Border confrontation leaves N.B. town with surgeon shortage

WOODSTOCK, N.B. (CP) - New Brunswick health officials are struggling to find ways to cope after a surgeon for a border community was arrested in the United States. Dr....More

Cardiome, Astellas report positive Phase 3 test results for new heart drug

VANCOUVER (CP) - Cardiome Pharma Corp. and its partner Astellas Pharma US Inc. have reported another set of positive Phase 3 test results for their new heart medication and now plan to seek approval to begin selling the drug commercially....More

B.C. Health Minister keeps door open for out of court deal with tobacco firms

VICTORIA (CP) - British Columbia's attorney general says the province would be open to an out-of-court settlement with tobacco companies after the Supreme Court of Canada ruled it can sue for the cost of treating smoking-related illnesses....More

Banned silicone breast implants safe, manufacturers tell expert panel

OTTAWA (CP) - An expert panel that will advise Health Canada on whether to re-approve banned silicone-gel breast implants got just two messages in public hearings Thursday - the devices are either safe and should be brought back on the market immediately or more research is needed to prove...More

Bad marriage raises stress levels for men and women

TORONTO (MRI) - You've heard of people who take their work life home with them, but new research shows that men and women who are in bad marriages may take that stress to work with them, thereby increasing their risk of developing heart disease and diabetes....More

B.C. government signs $633-million child-care deal with Ottawa

VANCOUVER (CP) - Comparing it to the creation of universal health care, Prime Minister Paul Martin added another building block to his dream of a national child-care program Thursday with the signing of an agreement with British Columbia....More

B.C. government announces it will spend $7 million to fight crystal meth

VANCOUVER (CP) - The provincial government announced it will spend $7 million to fight crystal meth. The Union of British Columbia Municipalities will get $2 million for treatment and prevention programs....More

Malaysia to stockpile drugs and protective gear to prepare for bird flu

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysia plans to stock up on anti-flu drugs and protective gear to prepare for a possible outbreak of avian influenza, said the country's health minister....More

China readying flu pandemic plans, government says, but no details announced

SHANGHAI, China (AP) - China's Health Ministry on Wednesday launched a contingency plan to prepare the country against a possible influenza pandemic, the official Xinhua News Agency reported....More

Canadian senator says Afghans should grow opium for medical use

OTTAWA (CP) - A Canadian senator who led a special committee on illegal drugs, says Afghanistan should legalize the production of opium for medical use....More

Boston Scientific suspends sales of acid reflux treatment Enteryx

BOSTON (AP) - Boston Scientific Corp. has suspended sales of a treatment for acid reflux disease after more than two dozen reports of problems. The company says it considers its Enteryx injection kit safe, but some patients have been harmed because doctors used it incorrectly....More

British government announces plan to ban junk food sales in schools

BRIGHTON, England (AP) - In Britain's schools, chocolate and chips will soon be history. The government announced plans Wednesday to ban school cafeterias from serving poor-quality hamburgers and hot dogs, and to outlaw vending machines selling soft drinks, chocolate bars and...More

Breast cancer detection more accurate with digital mammograms: study

TORONTO (MRI) - Using digital mammograms to detect breast cancer in some women is significantly more accurate than the traditional film-based approach, new research suggests....More

Bioniche to sell Irish pharma unit; doubles annual loss to $15.6M from $7.8M

BELLEVILLE, Ont. (CP) - Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. has decided to sell its ownership in Bioniche Pharma Group Ltd., its sterile injectable manufacturing operation in Ireland, after posting a disappointing year....More

Big money at stake as top court rules on B.C. suit against tobacco industry

OTTAWA (CP) - Billions of dollars are riding on the outcome as the Supreme Court of Canada prepares to announce whether the B.C. government can sue major tobacco companies for the cost of treating smoking-related illnesses. If the judges give a thumbs-up Thursday to the B.C....More

Angiotech gets positive Adhibit spray gel data

NEW YORK (CP) - Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Wednesday it received positive results from a clinical study conducted to evaluate how safe and effective its Adhibit adhesion prevention gel is in reducing scarring after uterine surgery....More

Maradona's gastric bypass surgery sparks weight-loss trend in Colombia

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Diego Maradona has started a weight-loss trend. The former Argentine soccer star dropped 110 pounds through gastric bypass surgery, and now Colombians want it too. Maradona weighed 266 pounds before he had the surgery in March....More

Marketer plans court fight over Health Canada warning about GHR-15

TORONTO (CP) - The Ontario-based marketing sales agent for a product labelled GHR-15 has served notice it intends to sue for libel over Health Canada's warning to the public about the product. BIE Health Products (Canada), based in Burlington, Ont....More

Boston Scientific, Angiotech suffer downgrades over drug-coated stents

NEW YORK (AP) - Boston Scientific Corp., maker of the Taxus drug-coated heart stent, and specialty drug supplier Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Inc. both suffered downgrades at the hands of investment firm Merrill Lynch as more competitors enter the drug-coated stent field....More

Mandela calls for more funding to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria

LONDON (AP) - Former South African President Nelson Mandela called on donors to support an international fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, saying in an interview published Tuesday he feared the campaign's momentum was slowing....More

Angiotech and Boston Scientific suffer downgrades over drug-coated stents

VANCOUVER (CP) - Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Inc. and its partner in the drug-coated stent business, Boston Scientific, were downgraded by investment firm Merrill Lynch on Tuesday on concerns about competition and a lack of catalysts for future growth....More

