Plaque in arteries associated with greater cognitive decline

TORONTO (MRI) - Controlling your cholesterol might reduce some of the mental decline associated with aging, suggests a new study in the journal Neurology....More

People with diabetes face elevated risk of pneumonia, urinary infections

TORONTO (MRI) - The risk for common infections such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections is higher for people with diabetes, new research shows....More

High blood pressure may worsen stroke aftermath

TORONTO (MRI) - Women on the mend from a stroke may want to take steps to lower their blood pressure in order to limit the potential for impeded brain function, a new study suggests....More

Bankrupt Winn-Dixie Stores sells thousands of prescription records

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Bankrupt Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. is selling pharmacies the records of thousands of customers who bought prescription drugs at 139 supermarkets it's closing. In federal bankruptcy court Thursday, U.S....More

Gene may boost risk of skin cancer

TORONTO (MRI) - People who carry mutations of the Melanocortin-1 Receptor Gene (MC1R) may want to be more vigilant about sun protection after a recent study has linked it with an increased risk for skin cancer, as well as a progression of the disease....More

U.S. Senate majority leader to back funding of increased stem cell research

WASHINGTON (AP) - Breaking with President George W. Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Friday he will support legislation to remove some of the administration's limitations on embryonic stem cell research....More

Death toll in southwest China from pig-borne disease rises to 31

BEIJING (AP) - The death toll from a pig-borne disease in southwestern China rose to 31 on Friday as health officials stepped up preventative measures and tried to reassure the public that the government had the outbreak under control....More

30 per cent of U.S. troops returning from Iraq develop stress-related ills

WASHINGTON (AP) - Thirty per cent of U.S. troops returning from the Iraq war have developed stress-related mental health problems three to four months after coming home, the army's surgeon general said Thursday....More

Colorectal cancer more prevalent in diabetic men

TORONTO (MRI) - Men with diabetes may want to be more vigilant about screening for cancer, following a new study that reports an elevated risk of colorectal cancer amongst this group....More

Canadians drop junk food for healthy snacks, researchers find

TORONTO (CP) - Peckish Canadians are dropping junk food in favour of healthier snacks like fruit, yogurt and nuts, according to a recent report on snacking habits....More

Plaque in arteries associated with greater cognitive decline

TORONTO (MRI) - Controlling your cholesterol might reduce some of the mental decline associated with aging, suggests a new study in the journal Neurology....More

Beta blockers don't help low-risk patients after non-cardiac surgery: study

(AP) - New research raises concerns about the popular practice of giving most heart patients drugs that reduce the heart's workload before and after major surgery....More

Prescription-free morning after pill not leading to surge in unsafe sex

TORONTO (MRI) - The ability to buy the "morning after" pill without a doctor's prescription doesn't appear to be prompting women to indulge more frequently in unsafe sex, according to new research....More

Gene may boost risk of skin cancer

TORONTO (MRI) - People who carry mutations of the Melanocortin-1 Receptor Gene (MC1R) may want to be more vigilant about sun protection after a recent study has linked it with an increased risk for skin cancer, as well as a progression of the disease....More

High blood pressure may worsen stroke aftermath

TORONTO (MRI) - Women on the mend from a stroke may want to take steps to lower their blood pressure in order to limit the potential for impeded brain function, a new study suggests....More

People with diabetes face elevated risk of pneumonia, urinary infections

TORONTO (MRI) - The risk for common infections such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections is higher for people with diabetes, new research shows....More

Insomnia linked to causing depression

TORONTO (MRI) - Sleep disorders have long been cited as a symptom of depression, but new research suggests insomnia may in fact lead to depression....More

Indoor smoking bans bring seasonality to tobacco business: Rothmans CEO

TORONTO (CP) - Seasonality has become a factor in the once-stable tobacco industry, Rothmans Inc. executives said Tuesday as they presented a 25 per cent increase in spring-quarter profits....More

Indonesian doctors separate conjoined twins from tsunami-hit Aceh province

MEDAN, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesian surgeons on Tuesday successfully separated 11-month-old girls who were joined at the chest and stomach....More

Indonesia links infected bird droppings to three bird flu deaths

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesia's agriculture ministry says three family members who died of bird flu earlier this month were infected by chicken droppings, which contained the deadly bird flu virus....More

Barbecuers beware: Bristles can fall off wire brushes, be ingested in food

TORONTO (CP) - When it comes to the paraphernalia of barbecuing, they're as ubiquitous as charcoal briquettes, propane tanks and burger flippers. But those wire brushes used to clean the grill can be potentially deadly - and in the most insidious way....More

Antidepressants may shield heart attack survivors from death and future attacks

TORONTO (MRI) - People who have suffered a heart attack and are battling depression may be able to reduce the risk of a second attack by taking antidepressants, a new study has found....More

Death toll in China's mystery illness rises to 19; 17 in critical condition

BEIJING (AP) - Of the 80 people infected with a pig-borne disease in southwestern China in the past month, nearly a quarter have died and another 17 are in critical condition, the Health Ministry said Tuesday....More

