Second round of triplets born to Ohio couple without fertility drugs

CINCINNATI (AP) - Already the proud parents of triplets, Victoria and Tim Lasita had decided they wanted to have "one more....More

N.B. health officials warm against eating leftovers from community picnic

BRANTVILLE, N.B. (CP) - People who attended a community picnic in New Brunswick over the weekend are being told not to eat any leftovers they may have taken home....More

Midwives order says practices are reliable and no changes necessary

MONTREAL (CP) - The Quebec Order of Midwives says it does not anticipate any changes to their practices despite a coroner's report saying they need additional training to cope with high-risk births....More

Mental disorders account for more than half of hospital stays among homeless

TORONTO (CP) - More than half of hospital stays by homeless Canadians are a direct result of mental disorders, suggests a study of mental health and homelessness released Thursday....More

Manitoba's record year for West Nile virus continues as numbers grow

WINNIPEG (CP) - Manitoba continues to be the hot spot for West Nile virus this year. New figures from the provincial government show 355 people have tested positive for the disease - up 142 from last week....More

Jehovah's Witness parents in B.C. court over sextuplets' blood transfusions

VANCOUVER (CP) - A lawyer for the Jehovah's Witness parents of premature sextuplets says the babies shouldn't have been seized and given blood transfusions without giving the parents a judicial hearing....More

Few teens got new meningitis shot or other recommended vaccination: U.S. study

ATLANTA (AP) - Only 12 per cent of teens got a meningitis shot that is recommended by U.S. health officials, according to a government survey released Thursday. And only 11 per cent got another relatively new shot, one that guards against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough....More

Alberta doctors to get extra funding help starting in September

EDMONTON (CP) - Alberta doctors affected by the province's booming economy will get more money starting in September. The Alberta Medical Association announced details of the $56-million program, which comes from a contract reached with the government this spring, on Wednesday....More

Alberta girl has mechanical heart removed after the real thing heals itself

EDMONTON (CP) - A 15-year-old Alberta girl has become the first Canadian to be taken off an artificial "Berlin Heart" because her own heart healed itself....More

Unique rabies survivor enters college 3 years after being bitten by bat

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (AP) - Jeanna Giese, like many other teenagers entering college, admits to being nervous about classes and meeting new friends. But Giese isn't your average freshman....More

Quebec coroner says midwives' inaction led to newborn's death

QUEBEC (CP) - A Quebec coroner is recommending that midwives and health professionals need to advise expecting mothers that the presence of meconium could signal a complication or that the well-being of a fetus is compromised. Coroner Paul G....More

Ovary removal before menopause raises risk for dementia unless estrogen taken: study

NEW YORK (AP) - Women who have their ovaries removed before menopause run a heightened risk of developing dementia or other mental problems later in life - unless they take estrogen until age 50, a new study suggests....More

China plans to ban tobacco promotions by 2011, has estimated 350M smokers

BEIJING (AP) - China will ban all types of tobacco advertising and promotions by 2011, fulfilling its obligations under an international anti-smoking treaty, officials and state media said Wednesday....More

Calif. company recalls fresh spinach over salmonella contamination

WASHINGTON (CP) - A California produce company has recalled bagged fresh spinach from Canada and the U.S. after it tested positive for salmonella. There were no immediate reports of illness linked to the tainted spinach, distributed by Metz Fresh LLC of King City, Calif....More

BC scientists say smokers who quit years ago still at higher risk of lung cancer

VANCOUVER (CP) - Research by scientists at the B.C. Cancer Agency suggests heavy smokers who butt out years ago still face a high risk of developing lung cancer because some genes have been permanently damaged....More

Asthma guidelines urge better day-to-day control not just attention to bad attacks

WASHINGTON (AP) - Breathing easier without limiting activities is the goal of new government guidelines that urge more attention to asthma sufferers' day-to-day symptoms, not just their severe attacks....More

Study suggests treating diabetic pregnant women cuts child's risk of obesity

NEW YORK (AP) - A new, large study suggests that treating women who develop diabetes during pregnancy greatly reduces the chances that their baby will become obese during childhood....More

Obesity rates climbed in most U.S. states; no state shows decline

WASHINGTON (AP) - Loosen the belt buckle another notch America - obesity rates continued their climb in 31 states last year. No state showed a decline. Mississippi became the first state to crack the 30 per cent barrier for adults considered to be obese....More

Moon suits: Florida goes to great lengths to protect doctors' anonymity

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - At all Florida lethal injections, a man in a purple moon suit leans over the dying inmate to listen for a heartbeat and feel for a pulse. After a few seconds, he nods, and the witnesses are informed that the death sentence has been duly carried out....More

Hypnosis before breast cancer surgery means less pain afterwards: study

TORONTO (CP) - Women who undergo hypnosis just before breast cancer surgery need less anesthetic and experience lower levels of pain and other side-effects following the operation, a study has found. The U.S....More

European study backs less frequent prostate testing

WASHINGTON (AP) - A large study from Europe suggests it doesn't hurt to wait a few years between prostate cancer screenings - but the research won't end debate over the value of PSA tests....More

Cataract surgery is good news story of Canadian health care system

FREDERICTON (CP) - When Fredericton businessman Murray Gregg realized he was literally seeing the world through jaundiced eyes, he knew the cause must have something to do with his vision, not his disposition. "Everything was foggy and yellow," he says....More

British doctors protest plan to bar government payment for drug-coated stents

LONDON (AP) - British heart doctors are fighting an effort to end government coverage for drug-coated heart stents, tiny metal-mesh tubes that prop open clogged arteries. Safety concerns reported last year already have led to more cautious use of the devices around the world....More