Boston Scientific suspends sales of acid reflux treatment Enteryx

BOSTON (AP) - Boston Scientific Corp. has suspended sales of a treatment for acid reflux disease after more than two dozen reports of problems. The company says it considers its Enteryx injection kit safe, but some patients have been harmed because doctors used it incorrectly....More

Alta. company putting product, said to reduce colds, flu, to scientific test

TORONTO (CP) - With savvy marketing and the help of some high-profile sports figures, an Alberta company has propelled a natural health product to known-quantity status as something that may boost the immune system's ability to stave off colds and influenza....More

China readying flu pandemic plans, government says, but no details announced

SHANGHAI, China (AP) - China's Health Ministry on Wednesday launched a contingency plan to prepare the country against a possible influenza pandemic, the official Xinhua News Agency reported....More

Americans, Europeans head to India for cheap, high-quality medical care

MUMBAI, India (AP) - Bradley Thayer, a retired apple farmer from Okanogan, Wash., travelled 12,000 kilometres to get his torn knee ligament fixed, and says he paid a third of what it would have cost him in a U.S. hospital. And that included air fare to Mumbai, formerly Bombay....More

Age old questions dog aging population

NEW YORK (AP) - As the population ages, a survey suggests many people are adjusting their views of the so-called "golden years" and retirement. Not too surprisingly, the age we consider "old" gets older as we age....More

Study: When the Red Sox heat up, emergency room traffic cools down

BOSTON (AP) - Red Sox fever does not send people to the hospital. In fact, it seems to have the opposite effect....More

Some potentially fatal conditions affecting moms-to-be on the rise: study

TORONTO (CP) - While deaths among women during pregnancy or while giving birth are relatively rare in Canada, some conditions that put mothers-to-be at risk of dying appear to be on the rise, a study suggests. The study of more than 2....More

Rare species barrier jump behind flu outbreaks in U.S. racing dogs

WASHINGTON (CP) - A puzzling outbreak of respiratory disease in dogs has been tracked to an influenza virus that has infected horses for decades - a rarely seen event that researchers say is "of considerable scientific interest" with regards to how flu strains jump species barriers....More

Australia to buy 40,000 courses of bird flu medication for Indonesia

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - The Australian government pledged Monday to help Indonesia speed up its response to a bird flu outbreak, saying it will donate 40,000 doses of anti-viral medication to help its northern neighbour cope with the illness....More

Mandela calls for more funding to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria

LONDON (AP) - Former South African President Nelson Mandela called on donors to support an international fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, saying in an interview published Tuesday he feared the campaign's momentum was slowing....More

Merck exec testifies about battle over cardiac risks on Vioxx warning label

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey (AP) - Fearing a warning about Vioxx's cardiac risks would hurt the painkiller's sales, Merck & Co....More

Biomira Inc. delays start of next cancer vaccine trial, perhaps until 2006

EDMONTON (CP) - Biomira Inc. says a "stability issue" has caused a delay in starting a Phase 3 study for its vaccine treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer....More

Dosanjh pledges $851,000 for meth abuse prevention in aboriginal communities

REGINA (CP) - More than 300 aboriginal addictions counsellors and mental health workers will get special training aimed at preventing crystal meth abuse in First Nations and Inuit communities across Canada, Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh announced Friday....More

New pandemic flu drug formulas gathering dust on shelves for lack of funds

PETERBOROUGH, Ont (CP) - Formulas for new, inexpensive influenza drugs that could expand the world's tiny arsenal of weapons against pandemic flu are gathering dust because the pharmaceutical industry isn't interested in developing them, scientists say....More

Canadian drugmakers battle it out for American painkiller market

MONTREAL (CP) - Analysts are questioning whether Biovail Corp. will be the sole winner on the podium after the intense race by three small Canadian drugmakers to bring a revolutionary painkiller to the huge U.S. market....More

Menopause years especially tough for female executives

(AP) - When menopausal hot flashes caused sweat to run down Donna Cook's face during business meetings, she joked to concerned colleagues, "I'm having my personal summer....More

Americans, Europeans head to India for cheap, high-quality medical care

MUMBAI, India (AP) - Bradley Thayer, a retired apple farmer from Okanogan, Wash., travelled 12,000 kilometres to get his torn knee ligament fixed, and says he paid a third of what it would have cost him in a U.S. hospital. And that included air fare to Mumbai, formerly Bombay....More

Age old questions dog aging population

NEW YORK (AP) - As the population ages, a survey suggests many people are adjusting their views of the so-called "golden years" and retirement. Not too surprisingly, the age we consider "old" gets older as we age....More

Australia to buy 40,000 courses of bird flu medication for Indonesia

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - The Australian government pledged Monday to help Indonesia speed up its response to a bird flu outbreak, saying it will donate 40,000 doses of anti-viral medication to help its northern neighbour cope with the illness....More

Judge dismisses Vermont effort to let state workers import Canadian drugs

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - A U.S. federal judge said President George W. Bush's administration acted legally when it refused to let Vermont state workers import low-cost Canadian prescription drugs but he also said he approves of the state's goal....More

Indonesian avian flu case confirmed, could be human-to-human transmission

(CP) - The World Health Organization confirmed an additional human case of avian influenza in Indonesia on Thursday. A spokesperson for the Geneva-based agency confirmed the patient, an eight-year-old boy, may have caught the virus from another person....More