Elderly should keep exercising, even though decline is inevitable

DALLAS (AP) - Exercise can't hold off the effects of aging, but it can improve an elderly person's chances of hanging onto an independent lifestyle, researchers said, citing a new study that brought both good and bad news....More

Heart disease doesn't put an end to sex for many women

TORONTO (MRI) - Heart disease isn't preventing many older women from staying active in the bedroom, a new study has found....More

Doctors speak out against Winnipeg's use of malathion to control mosquitoes

WINNIPEG (CP) - A group of Canadian doctors is calling on Manitoba's capital to stop spraying the controversial chemical malathion to control mosquitoes....More

Cervical cancer deaths preventable - and a red flag for other health disparities

WASHINGTON (AP) - Virtually all deaths from cervical cancer are preventable, yet the disease will kill almost 4,000 women in this country this year....More

Dark chocolate may lower blood pressure

TORONTO (MRI) - Dark, milk and white - all three types of chocolate may taste good, but one may have a benefit that goes beyond pleasing your taste buds....More

Beat the summer heat

TORONTO (MRI) - Baby, it's hot outside! Sure, complaining about the weather may seem like a national pastime, but this year, it seems like Canadians across the country have more than usual to whine about - from record flooding in Alberta to unrelenting heat in Ontario and Quebec....More

Indonesia links infected bird droppings to three bird flu deaths

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesia's agriculture ministry says three family members who died of bird flu earlier this month were infected by chicken droppings, which contained the deadly bird flu virus....More

Death toll in China's mystery illness rises to 19; 17 in critical condition

BEIJING (AP) - Of the 80 people infected with a pig-borne disease in southwestern China in the past month, nearly a quarter have died and another 17 are in critical condition, the Health Ministry said Tuesday....More

U.S. federal health officials puzzle over abortion pill deaths in California

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Federal health investigators are baffled: Why have four California women died from a bloodstream infection after using a controversial abortion pill? "On the surface, this appears unusual," said Dr....More

200 pigs culled near Indonesian capital to contain spread of avian flu

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Some 200 pigs were being killed on the outskirts of Indonesia's capital Sunday, as health officials raced to contain the spread of the avian flu virus that has killed 57 people across Asia....More

Teva Pharmaceutical confirms it's in advanced talks with Ivax Corp.

NEW YORK (AP) - Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. confirmed Monday it is in advanced talks for a "possible transaction" with Ivax Corp. Earlier Monday, the New York Times reported Teva was near an agreement to acquire Miami-based Ivax for about $7....More

Summertime injuries don't necessarily mean an end to fitness fun in the sun

TORONTO (CP) - Bike riding, tennis, golf, even gardening are all great ways to improve cardiovascular health or muscular endurance while making the most of the summer months....More

New Jersey legislators push bill to stop drivers from smoking while driving

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Ashtrays have been disappearing in cars like fins on Cadillacs, and so could smoking while driving in New Jersey, under a measure introduced in the Legislature....More

Menopause symptoms may be longer lasting, study suggests

TORONTO (MRI) - Women experience menopause-related symptoms longer than previously thought, even after taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), new research reveals....More

Mystery illness kills 17 Chinese farmers who handled pigs or sheep

BEIJING (AP) - An unidentified disease has killed 17 farmers in China's southwest after they butchered sick pigs or sheep, but health officials say the deaths are unrelated to bird flu or SARS, state media reported Monday....More

Beat the summer heat

TORONTO (MRI) - Baby, it's hot outside! Sure, complaining about the weather may seem like a national pastime, but this year, it seems like Canadians across the country have more than usual to whine about - from record flooding in Alberta to unrelenting heat in Ontario and Quebec....More

Surgery performed for first time in Dominican Republic aims at saving leg

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) - Two U.S. orthopedic surgeons successfully completed a rare knee operation Thursday for the first time in the Dominican Republic, aiming to save a 27-year-old man's leg in the impoverished country where amputations are common. Dr....More

Simple blood test may predict deadly pregnancy complications: researchers

TORONTO (CP) - Canadian researchers believe they've discovered a simple blood test to predict a mysterious blood pressure disorder in pregnant women that is one of the leading causes of mother and infant death in the world. "We're really excited about this finding," said Dr....More

Relaxation techniques help teens battle headaches

TORONTO (MRI) - Does your teen suffer from recurring tension headaches or migraines? Maybe they need to learn how to relax....More

Senators demand information on gasoline additive and possible cancer risk

WASHINGTON (AP) - Twenty-one senators asked the Environmental Protection Agency for more information Thursday about an internal paper that reportedly concludes that the gasoline additive MTBE may cause cancer....More

Sask. government tries to get charter challenge of smoking ban quashed

REGINA (CP) - Not enforcing a provincewide smoking ban in aboriginal-run casinos is a jurisdictional issue and the Charter of Rights is not meant to be used just so bar owners can sell more beer, the Saskatchewan government says....More