Alberta girl has mechanical heart removed after the real thing heals itself

EDMONTON (CP) - A 15-year-old Alberta girl has become the first Canadian to be taken off an artificial "Berlin Heart" because her own heart healed itself....More

Ottawa to invest in studies into care for cancer patients

HALIFAX (CP) - Seven cancer research teams from across the country will get $10.1 million in federal and provincial funding over five years to study ways to ensure quick and fair access to quality care for patients....More

Neem Active Toothpaste contains high levels of bacteria, not safe for use

TORONTO (CP) - Health Canada is warning that a toothpaste from India that was earlier discovered to contain a chemical found in antifreeze also contains high levels of harmful bacteria....More

N.S. and Ottawa to invest in study of colorectal cancer treatment

HALIFAX (CP) - Researchers in Nova Scotia will be given a $1.5-million grant to spend over the next five years on studying patient access to treatment for colorectal cancer....More

8-month-old boy doing well after getting 5 organs at New York hospital

NEW YORK (AP) - An eight-month-old boy received five organs in a complex transplant for a rare gastrointestinal disease and is ready for the next step - learning to eat, his doctors said Friday....More

Dunkin's going zero grams trans fat by mid-October - even the doughnuts

BOSTON (AP) - Dunkin' Donuts, the food-on-the-go chain whose name celebrates a treat that's symbolic of unhealthy eating, is trying to refresh its image by largely eliminating trans fat across its menu, Homer Simpson be damned....More

Bats may hold clues to how to survive the bad bugs they carry

TORONTO (CP) - What is it about bats and nasty diseases? With last week's announcement that a type of fruit bat may be a source of the deadly Marburg virus, scientists are again mulling over how it is that these nocturnal winged creatures can host, sometimes with no harm to...More

Liberal platform promises to reduce emergency-room wait times

TORONTO (CP) - Ontario's governing Liberals will promise to tackle the growing problem of long waiting lists for patients in hospital emergency rooms as part of their re-election platform this fall, The Canadian Press has learned....More

Alberta-wide standards on infection control will follow review: minister

EDMONTON (CP) - Alberta is taking too long to implement provincewide standards to prevent a sterilization scandal similar to one that rocked the province's health system earlier this year, say opposition leaders....More

Roche wins European approval for lung cancer drug

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) - Roche Holding AG said Friday that its cancer drug Avastin has been approved in Europe for the treatment of patients with some forms of lung cancer....More

Rate of U.S. women dying in childbirth on the rise; C-sections may play role

ATLANTA (AP) - U.S. women are dying from childbirth at the highest rate in decades, new government figures show. Though the risk of death is very small, experts believe increasing maternal obesity and a jump in caesarean sections are partly to blame....More

Ottawa to invest in studies into care for cancer patients

HALIFAX (CP) - Seven cancer research teams from across the country will get $10.1 million in federal and provincial funding over five years to study ways to ensure quick and fair access to quality care for patients....More

Neem Active Toothpaste contains high levels of bacteria, not safe for use

TORONTO (CP) - Health Canada is warning that a toothpaste from India that was earlier discovered to contain a chemical found in antifreeze also contains high levels of harmful bacteria....More

N.S. and Ottawa to invest in study of colorectal cancer treatment

HALIFAX (CP) - Researchers in Nova Scotia will be given a $1.5-million grant to spend over the next five years on studying patient access to treatment for colorectal cancer....More

8-month-old boy doing well after getting 5 organs at New York hospital

NEW YORK (AP) - An eight-month-old boy received five organs in a complex transplant for a rare gastrointestinal disease and is ready for the next step - learning to eat, his doctors said Friday....More

Dunkin's going zero grams trans fat by mid-October - even the doughnuts

BOSTON (AP) - Dunkin' Donuts, the food-on-the-go chain whose name celebrates a treat that's symbolic of unhealthy eating, is trying to refresh its image by largely eliminating trans fat across its menu, Homer Simpson be damned....More

Bats may hold clues to how to survive the bad bugs they carry

TORONTO (CP) - What is it about bats and nasty diseases? With last week's announcement that a type of fruit bat may be a source of the deadly Marburg virus, scientists are again mulling over how it is that these nocturnal winged creatures can host, sometimes with no harm to...More

A year after contested over-the-counter approval, sales soar for morning-after pill

NEW YORK (AP) - In the year since it was approved for over-the-counter sales in the United States, the morning-after pill has become a huge commercial success for its manufacturer, but its popularity and solid safety record haven't deterred critics from seeking to overturn the milestone...More

West Nile sweeps Prairies; Manitoba doubles infections in a single week

WINNIPEG (CP) - The number of West Nile virus cases in the Prairies has exploded, and some experts warn the worst is yet to come. The latest figures show at least 386 Canadians have been infected - including a doubling of cases in Manitoba and Ontario's first diagnoses this year....More

Proposed U.S. sunscreen rules see daylight after long delay

WASHINGTON (AP) - It may be the summer of 2009 before beachgoers can count on finding sunscreens to protect against the deeper, penetrating rays linked to wrinkles and cancer....More

Ont. nurses to be better protected with safety needles, improved respirators

TORONTO (CP) - Ontario's health-care workers will have another line of defence against life-threatening diseases after the province announced Thursday it will provide nurses with new respirators and safety needles to guard against job-related injuries and infections....More

Online 'rogue pharmacies' a growing source of drugs for people without prescriptions

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Drug shipments from illegal online pharmacies were once so frequent in Appalachia that delivery companies had to add trucks to their routes....More

Illegal drug study says number of deaths too high in Downtown Eastside

VANCOUVER (CP) - A report on illegal drug use in Vancouver says deaths were down in Vancouver and the rest of B.C. for 2006. However, residents of the Downtown Eastside don't fare well in the report from the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use....More

