesian poultry worker has tested positive for bird flu, in the country's first human case of the disease that has so far killed 54 people in Southeast Asia, health officials said Thursday....More

After 3 years, U.S. not yet recommended widespread use of HIV test

ATLANTA (AP) - Nearly three years after a much-heralded HIV test uncovered an outbreak among black male college students in North Carolina, the test is still not being widely used - a delay some experts blame on government foot-dragging....More

Italian cabinet minister suggests abortion law might be revised

ROME (AP) - Italy's law permitting abortion might be up for revision, a cabinet minister suggested in an interview published Tuesday, after a Vatican-backed voter boycott helped defeat efforts to ease restrictions on assisted procreation and embryo research. ...More

Expert warns of possible cholera epidemic in Kabul; officials disagree

KABUL (AP) - An outbreak of cholera in the Afghan capital has killed at least eight people, is feared to have infected more than 2,000 others and is on the verge of turning into an epidemic, a senior epidemiologist working to stem the spread of the disease warned Tuesday. ...More

Long-term exposure to smog to contribute to 5,800 early deaths in Ont: study

TORONTO (CP) - Chronic exposure to smog could contribute to the premature deaths of 5,800 people in Canada's most populous province this year, Ontario's doctors said Tuesday as they released a study that suggests nearly every heart and respiratory-related death is influenced by bad air. ...More

Several provinces lagging in drunk-driving fight, MADD survey finds

TORONTO (CP) - A new report concludes that three Canadian jurisdictions are paving the way in the battle against drunk driving. ...More

McKenna says U.S. can't look to Canada to solve its prescription drug problem

WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States would be making a mistake to expect Canada to solve America's problems of providing low-cost prescription drugs for U.S. consumers, Canada's ambassador to the country said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press. ...More

Drug that stops fat absorption helps some obese teens lose weight: study

TORONTO (CP) - A drug that blocks fat absorption in the intestines can help some obese adolescents slim down when used in combination with diet, exercise and behavioural therapy, a Canadian-led international study has found. ...More

More than 80 per cent of merchants refuse smokes to minors

OTTAWA (CP) - It's getting tougher for underage teens to buy cigarettes. ...More

N.B. ombudsman calls for in-depth look at drugs used to calm hyper kids

FREDERICTON (CP) - New Brunswick's ombudsman wants the province to take an in-depth look at the widespread use of drugs such as Ritalin for children with attention deficit disorders. ...More

Canadian drug spending almost $20 billion, up 5.3 per cent from 2003

OTTAWA (CP) - Canadians spent $15.9 billion on medical drugs last year, an increase of 5.3 per cent from 2003, says the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. That's the lowest growth rate seen since 1997, says the federal agency that regulates drug prices....More

Authorities chlorinating wells in Kabul amid fears of cholera epidemic

KABUL (AP) - Authorities said Wednesday they are rushing to chlorinate hundreds of wells across the Afghan capital, amid fears the city of four million where sewage fills roadside ditches and mixes with many people's drinking water was on the verge of a cholera epidemic....More

Athletic trainers urged to learn signs of exercise-induced asthma

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - In the prime of her career, WNBA star Tamika Catchings found herself growing inexplicably sluggish and struggling to keep up during games. Sleeping in and eating bigger meals didn't give her any extra energy....More

Study finds seniors pay more for generic drugs than in U.S., less for brand names

TORONTO (CP) - A report from the Fraser Institute think-tank says senior citizens face higher prices for generic drugs but lower prices for brand-name drugs in Canada than in the United States....More

Pfizer, Vicuron pharmaceutical companies announce US$1.19B merger deal

NEW YORK (AP) - Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. will acquire Pennsylvania-based Vicuron Pharmaceuticals Inc. for $1.9 billion US, the companies announced Wednesday. The companies said Pfizer will purchase Vicuron stock at $29.10 per share....More

Mental illness holds steady in United States, while treatment rises: study

BOSTON (AP) - Americans grappling with mental illness are more likely to be treated for it now than they were 10 years ago, says a landmark government-backed survey....More

After 3 years, U.S. not yet recommended widespread use of HIV test

ATLANTA (AP) - Nearly three years after a much-heralded HIV test uncovered an outbreak among black male college students in North Carolina, the test is still not being widely used - a delay some experts blame on government foot-dragging....More

