PharmEng International loses $250,952 in Q2, gets $1.6M in new contracts

TORONTO (CP) - PharmEng International Inc. lost $250,952 or 0.7 cents per share in the second quarter, after the consulting and contract drug manufacturing company went public in April. Revenues for the three months ended June 30 amounted to $2.2 million, compared to $1....More

Millenium Biologix signs licence deal to use MIT cartilage replacement study

KINGSTON, Ont. (CP) - Millenium Biologix Corp. said Tuesday it has licensed a landmark cartilage study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that it will use in its cartilage repair technology. The Kingston, Ont....More

ImClone files delayed Erbitux cancer treatment application to U.S. regulators

NEW YORK (AP) - ImClone Systems Inc. said Tuesday that it submitted an application to U.S. regulators to expand the approval of its Erbitux cancer treatment to include head and neck cancer, meeting a revised filing schedule....More

Medical officials report deaths of two Toronto men from West Nile virus

TORONTO (CP) - Two Toronto men have died from West Nile virus, the first reported deaths in Canada this year from the mosquito-borne disease. Health officials confirmed Tuesday a 63-year-old man and a 90-year-old man died from the virus on the weekend....More

France plans to boost protection against possible bird flu outbreak

PARIS (AP) - France will increase its stocks of medicine, vaccinations and protective masks amid concerns about a potential outbreak of bird flu in Europe and a possible resulting human pandemic, the prime minister's office said Tuesday....More

After 225 cases of polio, Indonesian toddlers line up for vaccinations

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Parents and their children lined up across Indonesia Tuesday in a polio vaccination drive targeting 24 million youngsters, but health workers said some could be missed amid unfounded fears the vaccine is unsafe or violates Islamic law....More

UN agency sees bird flu virus spreading to Europe, Africa, Middle East

ROME (AP) - The bird flu virus that has hit several countries in Asia is likely to spread to Europe, the Middle East, south Asia and Africa, a U.N. food agency said Wednesday....More

Don't forget immunizations when arming your freshman for college life

TORONTO (CP) - With stacks of notebooks and ubiquitous laptops, teenagers heading to university for the first time are armed to learn. But public health officials worry their immune systems may not be armed to withstand the assault of freshman year....More

Six plead guilty to selling fake Lance Armstrong wristbands for cancer

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Six people have pleaded guilty to charges connected to the sale of thousands of phony LiveStrong wristbands and have turned over almost $112,000 US to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's office said Monday....More

School cafeterias catching on to healthy eating, but grease still on the menu

TORONTO (CP) - When the cafeteria lineup regularly includes burgers of unknown origin - best guesses are split between chicken or fish - and an unidentifiable grey slop purported to be broccoli soup, it's no wonder kids go for the fries....More

Medical schools must move more quickly to address doctor shortage

HALIFAX (CP) - Federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh says medical schools must move more quickly to create spaces in medical schools....More

In future, ordinary lights may communicate, boost health

NEW YORK (AP) - Scientists have been taking a closer look at the lighting in our homes, offices and vehicles, and they're seeing a new means of electronic communication as well as potential for a way to improve health. None of this will happen tomorrow....More

Condoms often misused, increasing STD risk

TORONTO (MRI) - New research shows that even sexually experienced condom users often don't use the contraceptive properly, resulting in an elevated risk of sexually transmitted diseases....More

Cardiome Pharma to buy privately held U.S firm Artesian Therapeutics for US$32M

VANCOUVER (CP) - Cardiome Pharma Corp. has agreed to buy Artesian Therapeutics Inc., a privately held U.S. biopharmaceutical company, for a total of $32 million US. Gaithersburg, Md....More

Vasogen ends Phase III arterial disease drug trial early on recommendation

TORONTO (CP) - Vasogen Inc. said Tuesday it has brought an early close to a Phase III trial of its Celacade drug for the treatment of chronic inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease....More

Millenium Biologix signs licence deal to use MIT cartilage replacement study

KINGSTON, Ont. (CP) - Millenium Biologix Corp. said Tuesday it has licensed a landmark cartilage study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that it will use in its cartilage repair technology. The Kingston, Ont....More

Mass polio vaccination campaign in Indonesia hampered by rumours, ignorance

CIKEUSAL, Indonesia (AP) - Holding her two-year-old son, Sari listens intently in a ramshackle health clinic as the medical staff assures her and other villagers about the safety of the vaccine being used to fight Indonesia's first polio outbreak in a decade....More

Bird flu kills three rare civets at national park in Vietnam

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Bird flu has killed three rare civets born in captivity at a national park in Vietnam, marking the first time the virus has been reported in the species, officials said Friday....More

Scientific community to set goals for flu research in face of pandemic threat

TORONTO (CP) - Leaders of Canada's scientific and public health community will meet this week to chart a course for influenza research that could help the country prepare for a flu pandemic....More

New process may lead to blood test for mad cow, preventing spread of disease

WASHINGTON (AP) - One of the biggest hurdles in fighting ailments such as mad cow disease and its human version has been the lack of a way to diagnose the illness. A new process may point the way to a useful blood test....More

Congo cholera outbreak kills 19, sickens hundreds in military encampment

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - A cholera outbreak among soldiers and their families in eastern Congo has killed more than a dozen people and sickened hundreds of others, health officials said Saturday....More

Coffee reported to be top source of antioxidants, but moderation is key

WASHINGTON (AP) - When the Ink Spots sang "I love the java jive and it loves me" in 1940, they could not have known how right they were....More