Critics: New CMA head's privatization ideas will lead to two-tier health care

VANCOUVER (CP) - The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says the country's public health-care system is headed for crisis, but a greater role for private health care could be the right prescription. Dr....More

2 new virus strains blamed for recent outbreaks of stomach flu

ATLANTA (AP) - A 90-year-old nursing home patient died from the stomach flu last year, marking the first time U.S. health officials confirmed that the highly contagious bug is sometimes fatal....More

Ont. government pledges $24.5 million for nurse practitioners, midwives

TORONTO (CP) - Nurse practitioners and midwives in Ontario will soon have their ranks bolstered after the provincial government made a $24.5-million funding announcement today....More

Obese people who have weight-loss surgery live longer than those who don’t

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The first long-term studies of stomach stapling and other radical obesity treatments show that they not only lead to lasting weight loss but also dramatically improve survival....More

Doctors call for strong environmental policies to protect Canadians' health

VANCOUVER (CP) - Doctors at an annual meeting of the Canadian Medical Association say the federal government must support environmental policies to protect the public's health....More

CMA head says Canada's health-care system in crisis, needs change

VANCOUVER (CP) - The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says the country's public health-care system is headed for crisis, but a greater role for private health care could be the right prescription. Dr....More

Chinese blankets recalled in Australia, N.Z. due to formaldehyde content

WELLINGTON, N.Z. (AP) - Chinese-made blankets containing high levels of formaldehyde have been recalled across Australia and New Zealand, the product distributor said Wednesday....More

Adult psychiatric drug approved by FDA for use in adolescents

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a widely used adult psychiatric drug for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in children and adolescents....More

A year after contested over-the-counter approval, sales soar for morning-after pill

NEW YORK (AP) - In the year since it was approved for over-the-counter sales in the United States, the morning-after pill has become a huge commercial success for its manufacturer, but its popularity and solid safety record haven't deterred critics from seeking to overturn the milestone...More

Critics: New CMA head's privatization ideas will lead to two-tier health care

VANCOUVER (CP) - The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says the country's public health-care system is headed for crisis, but a greater role for private health care could be the right prescription. Dr....More

Health officials report year's first human case of West Nile virus in Ontario

WINDSOR, Ont. (CP) - Health officials in Windsor have found Ontario's first human case of the West Nile virus this year. Dr. Allen Heimann, medical officer of health for Windsor and Essex County, reports that a 41-year-old woman contracted the virus....More

Federal advisory group recommends catch-up vaccination program for mumps

TORONTO (CP) - All Canadian children, teens and adults up to about age 40 should have two doses of mumps vaccine, a national committee of experts said Tuesday, stressing in particular university students, health-care workers and members of the Armed Forces....More

Doctors at national meeting oppose pharmacists prescribing medication

VANCOUVER (CP) - The majority of doctors attending a convention of the Canadian Medical Association have voted against allowing pharmacists to prescribe medication when they're part of a team caring for patients....More

Crave clear skin? Cutting dairy may help some acne patients, says naturopath

TORONTO (CP) - Acne has long been the scourge of millions of North American adolescents who dream of a pimple-free life....More

Calgary parents of quadruplets overwhelmed and a bit "panicky"

CALGARY (CP) - Having already defied astronomical odds, the parents of rare identical quadruplets wanted to see just how far their luck would go. They went out and bought a lottery ticket. "We bought several," Karen Jepp admitted Tuesday....More

Agent Orange study says communities near CFB Gagetown are safe

OROMOCTO, N.B. (CP) - Angry former soldiers are calling it a whitewash, but a series of scientific reports on the effects of Agent Orange and other herbicides at a New Brunswick military base have concluded the chemical sprays posed a minimal health risk....More

130 scientists urge Ottawa to base Insite decision on science, not ideology

TORONTO (CP) - A group of 130 prominent doctors, scientists and public health professionals took aim at the federal government Tuesday for putting political ideology ahead of scientific evidence when considering the future of Vancouver's safe injection site....More

Chinese blankets recalled in Australia, N.Z. due to formaldehyde content

WELLINGTON, N.Z. (AP) - Chinese-made blankets containing high levels of formaldehyde have been recalled across Australia and New Zealand, the product distributor said Wednesday....More

Recent Marburg outbreak provides rare chance to try to find virus reservoir

(CP) - In a laboratory in western Uganda, an international team of scientists is bleeding, tagging and preserving bats by the hundreds, hoping these creatures of the night will yield an elusive secret about one of the deadliest pathogens known to humankind....More

Parents receive dire warning about threat trampolines pose for children, teens

TORONTO (CP) - Parents who trust that trampolines are a safe and fun pastime for their children received dire warning Monday from pediatricians and sporting experts who characterized the seemingly innocent activity as one fraught with danger....More

Over-the-counter diet supplement recalled; contains prescription obesity drug

TORONTO (CP) - One lot of an over-the-counter dietary supplement sold in the United States and distributed in Canada is being recalled because it contains a prescription drug used in the treatment of obesity. Health Canada issued an advisory to notify the public of the U.S....More

Health coalition calls on Ontario to lead the way on environmental carcinogens

TORONTO (CP) - A coalition of health groups challenged the Ontario government Monday to become the first jurisdiction in Canada to aggressively target environmental carcinogens that they say will continue to kill tens of thousands if politicians fail to act....More

Family suing Mattel, seeking payment for lead testing

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A family sued Mattel Inc. on Monday, claiming the world's largest toy maker should pay for testing to determine if children have been exposed to lead from millions of recalled toys....More

