Canadian Online Health Information: November 2007

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Journal accuses Shoppers Drug Mart of poaching South African pharmacists

TORONTO - One of Canada's pre-eminent medical journals is accusing an iconic drugstore chain of potentially fuelling a public health disaster in South Africa by aggressively recruiting pharmacists from a country that has struggled for years against a massive brain drain....More

FDA advisers recommend adding stronger warning to Roche's Tamiflu

WASHINGTON - The most widely used flu drug in the world should carry a stronger warning label about psychiatric problems seen in a handful of patients, U.S. government advisers said Tuesday....More

Canada and China announce joint health measures

BEIJING - Canada and China have signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance co-operation in consumer product safety....More

B.C. widens smoking ban, but won't curtail tobacco use in cars with kids

VICTORIA - Banning smoking in cars when kids are along for the drive is not happening in British Columbia - at least not yet. But the province's health minister feels it's a measure that society may eventually "evolve to....More

Amorfix Life Sciences reports protein link between ALS and Alzheimer's

TORONTO - Amorfix Life Sciences (TSX:AMF) said Tuesday it has discovered a protein in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease that is also found in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, indicating a connection between Alzheimer's and ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease....More

25 years after AIDS exploded, cases among gay men on the rise

TORONTO - A quarter-century after AIDS burst on the world's radar as it began ravaging gay male populations in North America, public health authorities in a number of developed countries are seeing a disturbing trend....More

Tests show no one got TB while on flights with Atlanta lawyer in May

ATLANTA - Tests of hundreds of airline passengers show that no one caught tuberculosis while flying earlier this year with an infected American man. Andrew Speaker caused an international health scare when he flew to Europe for his wedding while sick with tuberculosis....More

More time needed to evaluate mandatory detox for youth conference

EDMONTON - The effectiveness of locking up addicted teens against their will appears to be successful, but more time is needed to evaluate the programs, say officials from the three Prairie provinces that offer the service....More

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Need for addictions counselling expected to grow in military: expert

EDMONTON - An addictions expert with the Canadian military said Monday that they're seeing an increased demand for addictions counselling at the country's military bases....More

Imported toys not tested for lead, children's health at risk: union

OTTAWA - An organization that represents federal scientists and inspectors says no mandatory lead tests are conducted on toys and a host of other imported goods that find their way to Canadian store shelves....More

Gays, lesbians, need safe place to get help for substance abuse: conference

EDMONTON - Gays, lesbians, transsexuals, or bisexual people with drug and alcohol addictions face barriers that prevent them from seeking treatment, says the developer of Vancouver program....More

Gates Foundation, Rotary inject US$100 million into polio eradication effort

TORONTO - The global effort to eradicate polio got a massive shot in the arm Monday in the form of a US$100-million donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - a figure that will be matched dollar-for-dollar by Rotary International over the next three years....More

Gates Foundation, Rotary announce $200 million for polio eradication program

TORONTO - The Gates Foundation and Rotary International are injecting US$200 million into the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The Gates Foundation is providing US$100 million, while Rotarians are committed to matching, dollar for dollar, over the next three years....More

Doctors press Ottawa, provinces on wait-time guarantees

OTTAWA - A national effort to reduce medical wait times should be expanded to include five new priority areas, including emergency room care, says the Canadian Medical Association....More

Canada launches global initiative to 'save a million lives'

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania - Prime Minister Stephen Harper calls it the Initiative to Save a Million Lives. He will announce details of a Canadian-led program as he arrives in Tanzania on the final day of his trip to Africa....More

Canada and China announce joint health measures

BEIJING - Canada and China have signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance co-operation in consumer product safety....More

Monday, November 26, 2007

Nurses fired, suspended for swiping drugs from pained patients

MONTREAL - A pair of nurses have lost the right to practise the profession after feeding their addictions by stealing morphine from a hospital drug supply and, in one nurse's case, directly from suffering patients....More

Isotechnika completes critical drug study, showing no cancer link

EDMONTON - Drug developer Isotechnika Inc. (TSX:ISA) says a critical study for its lead immunosuppressive drug showed no cancer link. During a two-year period, the drug failed to show carcinogenicity up to the highest doses tested in male and female rats....More

Episodic memory not needed to be able to put self into the shoes of others: study