Entry controls won't stop spread of pandemic flu or SARS, study shows

TORONTO (CP) - Screening incoming international travellers won't help countries protect themselves against the spread of influenza during a pandemic, a commentary in this week's issue of the British Medical Journal suggests....More

Health minister says if cities want them, safe injection sites should open

SURREY, B.C. (CP) - Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh says if neighbourhoods, health officials and local politicians are behind safe injection facilities for drug addicts, there should be more of them across the country....More

Guidant Corp. issues warnings for two implantable pacemaker lines

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Guidant Corp. said Thursday it recalled some of its Insignia and Nexus implantable pacemakers because of failures, including nine cases requiring emergency hospitalization....More

Biomira Inc. delays start of next cancer vaccine trial, perhaps until 2006

EDMONTON (CP) - Biomira Inc. says a "stability issue" has caused a delay in starting a Phase 3 study for its vaccine treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer....More

Canadian Red Cross workers in U.S. nervous about Rita but staying the course

TORONTO (CP) - Canadian Red Cross workers who streamed southward to help after hurricane Katrina's devastating impact have found themselves in the curious position of becoming refugees from another threatening storm....More

C. difficile strain behind Quebec, U.S. outbreaks also plagues U.K. hospitals

TORONTO (CP) - The epidemic strain of Clostridium difficile behind outbreaks in Quebec and parts of the United States is also the strain plaguing hospitals in the United Kingdom, scientists reported this week in the Lancet....More

Human influenza viruses becoming resistant to class of flu drugs: CDC study

TORONTO (CP) - Human flu viruses are becoming increasingly resistant to the class of drugs known as adamantanes, one of only two existing classes of flu drugs, a new study released Thursday shows....More

Inflazyme Pharmaceuticals eyes $5.9M gain from reorganization

VANCOUVER (CP) - Inflazyme Pharmaceuticals Ltd. expects to gain about $5.9 million from a reorganization and the sale of one of its subsidiaries. The restructuring initially provides $3.43 million to help fund Inflazyme operations....More

Expert encourages high-protein diet for weight loss as the fad diet fades

VANCOUVER (CP) - North Americans are toasting the fall of the Atkins low-carb fad with extra slices of pumpernickel and whole wheat bread, but a nutrition expert says the diet has shown health professionals a new path toward healthy eating....More

Celebrex labels changed to reflect increased cardiovascular risks

TORONTO (CP) - Doctors were instructed Wednesday they should not prescribe the popular painkiller Celebrex to certain patients because of the potential increased risk of adverse events like heart attack and stroke that are associated with its use....More

Dial-up depression therapy works well, study suggests

TORONTO (MRI) - Dialing in for over-the-phone therapy may sound unconventional, but it appears to lift the spirits of people battling symptoms of depression, according to a new study....More

BCMA says family lifestyle change, not dieting, will help children lose weight

VANCOUVER (CP) - While more Canadian children are becoming overweight, the B.C. Medication Association says dieting isn't the answer. "We don't have any studies to prove that dieting is safe for children at all," said paediatrician Dr....More

Ranbaxy Laboratories of India launches Canadian subsidiary

TORONTO (CP) - Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., India's largest drug company, is entering the Canadian health care system with the launch of a subsidiary called Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc....More

Antibiotic pill for syphilis holds promise for developing nations

(AP) - A single antibiotic pill worked just as well as penicillin shots against syphilis, giving developing countries a simple way to treat the sexually transmitted disease, a study in Tanzania has found....More

More obese seniors choosing gastric-bypass surgery

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - With 360 pounds hanging on his five-foot-seven frame, Robert Stratiff was in sad shape. He had heart problems, poor circulation, wasted knees and sleep apnea that kept him awake most nights....More

Immune changes predict breast cancer's return, study finds

TORONTO (MRI) - Researchers at Stanford University say they've found a better way to predict which breast cancer sufferers are likely to see their cancer return or spread to other parts of the body....More

Flu pandemic could kill thousands but no reason to panic, says health officer

OTTAWA (CP) - A global flu pandemic could kill 50,000 Canadians, says the country's chief public health officer, but it's important not to blow the threat out of proportion....More

Ephedra-free weight loss aids pose similar risks

TORONTO (MRI) - Weight loss supplements that have stepped in to replace banned ephedra products carry the same heart risks, a new study concludes....More

GlaxoSmithKline agrees to pay US$150 million to settle drug price fraud case

WASHINGTON (AP) - GlaxoSmithKline PLC will pay $150 million US to settle claims it overcharged the U.S. government for two anti-nausea drugs, and prosecutors say they're looking into 150 cases of drug price fraud....More

Inflazyme Pharmaceuticals eyes $5.9M gain from reorganization

VANCOUVER (CP) - Inflazyme Pharmaceuticals Ltd. expects to gain about $5.9 million from a reorganization and the sale of one of its subsidiaries. The restructuring initially provides $3.43 million to help fund Inflazyme operations....More

Asia scrambles to tackle mosquito menace as dengue alerts go out

SINGAPORE (AP) - The Philippines is stocking up on blood supplies, and Thailand is urging people to sleep under mosquito nets. An unusually severe outbreak of dengue fever has caused alarm across Asia and baffled clean, orderly Singapore with a record 10,000 cases this year....More

Diet, exercise may slow prostate cancer

TORONTO (MRI) - Adopting a regimen of diet, exercise and stress management could slow the progression of early prostate cancer in some men, reducing the chance they'll need conventional treatment, a new study suggests....More

Finding confidence, friendship at a yearly retreat

SEABECK, Wash. (AP) - Heads bowed close to each other, hands clasped, fingers fluttering, dozens converse without a sound....More