Canadians concerned about how the environment affect their health: report

VANCOUVER (CP) - Summers in Toronto are proving to be a challenge for longtime resident Linda Abel. The 57-year-old, who suffers from lupus, has noticed an increase of smog alerts and in turn, the effect it has on her health....More

Canada to review legislation on importing toys to toothpaste to address safety

VANCOUVER (CP) - Health Minister Tony Clement says the Canadian government is putting together a plan to deal with counterfeit and dangerous imported products....More

Analysis finds pain medicine use has risen by 90 per cent in U.S.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) - People in the United States are living in a world of pain and they are popping pills at an alarming rate to cope with it....More

Addicts, operator of BC safe-injection site go to court to keep facility open

VANCOUVER (CP) - Two drug addicts and a group that runs North America's only safe-injection site have launched court action, saying any effort by the federal government to close the place would violate addicts' Charter rights....More

210 more kids to get autism treatment but critics say that's not enough

TORONTO (CP) - A $12 million pre-election funding boost that will allow 210 more Ontario children to receive specialized autism treatment this year does little to shrink a massive waiting list or address the issue of school-based therapy, critics argued Friday....More

Health officials call Macleans article on HPV vaccine alarmist, unbalanced

TORONTO (CP) - Canada's chief public health officer took issue on Friday with a Macleans magazine cover story that suggested adoption of a new vaccine against human papillomavirus - or HPV - was making "guinea pigs" out of Canadian girls....More

Health Canada issues warning about baby carrots

OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to consume Los Angeles Salad Company Genuine Sweet Baby Carrots because the product may be contaminated with Shigella....More

Technology being developed to detect brain injuries on battlefield

HALIFAX (CP) - Canadian military scientists are trying to develop a technology to detect possible brain injuries as more soldiers are being exposed to powerful blasts that can leave them with dangerous yet hidden wounds....More

Radioactive waste project east of Toronto years, millions behind schedule

PORT HOPE, Ont. (CP) - A planned cleanup of low-level radioactive waste near the shores of Lake Ontario - the largest project of its kind in North America - remains years behind schedule and millions of dollars over budget, leaving some residents of this picturesque southeastern Ontario town...More

N.L. sees merit in spreading its cellphone ban for motorists across Canada

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. (CP) - The government of Newfoundland and Labrador is urging all Canadian provinces to follow its lead by banning the use of hand-held cellphones while driving....More

Canadians concerned about how the environment affect their health: report

VANCOUVER (CP) - Summers in Toronto are proving to be a challenge for longtime resident Linda Abel. The 57-year-old, who suffers from lupus, has noticed an increase of smog alerts and in turn, the effect it has on her health....More

New Canadian Medical Association chief's plan to cut wait lists controversial

VANCOUVER (CP) - The incoming head of the Canadian Medical Association has a dream - to eliminate health-care wait lists so people get treatment without suffering to the point their conditions gets even worse....More

Health Canada reviewing drug pulled in Australia due to link to liver problems

TORONTO (CP) - Health Canada says it is reviewing safety information for the drug Prexige (lumiracoxib) after Australian health authorities withdrew the drug from that market due to reports of serious liver problems, including two deaths, in eight people who had taken the drug....More

Health Canada orders Parkinson drug associated with heart problem off market

TORONTO (CP) - Health Canada is ordering a drug used for treatment of Parkinson's disease off the market. The department has told maker Eli Lilly that sales of the drug Permax (pergolide mesylate) must cease as of Aug. 30....More

Governments must fight obesity with major investment into treatment: experts

HAMILTON (CP) - Clinics and hospitals across Canada need a major infusion of money to prepare for the coming impact of an obesity epidemic that could one day outweigh the effects of smoking on the health-care system, experts warned Thursday....More

FDA warns parents to take care in giving children cough and cold medicines

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. government is warning parents not to give cough and cold medicines to children under two without a doctor's order....More

FDA notes role genetic testing can play in safer use of blood thinner

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal health officials are stopping short of recommending genetic tests for patients on the blood-thinner warfarin, even though they have said such screenings could prevent thousands of complications each year....More

Dion attends screening of Moore's Sicko, warns of increased privatization

TORONTO (CP) - It's not often that the Leader of the Opposition gets treated to a matinee by his constituents. But an unusual political stunt Thursday had Stephane Dion taking in a screening of Michael Moore's latest movie, accompanied by a group of registered nurses....More

Canadian researchers identify new prion protein, adding pieces to CJD puzzle

TORONTO (CP) - Canadian scientists have discovered a new prion protein, a finding which could both help illuminate how prion diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob or mad cow disease destroy the brain as well as offer clues as to what is at play with other neurodegenerative diseases....More

Researchers see no pregnancy problems following use of abortion pills

ATLANTA (AP) - Women who use abortion pills rather than the more common surgical method seem to face no greater risk of tubal pregnancy or miscarriage in later pregnancies, according to a new study....More

Mattel adds nearly one million toys in Canada to ever-expanding recalls

TORONTO (CP) - Toy-making giant Mattel Inc. added nearly one million Chinese-made toys in Canada to an ever-expanding list of recalled toys in Canada and the United States on Tuesday, warning there could be more on the way....More

China's problems with lead in production go beyond tainted toys

BEIJING (AP) - China's problems with lead in consumer products go far beyond tainted toys. From playthings to paint to gasoline, Chinese companies use lead in a wide range of products and experts say China's children are suffering the health consequences....More

Canadian tourists hit with norovirus during Dominican Republic trip

MONTREAL (CP) - A total of 81 Canadian tourists in the Puerto Plata region of the Dominican Republic were recently hit with a norovirus, which causes gastroenteritis, the Public Health Agency of Canada says....More