TORONTO - People don't need autobiographical memories to be able to put themselves in the shoes of others, reveals a new Canadian study which contradicts the prevailing theory on this type of thinking....More

Frozen beef burgers recalled; possibly contaminated with E. coli

TORONTO - Frozen beef burgers manufactured by a Mississauga, Ont., company are being recalled because of possible E. coli contamination. The affected products made by Cardinal Meat Specialists Ltd....More

Beijing orders hotels to stock condoms following spike in HIV infections

BEIJING - Beijing's health bureau has ordered hotels to stock condoms in every room in response to a spike in new HIV infections in the Chinese capital....More

Alberta family calls for clear policy after legal battle over coma treatment

CALGARY - An Alberta man who was badly hurt in a fall is alive and recovering today only because of a court order that forced a Calgary hospital to continue treating him, say family members....More

Conference hears pregnancy, child care prevent substance abuse treatment

EDMONTON - A lack of child care, poverty and pregnancy are often barriers to women who need treatment for drug, alcohol or tobacco addictions, a national substance abuse conference heard Sunday....More

Canada launches global initiative to 'save a million lives'

Friday, November 23, 2007

Toronto-area amnesiac helps neuroscientists piece together how memory works

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - A leafy suburb near Toronto seems an unlikely place to find one of the world's most famous amnesiacs. But Kent Cochrane, a man who could be described as a prisoner of the present, is indeed famous. Known as K.C....More

Toronto amnesiac helps field of neuroscience piece together how memory works

Promising 'toilet revolution,' worldwide organization launches in South Korea

SEOUL, South Korea - The World Toilet Association kicked off its inaugural conference Thursday, hoping to spark a sanitation revolution that will save lives through better hygiene and break taboos about what happens behind closed bathroom doors....More

Poverty taking its toll on health of young Quebecers: report

MONTREAL - Poverty is less acute in Quebec than it is in the rest of the country, but is nevertheless having a serious impact on the health of children....More

Opposition MLA tables private member's bill to ban smoking in cars

VICTORIA - A B.C. Opposition MLA is spearheading an attempt to ban smoking in any car carrying children. The move by Nanaimo New Democrat Leonard Krog comes just days after Wolfville, N.S., became the first jurisdiction in the country to adopt such a policy....More

Nurses fired, suspended for swiping drugs from pained patients

Isotechnika completes critical drug study, showing no cancer link

Episodic memory not needed to be able to put self into the shoes of others: study

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Nova Scotia midwives to get public funding, but no figures available yet

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia has committed to providing public funding for midwives, but has yet to decide how much it will spend....More

Illicit drug use among students plateaus, but painkiller increase a concern

TORONTO - Crack, meth and crystal meth use among Ontario high-school students is on the decline, according to a new survey that suggests teens in the province who use illicit drugs may be finding them in their household medicine cabinet....More

Boston doctor says he can handle procedure on Vietnamese boy with facial growth

HALIFAX - A doctor in Boston says he and a team of specialists can treat a 10-year-old Vietnamese orphan who travelled to Canada seeking medical help for a large growth on his face, but was turned away by a Toronto hospital. Dr....More

Strikes serve as bellwether for overburdened health-care system: N.S. report

HALIFAX - Strikes serve as an important bellwether of an overburdened health-care system, allowing workers to sound the alarm when things are about to break down, says a report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives....More

Infants can tell difference between helpful and hurtful playmates, new study finds

WASHINGTON - Even infants can tell the difference between naughty and nice playmates, and know which to choose, a new study finds....More

Doctors catch errors in own medical records; experts say patients should check too

LOS ANGELES - The recent chatter on a popular social networking site dealt with a problem often overlooked in medicine: mistakes in patients' medical charts....More

Despite growing debate, many clueless about baby bottle dangers: experts

TORONTO - When her son was born 21 months ago, Jennifer Whigmore didn't stop to think whether the plastic bottles and baby toys she was buying contained a potentially harmful chemical....More

Activists push Ontario to legalize raw milk, but province says no

TORONTO - Advocates of raw, unpasteurized milk were again pleading their case at the Ontario legislature Wednesday but the province said it won't budge on its position that it's simply not safe for consumption....More

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Pedometers plus goals encourage weight loss and other health benefits