Increasing dust storms in Asia affecting health of Canadians, study says

TORONTO (CP) - A growing number of sandstorms as far away as China that researchers blame on climate change are contributing to an increase in health problems for Canadians, such as coughing, fevers and sore eyes, a new international report warns....More

More than 80 per cent of merchants refuse smokes to minors

OTTAWA (CP) - It's getting tougher for underage teens to buy cigarettes. More than 80 per cent of retailers who were visited by undercover Health Canada teams last year refused to sell tobacco to minors - the highest level in the 10 years that the monitoring has been done....More

Long-term exposure to smog to contribute to 5,800 early deaths in Ont: study

TORONTO (CP) - Chronic exposure to smog could contribute to the premature deaths of 5,800 people in Canada's most populous province this year, Ontario's doctors said Tuesday as they released a study that suggests nearly every heart and respiratory-related death is influenced by bad air....More

Expert warns of possible cholera epidemic in Kabul; officials disagree

KABUL (AP) - An outbreak of cholera in the Afghan capital has killed at least eight people, is feared to have infected more than 2,000 others and is on the verge of turning into an epidemic, a senior epidemiologist working to stem the spread of the disease warned Tuesday....More

Drug that stops fat absorption helps some obese teens lose weight: study

TORONTO (CP) - A drug that blocks fat absorption in the intestines can help some obese adolescents slim down when used in combination with diet, exercise and behavioural therapy, a Canadian-led international study has found. The study of 539 Canadian and U.S....More

Italian cabinet minister suggests abortion law might be revised

ROME (AP) - Italy's law permitting abortion might be up for revision, a cabinet minister suggested in an interview published Tuesday, after a Vatican-backed voter boycott helped defeat efforts to ease restrictions on assisted procreation and embryo research....More

Today's seniors not too old for sex

TORONTO (MRI) - Think sex is just for younger people? A new survey on sexual attitudes and behaviours in Baby Boomers and seniors may just prove you wrong....More

EU fines British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca US$73 million

BRUSSELS (AP) - European Union antitrust regulators fined British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca PLC 60 million euros ($73 million US) Wednesday for keeping prices on its ulcer drug product artificially high....More

6 new cases of avian flu recorded in Vietnam

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Vietnam has recorded six new cases of avian flu in the last week, news media and officials said Wednesday. The six people, all from northern provinces, had been admitted to a hospital in Hanoi over the last week, the Pioneer newspaper said....More

Supreme Court rules drug patents don't bar competitor's research

WASHINGTON (AP) - Drug companies have freedom under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rules to ignore their rival's patents when starting research on competing medications, the Supreme Court ruled Monday....More

Viagra helps kids with lung disease breathe easier, be more active: study

TORONTO (CP) - That little blue pill that has so excited men with erectile dysfunction is being used for a much more critical purpose - helping to improve the quality of life for children with an inevitably fatal lung condition....More

Simple memory tests can predict Alzheimer's 5 to 10 years before onset: study

TORONTO (CP) - Simple memory tests appear to predict with a high degree of accuracy those people who will go on to develop Alzheimer's disease within five to 10 years, a study suggests....More

SARS vaccine grown in genetically modified tomatoes tasty protection for mice

TORONTO (CP) - Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, but if you want immune protection against SARS, don't hold the tomato....More

Shares in Elan Corp. fall on possible 5th case of disease linked to MS drug

DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) - Shares in Elan Corp. PLC fell Monday after a U.S. newspaper reported that its top drug in development, Tysabri, was being linked to a possible fifth case of a rare brain disease. Tysabri, which is being developed jointly with Biogen Idec Inc....More

Lorus says FDA allows piecemeal data on fast-track cancer drug Virulizin

TORONTO (CP) - Lorus Therapeutics Inc. announced Monday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is speeding the approval process of its previously fast-tracked Virulizin drug for pancreatic cancer....More

McKenna says U.S. can't look to Canada to solve its prescription drug problem

WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States would be making a mistake to expect Canada to solve America's problems of providing low-cost prescription drugs for U.S. consumers, Canada's ambassador to the country said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press....More

More than a million Americans are now living with HIV, says CDC

ATLANTA (AP) - For the first time since the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, more than a million Americans are believed to be living with the virus that causes AIDS, the U.S. government said Monday....More

Conditioned to gain weight: for some people, food is like a 'big hug' when they're blue

TORONTO (CP) - When none of her 10 pairs of jeans of varying size and cut would fit her comfortably, Jennifer Beavis knew she had to do something. "It was a waste of money," she said. "I had to buy cheap clothes because I refused to buy expensive ones....More

Ground beef recall over possible E. coli amended for Ladysmith, B.C.