California group says some China-made baby bibs contain unsafe lead levels

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Some vinyl baby bibs made in China and sold at Toys "R" Us stores contain lead levels well above U.S. government safety limits for lead in paint, a California environmental group said Wednesday....More

BC researchers say stem cell discovery may help treat leukemia patients

VANCOUVER (CP) - The B.C. Cancer Agency says a new finding about stem cells could lead to a breakthrough in treatment for leukemia patients....More

U.S. study: Parents in denial, despair as teens' drug use grows

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. teenagers say drug problems at school are getting worse, and parents express doubts about ever making such schools drug free, a new study says....More

FDA warns parents to take care in giving children cough and cold medicines

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. government is warning parents not to give cough and cold medicines to children under two without a doctor's order....More

Quebec women with breast cancer genes less likely to take preventive steps

TORONTO (CP) - Quebec can expect to see higher rates of breast cancer among women who carry gene mutations known to increase the risk of that form of cancer, because women in that province who are screened for the genes are less likely to take preventive actions, a new study reports....More

One in 141 babies experience birth trauma each year; one in 21 women: report

TORONTO (CP) - One in every 141 newborns suffers injuries during the birthing process, and one in 21 mothers giving birth vaginally experiences trauma, a new study on patient safety suggests....More

Mattel recalls almost one million Chinese-made toys in Canada

TORONTO (CP) - A world-wide recall by toy-making giant Mattel Inc. includes nearly one million Chinese-made toys in Canada that contain magnets that could be swallowed by children or could have lead paint....More

Mattel adds nearly one million toys in Canada to ever-expanding recalls

TORONTO (CP) - Toy-making giant Mattel Inc. added nearly one million Chinese-made toys in Canada to an ever-expanding list of recalled toys in Canada and the United States on Tuesday, warning there could be more on the way....More

Idaho scientist uses mice to help him search for anti-alcohol drug

POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) - Fred Risinger never gives his eastern Idaho bar patrons a last call - but then his customers are mice. Some are teetotalers who eschew the mouse-sized shots of alcohol they can obtain at any time simply by pressing a lever in their cage....More

Ergonomics, breaks for kids on computers crucial to stem strain risk: experts

TORONTO (CP) - Whether children are engrossed in an online chat, downloading music or just surfing the Net, the last thing on their minds while hovering over the keyboard is proper posture or ensuring the monitor and chair are well-adjusted....More

Eating junk food for two may program baby for lifetime of junk cravings: study

TORONTO (CP) - Women who indulge in a taste for junk food while pregnant may be programming their children to crave sweets and high-fat treats, new research in rats suggests....More

Diabetes drugs Avandia and Actos to include heart failure warnings in U.S.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The diabetes drugs Avandia and Actos will be labelled with severe warnings about a risk of heart failure to some patients, health officials in the United States said Tuesday. The makers of the drugs, GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd....More

Study looks at deliveries by woman's own obstetrician versus those by on-call docs

TORONTO (CP) - Many women as they head into their final weeks of pregnancy wonder whether their own obstetrician will deliver the baby or whether the doctor will be someone else on call at the time....More

Squabbling over who pays medical bills threatens First Nations kids: journal

TORONTO (CP) - The Canadian Medical Association Journal is adding its voice to the chorus calling for federal, provincial and territorial governments to stop squabbling over who pays the bills when it comes to the medical needs of sick First Nations children....More

First Nations should sue squabbling governments over health care for kids: journal

TORONTO (CP) - Canada's leading medical journal is urging First Nations advocates to sue federal, provincial or territorial governments if they withhold or disrupt health care for sick aboriginal children in disputes over who should pay for the needed services....More

DNA vaccine could benefit brains, immune systems of MS patients: study

TORONTO (CP) - The cause of multiple sclerosis remains unknown, but a newly developed DNA vaccine may hold the key to producing beneficial changes in the immune systems and brains of those living with the disease, according to a new study....More

Chinese-made hotel toothpaste recalled in Canada after toxic chemical found

(CP) - Canadian consumers are being asked to check their medicine chests after a voluntary recall was issued for a Chinese-made toothpaste distributed in some Canadian hotels. The toothpaste could contain a harmful chemical found in antifreeze....More

Chinese-made hotel toothpaste recalled in Canada after toxic chemical found

INDIANAPOLIS (CP) - A leading supplier of toiletries for luxury hotels has recalled complimentary tubes of Chinese-made toothpaste worldwide after tests showed some contain a potentially toxic chemical....More

Chinese-made hotel toothpaste recalled after toxic chemical found

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A leading supplier of toiletries for luxury hotels has recalled complimentary tubes of Chinese-made toothpaste worldwide after tests showed some contain a potentially toxic chemical....More

B.C. cancer researchers find vital gene that can prevent tumour formation

VANCOUVER (CP) - A unique gene that can stop cancerous cells from multiplying into tumours has been discovered by a team of scientists at the B.C. Cancer Agency in Vancouver. The team, led by Dr....More

U.S. food agency links Washington state-harvested oysters to bacterial illness

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. regulators advised people not to eat raw oysters harvested in a particular area of Washington state, citing bacterial illnesses that have sickened at least six people in that state and California....More

Obese children have higher absentee rates than normal-weight classmates: study

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Obese elementary schoolchildren miss a couple more school days on average than their normal-weight classmates, according to a study that says being fat is a better predictor for absenteeism than any other factor....More

Coalition wants Ottawa to increase funding for global fight against AIDS

TORONTO (CP) - Canada's commitment to the global fight against HIV-AIDS remains woefully inadequate, says a coalition of advocacy groups, marking the one-year anniversary of the international AIDS conference in Toronto....More