CHICAGO - A $20 fitness gadget stood up to multiple research studies, helping people walk an additional 1.5 kilometres each day - but only if they logged their steps. Those who did lowered their blood pressure and lost a few pounds, an analysis found....More

Ontario considers ban on baby-bottle chemical linked to cancer

TORONTO - There is a "compelling case" for Ontario to become the first province in Canada to ban a potentially harmful chemical found in common plastic baby products and linked to adulthood cancer, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Tuesday after meeting with experts and parents pushing for a ban...More

Ont. considers becoming first province to ban chemical found in baby bottles

TORONTO - Ontario can't afford to wait until Ottawa rules on the dangers of a potentially harmful chemical found in common baby products, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Tuesday before meeting with protesters pushing for a ban of bisphenol A....More

Ont. child dies of chickenpox complications; just six other deaths since 2000

OWEN SOUND, Ont. - A child in the Owen Sound, Ont.-area has died from chickenpox complications. Karen Sweiger, with the Grey Bruce Health Unit, says the child did not qualify for the publicly funded vaccine for either one year olds or five year olds....More

Nova Scotia midwives to get public funding, but no figures available yet

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia has committed to providing public funding for midwives, but has yet to decide how much it will spend....More

Illicit drug use among students plateaus, but painkiller increase a concern

Boston doctor says he can handle procedure on Vietnamese boy with facial growth

Boston doctor says he can do procedure on Vietnamese boy with facial growth

A doctor in Boston says he and a team of specialists can treat a 10-year-old Vietnamese orphan who travelled to Canada seeking medical help for a large growth on his face, but was turned away by a Toronto hospital. Dr....More

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Deaths from heart disease down in older adults, but not declining in younger ones

ATLANTA - For decades, heart disease death rates have been falling. But a new study shows a troubling turn - more women under 45 are dying of heart disease due to clogged arteries, and the death rate for men that age has levelled off....More

Couillard says new deal with Quebec GPs to ease doctor shortage

MONTREAL - Quebec's general practitioners are set to receive an almost 20 per cent pay raise by 2016, bringing them close to parity with their counterparts in the rest of Canada....More

Cancer agency applauds N.S. town's bylaw surrounding smoking in cars

HALIFAX - A move by a small Nova Scotia town to ban smoking in vehicles carrying children is being applauded by the Canadian Cancer Society, which dismissed criticism that the law is too intrusive by citing the evolution of anti-smoking laws across the country....More

Cancer agency applauds move by N.S. town bylaw surrounding smoking in cars

HALIFAX - A bid by a small Nova Scotia town to ban smoking in vehicles carrying children is being applauded by the Canadian Cancer Society, which dismissed criticism that the law is too intrusive by citing the evolution of anti-smoking laws across the country....More

Bayer says Nexavar approved as liver cancer treatment in U.S.

BERLIN - Bayer's Nexavar has been approved in the U.S. for the treatment of liver cancer, the German pharmaceutical maker said Monday....More

Ban potentially toxic plastic baby bottles, rubber duckies: environmentalists

TORONTO - Ontario should take a proactive step and become the first Canadian province to ban potentially toxic plastic baby bottles, rubber duckies and other children's toys to reduce the chance of cancer in adulthood, environmentalists and parents said Monday....More

AIDS cases seem to drop dramatically due to bad data

LONDON - The number of AIDS cases worldwide fell from almost 40 million cases last year to about 33.2 million cases in 2007, global health officials reported Tuesday. It sounds like dramatic progress in slowing the virus's spread but the decline is mostly just on paper....More

A push to curb the taste for salt by cutting it from common foods

WASHINGTON - Think cooking the perfect Christmas dinner is stressful? Something else is far more likely to raise your blood pressure: salt hidden in all those goodies. Don't blame the chef. Much of that salt was hidden from him or her, too....More

Monday, November 19, 2007

New respiratory bug killed 10 people, sickened scores, CDC says

ATLANTA - A mutated version of a common cold-causing virus has caused 10 deaths in the last 18 months, U.S. health officials said Thursday. Adenoviruses usually cause non-lethal respiratory infections....More

N.S. hospital grappling with wait times that exceed national standard

HALIFAX - Surgical wait times at Nova Scotia's largest hospital far exceed the national standard, leaving people in chronic pain for years while they await procedures that might take a fraction of the time elsewhere, according to a new report....More