Canadian military develops and will test new drugs that may target avian flu

TORONTO (CP) - Military scientists working for the Canadian government have developed a number of innovative drugs they believe could target avian influenza, potentially helping to shore up the world's meagre defences against the threat of pandemic flu....More

Internet pharmacies offer Americans substantial, but fluctuating savings: study

WINNIPEG (CP) - Internet pharmacies offer American patients substantial savings on most of the top-selling brand-name drugs, but price fluctuations make it difficult to measure just how good the deals really are, concludes a study released Monday....More

Patheon stock falls as Puerto Rico subsidiary gets warning letter from FDA

TORONTO (CP) - Patheon Inc. stock sagged to a 5 1/2-year low Monday after a recently acquired subsidiary in Puerto Rico received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Canadian contract drug manufacturer's shares (TSX:PTI) closed down 6....More

Canadian duo dubbed fathers of stem cell research honoured with Lasker Award

TORONTO (CP) - On the surface, at least, they seem an unlikely duo: one the scion of a Toronto physician, educated at Ontario's tony Upper Canada College; the other the son of a Saskatchewan farmer, who attended his local public high school....More

Federal health minister tiptoes around Alberta's study of private insurance

CALGARY (CP) - Canada's health minister refused Monday to be drawn into a debate over Alberta's examination of private health-care insurance....More

Cangene wins $17M British contract for Vaccinia smallpox treatment

WINNIPEG (CP) - The British government has awarded a $17-million contract to Cangene Corp. of Winnipeg for the supply of Vaccinia immune globulin, of VIG, used in preventing a severe reaction to the smallpox vaccine....More

Dramatic rise in bloodsucking ticks predicted for Eastern Canada

OTTAWA (CP) - Bloodsucking ticks that cause Lyme disease can be expected to flourish in much of Eastern Canada as climate change brings milder winters, researchers say....More

Alberta promises retreat from private insurance if it hurts public system

EDMONTON (CP) - Alberta will reconsider its plan to expand the use of private health insurance if it finds evidence that the change would hurt the public system, Health Minister Iris Evans said Friday....More

Canadians warned they will pay for Supreme Court's medicare decision

TORONTO (CP) - Canadians will "pay, and pay, and pay" for an uninformed and irresponsible Supreme Court of Canada ruling that cleared the way for private health insurance in Quebec, a major academic conference heard Friday....More

Indonesia shuts down capital zoo after 19 of its birds die of bird flu

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - The main zoo in Indonesia's capital was shut after 19 of its birds died of the avian influenza that has killed four people in the sprawling country, officials said, warning that children are especially vulnerable to the disease....More

Japanese encephalitis kills 944 people in India and Nepal

LUCKNOW, India (AP) - Japanese encephalitis killed another 15 people in northern India, taking the death toll from an outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease in India and Nepal to 944 in the last six months....More

Finding confidence, friendship at a yearly retreat

SEABECK, Wash. (AP) - Heads bowed close to each other, hands clasped, fingers fluttering, dozens converse without a sound....More

Canadian duo dubbed fathers of stem cell research honoured with Lasker Award

TORONTO (CP) - On the surface, at least, they seem an unlikely duo: one the scion of a Toronto physician, educated at Ontario's tony Upper Canada College; the other the son of a Saskatchewan farmer, who attended his local public high school....More

Cangene wins $17M British contract for Vaccinia smallpox treatment

WINNIPEG (CP) - The British government has awarded a $17-million contract to Cangene Corp. of Winnipeg for the supply of Vaccinia immune globulin, of VIG, used in preventing a severe reaction to the smallpox vaccine....More

Canadian military develops and will test new drugs that may target avian flu

TORONTO (CP) - Military scientists working for the Canadian government have developed a number of innovative drugs they believe could target avian influenza, potentially helping to shore up the world's meagre defences against the threat of pandemic flu....More

Ondine Biopharma reports successful pilot trial for gum disease treatment

VANCOUVER (CP) - Ondine Biopharma Corp. says it has successfully completed the first human trial of its Periowave disinfection system for people with chronic gum disease....More

Legislators override Mass. governor's veto of emergency contraception bill

BOSTON (AP) - The state legislature voted Thursday to override the governor's veto of a measure that will expand access to emergency contraception by requiring hospital emergency room doctors to offer the medication to rape victims. The measure, which Gov....More

Jean Coutu says pharmacists who take salespeoples' gifts should declare them

LONGUEUIL, Que. (CP) - There is nothing wrong with pharmacists taking gifts from drug companies as long as the gifts are declared on their income taxes, Jean Coutu, founder and chairman of the giant drugstore chain that bears his name, said Thursday....More

Health and police officials say injection site cuts crime and saves lives

VANCOUVER (CP) - Two years after the experimental safe injection site opened in Vancouver, both police and health officials are declaring the so-called shooting gallery a success. "It's been looked at very critically," said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall....More

Indonesia confirms fourth human death from bird flu virus; warns more likely

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesia on Friday confirmed its fourth human death from the bird flu virus, and warned that more cases in the sprawling country were inevitable....More

Employers aggressively recruit to solve Canada's rural doctor shortage

EDMONTON (CP) - Canada's shortage of rural doctors has made it a seller's market for medical students....More

3 mice infected with deadly bubonic plague missing from New Jersey lab

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Three mice infected with the bacteria responsible for bubonic plague apparently disappeared from a laboratory about two weeks ago. Authorities have launched a search though health experts said there was scant public risk....More