Coalition wants Ottawa to increase funding for global fight against AIDS

TORONTO (CP) - Canada's commitment to the global fight against HIV-AIDS remains woefully inadequate, says a coalition of advocacy groups, marking the one-year anniversary of the international AIDS conference in Toronto....More

Coalition calls on Ottawa to increase funding to global fight against AIDS

TORONTO (CP) - A coalition of advocacy organizations says that one year after the international AIDS conference put Canada in the spotlight, Ottawa is still contributing far too little to fighting the global pandemic....More

Ottawa to ban cigarette makers from labelling products 'light' and 'mild'

TORONTO (CP) - Ottawa wants to ban cigarette companies from using the words "light" and "mild" on their products, Health Minister Tony Clement said in a statement Friday....More

Chicago man seeks answers in wife's death following experimental gene therapy

CHICAGO (AP) - A woman whose death in a gene therapy study shut it down and prompted a review of the safety of 28 other studies was experiencing multiple organ failure when she got to the hospital, a spokesman said....More

Ontario government wants Ottawa to drop GST on nicotine patches, gum

TORONTO (CP) - Ontario is calling on the federal government to follow its lead by snuffing out the sales tax on all over-the-counter products designed to help smokers quit....More

Low-cal food and drink could set young kids up for later obesity: study

TORONTO (CP) - Parents who feed young children low-calorie foods and beverages in a bid to keep them at a healthy weight may inadvertently contribute to overeating and even childhood obesity, new research suggests....More

Groups gather for chance to join inquiry into discredited pathologist

TORONTO (CP) - The initial steps in what promises to be a lengthy and emotional inquiry into the work of discredited child pathologist Dr....More

Faces get muscular exercise with new handheld Nintendo DS game

TOKYO (AP) - A new game for the Nintendo DS handheld machine helps players exercise their facial muscles to have nicer smiles and livelier expressions....More

Canada's untapped Access to Medicines program to export first AIDS drug

TORONTO (CP) - Three years after Ottawa passed legislation to bolster access to low-cost medications desperately needed by developing countries, a Canadian generic pharmaceutical company appears to have the go-ahead to start producing the first drug under the program....More

Police probe 'significant' theft from Ontario office for mentally handicapped

TORONTO (CP) - A former employee of the Ontario government office that handles financial affairs for the province's mentally handicapped is under police investigation for allegedly stealing a "significant" amount of money, Attorney General Michael Bryant said Wednesday....More

Indiana State Fair switches to deep-fried treats cooked in trans fat-free oil

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - No one would ever confuse the deep-fried Twinkies or corn fritters served at the Indiana State Fair with health food. But at least this year they won't be cooked in artery-clogging trans fat oil....More

Health Canada reviews data on cardiac events in patients taking Losec, Nexium

OTTAWA (CP) - Health Canada says it's reviewing new preliminary safety information on serious cardiac events in patients using two popular prescription drugs for acid-related stomach problems....More

Bones do more than give us shape, may also help control insulin levels

TORONTO (CP) - The skeleton has long been seen as an inert scaffolding that gives the body shape and stability. But now researchers say bones appear to secrete a hormone that helps regulate sugar and fat - and that could have major implications for preventing or treating Type 2 diabetes....More

Nurses to press premiers to keep health care a priority issue

FREDERICTON (CP) - The president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions says she will push the premiers at their meeting this week to make health care a priority....More

Netherlands consider ban on 'magic' psychedelic mushrooms after teen's death

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) - The famously liberal Netherlands has been swinging toward the right, cracking down on immigration, religious freedoms and the freewheeling red light district. The next possible target? Magic mushrooms....More

N.S. to spend $17 million on new emergency dept. at Halifax hospital

HALIFAX (CP) - The Nova Scotia government is promising more staff, shorter wait times and improved working conditions at the province's busiest emergency department....More

Health Canada approves cannabis-derived pain drug for certain cancer patients

TORONTO (CP) - A cannabis-derived drug that's been on the market for two years in Canada to relieve pain in multiple sclerosis patients is now approved for use by certain patients with cancer....More

Low-cal food and drink could set young kids up for later obesity: study

TORONTO (CP) - Parents who feed young children low-calorie foods and beverages in a bid to keep them at a healthy weight may inadvertently contribute to overeating and even childhood obesity, new research suggests....More

Groups gather for chance to join inquiry into discredited pathologist

TORONTO (CP) - The initial steps in what promises to be a lengthy and emotional inquiry into the work of discredited child pathologist Dr....More

Faces get muscular exercise with new handheld Nintendo DS game

TOKYO (AP) - A new game for the Nintendo DS handheld machine helps players exercise their facial muscles to have nicer smiles and livelier expressions....More

Canada's untapped Access to Medicines program to export first AIDS drug

TORONTO (CP) - Three years after Ottawa passed legislation to bolster access to low-cost medications desperately needed by developing countries, a Canadian generic pharmaceutical company appears to have the go-ahead to start producing the first drug under the program....More

Scientists still working to understand spikes in West Nile virus numbers

WINNIPEG (CP) - Manitoba is proving to be the West Nile virus capital of Canada this summer. Eight years after the virus first appeared in North America, scientists are still trying to determine why some summers are almost virus-free, while others see a sharp increase in the...More

Ont. farmers urge screening of British travellers after foot-and-mouth outbreak

TORONTO (CP) - Travellers arriving from Britain should be better scrutinized at the Canadian border in the wake of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease southwest of London, Ontario Federation of Agriculture officials said Tuesday....More

Nurses to press premiers to keep health care a priority issue

FREDERICTON (CP) - The president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions says she will push the premiers at their meeting this week to make health care a priority....More