CDC: New respiratory bug has killed 10 people, sickened scores

ATLANTA - A mutated version of a common cold virus has caused 10 deaths in the last 18 months, U.S. health officials said Thursday. Adenoviruses usually cause respiratory infections that aren't considered lethal....More

Britain orders thousands of turkeys slaughtered after bird flu outbreak

REDGRAVE, England - British supermarkets reassured customers Wednesday the latest bird flu outbreak will not lead to a Christmas turkey shortage, as the government ordered the slaughter of thousands more birds....More

Feds seek what Chicago hospitals told transplant patients who got HIV

CHICAGO - Federal officials are investigating what three hospitals knew and told four organ transplant patients about a high-risk donor who infected them with HIV and hepatitis....More

McCain calls for permitting the importation of prescription drugs from Canada

CANAAN, Vt. - Republican presidential contender John McCain on Saturday said he wants to again allow the importation of prescription drugs from Canada as a way to bring health care costs under control....More

WHO hold special meeting to try to break Indonesian virus sharing logjam

World Health Organization member countries will take another crack this week at resolving a dispute over avian influenza virus sharing that threatens both how the world monitors for potential flu pandemics and the way flu vaccine, seasonal and pandemic, is made....More

Ondine preclinical data indicate bright hope for photodisinfection technology

VANCOUVER - Ondine Biopharma Corp. (TSX:OBP), already using lasers to activate drugs that treat gum disease, said Monday its technology shows promise against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a dangerous hospital-acquired pathogen....More

Friday, November 16, 2007

Study shows signs can get shoppers to take stairs, skip escalators

LONDON - Attention all shoppers: taking the stairs protects your heart. That's the message British researchers tried to get across at a suburban London shopping mall by putting up colorful signs along the steps of a staircase....More

Studies show women less likely to be treated in intensive care

TORONTO - Research suggests women are getting the short end of the stick when it comes to treatment in intensive care units. Dr....More

No magic pills: Anti-obesity drugs provide only modest weight loss, study shows

TORONTO - Most severely overweight patients taking anti-obesity drugs will realize only modest weight loss, especially if they fail to augment the medications with regular exercise and a healthy diet, say Canadian researchers after reviewing numerous studies on the agents' effectiveness....More

New respiratory bug killed 10 people, sickened scores, CDC says

N.S. hospital grappling with wait times that exceed national standard

CDC: New respiratory bug has killed 10 people, sickened scores

Britain orders thousands of turkeys slaughtered after bird flu outbreak

Feds seek what Chicago hospitals told transplant patients who got HIV

CHICAGO - Federal officials are investigating what three hospitals knew and told four organ transplant patients about a high-risk donor who infected them with HIV and hepatitis....More

Thursday, November 15, 2007

4 transplant patients get AIDS virus from donor; first case in US since 1994

CHICAGO - Four transplant patients have been infected with the AIDS virus in what a donor group says is the first such transmission in the United States in 13 years. The transplants occurred in January at three Chicago hospitals....More

Study shows staircase signs can get shoppers to take stairs, skip escalator

LONDON - Attention all shoppers: taking the stairs protects your heart. That's the message researchers tried at a suburban shopping mall by putting up colourful signs along the steps of a staircase, and it worked....More

Stem cells from cloned monkey embryos potential boon for medical research

NEW YORK - The ability to glean stem cells from cloned monkey embryos is a major step forward scientifically, but probably won't lead to treatments for human disease any time soon, the researchers who accomplished the long-attempted cloning feat said Wednesday....More

Pot activists hail court victory, but Crown says it's non-binding

OTTAWA - Marijuana activists are hailing a recent court ruling as the beginning of the end of Canada's prohibition on pot, but the Crown dismisses the decision as non-binding. A trial judge in Oshawa, Ont....More

Health Canada advises against use of 2 foreign health products

Health Canada is advising consumers not to use a Chinese complementary product and several lots of British bandages, saying both may be contaminated. The advisory says people should not consume Royal Medic No....More

Health alert, Some Compliments brand frozen beef burgers may contain E. coli

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has warned the public not to eat several types of Compliments brand frozen beef burgers because of possible E. coli contamination....More