Elderly Quebec woman is first to die in province this year of West Nile virus

QUEBEC (CP) - An elderly woman has become the first person to die from West Nile virus in the province this year, the Department of Health and Social Services said Thursday. The woman, in her 70s, had been in hospital for several weeks as a result of the mosquito-borne infection....More

Father-child link found for severe asthma symptoms

TORONTO (MRI) - Asthma sufferers seem to follow in their father's footsteps and be worse off for it, according to a new study, which finds that children with the disease whose fathers also have it are more at risk for breathing difficulties....More

Failure of morning-after pill won't harm baby

TORONTO (MRI) - Even if the "morning-after pill" fails and a woman becomes pregnant, there is no increased risk to the health of the mother or baby, new research suggests....More

Bacteria, lead biggest contaminants of 100+ tested in New Orleans floodwater

WASHINGTON (AP) - Sewage-related bacteria and lead from unknown sources are the two contaminants most evident in tests of the floodwaters in New Orleans, although high levels of hexavalent chromium, used in industrial plating, and arsenic, used in treating wood, have also been found....More

Elevated cholesterol requiring medication raises death risk

TORONTO (MRI) - Men whose levels of artery-clogging LDL-cholesterol are high enough to warrant medication face more than six times the risk of dying of heart disease faced by men whose cholesterol falls at or below recommended targets, a new study found....More

Controlling blood pressure may prevent brain abnormality

TORONTO (MRI) - Controlling your blood pressure isn't just good for your heart - according to a new study, it's good for your brain too....More

Amsterdam study challenges standard for treating heart attacks

BOSTON (AP) - In a study colliding with established practice, recovery from small heart attacks went just as well when doctors gave drugs time to work as when they favoured quick vessel-clearing procedures....More

Ondine Biopharma reports successful pilot trial for gum disease treatment

VANCOUVER (CP) - Ondine Biopharma Corp. says it has successfully completed the first human trial of its Periowave disinfection system for people with chronic gum disease....More

Alta's former bean-counter to raise money for Calgary health care

CALGARY (CP) - Former Alberta treasurer Pat Nelson has been named the chief executive for the fundraising arm of the Calgary Health Region....More

Canada to stage international meeting to advance flu pandemic preparations

TORONTO (CP) - Health ministers from 20-plus developed and developing countries will meet in Canada next month to work on ways to enhance global capacity to respond to an influenza pandemic, federal government sources revealed Tuesday....More

Desk exercises improves circulation, help workers relax on the job

(CP) - Jonathon Fowles used to find marking papers a pain in the back, literally. A professor of kinesiology at Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S., Fowles probably should have known that remaining seated for a long period of time was not the best thing for his body....More

Alberta considering private insurance for all medicare coverage

EDMONTON (CP) - Alberta will examine the possibility of having private insurance compete with the public health-care system for all medical treatments, Health Minister Iris Evans told The Canadian Press on Tuesday....More

Olive oil touted as natural pain reliever

TORONTO (MRI) - New research shows olive oil contains an anti-inflammatory ingredient similar to that of some common painkillers, but could it replace your meds the next time you get a headache?...More

Alberta asking private insurance to bid on all medicare coverage

EDMONTON (CP) - Health Minister Iris Evans says she wants Alberta to examine the possibility of having private insurance compete with the public health-care system....More

Failure of morning-after pill won't harm baby

TORONTO (MRI) - Even if the "morning-after pill" fails and a woman becomes pregnant, there is no increased risk to the health of the mother or baby, new research suggests....More

Ibuprofen associated with asthma symptoms in kids

TORONTO (MRI) - Although new research suggests few children with asthma experience difficulty breathing as a result of taking ibuprofen, researchers contend ibuprofen-sensitive asthma is still a public health concern....More

Father-child link found for severe asthma symptoms

TORONTO (MRI) - Asthma sufferers seem to follow in their father's footsteps and be worse off for it, according to a new study, which finds that children with the disease whose fathers also have it are more at risk for breathing difficulties....More

Drug-resistant strains of E. coli on the rise in England: government agency

WARWICK, England (AP) - Strains of E. coli bacteria that are resistant to most types of antibiotics and may be spread in food are increasing rapidly in England, the government's health agency said Monday....More

Manitoba potassium inquest says hospitals must change how drugs administered

WINNIPEG (CP) - It may never be known exactly how or why an 83-year-old woman received a deadly dose of potassium in a Manitoba hospital's bustling intensive care unit, concludes a fatality report released Monday....More

Chinese official says natural disaster death tolls no longer considered state secrets

SHANGHAI, China (AP) - China will no longer consider death tolls and other relevant information about natural disasters to be state secrets, an official said Monday, saying the move was aimed at boosting government transparency....More

Doctors should be stopped from seeking fresh embryos for research: ethicist

TORONTO (CP) - Doctors should be prohibited from asking women undergoing fertility treatments to donate fresh embryos for stem cell research, a Canadian medical ethicist says. Dr....More

Doctor says Botox saves life of newborn suffering from excessive drooling

MONTREAL (CP) - A nine-month old boy is still alive today thanks to Botox injections he has received, a doctor at the Montreal Children's Hospital said Monday....More

Approximately 8,000 AIDS and HIV-infected patients need help after hurricane

(AP) - About 8,000 people with HIV and AIDS who were displaced by hurricane Katrina now face the massive challenge of trying to manage their disease without their doctors, their clinics and their support systems....More