Condoms often misused, increasing STD risk

TORONTO (MRI) - New research shows that even sexually experienced condom users often don't use the contraceptive properly, resulting in an elevated risk of sexually transmitted diseases....More

Getting the word out about Alzheimer's: it affects every member of the family

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Ethel Shaw was the quintessential grandmother, a retired schoolteacher who spent countless hours quilting baby blankets for her great-grandchildren and baking their favourite cookies - molasses or peanut butter....More

Health Canada agrees to let yanked ADHD Adderall back on Canadian market

TORONTO (CP) - A drug for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder that was forced off the market last February by Health Canada is being reinstated after an expert panel declared it was of no greater risk than other medications for the disorder....More

Feeling better from homeopathy no more than placebo effect, study suggests

TORONTO (CP) - Homeopathic remedies may help people feel better, but their impact appears to be no greater than a placebo effect, a comparison of more than 200 studies of the alternative medicine and conventional treatments concludes....More

Autistic boy, 5, dies after undergoing unproven treatment in medical office

PORTERSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - An autistic boy died after receiving an unproven treatment that some people believe may cure the neurological and developmental disorder, officials said....More

EU has 'serious concern' of avian flu spreading from Russia into Europe

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - European Union experts said Thursday there was "serious concern" an outbreak of avian flu in Russia could spread to Europe, and the EU head office urged the 25 member states to step up surveillance....More

California targets 39 companies in drug fraud lawsuit

LOS ANGELES (AP) - California regulators named 39 new defendants Thursday in a lawsuit against U.S. pharmaceutical companies accused of inflating drug prices and costing state taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Among those named were drug giants Amgen Inc....More

Abortion opponents send hate mail to journal editor about fetal pain article

CHICAGO (AP) - The editor of a medical journal that published an article this week saying fetuses likely don't feel pain until late in pregnancy said Thursday she has received dozens of angry e-mails from abortion opponents. Dr....More

Bird flu kills three rare civets at national park in Vietnam

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Bird flu has killed three rare civets born in captivity at a national park in Vietnam, marking the first time the virus has been reported in the species, officials said Friday....More

Alberta worker may have caught West Nile through contact with eye membranes

TORONTO (CP) - A group of Alberta scientists is reporting a medical oddity that may go down on the books as one of the strangest ways ever of catching the West Nile virus....More

Researchers planning to take a $2.8-million look at childhood obesity

OTTAWA (CP) - Researchers will take a $2.8-million look at childhood obesity just as students head back to school this fall. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, representing the federal government, is providing $2.2 million to support 13 research projects on the subject....More

One death from pig disease reported in southern China, two in hospital

BEIJING (AP) - One person has died of a pig-borne disease in southern China, the government said Wednesday, and two others are still hospitalized. The cases, blamed on the bacteria Streptococcus suis, were reported Monday in four different areas in Guangdong province....More

Medicure's annual loss balloons to $14.9M from $6M on higher R&D costs

WINNIPEG (CP) - Medicure Inc. lost $14.9 million in its latest financial year, more than double the previous year, as the company increased spending on research and development....More

More doctors returning to Canada than leaving, first time in 30 years: report

TORONTO (CP) - When Dr. Kellie Leitch returned to Canada from the United States a few years ago, she joined a growing number of Canadian physicians choosing to come back home to practise. And now, the country's medical brain-drain has been reversed for the first time in 30 years....More

Japanese panel: More study needed before reopening market to U.S. beef

TOKYO (AP) - Japan needs to further study the risk of imported American beef being infected with mad cow disease before reopening its markets to the U.S. meat, Japan's food safety panel decided Wednesday....More

Internet spammer indicted on illegal pharmacy charges

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A Minnesota man considered one of the world's most prolific e-mail spammers was indicted on more than a dozen federal charges related to the operation of his business, Xpress Pharmacy Direct....More

Delaying ear tube surgery won't harm children's development

TORONTO (MRI) - Considering ear tube surgery to combat your baby's chronic ear infections? A new study says waiting to see if the infections go away on their own won't hurt your child's development and could spare them from going under the knife....More

Health Canada agrees to let yanked ADHD Adderall back on Canadian market

TORONTO (CP) - A drug for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder that was forced off the market last February by Health Canada is being reinstated after an expert panel declared it was of no greater risk than other medications for the disorder....More

High blood pressure may raise glaucoma risk

TORONTO (MRI) - A new study shows having high blood pressure can not only raise your risk of having a heart attacks or stroke, it can also lead to glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness....More

Hormone therapy may only pose slight risk of breast cancer, study suggests

TORONTO (MRI) - In sharp contrast to the results of numerous studies, Australian researchers suggest using hormone replacement therapy may only slightly increase women's risk of breast cancer....More

BCY LifeSciences narrows research expenses to $5K in Q2 from year-earlier $20K

TORONTO (CP) - Drug developer BCY LifeSciences Inc. said Tuesday it narrowed research expenses to $5,000 in the second quarter from $20,000 in the same period last year....More

Family of nurse killed by SARS can sue Ontario government for negligence

TORONTO (CP) - At least three lawsuits alleging the Ontario government put the province's economic interests ahead of the safety of its nurses during the deadly SARS outbreak two years ago have been allowed to proceed....More

Can machines improve old-fashioned CPR?