FDA adds potential heart attack risk to label of diabetes drug Avandia

WASHINGTON - The U.S. government slapped a prominent, though confusing, warning on the popular diabetes drug Avandia on Wednesday - telling patients that it may, or may not, increase the risk of heart attacks....More

Britain orders thousands of turkeys slaughtered after bird flu outbreak

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Months after Iraq, more troop mental health problems arise, especially in reserves

CHICAGO - The euphoria of a soldier's homecoming from Iraq often gives way to depression, stress and trouble dealing with family members during the first months home, a new Pentagon study finds....More

Indian girl born with 8 limbs makes first public appearance after surgery

BANGALORE, India - Nearly a week after surgeons removed the extra limbs from an Indian girl born with four arms and four legs, the bright-eyed 2-year-old made her first public appearance Tuesday....More

Health-care spending expected to reach $160.1 billion in 2007

OTTAWA - Health spending in Canada is expected to hit an all-time high of $160.1 billion this year, up from $150.3 billion in 2006, says a report released Tuesday. The Canadian Institute for Health Information pegs the increase at 6.6 per cent - faster growth than the economy....More

Chlamydia sets record for number of U.S. sexually transmitted dieases

ATLANTA - More than one million cases of chlamydia were reported in the United States last year - the most ever reported for a sexually transmitted disease, U.S. health officials said Tuesday....More

China to revise law that bans entry of foreigners with HIV

BEIJING - China will relax a long-standing rule that bars foreigners with HIV from entering the country, a health official said. The 1994 law bans foreigners with HIV, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases or tuberculosis....More

Antivirals reduce risk of death in older patients hospitalized with flu: study

TORONTO - Antiviral drugs can significantly cut the risk of death for older adults hospitalized with severe cases of influenza, even if the therapy is started outside the optimal treatment window, a new study from Toronto researchers suggests....More

Almost half of Canadian health providers report high job stress: StatsCan

TORONTO - Nearly half of all health-care providers suffer a high degree of on-the-job stress, says a Statistics Canada study released Tuesday....More

4 transplant patients get AIDS virus from donor; first case in US since 1994

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Aggressive staph germ found to secrete compound that attacks immune cells

WASHINGTON - The aggressive antibiotic-resistant staph infection responsible for thousands of recent illnesses undermines the body's defences by causing germ-fighting cells to explode, researchers reported Sunday. Experts say the findings may help lead to better treatments....More

Slower brain maturity seen in children with attention deficit disorder

WASHINGTON - Crucial parts of brains of children with attention deficit disorder develop more slowly than other youngsters' brains, a phenomenon that earlier brain-imaging research missed, a new study says....More

Pediatric pathologist at centre of inquiry apologizes for 'mistakes' in autopsies

TORONTO - A man once regarded as Canada's leading pediatric forensic expert surprised a public inquiry Monday by saying he was "truly sorry" for the "mistakes" he made over two decades performing autopsies on children - findings which led the courts to toss out some charges and a conviction....More

New ways to fight the problem of bone marrow transplants that turn on patients

WASHINGTON - Bone marrow transplants are one of cancer care's striking successes, but they have a dark side: The transplanted cells can turn on patients, attacking their skin and organs....More

Hospital chaplains bring comfort to patients through gift of time

TORONTO - With nurses nearly run off their feet taking care of patients' physical needs, it's often chaplains or pastors who fill the role of sitting by bedsides and offering words of encouragement....More

Herbal sex pill alternatives pose dangers, especially for men on heart drugs

LOS ANGELES - Many of the pills marketed as safe herbal alternatives to Viagra and other prescription sex medications pose a hidden danger: For men on common heart and blood-pressure drugs, popping one could lead to a stroke, or even death....More

Canadian researchers find drug-resistant Staph in pigs, pig farmers

TORONTO - Canadian researchers have found two major strains of the superbug MRSA on pigs - and pig farmers - in southwestern Ontario, the first time the pathogen has been reported in food animals in North America. One of the strains, they believe, passed from people to pigs....More

China to revise law that bans entry of foreigners with HIV

Monday, November 12, 2007

Confusion reigns over U.S. rules on growth hormone as crackdown is increased

NEW YORK - Jeffrey George had no background in health care when he founded his business to sell human growth hormone on the Internet....More

Chinese safety watchdog says checks confirm toxic substance on toys

BEIJING - China's safety watchdog confirmed Saturday that toy beads recalled in several countries after sickening children contain a toxic substance, state media said....More