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has amended a public warning issued on Friday to clarify the brand name and Best Before date for affected ground beef sold from the 49th Parallel Grocery Ltd. in Ladysmith, B.C. The CFIA and Pitt Meadows Meats Ltd....More

Report says surgical tools at 2 U.S. hospitals were washed in hydraulic fluid

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - About 3,800 patients at two hospitals run by Duke University Health System were operated on last year with instruments that were washed in hydraulic fluid instead of detergent, hospital regulators said....More

Internet pharmacies see consolidation as solution for industry, Canadians

WINNIPEG (CP) - The political uncertainty surrounding Canada's Internet pharmacy industry has spawned some practical business realities in the last six months - fewer players, zero growth and, in some cases, no actual drug dispensing....More

Federal promise to protect universal medicare conflicts with facts on the ground

OTTAWA (CP) - Last week's Supreme Court ruling on medicare has unleashed a torrent of federal government promises that two-tier health care won't happen in Canada - but is it already too late? Experts say there is nothing irreversible about the judgment striking down Quebec's...More

As WHO plans polio endgame, skeptics urge laying of contingency plans

TORONTO (CP) - Public health experts and researchers involved in the bid to eradicate polio are laying plans for their campaign's endgame, the risky winding down of the oral polio vaccination program that could itself reignite transmission in the developing world....More

Diet drug cuts blood sugar, trims waistline in type 2 diabetics, study finds

TORONTO (CP) - A drug that curbs appetite has been found to reduce a host of factors that contribute to type 2 diabetes - including elevated blood sugar levels, a study has shown....More

Orbus Pharma spinoff plan involving Chamaelo Energy is cancelled

TORONTO (CP) - Generic drugmaker Orbus Pharma Inc. has cancelled plans to spin off assets and capital into a new oil and gas explorer while a new company took over its drug development and manufacturing business....More

Girl, 16, travels to Canada to meet doctor, learn about her fatal illness

TORONTO (CP) - Teenagers who are forced to confront the cruel reality of a terminal illness will typically find some solace in childhood's usual creature comforts: an Xbox, a trip to Disneyland or a handshake with a hockey player....More

Experts say Supreme Court ruling opens door to parallel private health system

OTTAWA (CP) - The country's top court has delivered a powerful blow to Canada's single-tier public health care system, striking down a Quebec law that banned private insurance for medically necessary services....More

C. difficile caused 165 deaths in Quebec over 3 1-2-month period

MONTREAL (CP) - Quebec health officials say the C. difficile bacterium caused 165 deaths in the province over 3 1-2 months late last year. They say 71 people died as a direct cause of C. difficile between last Aug. 22 and Dec. 11, while another 94 died indirectly....More

China culls 13,000 geese after discovering bird flu in far northwest

BEIJING (AP) - China confirmed on Thursday that an outbreak of bird flu in its far northwest had killed 460 geese and said the case had been contained....More

Expert panel must balance science with emotion when deciding on fate of drugs

OTTAWA (CP) - For the first time in Canadian drug regulatory history, experts who advise Health Canada queried drug company officials in public Thursday and heard the views of consumers as they prepared to recommend how or if controversial painkillers known as cox-2 inhibitors should be used...More

Eli Lilly agrees to pay nearly US$700 million to settle Zyprexa label claims

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Eli Lilly & Co. has agreed to pay nearly $700 million US to settle a majority of legal claims that labels on its anti-psychosis drug Zyprexa had failed to provide adequate warning that the drug could put patients more at risk for developing diabetes....More

Angiotech looks to expand beyond drug-coated stents, shareholders told

VANCOUVER (CP) - Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Inc. is looking to grow its business beyond drug-coated stents used in heart surgery through partnerships with smaller companies and developing its own applications, executives told the company's annual meeting Thursday....More