WASHINGTON (AP) - Old-fashioned CPR is getting a makeover. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is crucial when people collapse with cardiac arrest, but it's hard to perform correctly....More

ASA, other anti-inflammatory drugs cut risk for colon cancer in women: study

TORONTO (CP) - Women who took two or more doses of ASA or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs per week significantly reduced their risk of colorectal cancer - but also boosted the danger of internal bleeding, a major study has found....More

One death from pig disease reported in southern China, two in hospital

BEIJING (AP) - One person has died of a pig-borne disease in southern China, the government said Wednesday, and two others are still hospitalized. The cases, blamed on the bacteria Streptococcus suis, were reported Monday in four different areas in Guangdong province....More

Delaying ear tube surgery won't harm children's development

TORONTO (MRI) - Considering ear tube surgery to combat your baby's chronic ear infections? A new study says waiting to see if the infections go away on their own won't hurt your child's development and could spare them from going under the knife....More

Merck tried to cut cardiovascular risk in Cox-2 drugs before Vioxx hit market

NEW YORK (AP) - Merck & Co. sought patent protection for a way to reduce cardiovascular problems in Cox-2 inhibitors, the class of drugs that includes Vioxx, as early as 1998 - a year before the popular pain killer was introduced, newly disclosed documents show....More

Merck shares reverse early slide in heavy trading after Vioxx damage award

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Shares of drugmaker Merck & Co. slipped in extremely heavy trading Monday, three days after a Texas jury hit the company with a $253.4 million US damage award in the first trial over withdrawn painkiller Vioxx....More

Jehovah's Witness, 15, heads home to B.C. after successful chemo in New York

(CP) - A British Columbia teenager whose religious beliefs led her into a legal battle over her cancer treatment was going home Monday after being pronounced free of the disease by doctors at a New York hospital....More

ID Biomedical shares reach new 52-week high on hopes for business next year

VANCOUVER (CP) - Shares of ID Biomedical reached a new high Monday as investors and analysts cheered news that the company was on track to start selling its flu vaccine in the United States starting next year. ID Biomedical shares (TSX:IDB) added $2.05, or 7....More

China reports 4 new human cases of pig-borne disease in the south

BEIJING (AP) - Another four people have been reported infected by a pig-borne disease in southern China, and one has died, one day after an epidemic in another part of the country was declared under control....More

Bioxel Pharma's second-quarter loss narrows to $968K from year-ago $1.4M

QUEBEC (CP) - Cancer drug maker Bioxel Pharma Inc. said Monday its second-quarter net loss narrowed to $968,000 from a year-ago $1.35 million as revenues dwindled....More

High blood pressure may raise glaucoma risk

TORONTO (MRI) - A new study shows having high blood pressure can not only raise your risk of having a heart attacks or stroke, it can also lead to glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness....More

Breastfeeding for longer may lessen weight troubles later in life

TORONTO (MRI) - Nursing mothers who breastfeed for longer amounts of time may be helping their babies avoid weight troubles later in life, according to a new study....More

Merck found liable for man's death in first Vioxx trial in the United States

ANGLETON, Texas (AP) - A Texas jury found pharmaceutical giant Merck and Co. liable Friday for the death of a man who took the once-popular painkiller Vioxx, awarding his widow $253.4 million US in damages in the first of thousands of lawsuits pending....More

Menopause affects sex life less than relationship

TORONTO (MRI) - Although menopause symptoms can affect a women's sex life, they appear to matter less than several other factors, including relationships and attitudes towards sex, a new study suggests....More

Silver medallist at World Masters Games fits running into busy schedule

(CP) - Monika Braun blames her kids. She had no idea that keeping up with a husband, two children and her practice as an optometrist would mean an end to her aerobic-class workouts. Making it to scheduled classes was next to impossible....More

Saudi Arabia announces tighter measures during hajj to curb polio spread

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - As millions of Muslims prepare to make the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia is adopting stricter measures to stop a new and startling spread of polio across the region, Saudi and United Nations officials said Saturday....More

Russia puts restrictions on Siberian poultry farm amid fears of bird flu

MOSCOW (AP) - Veterinary officials have placed restrictions on a large Siberian poultry farm amid fears that bird flu may have infected it, Russian news agencies reported....More

Sales of key antiviral drug soar as awareness of flu pandemic potential rises

TORONTO (CP) - North American sales of the drug oseltamivir have more than tripled in recent months, a trend public health experts see as evidence individuals are stockpiling the once little-used antiviral as a hedge against a possible flu pandemic....More

Genetic material offers potential treatment for lethal SARS virus

WASHINGTON (AP) - Small fragments of genetic material that can silence specific genes are showing promise in battling the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome....More

Cultural icon or high-caloric curse? The great debate over Indian fry bread

SELLS, Ariz. (AP) - When you first see it, plopped down on a paper plate in all its caloric bliss, the round, doughy treat is so appealing, so alluring it's hard to believe this wondrous sight can cause anything but delight....More

Lawyer wants chemical company employees monitored for brain cancer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A chemical company worker has filed a class-action lawsuit, arguing that he and thousands of fellow employees should be tested for brain tumours because of a cluster of deadly cases. Rohm and Haas Co....More

French fries associated with breast cancer risk

TORONTO (MRI) - Eating French fries as a preschooler may haunt a woman later in life, significantly increasing her risk of breast cancer, a new study has found....More

Contaminated water sickens hundreds at playground in western New York

ALBANY, N.Y.(AP) - Gastrointestinal illness possibly stemming from a state-run water playground has sickened more than 700 people, mostly children and teenagers, the state Health Department said Thursday....More