U.S. refugees from rival tribes team up to drill wells in southern Sudan

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Two decades ago, the boy was scrambling to stay alive, dodging a civil war enveloping his native southern Sudan. Salva Dut was 11 when he, his uncle and two dozen villagers crossed into territory controlled by the rival Nuer tribe....More

Multi-drug resistant Strep pneumo strain on the rise in many parts of globe

TORONTO - The strain of bacteria that recently sent a Toronto child to hospital with a hard-to-treat form of meningitis has become more prevalent and more drug resistant around the globe in recent years, experts say....More

Keeping babies alive: Battling an entrenched infant mortality problem in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The first thing you notice is how tiny they are: Row upon row of babies, some no older than this day, hooked to grotesque jumbles of tubes. Press your palm against the incubator wall and the infant inside disappears from view....More

Faced with drug-resistant tuberculosis, S. Africa quarantines patients

CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Behind high fences patrolled by guards to prevent escape, a drab building once used for smallpox victims houses patients with a new, virtually uncurable strain of tuberculosis....More

Cutting calories and carbon dioxide could help save lives and the planet

WASHINGTON - America's obesity epidemic and global warming might not seem to have much in common. But public health experts suggest people can attack them both by cutting calories and carbon dioxide at the same time....More

Aggressive staph germ found to secrete compound that attacks immune cells

Friday, November 09, 2007

Industrial slowdown demanded after study shows Athabasca river contamination

EDMONTON - A northern Alberta aboriginal band is demanding a moratorium on new development along the Athabasca River after a new study suggested the river they depend on for food and water is contaminated with arsenic, mercury and carcinogens....More

High court orders new trial for couple convicted in child's death

OTTAWA - A Toronto couple convicted in the death of their infant son on the testimony of a discredited doctor has won a new trial. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled 9-0 on Thursday that Marco and Anisa Trotta should have a new trial because the testimony of Dr....More

Curious George dolls made by Marvel Toys recalled due to lead contamination

WASHINGTON - About 175,000 Curious George Plush Dolls were recalled Thursday, becoming the latest popular toy made in China found to be contaminated with dangerous levels of lead. Manufactured by Marvel Toys, of New York, N.Y....More

China to revise food inspection methods to meet international standards

BEIJING - China will revise 600 national standards for inspecting food by 2010 to meet international standards, an industry watchdog said Thursday. "China's current food standard system is very unreasonable. ......More

Merck agrees to $4.85 billion settlement over pain medication Vioxx

TRENTON, N.J. - Merck & Co. will pay US$4.85 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits over the painkiller Vioxx in one of the largest civil cases ever, the company said Friday....More

Indian girl born with eight limbs conscious, smiling after surgery

BANGALORE, India - A two-year-old Indian girl born with four arms and four legs regained consciousness Thursday, wiggled her toes and smiled at her parents, 48 hours after massive surgery removed the extra limbs....More

Australian company investigating toxic toy after fourth child hospitalized

SYDNEY, Australia - The Australian company behind a popular Chinese-made toy found to contain a chemical that converts into a potentially fatal drug when ingested said Friday it was investigating how the toxin ended up in its product....More

'Fossil DNA' in our cells could be key to effective AIDS vaccine: researchers

TORONTO - Canadian and U.S. scientists have identified a potential new "Trojan Horse" method for creating a vaccine against AIDS, even as repeated efforts by researchers to prevent HIV infection using traditional immunization approaches continue to fail....More

Thursday, November 08, 2007

North Dakota board to require testing of Canadian cattle for 2 diseases

BISMARCK, N.D. - North Dakota's animal health board says Canadian cattle and bison must be tested for two diseases before they're allowed into the state. State veterinarian Susan Keller says the rule takes effect Nov. 19....More

New data show volunteers who got experimental AIDS vaccine not protected

TRENTON, N.J. - New data on an experimental AIDS vaccine that failed to work shows volunteers who got the shots were far more likely to get infected with the virus through sex or other risky behaviour than those who got dummy shots....More

More than 405,000 Chinese-made toys recalled due to lead paint contamination

WASHINGTON - More than 405,000 children's products made in China, most of them toy cars, were recalled Wednesday for containing dangerous levels of lead, a government safety group announced....More