CFIA issues warning on Fleischmann's brand margarine products

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Unilever Canada are warning people with allergies to milk protein not to consume various Fleischmann's brand margarine products. The affected products may contain milk protein which are not declared on the label....More

Ont. boasts smoking ban is toughest anti-tobacco legislation in North America

TORONTO (CP) - Fears that restaurants, bars and casinos will lose smokers' business were dismissed in favour of health concerns Wednesday as Ontario passed what it boasts is the "most aggressive anti-tobacco legislation in North America....More

Nobel laureates, scientists call for attention to diseases affecting poor

LONDON (AP) - Nobel laureates, scientists and humanitarian groups called Wednesday for stepped up investment in new drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tests for diseases that are maiming and killing millions of people in poor countries....More

Medicare at stake in Supreme Court ruling on whether patients can buy care

OTTAWA (CP) - Canada's high court rules Thursday on whether Canadians can sidestep waiting lists by paying for faster medical care....More

Japanese survey shows 41 per cent hope they die before they get old

TOKYO (AP) - Senility, illness and round-the-clock nursing. Japan's image of the "golden years" is so dismal that 41 per cent would rather not live to see old age, a health institute study says....More

ImClone says data show Erbitux with radiation prevents spread of head, neck cancer

NEW YORK (AP) - Shares of biotechnology firm ImClone Systems Inc. soared Wednesday after the company said a late-stage study showed that its Erbitux drug is effective in preventing the spread of head and neck cancer....More

Editorial maintains safety of Crestor compared to other statins

TORONTO (MRI) - The cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor® is comparably as safe as other drugs in its class in spite of a recent analysis showing it carries a higher risk of side effects, says an editorial in a journal of the American Heart Association....More

Statins may cut risk of colon cancer

TORONTO (MRI) - Using the cholesterol-lowering drugs called "statins" may do more than reduce your risk of heart disease. According to a recent study, long-term use of the medication could also cut your chance of developing colon cancer....More

China culls 13,000 geese after discovering bird flu in far northwest

BEIJING (AP) - China confirmed on Thursday that an outbreak of bird flu in its far northwest had killed 460 geese and said the case had been contained....More

Commons approves federal cancer, mental illness, heart disease strategy

OTTAWA (CP) - The Commons passed an opposition motion Tuesday calling on the government to fully fund a strategy to curb cancer, mental illness and heart disease, but it likely won't lead to any new spending....More

China urges needle exchanges, free condoms in new AIDS strategy

SHANGHAI, China (AP) - In an aggressive new anti-AIDS push, China's Health Ministry is urging the promotion of free condoms and needle exchanges - strategies previously considered taboo by the conservative communist government....More

Cancer test developer Diagnocure widens Q2 net loss to $626,859 from $170,370

QUEBEC (CP) - Diagnocure Inc., a cancer test developer, widened its losses in the latest quarter on higher expenses and stock compensation charges....More

Canada releasing a billion kilograms of toxic chemicals in Great Lakes basin

OTTAWA (CP) - Despite government claims that pollution is decreasing, a new study says Canada released a billion kilograms of toxic chemicals annually in the Great Lakes basin from 1998-2002 with no significant decline....More

Canadian Food Inspection Agency issues warning on pet food products

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Aron Pet Food are warning consumers not to purchase or use certain pet treats because the products may be contaminated with the bacteria responsible for salmonellosis in humans....More

Japanese survey shows 41 per cent hope they die before they get old

TOKYO (AP) - Senility, illness and round-the-clock nursing. Japan's image of the "golden years" is so dismal that 41 per cent would rather not live to see old age, a health institute study says....More

Editorial maintains safety of Crestor compared to other statins

TORONTO (MRI) - The cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor® is comparably as safe as other drugs in its class in spite of a recent analysis showing it carries a higher risk of side effects, says an editorial in a journal of the American Heart Association....More

Britain probes outbreak of hospital superbug possibly imported from Canada

LONDON (AP) - British health authorities said Tuesday they are investigating a new virulent strain of bacteria that may have been imported from the United States or Canada....More