Drug company Schering's net profit rises 34 per cent, boosted by asset sale

BERLIN (AP) - Drug maker Schering AG said Friday it saw net profit rise 34 per cent in the second quarter, boosted by gains from the sale of a stake in another company....More

Missouri man awarded $2.7 million for popcorn plant lung injuries

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) - A former Missouri popcorn plant worker who said his respiratory illness came from a harmful chemical used to make butter flavouring has been awarded about $2.7 million in damages. Kenneth Moenning, 36, of Lockwood, Mo....More

Indonesia's polio toll climbs to 155, with dozens of new cases reported

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesia's polio toll has climbed to 155, with dozens of new cases reported in the last two weeks. A World Health Organization medical officer in Indonesia said the 33 new cases were all reported in areas already infected with the crippling disease....More

Indonesia confirms its first human deaths linked to bird flu

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesia confirmed its first human deaths from bird flu Wednesday, a man and his two daughters, bringing Asia's toll from the disease to 57 people....More

Drugmaker Pfizer posts 21 per cent rise in second-quarter earnings

NEW YORK (AP) - Pfizer Inc., the world's largest research-based drug maker, said Wednesday that second-quarter earnings rose 21 per cent, helped by strong sales of the company's blockbuster cholesterol drug Lipitor. Net income grew to $3....More

Calcium gives a bone boost to women on the pill

TORONTO (MRI) - Milk does a body good. And all the more so if you are on the birth control pill, a new study shows....More

Complication feared in stomach bypass operation: perilously low blood sugar

BOSTON (AP) - A least six patients who underwent the most popular type of obesity surgery have developed an apparent complication - blood sugar so perilously low that it causes confusion, tunnel vision and blackouts, doctors say....More

Cholesterol drugs may raise stroke risk in very ill diabetics, study finds

(AP) - Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs do not help severely ill diabetics, and may even raise their risk of a deadly stroke, a study found. In the study, patients on Lipitor were twice as likely to die of a stroke....More

Caffeine may cause blood pressure boost for some

TORONTO (MRI) - That extra cup of joe in the morning may help you feel more alert, but depending on your tolerance to caffeine, it could also cause an extra spike in your blood pressure....More

Brain-dead woman's fetus past most critical developmental period

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A brain-dead pregnant woman on life support has reached the milestone in her pregnancy where doctors say they believe the baby could realistically survive outside the womb....More

Missouri man awarded $2.7 million for popcorn plant lung injuries

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) - A former Missouri popcorn plant worker who said his respiratory illness came from a harmful chemical used to make butter flavouring has been awarded about $2.7 million in damages. Kenneth Moenning, 36, of Lockwood, Mo....More

Depo-Provera users face increased osteoporosis risk: Health Canada

TORONTO (MRI) - Women who use Depo-Provera® face an increased risk of bone loss, according to a new warning from Health Canada....More

Evolution of avian flu virus could allow it to hide in ducks

WASHINGTON (AP) - Changes in the avian flu virus have made it less deadly to ducks, potentially turning them into medical Trojan Horses where the flu can hide while continuing to infect other birds and humans....More

Boston Scientific Corp.'s profit drops by a third on acquisition costs

BOSTON (AP) - Boston Scientific Corp. said Tuesday its second-quarter profit fell by more than a third amid growing acquisition costs and moderating sales growth for its heart stents, but the medical-device maker matched Wall Street's expectations....More

Biomira exercises option to acquire stake in Australia's Prima BioMed Ltd.

EDMONTON (CP) - Cancer vaccine developer Biomira Inc. said Tuesday it has exercised an option to acquire a stake in Prima BioMed Ltd., an Australian biotech company, for an undisclosed price....More

Roche's first-half net profit falls 3.8 per cent despite strong rise in sales

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Pharmaceutical company Roche Holding AG said Wednesday its first-half net profit attributable to shareholders fell 3.8 per cent to 2.8 billion Swiss francs ($2.2 billion US), despite strong sales growth, particularly of its cancer drugs....More

Indonesia says it has recorded its first human death linked to bird flu

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesia has recorded its first human death linked to bird flu after tests confirmed that a man who died earlier this month had the virus....More

Indonesia says it has recorded first three human deaths linked to bird flu

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesia confirmed its first human deaths from bird flu Wednesday, a man and his two daughters, bringing Asia's toll from the disease to 57 people....More

Drugmaker Pfizer posts 21 per cent rise in second-quarter earnings

NEW YORK (AP) - Pfizer Inc., the world's largest research-based drug maker, said Wednesday that second-quarter earnings rose 21 per cent, helped by strong sales of the company's blockbuster cholesterol drug Lipitor. Net income grew to $3....More

High iron and cholesterol levels raise cancer risk

TORONTO (MRI) - Taking iron supplements? A new study shows that if your cholesterol is high too, you could be increasing your risk of developing cancer....More

Athletes to compete in London, Ont., while showcasing power of organ donation

TORONTO (CP) - When Bridget Barron's daughter Olivia was born in 1999, things went so smoothly that the new mother left the hospital early. But it soon became apparent something was terribly wrong....More