Encephalitis outbreak kills 79 children in northern India; many others ill

LUCKNOW, India (AP) - An outbreak of mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis has killed at least 79 children in a north Indian state over the last week, with dozens of other children in serious condition, officials said Thursday....More

Daily glass of orange juice may help prevent arthritis, study finds

TORONTO (MRI) - Tasty forms of nourishment such as corn or a glass of orange juice may reduce your risk of arthritis, according to a new study....More

Canadian health-care groups vow to fight move towards private system

EDMONTON (CP) - A move by Canada's doctors to support a parallel, private health care system is a wake-up call to Canadians and politicians to move quickly to protect medicare, national health advocacy groups warned Thursday....More

Alegro Health Corp. acquires Concentra's Canadian operations

TORONTO (CP) - Alegro Health Corp., a Canadian health-care services provider, has bought the Canadian division of Concentra Integrated Services of Burlington, Mass....More

Cocoa research holds promise, but chocolate's not a health food

WASHINGTON (AP) - The truth is bittersweet: Something in cocoa beans may be good for your heart, but - sigh - that's still no reason to load up on chocolate bars or brownies. The health potential is real....More

Internal WHO plan urges stockpiling antiviral drug for staff and dependants

TORONTO (CP) - The World Health Organization's internal pandemic flu plan urges its offices around the world to stockpile enough of the antiviral drug oseltamivir to treat nearly a third of staff and their dependants - a guideline that may be adopted by other UN agencies as well....More

Higher obesity rates pushing knee and hip replacement needs: report

TORONTO (CP) - A new report draws a direct line between alarming obesity rates and sharp increases in knee and hip replacement surgeries, a finding experts warn should be a wake-up call for Canadians concerned about the health of their joints - and the cost of their health care....More

Doctors support parallel private health system at CMA meeting in Edmonton

EDMONTON (CP) - The Canadian Medical Association threw its support behind a parallel, private health-care system Wednesday....More

Foot and ankle pain caused by person's weight, study shows

TORONTO (MRI) - Being heavy on your feet - literally - may lead to foot and ankle problems, new research suggests....More

Doctors engineer 'skin' from fetal cells to treat children with burns

TORONTO (CP) - In a procedure that could revolutionize burn treatment, doctors have used fetal skin cells to successfully heal young children with severe scalding injuries, avoiding the need to remove a patch of their own skin for a graft....More

California heat prompts emergency protection for outdoor workers

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) - New state regulations will guarantee outdoor workers toiling under the blazing California sun a quart of water each hour, training to recognize heat stroke symptoms and shade to escape the heat if they start feeling ill....More

Lawyer wants chemical company employees monitored for brain cancer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A chemical company worker has filed a class-action lawsuit, arguing that he and thousands of fellow employees should be tested for brain tumours because of a cluster of deadly cases. Rohm and Haas Co....More

Beverage industry group announces policy to limit soft drinks in schools

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - The American Beverage Association is recommending limiting the availability of soft drinks in schools across the country, a move that comes amid increased pressure to curb the epidemic of childhood obesity....More

Sharp rise in skin cancer for women under 40: study

TORONTO (MRI) - Women under 40 appear to be experiencing sharp rises in the two most common forms of skin cancer, prompting concerns over tanning beds and calls for bolstering skin cancer prevention....More

Same batch of heroin may have killed 6 people in 6 days in New York

NEW YORK (AP) - Six people discovered dead or dying in downtown Manhattan over the past week may have been killed by the same bad batch of heroin, city officials warned Tuesday....More

Canadian Medical Association backs away from denouncing private health care

EDMONTON (CP) - Delegates to the Canadian Medical Association annual meeting backed away Tuesday from taking a stand against private health care, opening the door to what some fear will be a road map to privatization....More

No comfort for your cold from echinacea, study finds

TORONTO (MRI) - Echinacea is widely regarded as an effective herbal remedy for the common cold. But new research suggests that its effects may be all in the mind....More

Canadian research teams aim to find ways to block breast cancer's spread

TORONTO (CP) - Two teams of Canadian researchers are embarking on multimillion-dollar studies to try to determine how breast cancer cells spread to other parts of the body, a process called metastasis that is currently poorly understood....More

McGill researchers discover gene that controls speed of TB infection

MONTREAL (CP) - Montreal scientists have discovered a gene that controls the speed at which patients develop tuberculosis. The discovery "helps to better understand the disease's mechanism," said Dr. Erwin Schurr, a molecular geneticist and lead researcher on his subject....More

California heat prompts emergency protection for outdoor workers

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) - New state regulations will guarantee outdoor workers toiling under the blazing California sun a quart of water each hour, training to recognize heat stroke symptoms and shade to escape the heat if they start feeling ill....More

Advocate for tougher anti-smoking laws is losing battle with cancer

OTTAWA (CP) - The woman who won the first successful workers compensation claim for lung cancer caused by second-hand smoke is now losing her long battle with the dreaded disease....More

ID Biomedical posts wider Q2 loss of $32.5M compared to year-ago $10.9M

VANCOUVER (CP) - ID Biomedical Corp. said Monday a much anticipated deal with the Canadian government for the funding of clinical trials of pandemic mock influenza vaccine should be signed "shortly....More

Dramatic surgery patches sneaky skull hole

WASHINGTON (AP) - Every morning, Rebecca Ackerman's nose would run for a few hours, infuriating the five-year-old....More

Cheap medicine and clinics prove a gold mine for a Mexican pharmacist with presidential ambitions

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Victor Gonzalez has become very rich selling cheap medicine and health care to Mexico's poor....More