Netherlands consider ban on 'magic' psychedelic mushrooms after teen's death

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) - The famously liberal Netherlands has been swinging toward the right, cracking down on immigration, religious freedoms and the freewheeling red light district. The next possible target? Magic mushrooms....More

N.S. to spend $17 million on new emergency dept. at Halifax hospital

HALIFAX (CP) - The Nova Scotia government is promising more staff, shorter wait times and improved working conditions at the province's busiest emergency department....More

Health Canada approves cannabis-derived pain drug for certain cancer patients

TORONTO (CP) - A cannabis-derived drug that's been on the market for two years in Canada to relieve pain in multiple sclerosis patients is now approved for use by certain patients with cancer....More

Low-cal food and drink could set young kids up for later obesity: study

TORONTO (CP) - Parents who feed young children low-calorie foods and beverages in a bid to keep them at a healthy weight may inadvertently contribute to overeating and even childhood obesity, new research suggests....More

Faces get muscular exercise with new handheld Nintendo DS game

TOKYO (AP) - A new game for the Nintendo DS handheld machine helps players exercise their facial muscles to have nicer smiles and livelier expressions....More

One year in, B.C. program to compensate organ donors cheaper than expected

VANCOUVER (CP) - Don Hogan would have done it anyway, but he says a pioneering program that paid his expenses to give his sister a kidney was a big relief....More

British government says foot-and-mouth strain identical to one from nearby lab

LONDON (AP) - Hopes rose Sunday that a potentially disastrous foot-and-mouth outbreak in Britain could be contained, as scientists grew increasingly suspicious that the disease came from a high-security laboratory near the infected farm....More

British experts search lab for food-and-mouth virus linked to outbreak nearby

PIRBRIGHT, England (AP) - Biosafety experts scoured a high-security animal laboratory in rural England Sunday to determine how a strain of the foot-and-mouth virus may have escaped from a facility dedicated to eliminating the devastating animal disease....More

British experts search lab for food-and-mouth virus linked to outbreak nearby

PIRBRIGHT, England (AP) - Biosafety experts scoured a high-security animal laboratory in rural England Sunday to determine how a strain of the foot-and-mouth virus may have escaped from a facility dedicated to eliminating the devastating animal disease....More

Newfoundland to roll out HPV vaccine for Grade 6 girls in September

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. (CP) - This fall, Newfoundland and Labrador will begin vaccinating all girls in Grade 6 to protect against a virus that causes cervical cancer....More

Britain's farmers brace themselves for consequences of foot-and-mouth outbreak

LONDON (AP) - Michael Fordham remembers all too well the ravages of the foot-and-mouth epidemic that swept Britain in 2001: millions of cattle destroyed and a personal financial burden almost impossible to bear....More

Britain could face cirrhosis epidemic unless drinking habits change, doctors warn

LONDON (AP) - Last call at any British pub can be like a contact sport, with a crush of drunken customers suddenly heaving toward the bar in quest of one last round. It's a hallowed tradition, and doctors say an increasingly dangerous one....More

Beijing Olympic officials promise high-tech solution to food safety issues

BEIJING (AP) - Global positioning satellites will be used to ensure food safety at next year's Beijing Olympics....More

Canada stops susceptible animal imports from UK after foot and mouth outbreak

MONTREAL (CP) - Canada swiftly blocked entry of susceptible livestock and livestock products from the United Kingdom on Saturday, after foot-and-mouth disease was detected on an English farm....More

British PM promises rapid action to eliminate foot-and-mouth disease outbreak

LONDON (AP) - Britain banned the export of livestock and livestock products Saturday after foot-and-mouth disease was discovered on an English farm, and authorities halted the movement of cloven-hooved animals countrywide in a bid to control the highly infectious virus that devastated the...More

British government says foot-and-mouth strain identical to one from nearby lab

WANBOROUGH, England (AP) - The strain of foot-and-mouth disease found on a farm in southern England was identical to one used at a nearby laboratory, Britain's environment agency said Saturday....More

One year in, B.C. program to compensate organ donors cheaper than expected

VANCOUVER (CP) - Don Hogan would have done it anyway, but he says a pioneering program that paid his expenses to give his sister a kidney was a big relief....More

British government says foot-and-mouth strain identical to one from nearby lab

LONDON (AP) - Hopes rose Sunday that a potentially disastrous foot-and-mouth outbreak in Britain could be contained, as scientists grew increasingly suspicious that the disease came from a high-security laboratory near the infected farm....More

British experts search lab for food-and-mouth virus linked to outbreak nearby

PIRBRIGHT, England (AP) - Biosafety experts scoured a high-security animal laboratory in rural England Sunday to determine how a strain of the foot-and-mouth virus may have escaped from a facility dedicated to eliminating the devastating animal disease....More

British experts search lab for food-and-mouth virus linked to outbreak nearby

PIRBRIGHT, England (AP) - Biosafety experts scoured a high-security animal laboratory in rural England Sunday to determine how a strain of the foot-and-mouth virus may have escaped from a facility dedicated to eliminating the devastating animal disease....More

Britain could face cirrhosis epidemic unless drinking habits change, doctors warn

LONDON (AP) - Last call at any British pub can be like a contact sport, with a crush of drunken customers suddenly heaving toward the bar in quest of one last round. It's a hallowed tradition, and doctors say an increasingly dangerous one....More

Twin girls born joined at the head return to Vancouver for latest diagnosis

VANCOUVER (CP) - The conjoined twins born in Vancouver last year are back at B.C. Children's Hospital for the latest news about the chances of their separation. The twins, who are joined at the head, were born to Felicia Simms of Vernon last October....More

Simple technique to detect cervical cancer could save millions in developing world

LONDON (AP) - A cheap method to detect cervical cancer using vinegar, cotton gauze and a bright light could save millions of women in the developing world, experts reported Friday....More