China's love affair with pork undiminished by threat of disease

BEIJING (AP) - It's dinnertime at the Northeast Black Earth Restaurant, and customers are smoking, drinking beer and tucking into sweet-sour pork chops, pork with mushrooms and the house specialty - braised pig face....More

Baby born to brain-dead Virginia woman has died following surgery, family says

McLEAN, Va. (AP) - An infant born last month to a severely brain-damaged woman died Monday after emergency surgery to repair a perforated intestine. Susan Anne Catherine Torres, born prematurely on Aug....More

Houston doctors say they've contained 'cruise ship virus' at Astrodome

HOUSTON (AP) - Doctors at the complex housing thousands of hurricane Katrina evacuees said Friday they have contained a viral outbreak that caused diarrhea and vomiting among hundreds of people....More

Hurricane leaves untold number of troubled children

(AP) - In a disaster within a disaster, unprecedented numbers of shaken children left in hurricane Katrina's wake are testing the U.S. network for emergency psychological help, according to caregivers and experts....More

Fitness cuts heart deaths, despite other cardiovascular risk factors

TORONTO (MRI) - Couch potatoes take heart: getting in shape can cut your risk of dying of cardiovascular disease in half, regardless of your cholesterol level or other risk factors, new research shows....More

Close relative to SARS coronavirus found in bats in Hong Kong: study

TORONTO (CP) - Another clue to the mystery of where the SARS virus came from may have come to light Friday with the revelation that researchers in Hong Kong have found a close relative of the human virus in bats....More

Doctors - those who stayed and those who came - are Katrina's heroes

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Dr. Jessica Lee fought the urge to panic. All week long, women stranded by hurricane Katrina had been giving birth in primitive conditions at New Orleans' University Hospital, their only after-effect a colourful story to tell their children someday....More

$1,133 hospital bill for toenail work prompts class action lawsuit

SEATTLE (AP) - A lawsuit challenging a hospital's $1,133 US bill to clip a toenail and run tests has been certified as a class action that could include other patients charged similar fees by the hospital....More

Chinese official says natural disaster death tolls no longer considered state secrets

SHANGHAI, China (AP) - China will no longer consider death tolls and other relevant information about natural disasters to be state secrets, an official said Monday, saying the move was aimed at boosting government transparency....More

B.C. boosts funding for child care with subsidies for an extra 10,000 kids

VANCOUVER (CP) - Thousands of B.C. families will be receiving money for the first time from the government to help with child care costs, Minister of Children and Family Development Stan Hagen announced Friday....More

Global giant's purchase of Canadian flu vaccine maker secures supply:

TORONTO (CP) - The sale of Canada's only domestic flu vaccine maker to British pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline should strengthen the security of the country's flu vaccine supply, both year to year and during an influenza pandemic, a variety of sources said Wednesday following...More

Alberta review calls for more staff and better food in nursing homes

CALGARY (CP) - More staff, improved standards of care and better food are being recommended for Alberta's long-term care facilities in response to a damning report last spring by the auditor general....More

U.S. regulators look at inhaled insulin for diabetics; makers questioned

WASHINGTON (AP) - A U.S. government advisory committee on Thursday scrutinized an inhaled form of insulin that is designed to help millions of people with diabetes who now rely on injections to control their blood sugar....More

Health Canada to pull schizophrenia drug thioridazine from market

TORONTO (CP) - Health Canada is stopping manufacturers from selling thioridazine, an anti-psychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia, by the end of this month. Thioridazine will continue to be dispensed by pharmacies during a transition period after Sept....More

Running on sand a challenge and reward

LOS ANGELES (AP) - For nearly 40 years, Ron Lawrence ran on sandy beaches as part of his marathon training. He loved inhaling the salty air and listening to the sounds of crashing waves as he got in shape....More

B.C. patients track surgery wait lists on new website, says health minister

VICTORIA (CP) - A new government website allows elective surgery patients to get a better sense of the size of wait lists for all operations in British Columbia, Health Minister George Abbott said Thursday....More

Drug that carries radiation to cells offers hope for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

TORONTO (CP) - An injectable liquid that delivers tiny radioactive "smart bombs" directly to cancer cells is showing great promise in treating patients with some types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Canadian doctors say....More

Docs worried about patients and lost income in SARS; some came to work sick

TORONTO (CP) - Despite the fact that the hallways of Toronto hospitals were literally wallpapered with lists of the SARS warning signs during the city's outbreak of the disease, a number of doctors showed up for work experiencing the symptoms that should have kept them away, a new study says....More

Practising moderation in food, booze can keep university newbies healthy, happy

(CP) - Leaving home for university or college for the first time can be a heady experience, from the excitement of making new friends to drinking in new knowledge to getting involved in new activities - and all without the parents hovering nearby....More

Testing of flood waters in New Orleans shows dangerous conditions, EPA says

WASHINGTON (AP) - Floodwaters in New Orleans contain bacteria associated with sewage that are at least 10 times higher than acceptable safety levels, making direct contact by rescue workers and remaining residents dangerous, the first government tests confirmed Wednesday....More

Most women know little about often deadly ovarian cancer: survey

TORONTO (CP) - Most Canadian women have no idea how to recognize the symptoms of ovarian cancer, a disease that kills six out of every 10 of its victims, a survey suggests....More

Ontario government will screen newborns for 19 more inherited disorders

TORONTO (CP) - The Ontario government unveiled plans Wednesday to test newborns for 19 additional diseases, earning calls for a national baby screening program and grudging approval from parents who fear the province's program remains incomplete....More