Breast-cancer-spreading gene identified by researchers

TORONTO (MRI) - The battle against breast cancer has gotten a boost from scientists' discovery of genes linked to the spread of the disease to the lungs....More

Death toll from unidentified Congo illness rises to 29, health officials say

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - An unidentified respiratory disease has killed eight more people in an eastern Congo diamond-mining region, pushing the death toll to 29 as the number of infections topped 1,000, health officials said Monday....More

Angola's polio outbreak threatening to cross into neighbouring Congo, Zambia

GENEVA (AP) - An outbreak of polio in Angola could cross into neighbouring Congo and Zambia, which until now have been free of the disease, the UN health agency said Monday....More

Sharp rise in skin cancer for women under 40: study

TORONTO (MRI) - Women under 40 appear to be experiencing sharp rises in the two most common forms of skin cancer, prompting concerns over tanning beds and calls for bolstering skin cancer prevention....More

Blood agency changes rules for donors who spent time in Britain, France

TORONTO (CP) - People who spent three months or more in Britain and France from the start of 1997 onward will no longer be barred from giving blood, Canadian Blood Services announced Monday....More

New strategy shows promise in treating hidden HIV infection: Lancet study

LONDON (AP) - A new treatment strategy has shown promise in helping to transform HIV into a curable infection....More

U.S. research team to study vaccine pre-priming for pandemic response

TORONTO (CP) - As public health experts struggle to plan ways to rapidly vaccinate hundreds of millions of people when a flu pandemic next strikes, some researchers are looking to a small group of individuals in Rochester, N.Y., in the hopes of finding a shortcut....More

PTSD seen in many besides veterans now; 'culturally overdiagnosed?'

GLENVILLE, N.Y. (AP) - For hundreds of thousands of Americans, mental illness is just a drive down the road. Ask Beth Puglisi. The 45-year-old mother was out to fill her gas tank on a bitter-cold January day last year....More

'Laughter therapy' doctor Patch Adams honoured in Peru, calls Bush 'fascist'

LIMA, Peru (AP) - A U.S. doctor known for his signature use of "laughter therapy" and social activism used his acceptance speech for a health care award to blast President George W. Bush and materialism in society. Dr....More

Waiting lists, staff shortages, public-private health care top concerns: CMA

EDMONTON (CP) - A shortage of medical professionals, chronically long waiting lists and a landmark court decision have combined to create the perfect storm in Canada's health-care system, say top officials of the Canadian Medical Association....More

Canadian hospitals not prepared for disaster, say emergency-care doctors

OTTAWA (CP) - Canadian hospitals are not prepared to deal with disasters such as terrorist attacks or epidemics because emergency rooms are already swamped, say crisis-care specialists....More

Jennings, Reeve cases send smokers rushing for controversial lung cancer test

If a simple, painless test can find the world's deadliest cancer when it is smaller than a pea - and such a test does indeed exist - shouldn't people who are most at risk have one? Surprisingly, the federal government, American Cancer Society and a raft of cancer specialists say...More

Polio cases reach 219 in Indonesia; third Jakarta resident stricken

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - The number of Indonesians stricken by polio climbed to 219, the UN health agency said Monday, with 14 new cases reported in children who hadn't been vaccinated for the crippling disease....More

New study suggests super-strict diet may block prostate cancer

WASHINGTON (AP) - A radical ultra low-fat diet and other lifestyle changes may help keep early-stage prostate cancer from worsening, says the first attempt to test the theory. It's a small study that tracked men whose tumours weren't aggressive....More

Millions willing to spend thousands private health service, poll suggests

OTTAWA (CP) - Millions of Canadians were willing to consider spending thousands of dollars to join a private health service to gain access to faster medical care, suggests a Decima Research poll released Thursday....More

Fewer young women smoked last year, men hung on to habit: Statistics Canada

OTTAWA (CP) - Fewer young women smoked last year, but the habit was harder to kick for young men, Statistics Canada says. The Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey found a slight overall decline in smoking, although 20 per cent of people 15 or older were still puffing....More

Detergent gel packs pose risk of eye injury in young kids, doctors say

TORONTO (CP) - Those little gel packs of detergent may be a convenient way to load the dishwasher, but they could pose a serious risk to young children, doctors say....More

Countries urged to consider second antiviral drug for pandemic arsenals

TORONTO (CP) - A little-known antiviral drug that works against influenza has been largely ignored as countries race to amass drug arsenals to fight a feared flu pandemic. But governments should not overlook zanamivir, a commentary in a leading medical journal suggests....More

Asian countries agree to set up regional bird flu drug, vaccine stockpile

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Senior Asian health officials agreed Thursday to set up a regional stockpile of drugs and vaccines that could be flown within hours to any country experiencing an avian influenza outbreak in humans....More

Canada and U.S. link databases to facilitate tracing of food outbreaks

TORONTO (CP) - Public health officials on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border will be able to trace outbreaks of nasty foodborne pathogens like E. coli with greater ease from now on, thanks to an international agreement that will be signed Friday....More

Common dog tick found to spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever

(AP) - Scientists have discovered that a very common type of dog tick can spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a serious and often-fatal illness that reached historic highs in the United States last year....More

N.B. government agrees to major pay increases for salaried physicians

FREDERICTON (CP) - The New Brunswick government says hefty wage increases for doctors should make the province more competitive in today's cut-throat market for physicians....More