Girl born with 4 arms and 4 legs is recovering from surgery in India

BANGALORE, India - Doctors in India completed a grueling 24-hour operation Wednesday on a girl born with four arms and four legs, and surgeons said the 2-year-old - revered by many as a reincarnated goddess - has a chance at a normal life....More

Caffeine to help preemies breathe doesn't increase neurological risks: study

TORONTO - Giving premature infants caffeine therapy for breathing trouble doesn't increase the risk they will develop neurological problems and may in fact protect against cerebral palsy and cognitive delays, newly published data suggest....More

Aqua Dots pulled from stores after Australian scare over date-rape drug

TORONTO - A popular children's toy is being pulled from Canadian store shelves over safety concerns that it may contain a chemical which converts into a so-called "date-rape" drug when swallowed, a scare that prompted Australian officials to ban a similar toy after three children were...More

Anti-smoking shot helps some smokers quit, study finds; may offer new option

ORLANDO, Fla. - A shot that robs smokers of the nicotine buzz from cigarettes showed promise in midstage testing and may someday offer a radically new way to kick a dangerous habit....More

China to revise food inspection methods to meet international standards

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Mixing alcohol with energy drinks is a popular but dangerous habit

Mixing alcohol with energy drinks is a popular but dangerous habit among college students, according to new research that found those who combine the two tend to drink more, take more risks and are more likely to get hurt while drinking....More

Leftover medicine? Pilot project in U.S. advises mixing it with cat litter

WASHINGTON - It's time to pooper-scoop your leftover medicine. Mixing cough syrup, Vicodin or Lipitor with cat litter is the new advice in the United States on getting rid of unused medications. Preferably used cat litter....More

Inactivity the big problem in battling bulge, says Oprah's trainer Bob Greene

TORONTO - Before serving up meal suggestions and recipes in his latest book, Bob Greene first implores individuals to examine not just what they're eating but the reasons why they're eating it....More

Educational TV for toddlers OK but other shows linked to attention problems

CHICAGO - "Arthur" and "Barney" are OK for toddler TV-watching. But not "Rugrats" and certainly not "Power Rangers," reports a new study of early TV-watching and future attention problems....More

Don't panic: Take steps to protect your children from antibiotic-resistant staph

With reports of an antibiotic-resistant staph infection on the rise, many a parent is sending a child off to school with careful instructions these days....More

Canadian number-crunchers gather in Africa to build disease-fighting models

VANCOUVER - Mathematics could be the newest weapon in the fight against HIV-AIDs. Canadian and African mathematicians, scientists and health officials are travelling to Kampala, Uganda for a first-of-its-kind meeting next week to discuss the spread of diseases such as AIDS or...More

Bayer halts sales of anti-bleeding drug after Canadian trial identifies risks

TORONTO - Pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG suspended global sales of its anti-bleeding drug Trasylol on Monday after a clinical trial led by Ottawa researchers found the drug was linked to a higher risk of death than alternative medications. The action followed requests from the U....More

Girl born with four arms and four legs undergoes surgery in India

BANGALORE, India - Doctors began operating Tuesday on a 2-year-old girl born with four arms and four legs in an extensive surgery that they hope will leave the girl with a normal body, a hospital official said....More

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Educational TV for toddlers OK but other shows linked to attention problems

CHICAGO - "Arthur" and "Barney" are OK for toddler TV-watching. But not "Rugrats" and certainly not "Power Rangers," reports a new study of early TV-watching and future attention problems....More

Don't panic: Take steps to protect your children from antibiotic-resistant staph

With reports of an antibiotic-resistant staph infection on the rise, many a parent is sending a child off to school with careful instructions these days....More

Canadian trial prompts Bayer to halt marketing of anti-bleeding drug

FRANKFURT, Germany - Pharmaceutical company Bayer AG suspended global marketing of its anti-bleeding drug Trasylol on Monday after a Canadian clinical trial found that it could be linked to a higher risk of death than other such drugs....More

Canadian trial prompts Bayer to halt marketing of anti-bleeding drug

FRANKFURT, Germany - Under government pressure, Bayer AG said Monday it halted worldwide sales of its antibleeding drug Trasylol after a Canadian clinical study found it could be linked to a higher risk of death than other drugs....More