No quick answer on the horizon in search for AIDS vaccine: researcher

MONTREAL (CP) - The handful of potential HIV-AIDS vaccines close to full-scale clinical trials in humans are unlikely to provide a silver bullet to beat the disease within the next decade, an AIDS researcher said Wednesday....More

Half of Canadians or their families will need blood, but only 4 per cent give

TORONTO (CP) - Over the course of their lifetimes, more than half of Canadians will need blood themselves or will have a family member who needs blood, but under four per cent donate, according to groundbreaking new data from Canadian Blood Services....More

Global giant's purchase of Canadian flu vaccine maker secures supply:

TORONTO (CP) - The sale of Canada's only domestic flu vaccine maker to British pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline should strengthen the security of the country's flu vaccine supply, both year to year and during an influenza pandemic, a variety of sources said Wednesday following...More

Alberta review calls for more staff and better food in nursing homes

CALGARY (CP) - More staff, improved standards of care and better food are being recommended for Alberta's long-term care facilities in response to a damning report last spring by the auditor general....More

Report into former N.W.T. uranium mine recommends immediate remediation

DELINE, N.W.T. (CP) - After years of study and decades of community concerns over exposure to radiation, the federal government and Deline First Nation have hammered out a plan to remediate the Port Radium mine on the shores of Great Bear Lake....More

Search for AIDS vaccine at risk due to lack of interest and funding: Lewis

MONTREAL (CP) - The pursuit of a vaccination against AIDS is dying due to lack of funds and global commitment, according to the Canadian who is the United Nations point man on the fight against the deadly disease in Africa....More

Overweight Americans increasingly turning to hypnosis to battle the bulge

(AP) - Imagine a world where chocolate cake holds no temptation, where celery is an indulgence and food cravings float away in a balloon. Now open your eyes to the trance-like world of Americans who are turning to hypnosis to drop extra poundage....More

No disease outbreaks yet; health officials ask if chemicals in flood waters

WASHINGTON (AP) - Public health officials expressed concern Tuesday about possible chemical contamination of waters flooding New Orleans in hurricane Katrina's wake, saying no one knows yet whether industrial leaks occurred....More

Mass. officials report 2 deaths linked to Eastern equine encephalitis virus

BOSTON (AP) - Two Massachusetts residents have died from the Eastern equine encephalitis virus, a rare but serious disease spread by mosquitoes, public health officials said Tuesday....More

Edmonton's Stollery hospital recruits top surgeon from Toronto Sick Kids

EDMONTON (CP) - The Stollery Children's Hospital has recruited a top pediatric orthopedic surgeon from Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. Capital Health, the Edmonton-area health authority, announced Tuesday that Dr....More

Chaos of Katrina drives one of New Orleans' police spokesmen to suicide

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Life wasn't supposed to end this way for Sgt. Paul Accardo: alone in chaos. He wrote a note telling anyone who found him to contact a fellow officer. He was precise, and thoughtful, to the end. Then he stuck a gun into his mouth and killed himself....More

Higher gasoline prices will have green lining, says Pollution Probe

OTTAWA (CP) - Pollution Probe says soaring gas prices may bring what governments haven't been able to achieve - cleaner air. Quentin Chiotti, the environmental group's air quality guru, says high prices will promote conservation in a way that politicians never could....More

Working out is therapeutic for people with arthritis, experts say

(CP) - Having arthritis might seem like a good excuse for not exercising. After all, who would want to embark on a fitness program when your body hurts, even when you're not moving? But experts agree exercise helps those suffering from arthritis....More

Bacteria beats baby's eczema, study finds

TORONTO (MRI) - Babies with eczema may find relief from the skin condition through treatment with a bacteria supplement, according to a recent study....More

Overweight Americans increasingly turning to hypnosis to battle the bulge

(AP) - Imagine a world where chocolate cake holds no temptation, where celery is an indulgence and food cravings float away in a balloon. Now open your eyes to the trance-like world of Americans who are turning to hypnosis to drop extra poundage....More

Blood sample in Quebec comes back positive for West Nile virus

MONTREAL (CP) - A blood donation collected Wednesday by the agency that controls Quebec's blood supply has tested positive for the West Nile virus. None of the blood products connected to the donation were used and Hema-Quebec said Saturday that the donation was destroyed....More

Study suggests new drugs are better for treating high blood pressure

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - A combination of newer medicines is better at lowering blood pressure and more effective at reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes than the more traditional combination of drugs, new research suggests....More

Soy's benefits overrated?

TORONTO (MRI) - Though it's long been touted as having a wealth of health benefits, from reducing the risk of heart disease to easing the effects of menopause, new research shows soy may not live up to its reputation as a super-food....More

Sex on the brain: researchers use brain scans to figure out what women want

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Drug companies make $2.5 billion US a year selling Viagra, Cialis and Levitra to help men enjoy sex. Since more women suffer from sexual dysfunction than men, developing a drug that could double those sales would seem to be a no-brainer....More

Doctors say red tape frustrated efforts to get medical help to Katrina victims

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Volunteer physicians are pouring in to care for the sick, but red tape is keeping hundreds of others from caring for hurricane Katrina survivors while health problems escalate....More

Bacteria beats baby's eczema, study finds

TORONTO (MRI) - Babies with eczema may find relief from the skin condition through treatment with a bacteria supplement, according to a recent study....More