Hong Kong asks public to avoid wild monkeys after Taiwan reports deadly virus

HONG KONG (AP) - Hong Kong on Monday warned people not to approach or feed wild monkeys after Taiwan reported that some of the animals tested positive for a virus deadly to humans....More

Wisconsin girl, first known to survive rabies without vaccination, turns 16

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (AP) - A teenager who was the first person known to survive rabies without a vaccination said she's doing fine five months after returning home from the hospital. "That's all I'm giving is 'fine,"' Jeanna Giese said during her 16th birthday celebration Sunday....More

Study to test whether prescribed heroin beats methadone in treating addicts

TORONTO (CP) - Researchers in Montreal are about to launch one part of a three-city study to determine whether medically prescribed heroin is better than methadone at keeping street addicts in treatment programs....More

Texas man convicted under fetus protection law, gets life sentence

LUFKIN, Texas (AP) - A 19-year-old accused of causing his teenage girlfriend to miscarry two fetuses by stepping on her stomach was convicted Monday of two counts of murder....More

West Nile can be passed among mosquitoes feeding on same animal: study

TORONTO (CP) - In a finding that challenges dogma about West Nile transmission, researchers have shown that infected mosquitoes can pass the virus to their non-infected, blood-sucking siblings as they feed on the same animal....More

Polio eradication program faces funding shortfall that could imperil effort

TORONTO (CP) - The valiant effort to wipe polio off the face of the globe faces a significant funding shortfall, with an additional $250 million needed this year and next to stop transmission of the virus, leaders of the program said Monday....More

Medical marijuana patients can be prosecuted, U.S. Supreme Court says

WASHINGTON (CP) - People who smoke marijuana because their doctors recommend it to ease pain can be prosecuted for violating federal drug laws, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday, overriding medical marijuana statutes in 10 states....More

Japan confirms 20th case of mad cow disease in four-year, nine-month-old cow

TOKYO (AP) - Japan has confirmed its 20th case of mad cow disease in a Holstein from northern Japan, the government said Monday....More

Number of Japanese aged 90 or older tops one-million mark for first time

TOKYO (AP) - The number of people aged 90 or older in Japan topped one million for the first time last year, including a record 23,000 centenarians, according to a government report released Friday....More

Research suggests three periods of childhood may be critical predictors of adult obesity

ATHENS (AP) - Being fat at one of three stages in your life may be critical in predicting whether you will have a weight problem as an adult, researchers said Thursday, citing several studies....More

Canada not doing enough to fight HIV/AIDS, says UN envoy Stephen Lewis

DARTMOUTH, N.S. (CP) - Canada's failure to set specific targets for foreign aid funding is shameful and embarrassing, the UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa said Friday....More

Heluva Good Real Sour Cream Dip recalled for undeclared soy and wheat

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Saputo Foods Ltd. are warning people with allergies to soy or wheat not to consume Bacon Horseradish Heluva Good Real Sour Cream Dip with a best before date of JL 07....More

Winnipeg team designs Ebola, Marburg vaccines that show stunning promise

TORONTO (CP) - Scientists at Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory have designed vaccines to protect against the viruses that cause Ebola and Marburg fever, vaccines that show significant promise in animal testing, they report in a letter published Monday in a prominent medical journal....More

More universities focusing on complementary and alternative medicine

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Once largely dismissed as a New Age fad, acupuncture, herbal remedies and other forms of alternative medicine are finding their way into curricula at traditional medical schools....More

Hong Kong asks public to avoid wild monkeys after Taiwan reports deadly virus

HONG KONG (AP) - Hong Kong on Monday warned people not to approach or feed wild monkeys after Taiwan reported that some of the animals tested positive for a virus deadly to humans....More

Japan confirms 20th case of mad cow disease in four-year, nine-month-old cow

TOKYO (AP) - Japan has confirmed its 20th case of mad cow disease in a Holstein from northern Japan, the government said Monday....More

Allon Therapeutics says new tests promising for nervous system disease drugs

VANCOUVER (CP) - Allon Therapeutics Inc. said new studies have shown promising results for two of the company's potential drugs for the treatment of nervous system diseases. ...More

Biogen reports fourth case of rare disease in patient who took MS drug

BOSTON (AP) - The maker of a multiple sclerosis drug that has been pulled from the market said a fourth patient may have contracted a potentially fatal disease after being treated with the drug, the Boston Globe reported Thursday. ...More