Former Red Cross director to seek stay of charges in tainted blood scandal

TORONTO (CP) - A doctor at the centre of the tainted-blood tragedy that infected thousands of people is too ill to stand trial examining his alleged role in one of Canada's worst public health disasters, his defence lawyer was expected to argue Monday. Dr....More

UBC study looks at why lung disease is rising in Canadian women

VANCOUVER (CP) - Lung disease deaths for Canadian woman have jumped by more than 60 per cent over two decades, yet the men's rate dropped by 15 per cent in the same period, an expert says. The dramatic increase is now the subject of a five-year, $1....More

Year-long trial could kill doctor at centre of tainted blood tragedy: lawyer

TORONTO (CP) - The unrelenting stress that would arise from a year-long criminal trial could threaten the life of the doctor at the centre of the tainted blood disaster that left thousands infected with HIV and hepatitis C, his lawyer argued in court Monday....More

Guidant Corp. issues warning for 28,000 pacemakers; nine models affected

INDIANAPOLIS (CP) - Guidant Corp. warned physicians Monday that replacements might be needed for nine pacemaker models made between 1997 and 2000, of which some 28,000 remain implanted in patients worldwide....More

Social aggression in children is learned behaviour, can be prevented: study

TORONTO (CP) - Kids can be cruel. Everyone knows that. But a new Canadian study published in the current edition of the journal Child Development, suggests that social aggression - acts like one kid purposely ignoring another child for seemingly no reason - is...More

Older women say doctors ignore some health issues they find important: study

TORONTO (CP) - Canadian women 55 and older believe their doctors are on top of testing them for such potential killers as heart disease, stroke and breast cancer, but many feel other important health concerns are given short shrift, a study suggests....More

Health Canada warns consumers not to use some Ayurvedic medicinal products

OTTAWA (CP) - Canadians should not use some Ayurvedic medicinal products because they contain high levels of heavy metals such as lead, mercury and or arsenic, Health Canada warned Thursday....More

Makers of racially-based heart drug warn against ignoring genetics

LEXINGTON, Mass. (AP) - When a team of researchers zeroed in on studies that showed blacks responded better than whites to a heart medication, they spent another two years rechecking their work before releasing the findings....More

Wisconsin high court allows teen to sue multiple lead paint pigment makers

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A split Wisconsin supreme court ruled Friday that a Milwaukee boy can sue manufacturers of a lead paint pigment he claims left him mentally disabled - even though he cannot prove which ones made the pigment that may have sickened him....More

Indonesia says bird flu suspected in deaths of three Indonesians

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - A man and his two daughters have died of suspected bird flu in Indonesia, authorities said Friday, and initial investigations showed they had no contact with poultry, raising concerns of possible human-to-human transmission....More

First Vioxx trial involving Merck & Co. begins in United States

ANGLETON, Texas (AP) - Merck & Co. traded its mission of healing and treating sickness for relentless marketing and pursuit of profits, a plaintiff's lawyer in the first Vioxx-related lawsuit to go to trial told jurors Thursday....More

Athletes to compete in London, Ont., while showcasing power of organ donation

TORONTO (CP) - When Bridget Barron's daughter Olivia was born in 1999, things went so smoothly that the new mother left the hospital early. But it soon became apparent something was terribly wrong....More

High iron and cholesterol levels raise cancer risk

TORONTO (MRI) - Taking iron supplements? A new study shows that if your cholesterol is high too, you could be increasing your risk of developing cancer....More

Former Red Cross director to seek stay of charges in tainted blood scandal

TORONTO (CP) - A doctor at the centre of the tainted-blood tragedy that infected thousands of people is too ill to stand trial examining his alleged role in one of Canada's worst public health disasters, his defence lawyer was expected to argue Monday. Dr....More

People with wheat allergies warned not to eat some Hi-N-R-G protein products

OTTAWA (CP) - People with allergies to wheat protein were warned Thursday not to consume selected Daryl's Hi-N-R-G Bars....More

Novartis posts nine per cent rise in quarterly profit on strong drug sales

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Novartis AG posted a second-quarter net profit of $1.65 billion on Thursday, up nine per cent due to strong sales of its prescription drugs. The pharmaceutical maker had earned $1.51 billion US in the same period last year....More

Makers of racially-based heart drug warn against ignoring genetics

LEXINGTON, Mass. (AP) - When a team of researchers zeroed in on studies that showed blacks responded better than whites to a heart medication, they spent another two years rechecking their work before releasing the findings....More

New drug first to extend lives of patients with advanced lung cancer: study

TORONTO (CP) - A new drug has been found, for the first time, to prolong the lives of patients with advanced lung cancer, a Canadian-led international research team says....More

Manitoba orders Winnipeg city hall to use anti-mosquito spray city-wide

WINNIPEG (CP) - With the mosquito population exploding, the Manitoba government has ordered Winnipeg to spray the controversial chemical malathion across the city....More

Indonesia says bird flu suspected in deaths of three Indonesians

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - A man and his two daughters have died of suspected bird flu in Indonesia, authorities said Friday, and initial investigations showed they had no contact with poultry, raising concerns of possible human-to-human transmission....More