Russia's chief veterinarian calls for stricter measures against avian flu

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's chief veterinarian said Tuesday stricter measures have to be taken to contain the outbreak of the avian flu virus that can infect humans, news reports said. The virus has been found in five regions in Siberia over the past month....More

Medmira Inc. forms China joint venture with Tianhe Pharmaceutical

HALIFAX (CP) - MedMira Inc. has begun a partnership with Chinese pharmaceutical firm Tianhe Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. it says will open new over-the-counter markets in China for its rapid diagnostic products....More

India's government on alert for bird flu as migrating birds arrive

BANGALORE, India (AP) - India's government warned health and wildlife officials throughout the country to watch for symptoms of avian influenza among migratory birds that have begun arriving from China and other regions affected by the disease....More

Screening of 2,000 Tysabri patients finds no new cases of brain disease

DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) - About 2,000 patients who took the suspended MS-fighting drug Tysabri in clinical trials have been screened for a deadly disease, but none showed signs of contracting it, the Irish and U.S. companies jointly developing the drug said Tuesday. Elan Corp....More

Double liver transplant survivor calls for negative-option donation in Canada

TORONTO (CP) - A two-time liver transplant recipient is calling on provincial governments to follow the lead of European countries by allowing negative-option organ donor registration in Canada....More

Bird flu outbreak in Indonesia contained although threat remains: WHO

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - A bird flu outbreak that killed three family members in Indonesia last month has been contained, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, though the archipelago remains vulnerable to the virus....More

Doctors alliance calls for $3 billion more to reduce health-care wait times

TORONTO (CP) - The federal and provincial governments should invest another $3 billion over five years to reduce long lineups for key health procedures that are causing suffering among patients, says a report by an alliance of doctors groups....More

WHO chief says talks underway to stockpile avian flu drug in Southeast Asia

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - The head of the UN health agency said Tuesday negotiations are underway to build a stockpile of avian-flu fighting drugs for Southeast Asia to help guard against a potential global flu pandemic. Dr....More

"Prehypertension" increases heart disease risk

TORONTO (MRI) - Think you're safe from heart disease because your blood pressure is in the normal range? New research indicates that if it's on the higher end of normal, you could still face an increased risk....More

SEC asking U.S. drugmaker Pfizer for data on Bextra, Celebrex

NEW YORK (AP) - Pfizer Inc. is responding to a request from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for information and documents on its Bextra and Celebrex painkillers, the drugmaker said Tuesday in a filing....More

Screening of 2,000 Tysabri patients finds no new cases of brain disease

DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) - About 2,000 patients who took the suspended MS-fighting drug Tysabri in clinical trials have been screened for a deadly disease, but none showed signs of contracting it, the Irish and U.S. companies jointly developing the drug said Tuesday. Elan Corp....More

Russia's chief veterinarian calls for stricter measures against avian flu

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's chief veterinarian said Tuesday stricter measures have to be taken to contain the outbreak of the avian flu virus that can infect humans, news reports said. The virus has been found in five regions in Siberia over the past month....More

Bird flu outbreak in Indonesia contained although threat remains: WHO

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - A bird flu outbreak that killed three family members in Indonesia last month has been contained, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, though the archipelago remains vulnerable to the virus....More

N.B. government agrees to major pay increases for salaried physicians

FREDERICTON (CP) - The New Brunswick government says hefty wage increases for doctors should make the province more competitive in today's cut-throat market for physicians....More

Medmira Inc. forms China joint venture with Tianhe Pharmaceutical

HALIFAX (CP) - MedMira Inc. has begun a partnership with Chinese pharmaceutical firm Tianhe Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. it says will open new over-the-counter markets in China for its rapid diagnostic products....More

New Zealand legionnaires' disease outbreak claims 3rd victim

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - A deadly outbreak of legionnaires' disease in southern New Zealand claimed its third victim Monday, as health officials scrambled to locate the source of the infection....More

Polio spreads to Indonesian capital as number of cases grows to 205

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - At least 700,000 children missed the Indonesian government's latest polio immunization program in part because many parents wrongly believed the vaccine was dangerous, the UN health organization said Monday....More

Bird flu vaccine requires huge doses; stretching strategies critical: experts

TORONTO (CP) - Enthusiasm over the news that U.S. researchers have proven a vaccine is effective against the H5N1 avian flu strain was tempered Monday with word that it took massive doses - roughly 12 times the normal amount - to produce a protective response in humans....More

Fake white bread sneaks fibre on picky eaters, but not everyone is excited

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Looks like white bread. Tastes like it, too. But is it? It took scientists eight long years and millions of dollars to sneak whole grains into that spongy, yeasty icon of U.S. health-unconscious consumerism....More

Lung cancer remains difficult to treat despite some advances, doctors say

TORONTO (CP) - There have been some steps forward in treating lung cancer in the last 20 years, but the disease that took the life of Canadian-born newsman Peter Jennings remains one of the most formidable cancers to defeat, doctors say....More

2nd case of pig-borne disease reported in southern China, officials say

SHANGHAI, China (AP) - Authorities confirmed a second case of a pig-borne illness in southern China's Guangdong province on Monday, while four officials were reportedly fired for mistakes in containing the spread of the infection in another area, where it claimed 39 lives....More

Avian flu kills one more person in Vietnam, taking the regional toll to 61

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - A 35-year-old man from southern Vietnam died of avian flu, health officials said Tuesday, as the country began a mass vaccination of poultry to try to slow the spread of the virus. The man from the southern Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre died July 31....More