Japanese suicides fall from record high to 32,325 in 2004

TOKYO (AP) - The number of suicides last year in Japan fell to more than 32,000 from a record-high the year before, police said Thursday but the number of people killing themselves in group pacts rose. ...More

Peru's 'miracle baby' shown to media following surgery to separate fused legs

LIMA, Peru (AP) - Doctors on Thursday gave the world its first peak at 13-month-old Milagros Cerron since surgery to separate her fused legs in the second such successful operation on record to correct "mermaid syndrome." ...More

Health committee asks Dosanjh to delay decision on breast implants

OTTAWA (CP) - The Commons health committee has asked Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh to delay a decision on licensing silicone-gel breast implants until the committee has conducted a study of the issue. ...More

Fungal infection reaches mainland British Columbia from Vancouver Island

VANCOUVER (CP) - A fungal infection that in rare cases can cause death has extended its range to British Columbia's mainland from Vancouver Island, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control said Thursday. ...More

Bouncing babies learn music through sound and movement, study shows

TORONTO (CP) - People tend to think of the senses as discrete entities - taste, touch, sound, smell. But a new study of babies' responses to music suggests that at least in infants there may be more overlap than we might think. ...More

Guidant sold heart device despite knowing it was flawed: NYT report

NEW YORK (AP) - Medical device maker Guidant Corp. continued to sell a popular implantable heart defibrillator for months after it changed the way it made the device because of a potential flaw and had begun selling the new ones, The New York Times reported in Thursday's editions. ...More

Hospitals cut patient complications and cost of care in push to curb mistakes

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - For 13 straight months at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, not one patient on a ventilator has developed pneumonia. ...More

Health institute finds clue as to what makes rogue proteins deadly

WASHINGTON (AP) - Rogue proteins that cause mad cow disease and other brain-destroying diseases become toxic by latching on to the outside of cell membranes, say government scientists studying how the mysterious substances work. ...More

UN chief says AIDS is growing on every continent and calls for more money

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Secretary General Kofi Annan warned Thursday that the AIDS epidemic is accelerating on every continent and called for more money and leadership to halt its spread by the UN target date of 2015. ...More

Experimental vaccine helps prevent shingles - 'worst pain I've ever had'

NEW YORK (AP) - An experimental vaccine has shown promise at preventing shingles, a painful skin rash that causes long-term excruciating nerve pain for some. ...More

Drug developer Medicure gets U.S. patents for heart, anti-thrombotic treatments

WINNIPEG (CP) - Medicure Inc. has been issued two new United States patents for its heart and anti-thrombotic treatments, the company said Thursday. The drug developer said it now has 15 U.S. patents. ...More

Medical tech firm Medipattern gets FDA nod for breast cancer detection software

TORONTO (CP) - Medipattern Corp.'s breast cancer detection software has received a nod from the United States Food and Drug Administration and is expected be commercially available in the U.S. this summer, the company said Thursday. ...More

Drug developer Medicure gets U.S. patents for heart, anti-thrombotic treatments

WINNIPEG (CP) - Medicure Inc. has been issued two new United States patents for its heart and anti-thrombotic treatments, the company said Thursday. The drug developer said it now has 15 U.S. patents. ...More

Medical tech firm Medipattern gets FDA nod for breast cancer detection software

TORONTO (CP) - Medipattern Corp.'s breast cancer detection software has received a nod from the United States Food and Drug Administration and is expected be commercially available in the U.S. this summer, the company said Thursday. ...More

Allon Therapeutics says new tests promising for nervous system disease drugs

VANCOUVER (CP) - Allon Therapeutics Inc. said new studies have shown promising results for two of the company's potential drugs for the treatment of nervous system diseases. ...More

Biogen reports fourth case of rare disease in patient who took MS drug

BOSTON (AP) - The maker of a multiple sclerosis drug that has been pulled from the market said a fourth patient may have contracted a potentially fatal disease after being treated with the drug, the Boston Globe reported Thursday. ...More

Bouncing babies learn music through sound and movement, study shows

TORONTO (CP) - People tend to think of the senses as discrete entities - taste, touch, sound, smell. But a new study of babies' responses to music suggests that at least in infants there may be more overlap than we might think. ...More