First Vioxx trial involving Merck & Co. begins in United States

ANGLETON, Texas (AP) - Merck & Co. traded its mission of healing and treating sickness for relentless marketing and pursuit of profits, a plaintiff's lawyer in the first Vioxx-related lawsuit to go to trial told jurors Thursday....More

Health Canada warns consumers not to use some Ayurvedic medicinal products

OTTAWA (CP) - Canadians should not use some Ayurvedic medicinal products because they contain high levels of heavy metals such as lead, mercury and or arsenic, Health Canada warned Thursday....More

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries says 17 died after handling asbestos years ago

TOKYO (AP) - Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said Wednesday that 17 of its employees who had handled asbestos in recent decades had died, while six others were receiving medical treatment....More

FDA halts sale of painkiller Palladone, citing potentially fatal reactions

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Food and Drug Administration ordered a halt to sale of the narcotic Palladone on Wednesday, citing potentially fatal reactions when the potent drug is taken together with alcohol. The FDA approved Palladone just last September....More

Canadian device lets doctors better pinpoint radiation for prostate cancer

TORONTO (CP) - In what's being hailed as a world's first, a Canadian-made device is allowing doctors to target radiation therapy for prostate cancer with pinpoint accuracy, thereby avoiding damage to surrounding organs and ensuring all malignant cells are destroyed....More

Cholesterol-reducing statins may cause serious muscle damage in some patients

TORONTO (CP) - Some patients with underlying health conditions could be at risk of serious side-effects from widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins, Health Canada warned Tuesday....More

Alberta health regions warn new reforms will take time

CALGARY (CP) - Alberta health regions were scrambling Wednesday to make plans for a range of "extras" they will be allowed to offer patients willing to pay for them under provincial health reforms announced by Premier Ralph Klein....More

Novartis posts nine per cent rise in quarterly profit on strong drug sales

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) - Novartis AG posted a second-quarter net profit of $1.65 billion on Thursday, up nine per cent due to strong sales of its prescription drugs. The pharmaceutical maker had earned $1.51 billion US in the same period last year....More

Abbott Laboratories' Q2 profit up 38 per cent, 700 layoffs planned

CHICAGO (AP) - Health care products maker Abbott Laboratories Inc. posted a 38 per cent gain in second-quarter profit Wednesday, but its stock fell after the company forecast third-quarter earnings below Wall Street's expectations....More

Actor Michael J. Fox urges Senate to support embryonic stem cell research

WASHINGTON (AP) - Actor Michael J. Fox is pushing Congress hard to lift President George W. Bush's restrictions on embryonic stem cell research....More

Crash risk 4 times higher when driver is using cellphone, U.S. study shows

WASHINGTON (AP) - Drivers using cellular phones are four times as likely to get into a crash that can cause injuries serious enough to send them to the hospital, said an insurance study released Tuesday....More

European court upholds EU restrictions on sales of food supplements

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - The European Union's high court upheld proposed restrictions on the sale of food supplements on Tuesday despite objections from trade organizations that claimed the rules would ban popular vitamin pills....More

Companies to pay nearly $1 million US to settle ephedra marketing case

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - The makers of a weight-loss product implicated in the death of a Baltimore Orioles pitcher will pay New Jersey nearly $1 million US to settle claims that it exaggerated the benefits and understated the risks of some products....More

Biotechnology company Genentech shares up after strong second-quarter report

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Shares of Genentech Inc. rose Tuesday, a day after the biotechnology company reported its second-quarter profit surged 73 per cent, fuelled by continued strong drug sales. The company's stock rose $1.13 US, or about 1.4 per cent, to $84....More

Canadian women are waiting longer and longer to have children, says StatsCan

OTTAWA (CP) - Canadian women are waiting longer and longer to start families. The newest figures on births in Canada indicate that almost one-half of the women who gave birth in 2003 were age 30 and older....More

Albertans who can afford to pay will get enhanced health-care services

CALGARY (CP) - Alberta Premier Ralph Klein opened the door Tuesday to Cadillac health care for those willing to pay, but denied claims he has put the province on the road to a two-tiered system....More

Andromed Inc. trims quarterly loss to $769,223 from year-ago $952,428

MONTREAL (CP) - Andromed Inc. reduced its second-quarter loss to $769,223, from $952,428 a year ago, the medical technology company said Tuesday....More

Bioniche Life Sciences says recalled Betac found to be free of contamination

BELLEVILLE, Ont. (CP) - Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., which voluntarily recalled an injectable vitamin C product on June 17, says the supplies made in Ireland have been found to be free of microbial contamination....More

Fresh cases of bird flu found among fighting cocks in central Thailand

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Thailand has discovered new cases of bird flu just as it was about to declare the country free of the disease, a livestock official said Monday....More

Giant drug distributor McKesson to buy D&K Healthcare for US$206.8M in cash

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - McKesson Corp., the top U.S. drug distributor, said Monday that it agreed to acquire regional drug distributor D&K Healthcare Resources Inc. for about $206.8 million US in cash to build upon its footprint in the Midwest and the South....More