"Prehypertension" increases heart disease risk

TORONTO (MRI) - Think you're safe from heart disease because your blood pressure is in the normal range? New research indicates that if it's on the higher end of normal, you could still face an increased risk....More

UN says undiagnosed illness kills 12, sickens 22 in eastern Congo

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - An undiagnosed illness that causes its victims to vomit blood has killed 12 people and sickened 22 at a diamond mine in eastern Congo, a UN aid official said Friday....More

Dosanjh says medicare debate shouldn't be bound by 'rigid ideological positions'

OTTAWA (CP) - The Supreme Court has granted a one-year stay in its ruling clearing the way for private health insurance in Quebec, but experts expect the movement toward two-tier health care in Canada to continue....More

Florida Doctor avoids serious discipline for providing Canadian flu shots

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Dr. Hanimi Challa says all he wanted to do was provide his elderly patients with critical flu shots. So, when the U.S....More

Spain health ministry says 1,700 people affected by salmonella outbreak

MADRID, Spain (AP) - The number of people taken ill in a salmonella outbreak after eating contaminated chicken has reached 1,700 in Spain, the health ministry said Friday....More

Obesity raises injury risk

TORONTO (MRI) - If you are extremely obese, you are more likely to hurt yourself - and not just by increasing your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other serious medical conditions....More

U.S. ready to order millions more doses of new avian flu vaccine

WASHINGTON (AP) - Mass production of a new vaccine that scientists believe can protect against an avian flu outbreak could begin as early as mid-September, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said Sunday. Dr....More

Computer predictions that pandemic is stoppable pose public health dilemma

TORONTO (CP) - Computer models that predict an emerging influenza pandemic could be snuffed out before the brush fire becomes a conflagration have created a quandary for global public health leaders....More

WHO says bird flu vaccine good first step, but is no "silver bullet"

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - A new human bird flu vaccine being tested in the United States is a good step toward preventing a potential pandemic, but it shouldn't be mistaken for a "silver bullet," the World Health Organization said Monday....More

CFIA warning people not to consume Rajah brand curry powders

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning consumers not to consume Rajah brand curry powders described below. These products may contain a non-permitted colour, Sudan I, which is considered to be carcinogenic....More

CFIA warning consumers not to eat certain Fontaine Sante pesto products

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Aliments Fontaine Sante Inc. are advising consumers not to eat the Fontaine Sante pesto products described below as they may contain the micro-organism Cyclospora cayetanensis which presents a health risk....More

Taking even 2 safety measures can halve West Nile infection risk: study

TORONTO (CP) - Ever wonder whether dousing yourself with mosquito repellent, donning a shroud of clothing or staying indoors after dusk really will prevent West Nile infection? Well, now there's proof such measures actually do work....More

Bird flu kills 600 fowl in Kazakhstan, suspected human case not confirmed

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AP) - A bird flu outbreak has killed 600 geese in northern Kazakhstan, but a man feared to have contracted the disease was diagnosed with pneumonia, officials said Wednesday....More

UNICEF says children, women in Afghanistan face soaring mortality rate

KABUL (AP) - Afghan women and children face an "acute emergency" because of exceptionally high maternal and child mortality rates, a representative of the United Nations children's agency said Thursday....More

Saskatchewan's Calvert pledges $30M over 3 years to battle substance abuse

SASKATOON (CP) - With the highest rates of alcoholism in the country and dozens of young lives lost to crystal meth addiction, Saskatchewan is embarking on an ambitious plan to battle substance abuse....More

Ethicist slams medical organizations over links with prisoner abuse scandals

LONDON (AP) - A leading British medical ethicist is calling on medical bodies in the United States to take a stronger stand against psychologists and psychiatrists working alongside U.S. military interrogators at detention centres from Guantanamo Bay to Abu Ghraib....More

Dosanjh says medicare debate shouldn't be bound by 'rigid ideological positions'

OTTAWA (CP) - The Supreme Court has granted a one-year stay in its ruling clearing the way for private health insurance in Quebec, but experts expect the movement toward two-tier health care in Canada to continue....More

Models suggest flu pandemic could be stopped at source but skeptics abound

TORONTO (CP) - A flu pandemic could be extinguished at its source with a rapid response combining antiviral drugs, quarantine and perhaps vaccination, two international groups of mathematical modellers reported Wednesday in prominent scientific journals....More

Home, safe home?

TORONTO (MRI) - It may be the primary place you nurture your children, but new research shows that the home is not a haven of safety from injury....More

College of Physicians rules Ontario doctor sexually abused two patients

TORONTO (CP) - An Ontario disciplinary committee has found that a Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., doctor sexually abused two patients. The College of Physicians and Surgeons ruled that Dr....More

China's death toll in pig-borne disease at 37; sales from some areas halted

BEIJING (AP) - Authorities in China's capital have confiscated thousands of tons of pork from areas infected by a pig disease, a state-run newspaper said Wednesday....More

Doctor will stand trial for tainted blood scandal, judge rules

TORONTO (CP) - A judge has ruled that the ailing doctor at the centre of the tainted blood tragedy that left thousands of Canadians infected with HIV or hepatitis C will stand trial. Dr....More

Bird flu kills 600 fowl in Kazakhstan, suspected human case not confirmed

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AP) - A bird flu outbreak has killed 600 geese in northern Kazakhstan, but a man feared to have contracted the disease was diagnosed with pneumonia, officials said Wednesday....More

CFIA warning consumers not to eat certain Fontaine Sante pesto products

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Aliments Fontaine Sante Inc. are advising consumers not to eat the Fontaine Sante pesto products described below as they may contain the micro-organism Cyclospora cayetanensis which presents a health risk....More