Peru's 'miracle baby' shown to media following surgery to separate fused legs

LIMA, Peru (AP) - Doctors on Thursday gave the world its first peak at 13-month-old Milagros Cerron since surgery to separate her fused legs in the second such successful operation on record to correct "mermaid syndrome." ...More

Health committee asks Dosanjh to delay decision on breast implants

OTTAWA (CP) - The Commons health committee has asked Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh to delay a decision on licensing silicone-gel breast implants until the committee has conducted a study of the issue. ...More

Fungal infection reaches mainland British Columbia from Vancouver Island

VANCOUVER (CP) - A fungal infection that in rare cases can cause death has extended its range to British Columbia's mainland from Vancouver Island, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control said Thursday. ...More

Guidant sold heart device despite knowing it was flawed: NYT report

NEW YORK (AP) - Medical device maker Guidant Corp. continued to sell a popular implantable heart defibrillator for months after it changed the way it made the device because of a potential flaw and had begun selling the new ones, The New York Times reported in Thursday's editions. ...More

Health institute finds clue as to what makes rogue proteins deadly

WASHINGTON (AP) - Rogue proteins that cause mad cow disease and other brain-destroying diseases become toxic by latching on to the outside of cell membranes, say government scientists studying how the mysterious substances work. ...More

Hospitals cut patient complications and cost of care in push to curb mistakes

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - For 13 straight months at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, not one patient on a ventilator has developed pneumonia. ...More

Experimental vaccine helps prevent shingles - 'worst pain I've ever had'

NEW YORK (AP) - An experimental vaccine has shown promise at preventing shingles, a painful skin rash that causes long-term excruciating nerve pain for some. ...More

UN chief says AIDS is growing on every continent and calls for more money

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Secretary General Kofi Annan warned Thursday that the AIDS epidemic is accelerating on every continent and called for more money and leadership to halt its spread by the UN target date of 2015. ...More

Japanese suicides fall from record high to 32,325 in 2004

TOKYO (AP) - The number of suicides last year in Japan fell to more than 32,000 from a record-high the year before, police said Thursday but the number of people killing themselves in group pacts rose. ...More

Guidant sold heart device despite knowing it was flawed: NYT report

NEW YORK (AP) - Medical device maker Guidant Corp. continued to sell a popular implantable heart defibrillator for months after it changed the way it made the device because of a potential flaw and had begun selling the new ones, The New York Times reported in Thursday's editions....More

Fungal infection reaches mainland British Columbia from Vancouver Island

VANCOUVER (CP) - A fungal infection that in rare cases can cause death has extended its range to British Columbia's mainland from Vancouver Island, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control said Thursday....More

Experimental vaccine helps prevent shingles - 'worst pain I've ever had'

NEW YORK (AP) - An experimental vaccine has shown promise at preventing shingles, a painful skin rash that causes long-term excruciating nerve pain for some....More

Drug developer Medicure gets U.S. patents for heart, anti-thrombotic treatments

WINNIPEG (CP) - Medicure Inc. has been issued two new United States patents for its heart and anti-thrombotic treatments, the company said Thursday. The drug developer said it now has 15 U.S. patents....More

Bouncing babies learn music through sound and movement, study shows

TORONTO (CP) - People tend to think of the senses as discrete entities - taste, touch, sound, smell. But a new study of babies' responses to music suggests that at least in infants there may be more overlap than we might think....More

Biogen reports fourth case of rare disease in patient who took MS drug

BOSTON (AP) - The maker of a multiple sclerosis drug that has been pulled from the market said a fourth patient may have contracted a potentially fatal disease after being treated with the drug, the Boston Globe reported Thursday. Biogen Idec Inc. told the U.S....More

Number of Japanese aged 90 or older tops one-million mark for first time

TOKYO (AP) - The number of people aged 90 or older in Japan topped one million for the first time last year, including a record 23,000 centenarians, according to a government report released Friday....More

Allon Therapeutics says new tests promising for nervous system disease drugs

VANCOUVER (CP) - Allon Therapeutics Inc. said new studies have shown promising results for two of the company's potential drugs for the treatment of nervous system diseases....More