B.C. health minister considers visit to aboriginal village battling suicides

VICTORIA (CP) - B.C.'s health services minister is prepared to visit a remote Vancouver Island aboriginal village fighting to overcome an increase in suicides and attempted suicides among its people....More

B.C. becomes first province to cover cost of promising breast cancer drug

VANCOUVER (CP) - British Columbia became the first province on Monday to cover the cost of a promising drug therapy to fight an aggressive form of breast cancer in its early stages. Health Minister George Abbott told a news conference that the government and the B.C....More

Federal government supports delay in ending ban on private healthcare

OTTAWA (CP) - The federal government has joined Quebec to ask for an 18-month stay in a Supreme Court of Canada judgment striking down a ban on private health insurance in the province....More

Bioniche Life Sciences says recalled Betac found to be free of contamination

BELLEVILLE, Ont. (CP) - Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., which voluntarily recalled an injectable vitamin C product on June 17, says the supplies made in Ireland have been found to be free of microbial contamination....More

Companies to pay nearly $1 million US to settle ephedra marketing case

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - The makers of a weight-loss product implicated in the death of a Baltimore Orioles pitcher will pay New Jersey nearly $1 million US to settle claims that it exaggerated the benefits and understated the risks of some products....More

Crash risk 4 times higher when driver is using cellphone, U.S. study shows

WASHINGTON (AP) - Drivers using cellular phones are four times as likely to get into a crash that can cause injuries serious enough to send them to the hospital, said an insurance study released Tuesday....More

Ex-McDonald's manager wins $490,000 in AIDS discrimination suit

CLEVELAND (AP) - A jury ruled Thursday that McDonald's Corp. discriminated against a restaurant manager who claimed he was forced out of his job after the company learned he had AIDS....More

Early PSA screening may reduce risk of prostate cancer death: study

TORONTO (CP) - Early screening for prostate cancer in men without symptoms could significantly reduce their risk of going on to develop an advanced and usually deadly form of the disease, a Canadian study suggests....More

6th doctor cleared of misconduct over Britain's worst serial killings

MANCHESTER, England (AP) - A sixth doctor who co-signed death and cremation certificates for Britain's worst serial killer was cleared of serious professional misconduct Friday. Dr. Susan Booth was accused at a hearing of the General Medical Council of failing to notice that Dr....More

Experts call upon older women to reclaim their sexuality in the Viagra age

MONTREAL (CP) - Older women need to talk about their sexuality with each other if they want to shatter existing stereotypes and overcome the lack of information about seniors and sex....More

Boston Scientific launches brain aneurysm treatment device in United States

NATICK, Mass. (AP) - Medical device maker Boston Scientific Corp. said Friday that it launched a new version of a medical device designed to treat brain aneurysms without removing a section of the skull....More

Curbing the effects of Type 2 diabetes may be as simple as walking it off

(CP) - Catherine Disbery thought her lack of energy was simply a result of trying to keep up with the shenanigans of two small children. She was taken aback when, at the age of 40, she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The Regina resident always assumed it was "an old person's disease....More

Researchers ID cause of SARS-induced lung failure in mice, may spawn therapy

TORONTO (CP) - In a discovery that could potentially help millions of people around the world, researchers have determined how the SARS virus leads to acute lung failure in lab animals and devised a way to reverse the often deadly condition....More

Allegations of fake research reach new highs in United States

(AP) - On the night of his 12th wedding anniversary, Dr. Andrew Friedman was terrified. This brilliant surgeon and researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School feared that he was about to lose everything - his career, his family, the life he'd built -...More

Guidant Corp. faces legal battles following recalls of defibrillators

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Guidant Corp., which has recalled 87,600 implantable cardiac defibrillators in three weeks, is facing mounting legal pressure from angry shareholders and frightened patients....More

Expert panel recommends Vioxx return to market, issues warning on ibuprofen

OTTAWA (CP) - Ibuprofen, one of the most common painkillers on the market, poses just as much risk of heart attacks and stroke as controversial drugs like Vioxx, says an expert panel named by Health Canada....More

Despite safety risks, many choose herbal remedies over conventional medicines

MIAMI (AP) - When Luckner Pierrsaint feels congested from the flu or bronchitis, he doesn't go to a doctor or a drugstore. He takes his own concoction: a spoonful of a sugar-purple-onion mixture left outside for three nights....More

Experimental treatment didn't help sickest preemies; prevented problems in others

NEW YORK (AP) - A promising lung treatment for premature babies produced mixed results - perhaps harming some of the weakest infants, while preventing developmental problems in a healthier group, two studies show....More

Controlling blood pressure can add years to your life

TORONTO (MRI) - Five years. That's how much time keeping your blood pressure under control can tack onto your life, according to a new study....More

Indonesia to vaccinate 24.3 million youngsters in polio campaign

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesia will vaccinate 24.3 million youngsters in a nationwide campaign to halt a polio epidemic that has infected 122 children across the archipelago, the country's health minister said Friday....More