CFIA warning people not to consume Rajah brand curry powders

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning consumers not to consume Rajah brand curry powders described below. These products may contain a non-permitted colour, Sudan I, which is considered to be carcinogenic....More

Golfer attributes obsession with sport to speedy recovery after amputations

(CP) - That Bob MacDermott is defending his champion title at the Belvedere Golf Club, just outside of Edmonton, for the third time is nothing short of amazing....More

Tobacco smoke increases teens' risk for metabolic syndrome, U.S. study says

DALLAS (AP) - Exposure to cigarette smoke raises the risk among teens of metabolic syndrome, a disorder associated with excess belly fat that increases the chances of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, according to a study....More

Chinese famine study bolsters link between starvation and schizophrenia

CHICAGO (AP) - A study of a famine in China more than 40 years ago found that children born to severely malnourished women are more likely to develop schizophrenia. The research bolsters evidence that environmental factors can trigger the devastating mental illness....More

Drug boosts survival of patients with form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: study

TORONTO (CP) - Adding a new drug to the standard chemotherapy cocktail can significantly boost the survival rate of patients with the most common type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma - the fastest-rising cancer among Canadians, a study has shown. The study by the B.C....More

Brain-dead Virginia woman gives birth after months on life support

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A brain-dead pregnant woman who has been kept on life support to give her fetus more time to develop gave birth to a baby girl Tuesday, the woman's brother-in-law said....More

Bird flu spreads in Russia despite efforts to control the virus

MOSCOW (AP) - Russian veterinary officials said Tuesday that an outbreak of an avian flu strain that can infect humans has spread to another region in Siberia, while authorities were struggling to contain the virus....More

As Atkins Diet exits, other weight-loss gurus scramble to lead the way

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - More dieters are ditching carb counts and biting into baguettes with gusto these days. Some are eating like French women - who never get fat, according to one best seller. Or they're taking their cues from celebrities like Suzanne Somers....More

Bird flu kills 600 fowl in Kazakhstan, suspected human case not confirmed

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AP) - A bird flu outbreak has killed 600 geese in northern Kazakhstan, but a man feared to have contracted the disease was diagnosed with pneumonia, officials said Wednesday....More

Province plans to regulate Chinese medicine and acupuncture practitioners

TORONTO (CP) - Ontario will become the second province in Canada to regulate traditional Chinese medicine including acupuncture, herbs and tai chi as medical therapy....More

Nurses care for the critically malnourished in eastern Niger

MADAROUFA, Niger (AP) - The 300 women crammed into the courtyard of a clinic in eastern Niger surged forward as cars loaded with food and medical equipment drove up at 8 a.m. local time Friday....More

Cholesterol levels strong predictor of women's heart risk

TORONTO (MRI) - Predicting your future risk of suffering a heart attack or other cardiovascular event may be as simple as knowing your cholesterol level, a new study indicates....More

Increasing protein may curb appetite

TORONTO (MRI) - If your urge to snack is sabotaging your attempts at weight loss, eating more protein could help keep your hunger in check between meals....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

Angola begins polio vaccination campaign, fearful of new cases

LUANDA, Angola (AP) - Angolan authorities started a three-day effort to vaccinate an estimated five million children against polio Friday following the country's first cases of the crippling disease since 2001....More

Avian flu strain that can infect humans found in Russia: ministry

MOSCOW (AP) - Investigators have determined that a strain of avian flu virus infecting fowl in Russia is the type that can infect humans, the Agriculture Ministry said Friday....More

Morgentaler to receive Couchiching public policy leadership award

TORONTO (CP) - Dr. Henry Morgentaler has been named the recipient of the 2005 Couchiching Award for Public Policy Leadership for his efforts on behalf of women's rights and reproductive health issues. The award will be presented to Morgentaler on Aug....More

Nurses care for the critically malnourished in eastern Niger

MADAROUFA, Niger (AP) - The 300 women crammed into the courtyard of a clinic in eastern Niger surged forward as cars loaded with food and medical equipment drove up at 8 a.m. local time Friday....More

Province plans to regulate Chinese medicine and acupuncture practitioners

TORONTO (CP) - Ontario will become the second province in Canada to regulate traditional Chinese medicine including acupuncture, herbs and tai chi as medical therapy....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

Cholesterol levels strong predictor of women's heart risk

TORONTO (MRI) - Predicting your future risk of suffering a heart attack or other cardiovascular event may be as simple as knowing your cholesterol level, a new study indicates....More

Increasing protein may curb appetite

TORONTO (MRI) - If your urge to snack is sabotaging your attempts at weight loss, eating more protein could help keep your hunger in check between meals....More

Morgentaler to receive Couchiching public policy leadership award

TORONTO (CP) - Dr. Henry Morgentaler has been named the recipient of the 2005 Couchiching Award for Public Policy Leadership for his efforts on behalf of women's rights and reproductive health issues. The award will be presented to Morgentaler on Aug....More

Angola begins polio vaccination campaign, fearful of new cases

LUANDA, Angola (AP) - Angolan authorities started a three-day effort to vaccinate an estimated five million children against polio Friday following the country's first cases of the crippling disease since 2001....More

Avian flu strain that can infect humans found in Russia: ministry

MOSCOW (AP) - Investigators have determined that a strain of avian flu virus infecting fowl in Russia is the type that can infect humans, the Agriculture Ministry said Friday....More