Doctors separate fused legs of Peru's 'mermaid' baby in televised surgery

LIMA, Peru (AP) - Doctors successfully separated the fused legs of a Peruvian baby during a risky, nationally televised operation Wednesday, and said they hoped the vivacious, bright-eyed girl would be walking in two years....More

Bollywood fumes over smoking ban in new movies, television: reports

NEW DELHI (AP) - Bollywood filmmakers have denounced an Indian government plan to all but ban smoking from movie and television screens from August, calling the health measures ridiculous, media reported Wednesday....More

Bird flu ruled out for Brazil chickens inflicted with mystery disease

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - Authorities have ruled out avian flu as the cause of a mysterious respiratory illness that prompted the slaughter of 17,000 chickens in the west-central Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, an official with the Agriculture Ministry said Wednesday....More

Anxiety, smoking, body weight may worsen menopause symptoms

TORONTO (MRI) - As Paris Hilton might say, when it comes to your health, smoking, being overweight and feeling stressed are not "hot." But if you are approaching or experiencing menopause, those factors could make you feel a lot hotter, increasing the number and severity of hot flashes....More

Beyond depression: Trying to get 'complicated grief' recognized

PITTSBURGH (AP) - In the months after David Golebiewski's 19-year-old daughter was killed in a car crash, grief consumed his life. He couldn't go to the restaurant where his daughter had worked, and he spent five hours a day in Internet chat rooms with other parents who lost children....More

Biogen reports fourth case of rare disease in patient who took MS drug

BOSTON (AP) - The maker of a multiple sclerosis drug that has been pulled from the market said a fourth patient may have contracted a potentially fatal disease after being treated with the drug, the Boston Globe reported Thursday. Biogen Idec Inc. told the U.S....More

Fight against AIDS seeing 1st signs of success in Africa but it's spreading

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The global fight against AIDS is seeing its first signs of success in hardest-hit Africa, but the $8 billion US being spent this year to combat the disease must be doubled because the epidemic is expanding worldwide....More

Japanese suicides fall from record high to 32,325 in 2004

TOKYO (AP) - The number of suicides last year in Japan fell to more than 32,000 from a record-high the year before, police said Thursday but the number of people killing themselves in group pacts rose. The National Police Agency said the number of suicides decreased by 6....More

Ontario becomes first province to force hospitals to report gunshot injuries

TORONTO (CP) - Gunshot victims arriving at any Ontario health-care facility will now be reported to police under provincial legislation passed Tuesday, making the province the first to force medical officials to report patients who have been shot....More

Province leaving disabled children behind during dispute over rules: mom

TORONTO (CP) - Disabled children in Ontario are being forsaken by the provincial government as it tries to skirt reforms to how their care is financed, says the woman leading a battle to change provincial rules....More

Heart patients fare about the same no matter which bypass method is used:

DALLAS (AP) - Heart bypass patients fare about the same no matter which of two surgery methods doctors use, concludes an American Heart Association review of more than four dozen studies....More

Health Agency finds 22 cases of rare sexually transmitted infection, LGV

TORONTO (CP) - Twenty-two cases of a rare sexually transmitted infection have been diagnosed in Canada in the last 17 months, the Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed Tuesday. All the cases of LGV or lymphogranuloma venereum were found in men....More

Fast food - are Canadians addicted?

TORONTO (CP) - Before filmmaker Morgan Spurlock embarked on his month-long diet of McDonald's food, he admitted enjoying the edible offerings at the golden arches. Fast food was a once-in-a-while treat that he had relished ever since he was a kid....More

Cholesterol-lowering drugs underprescribed for people at risk of heart disease

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins that can help prevent heart disease are still underprescribed for many at-risk patients, according to a new study....More

Emergency docs say plan for flu pandemic must be shared with front-line staff

EDMONTON (CP) - Canada's health-care system would probably collapse during a flu pandemic because of a serious lack of front-line planning, emergency medicine experts said Tuesday. "What's at stake is nothing short of chaos," said Dr....More

Doctors complete risky surgery to separate legs of Peru's 'mermaid baby'

LIMA, Peru (AP) - Doctors fully separated the fused legs of a baby girl known as Peru's "mermaid" early Wednesday, calling the delicate procedure a "true success....More