Ontario Premier hoping vaccinating Grade 8 girls will help eradicate cervical cancer

TORONTO (CP) - Premier Dalton McGuinty says he hopes a new plan to vaccinate over 80,000 Grade 8 girls will help eradicate cervical cancer and save lives....More

More new moms in U.S. breast-feed but turn to infant formula too soon: experts

ATLANTA (AP) - Nearly three-quarters of new mothers in the United States are breast-feeding their babies, but they are quitting too soon and resorting to infant formula too often, federal health officials said Thursday....More

Latest toy recall for lead paint leaves parents digging through the toybox

TORONTO (CP) - Parents are worried about what other dangers are lurking in their children's toyboxes after a second recall of popular kids' toys for lead paint contamination....More

Korean stem cell fraud appears to have overlooked or hidden a real advance: study

NEW YORK (AP) - Remember the spectacular South Korean stem cell fraud of a few years ago? A new analysis says the disgraced scientist actually did reach a long-sought scientific goal. It's just not the one he claimed....More

Doctors urge all provinces to vaccinate young women against cervical cancer

TORONTO (CP) - Other provinces have no excuse for refusing to provide young women with free vaccinations that could help prevent cervical cancer after Canada's most populous province rolled out the immunization program Thursday, a national doctor's group said....More

China, U.S. officials hold talks on food exports, food safety co-operation

BEIJING (AP) - China has said it would work with the U.S. to improve product safety amid a massive U.S. recall of Chinese-made toys contaminated with lead-tainted paint....More

Health advisers urge flexibility in rules for women taking acne drug

WASHINGTON (AP) - Health advisers are urging slightly more flexibility in rules designed to prevent pregnancies among women taking an acne drug that has caused birth defects - even though women taking the drug still are getting pregnant....More

Fisher-Price to recall almost a million toys worldwide due to lead in paint

WASHINGTON (CP) - Toy-maker Fisher-Price has issued a worldwide recall for as many as 83 types of toys - including the popular Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and Diego characters - because their paint contains excessive amounts of lead....More

Federal health minister rebuffs CMA call for two-tier health care

OTTAWA (CP) - Health Minister Tony Clement has curtly rebuffed the Canadian Medical Association's call for greater privatization of medicare, saying the government will not allow doctors to work simultaneously in both the public and private health systems....More

Doctors, judges, lawyers agree more needs to be done about fetal alcohol exposure

REGINA (CP) - They do what they can to help people suffering from the effects of being exposed to alcohol before they were born, but doctors, teachers, judges and lawyers all agree on one thing - the task is huge and the resources are scarce for a disorder perceived as being a problem of the...More

Caution needed before starting HPV vaccination programs for girls: researchers

TORONTO (CP) - The idea of vaccinating young Canadian females against the leading cause of cervical cancer has been embraced by a variety of public health organizations, but one group of researchers suggests the endorsement of widespread inoculation has been far too hasty....More

B.C. medical plan to cover cost of new long-lasting insulin for diabetics

VICTORIA (CP) - The B.C. government is adding a new insulin to the drugs it covers for diabetics under the PharmaCare plan....More

After 6 years, experimental electrodes let brain-injured man speak, eat: report

NEW YORK (AP) - A brain-damaged man who could communicate only with slight eye or thumb movements for six years can speak again, after stimulating electrodes were placed in his brain, researchers report....More

China, U.S. officials hold talks on food exports, food safety co-operation

BEIJING (AP) - China has said it would work with the U.S. to improve product safety amid a massive U.S. recall of Chinese-made toys contaminated with lead-tainted paint....More

Researchers watch virus-sharing talks with trepidation, fearing science may suffer

SINGAPORE (CP) - With little fanfare or public attention, representatives of 24 countries began Tuesday to try to resolve a virus-sharing impasse that is undermining the world's ability to chart the pandemic threat posed by H5N1 avian flu....More

Ontario still in 'dark ages' and must apply new technology to health care: docs

TORONTO (CP) - Ontario is lagging behind the rest of the country when it comes to converting patient records into paperless, online files which can be easily shared and transferred between doctors, the province's medical community and opposition Conservatives warned Tuesday....More

Medical journal says force-feeding at Guantanamo Bay violates doctors' ethics

CHICAGO (AP) - Military doctors violate medical ethics when they approve the force-feeding of hunger strikers at the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, according to a commentary in a prestigious medical journal....More

I was jailing profoundly disabled kids: judge on FASD cases

VICTORIA (CP) - Early in her career as a judge in Saskatchewan provincial court, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond was distressed to realize that many of the young offenders who appeared before her were disabled and didn't understand the consequences of their actions, let alone why they were in court....More

Colourful rubbery clogs don't fit shoe rules at many hospitals

WINNIPEG (CP) - Crocs, those quirky-looking but ubiquitous colourful shoes, are becoming all but extinct at some Canadian hospitals....More

Class-action suits launched in two provinces against makers of diabetes drug

REGINA (CP) - A lawyer is attempting to launch class action lawsuits in two provinces against the makers of Avandia, a popular Type 2 diabetes drug....More

Child abuse, neglect rises after U.S. soldiers deploy to combat zone: study

TORONTO (CP) - Incidents of child abuse and neglect among U.S. army families rise significantly when a parent is deployed to a combat zone and the problem is greatest when women are left behind to keep the home fires burning, a study has found....More

B.C. first to fund treatment with new drug for advanced kidney cancer

VICTORIA (CP) - Victims of a rare form of advanced kidney cancer are getting help from the B.C government, which is the first province to fully fund a new and expensive drug treatment. Dr. Susan O'Reilly of the B.C....More