For young athletes, nutritional supplements are part of routine

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. (AP) - Checking himself out in the weight-room mirror, 16-year-old Marshell Sailor flexes his right arm and smiles....More

Doctors fear tainted water gave 20 shelter residents dysentery in Mississippi

BILOXI, Miss. (AP) - Officials closed a shelter Saturday because more than 20 people there fell ill, and doctors believe the patients may have contracted dysentery from tainted water. Another 20 people in the area also were treated for vomiting and diarrhea....More

Blood sample in Quebec comes back positive for West Nile virus

MONTREAL (CP) - A blood donation collected Wednesday by the agency that controls Quebec's blood supply has tested positive for the West Nile virus. None of the blood products connected to the donation were used and Hema-Quebec said Saturday that the donation was destroyed....More

Working out is therapeutic for people with arthritis, experts say

(CP) - Having arthritis might seem like a good excuse for not exercising. After all, who would want to embark on a fitness program when your body hurts, even when you're not moving? But experts agree exercise helps those suffering from arthritis....More

Doctors say red tape frustrated efforts to get medical help to Katrina victims

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Volunteer physicians are pouring in to care for the sick, but red tape is keeping hundreds of others from caring for hurricane Katrina survivors while health problems escalate....More

Overweight Americans increasingly turning to hypnosis to battle the bluge

(AP) - Imagine a world where chocolate cake holds no temptation, where celery is an indulgence and food cravings float away in a balloon. Now open your eyes to the trance-like world of Americans who are turning to hypnosis to drop extra poundage....More

Study suggests new drugs are better for treating high blood pressure

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - A combination of newer medicines is better at lowering blood pressure and more effective at reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes than the more traditional combination of drugs, new research suggests....More

Maternal weight linked to testicular cancer in offspring

TORONTO (MRI) - Today's rising obesity rates could lead to more cases of testicular cancer in the next generation, new research suggests....More

Few male babies born in Chemical Valley community, study finds

SARNIA, Ont. (CP) - The people living among a notorious cluster of chemical plants in southwestern Ontario want to know where the boys are....More

Bird flu kills another person in Vietnam

HANOI (AP) - Officials on Thursday said bird flu has killed another person in Vietnam, bringing the regional death toll to 62. A 58-year-old man from Hanoi was admitted to a hospital in the capital on Aug....More

Encephalitis kills 352 in India's Uttar Pradesh state with 44 new deaths

LUCKNOW, India (AP) - Japanese encephalitis killed 44 children overnight Thursday in northern India and the government deployed pig catchers in the worst-hit areas to round up swine, which carry the disease that has now claimed 352 lives since midsummer....More

Feeding human remains to cows may have triggered BSE outbreak, scientists say

TORONTO (CP) - A leading medical journal has published a disturbing theory on the origins of mad cow disease, suggesting it may have developed because human remains from the Indian subcontinent were mixed into cattle feed in Britain in the 1960s and 1970s....More

Assisted reproduction may increase risk for postpartum depression

TORONTO (MRI) - Women who conceive using assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as in vitro fertilization may face a heightened risk for postpartum depression and other early parenting difficulties, new research indicates....More

Altachem Pharma receives clearance for testing of pre-cancer therapy

EDMONTON (CP) - Altachem Pharma Ltd. said Thursday it has received clearance from Health Canada to begin a phase one clinical trial of a potential treatment for a pre-cancerous skin condition....More

Study credits lifestyle changes for drop in UK heart disease deaths

TORONTO (MRI) - Healthy lifestyle choices may be the best way to reduce the number of deaths from heart disease, if a new study on mortality in the UK is any indication....More

New strategy set to inform Canadians about health and learning link

VANCOUVER (CP) - A new strategy set to inform Canadians about the link between health and learning means Canada could catch up with other countries that are miles ahead in dealing with issues like childhood obesity and adult illiteracy, says the head of the Canadian Council on Learning....More

Small and medium-size food producers need help reducing trans-fat content

TORONTO (CP) - Small and medium-sized food producers will need help finding ways to modify their products to reduce trans-fat content, says a task force charged with identifying strategies for lowering the amount of the dangerous fats in the Canadian diet....More

Manitoba records first human death from West Nile virus this year

WINNIPEG (CP) - Manitoba has recorded its first death from West Nile virus this year. The chief medical health office says the deceased was an adult from southern Manitoba who was taking immune suppressive drugs for another condition....More

Insulin resistance may promote Alzheimer's disease

TORONTO (MRI) - Being overweight and inactive can boost your insulin levels, over time putting you at risk for diabetes. Now a new study shows this dangerous combination can also boost your risk for Alzheimer's disease....More

Food recall issued for certain containers of Safeway Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Canada Safeway are warning people with allergies to egg protein not to eat Safeway Signature Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup described below. The affected product contains egg protein which is not declared on the label....More

FDA official resigns in protest of morning-after pill decision

WASHINGTON (AP) - A high-ranking Food and Drug Administration official resigned Wednesday in protest of the agency's refusal to allow over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception....More

Depression, diabetes may be to blame for daytime sleepiness

TORONTO (MRI) - Though it's often blamed on not getting a good night's rest, feeling excessively sleepy during the day could be an indicator of health problems such as depression and diabetes, a new study shows....More

Bird flu kills another person in Vietnam

HANOI (AP) - Officials on Thursday said bird flu has killed another person in Vietnam, bringing the regional death toll to 62. A 58-year-old man from Hanoi was admitted to a hospital in the capital on Aug....More