Early PSA screening may reduce risk of prostate cancer death: study

TORONTO (CP) - Early screening for prostate cancer in men without symptoms could significantly reduce their risk of going on to develop an advanced and usually deadly form of the disease, a Canadian study suggests....More

Ex-McDonald's manager wins $490,000 in AIDS discrimination suit

CLEVELAND (AP) - A jury ruled Thursday that McDonald's Corp. discriminated against a restaurant manager who claimed he was forced out of his job after the company learned he had AIDS....More

More kids, adults too fat, says StatsCan, raising chronic disease concerns

OTTAWA (CP) - Too many Canadian kids are too fat, and if they and their parents don't do something about it, they face a future of diabetes, osteoarthritis and heart disease, health officials warned Wednesday....More

Loading up on fruits and veggies may prevent cataracts

TORONTO (MRI) - Eating carrots to see better at night may sound like the kind of old wives' tale your mother told you to get you to eat your veggies as a kid, but new research shows that loading up on fruits and vegetables may actually help you see better later in life....More

Doctor demands high court reject Quebec bid to delay private health insurance

OTTAWA (CP) - The Supreme Court of Canada should reject Quebec's bid to delay a ruling that strikes down the province's ban on private health insurance, says the doctor who initiated the case....More

Childhood vaccines safe, Canadian health officials say

TORONTO (MRI) - The debate over the link between childhood vaccines and autism may be once again raging south of the border, but a spokesman for the Public Health Agency of Canada says there is nothing to worry about here....More

Deadly bird flu virus may spread in birds, endanger people, scientists warn

NEW YORK (AP) - Asia's bird flu, which health experts fear could unleash a dangerous flu among people, may be poised to spread to India, Australia, New Zealand and eventually Europe by hitchhiking with migrating birds, scientists warned Wednesday....More

B.C. coroner issues report to prevent sleep-related infant deaths

VANCOUVER (CP) - Babies should sleep alone in cribs, says a special report on sleep-related infant deaths that found many of those deaths were preventable. The report focuses on 47 infant deaths between January 2003 and June 2004....More

Aspirin may protect men from cancer but not women, opposing studies find

CHICAGO (AP) - Men who took aspirin over five years slightly lowered their risk for prostate cancer, but women who took low doses over 10 years didn't reduce their risk of cancer, two separate studies indicate....More

Adults more than children tipping the obesity scales, says Statistics Canada

OTTAWA (CP) - A 25-year study indicates that adults, more than children, are tipping the obesity scales. Statistics Canada says that back in 1978-79 three per cent of children were obese, a figure that rose to eight per cent by 2004....More

EU formalizes ban on phthalates chemicals in children's toys

STRASBOURG, France (AP) - The European Parliament on Tuesday endorsed a ban on a potentially hazardous chemical used to soften plastics used in children's toys and other child-care products, formalizing a measure that could have wide implications for toy makers....More

Leper colony in southeast Romania slowly coming out of isolation

TICHILESTI, Romania (AP) - For many of his 73 years, Cristache Tatulea didn't exist. The regime of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu kept lepers like Tatulea off its official records, as it strove to convince the world it had eradicated the disease....More

Combination of diabetes, depression increases death risk

TORONTO (MRI) - Diabetes and depression amount to a deadly combination, increasing sufferers' risk of death far beyond the risk associated with either condition on its own, a new study shows....More

Aging sped up by smoking and obesity

TORONTO (MRI) - Two major health hazards - smoking and obesity - can add yet another feature to their dossier of potential health risks. A new study has linked both to hurrying up the aging process....More

American panel recommends HIV screening for all pregnant women

(AP) - A federal panel is recommending that all pregnant women, not just those considered at high risk, be screened for the AIDS virus because testing has proven so successful at helping prevent the spread of the disease to babies. The U.S....More

Loading up on fruits and veggies may prevent cataracts

TORONTO (MRI) - Eating carrots to see better at night may sound like the kind of old wives' tale your mother told you to get you to eat your veggies as a kid, but new research shows that loading up on fruits and vegetables may actually help you see better later in life....More

UN unveils master plan against bird flu, calls for overhauling Asian farming

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - International health experts unveiled a multi-pronged strategy against bird flu on Wednesday calling for Asian governments to overhaul backyard farming practices and vaccinate poultry to prevent the disease from becoming a human pandemic....More

Childhood vaccines safe, Canadian health officials say

TORONTO (MRI) - The debate over the link between childhood vaccines and autism may be once again raging south of the border, but a spokesman for the Public Health Agency of Canada says there is nothing to worry about here....More

Quebec asks top court for 18-month delay in lifting ban on private health care

OTTAWA (CP) - Quebec has asked the Supreme Court of Canada for an 18-month stay of its landmark judgment striking down a ban on private medical insurance in the province....More

Millions of aging baby boomers reminded to take stock of their health

WASHINGTON (AP) - The goal for aging baby boomers isn't just to live longer, it's to make the coming years quality ones, and live independently as long as possible....More