Canadian number-crunchers gather in Africa to build disease-fighting models

Bayer halts sales of anti-bleeding drug after Canadian trial identifies risks

Girl born with four arms and four legs undergoes surgery in India

Monday, November 05, 2007

Radioactive alarm bells increasingly ring at Canadian waste sites

OTTAWA - Alarms are literally ringing at a soaring number of Canadian landfills as radioactive waste is detected in loads of trash. Alerts went off 119 times in the last fiscal year, up from 13 in 2005-06 and just three the year before, Canada's nuclear regulator reports....More

New heart pill beats Plavix at preventing clots, but raises bleeding risk

ORLANDO, Fla. - A new blood thinner proved better than Plavix, one of the world's top-selling drugs, at preventing heart problems after procedures to open clogged arteries, doctors reported Sunday. But the new drug also raised the risk of serious bleeding....More

Mixing energy drinks and alcohol popular but risky habit of college students

Cdn officials probing 45 E. coli cases linked to U.S. meat-related outbreak

TORONTO - While an investigation has yet to confirm a link, Canadian health and food safety inspectors haven't yet ruled out a possible connection between contaminated meat from an Alberta-based facility and a fatal summer E. coli outbreak in this country....More

Autism 'epidemic' largely fuelled by special ed funding, shift in diagnosing

ATLANTA - A few decades ago, people probably would have said kids like Ryan Massey and Eddie Scheuplein were just odd. Or difficult. Both boys are bright. But Ryan, 11, is hyper and prone to angry outbursts, sometimes trying to strangle another kid in his class who annoys him....More

New U.S. study says lack of sleep may lead to fatter children

CHICAGO - Here's another reason to get the kids to bed early: More sleep may lower their risk of becoming obese. Researchers have found that every additional hour per night a third-grader spends sleeping reduces the child's chances of being obese in sixth grade by 40 per cent....More

Educational TV for toddlers OK but other shows linked to attention problems

CHICAGO - "Arthur" and "Barney" are OK for toddler TV-watching. But not "Rugrats" and certainly not "Power Rangers," reports a new study of early TV-watching and future attention problems....More

Canadian trial prompts Bayer to halt marketing of anti-bleeding drug

Friday, November 02, 2007

Inaction on TB threat verges on crime against humanity: Lewis

TORONTO - The sluggish international response to the resurgent threat of tuberculosis is a global health scandal of nearly criminal proportions, Stephen Lewis, the former UN special envoy for HIV-AIDS, said Wednesday....More

Excess body fat, red and processed meats, alcohol raise cancer risk: expert panel

WASHINGTON - Many kinds of cancer could be prevented with simple lifestyle choices, says a comprehensive new report, which recommends keeping a lean body weight, limiting red meat consumption and ditching processed foods like bacon, hot dogs and luncheon meats except for the odd special...More

World Toilet Summit gets down to business in New Delhi

NEW DELHI - Though it includes such schemes as a solar-powered commode that runs without water, the 2007 World Toilet Summit is no bathroom novelty show....More

Toronto hospital decides against treating Vietnamese boy with malformation on face

TORONTO - A boy from an orphanage in Vietnam who was brought to Canada so that doctors at the Hospital for Sick Children could decide whether to remove a large vascular malformation on his face will be going home without treatment....More

Review into suspended N.L. radiologist's work has been an ordeal: lawyer

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - A suspended Newfoundland radiologist has been distressed by a peer review that found he misread hundreds of patient exams - missing tumours, broken bones and cases of pneumonia in the process, his lawyer said Thursday. Dr....More

Dietary changes required to reduce cancer could be hard to swallow

CALGARY - A new report suggesting many cancers can be avoided by cutting down on red meat, alcohol and processed foods might not be easy to swallow in some parts of the country - especially in Calgary, the epicentre of Canada's cowboy, chophouse and barbecue culture....More

Canada rates worst on health-care waiting times among 7 countries

WASHINGTON - Canada has the worst rating in a new study of health care in seven countries when it comes to wait times for seeing doctors and getting elective surgery....More

5 million Totino's and Jeno's frozen pizzas recalled for possible E. coli

MINNEAPOLIS - General Mills on Thursday recalled about five million frozen pizzas sold countrywide under the Totino's and Jeno's labels because of possible E. coli contamination. None of the recalled products were sold in Canada, a company spokeswoman said late Thursday....More