Alberta poised to sign child-care funding deal with Ottawa this week

EDMONTON (CP) - After threatening to walk away from new federal child-care funding if too many strings were attached, Alberta expects to sign a deal with Ottawa this week after all....More

Merck seeks delay in first case over pain reliever Vioxx to reach trial

SAGAPONACK, N.Y. (AP) - Merck & Co. is asking a judge to delay the first wrongful death trial over its pain reliever Vioxx, saying it cannot receive a fair trial if the Texas case begins next week as scheduled....More

Bird flu at tipping point, Asia needs mass vaccination of poultry, say experts

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Asia's bird flu outbreak is at a critical stage where it could easily become a human pandemic and officials should help prevent that by launching mass vaccinations of poultry, UN health experts warned Monday. Dr....More

Leper colony in southeast Romania slowly coming out of isolation

TICHILESTI, Romania (AP) - For many of his 73 years, Cristache Tatulea didn't exist. The regime of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu kept lepers like Tatulea off its official records, as it strove to convince the world it had eradicated the disease....More

WHO: 34 new cases of polio in Indonesia, bringing total to 100

GENEVA (AP) - The UN health agency on Tuesday reported 34 new cases of polio in Indonesia, bringing the country's known total to 100....More

Some 159 killed by parasitic infection spread by sandflies in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - A rare and deadly parasitic disease has killed 159 people since late last year during an outbreak in northern Ethiopia, an international aid agency said Tuesday....More

U.N. official: AIDS in Asia-Pacific a "silent tsunami" in need of response

KOBE, Japan (AP) - The Asia-Pacific faces a "silent tsunami" as HIV/AIDS rates surge in a region home to more than half the world's population, a U.N. official said Saturday....More

FDA warns of possible increased suicide risk for adults who use antidepressants

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a second public warning Friday that adults who use antidepressants should be closely monitored for warning signs of suicide, especially when they first start the pills or change a dose....More

Debate in U.S. hinges on condoms' effectiveness at protecting against STDs

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Everyone knows condoms prevent pregnancy and protect against sexually transmitted diseases. But how well do they work? That question is at the centre of a debate in the United States over whether the labels on condom packages should be changed....More

Landscape of nursing in Canada over the centuries portrayed in exhibition

(CP) - Hospitals have closed, nurses have been laid off, new diseases such as SARS have emerged and the number of drugs and complexity of technical procedures have skyrocketed since Genevieve MacDonald set out on her nursing career 50 years ago....More

Drug makers reformulate U.S. cold medicines that can be used to make meth

PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) - Under pressure from law-enforcement agencies and state governments, drug companies have begun reformulating popular U.S. cold medicines to prevent criminals from converting them into methamphetamine....More

Bird flu at tipping point, Asia needs mass vaccination of poultry, say experts

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Asia's bird flu outbreak is at a critical stage where it could easily become a human pandemic and officials should help prevent that by launching mass vaccinations of poultry, UN health experts warned Monday. Dr....More

Charest and McGuinty battle over Shiners hospital at big convention

(CP) - The battle between over a Shriners children's hospital grew heated Sunday when Quebec Premier Jean Charest demanded Ontario's Dalton McGuinty publicly denounce a "slick" promotional video, saying "it lies" and "questions the integrity" of his government....More

GI fatsos too tubby to fight?

WATERTOWN, Wis. (AP) - Besides terrorists, germ warfare and nuclear weapons, U.S. military officers increasingly worry about a different kind of threat - troops too fat to fight. Weight issues plague all branches of the U.S....More

Ontario and Quebec battle over Shriners hospital at huge U.S. convention

WASHINGTON (CP) - It's shaping up to be a provincial tug of war over a prestigious children's hospital among a sea of convention-going Shriners....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

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

It's summer, grab your sunscreen - and your smoke screen, smog screen and chlorine screen

NEW YORK (AP) - You'd have to be living under a rock not to know that the sun can damage your skin and hair since warnings are everywhere and beauty products with sun protection factor are almost as prevalent....More

It's summer - grab your sunscreen, smoke screen, smog screen, chlorine screen

NEW YORK (AP) - You'd have to be living under a rock not to know that the sun can damage your skin and hair since warnings are everywhere and beauty products with sun protection factor are almost as prevalent....More

Interval training effective, but not for the faint of heart or the overweight

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A new study suggests that doing intense interval training for 20 minutes three times a week is just as effective at boosting strength and endurance as five to six hours of jogging or moderate cycling....More

2 infants die as flu 'outbreak' inundates Cambodian hospitals

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - A flu outbreak has killed two infants and hospitalized more than 1,000 children in the Cambodian capital, health officials said Thursday, worrying parents and catching medical professionals by surprise....More

Bloggers surfing, sharing science in quest to understand pandemic threat

TORONTO (CP) - They religiously monitor Asian newspaper articles, devour World Health Organization reports, scan medical literature. They debate the principles that drive the evolution of influenza viruses and critique government preparations for a flu pandemic....More