U.S. study ties 27 pet illnesses and deaths in Canada to pet food recall

TORONTO - In a year that saw dozens of recalls of products made in China, perhaps none had people more up in arms than a wide-ranging and repeatedly expanding recall of pet food tainted with a deadly combination of chemicals....More

Tests confirm 1 case in large bird flu cluster in Pakistan; more tests needed

One member of a large family of suspected H5N1 avian flu cases in Pakistan was found positive for infection in confirmatory testing by two international influenza laboratories, the World Health Organization announced Thursday....More

New Jersey makes HIV testing routine for pregnant women and newborns

TRENTON, New Jersey - HIV testing will soon become part of routine prenatal care and be required for some newborns in New Jersey under a new law that supporters say is putting the state in the forefront of America's fight against HIV transmission to babies. Acting Gov....More

Woman, 89, dies after dozens of hospitals in Japan refuse to admit her

TOKYO - An 89-year-old woman died after an ambulance crew spent two hours trying 30 hospitals before finding one that would accept her for treatment, Japanese officials said Friday....More

Suspected anthrax kills 8 Afghans who ate meat from infected camel

KABUL, Afghanistan - Eight Afghans who ate an infected camel as part of a religious celebration died of what health experts suspect is a rare case of naturally occurring anthrax, officials said Saturday....More

Mothers of U.S. war wounded upend lives, sacrifice when feared call comes

SAN ANTONIO - Rose Lage swears it is true: Suddenly, in the midst of a fitful night of sleep last June, she knew that her son had been injured in Iraq. "I heard my son's voice," she recalls. "It might sound weird, but I heard him holler 'Mama!' " In fact, Staff Sgt....More

Services need to change in order for streets to be safer for sex workers

VANCOUVER - Every week in Vancouver, a bad date sheet is put together by social service agencies and distributed to prostitutes, informing them of new beatings, rapes, kidnappings or robberies committed against people working in the Downtown Eastside....More

Mexican doctor charged with posing as plastic surgeon, botching operations

GUADALAJARA, Mexico - Gabriela Sanchez always felt self-conscious about her small breasts, and at age 40 she decided to do something about it....More

Being kind to someone can give you faith in humanity, improve your mental health

TORONTO - A random act of kindness, such as smiling at someone or shovelling snow or cutting the grass for an elderly neighbour, "gives you faith in humanity," says the organizer of a kindness campaign....More

Washington to fund needle-exchange programs to reduce AIDS, HIV infections

WASHINGTON - A nine-year ban on city funding for needle-exchange programs in the District of Columbia has been lifted, a move city officials say is key to reducing the soaring rate of AIDS and HIV infections in the country's capital. U.S. President George W....More

U.S. study ties 27 pet illnesses and deaths in Canada to pet food recall

TORONTO - In a year that saw dozens of recalls of products made in China, perhaps none had people more up in arms than a wide-ranging and repeatedly expanding recall of pet food tainted with a deadly combination of chemicals....More

Tests confirms 1 positive case in large bird flu cluster; more testing needed

One member of a large family of suspected H5N1 avian flu cases in Pakistan was found positive for infection in confirmatory testing by two international influenza laboratories, the World Health Organization announced Thursday....More

Tests confirm 1 positive case in large bird flu cluster in Pakistan

The World Health Organization says testing has confirmed that one member of a large family in Pakistan was infected with H5N1 avian flu....More

Tests confirm 1 case in large bird flu cluster in Pakistan; more tests needed

One member of a large family of suspected H5N1 avian flu cases in Pakistan was found positive for infection in confirmatory testing by two international influenza laboratories, the World Health Organization announced Thursday....More

New Jersey makes HIV testing routine for pregnant women and newborns

TRENTON, New Jersey - HIV testing will soon become part of routine prenatal care and be required for some newborns in New Jersey under a new law that supporters say is putting the state in the forefront of America's fight against HIV transmission to babies. Acting Gov....More

Woman, 89, dies after dozens of hospitals in Japan refuse to admit her

TOKYO - An 89-year-old woman died after an ambulance crew spent two hours trying 30 hospitals before finding one that would accept her for treatment, Japanese officials said Friday....More

Britain investigates loss of more data - this time patient information

LONDON - Personal information about patients in Britain's free health-care system has been lost, the Department of Health acknowledged Sunday - the third loss of data about the public by a government service this year....More

All but forgotten, Kabul's drug addicts live amid detritus of war

KABUL, Afghanistan - The sound of gunfire once echoed in the imposing, bullet-scarred structure. Now, a stale whiff of heroin hangs in the air. The spent bullet cartridges have been replaced by used syringes. Huddled in a tight circle, a group of men smoke hashish....More

Japan premier says government responsible for hepatitis from tainted blood

TOKYO - The Japanese government bears the ultimate responsibility for hepatitis C infections caused by tainted blood products, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Monday. "Pharmaceutical matters are the responsibility of the authority that grants permissions for them," Fukuda said....More

Holiday eating doesn't have to a minefield of unhealthy choices: dietitians

MONTREAL - The holiday imperative to eat, drink and be merry has often appeared as anathema to the health-conscious, but dietitians say it can actually provide a good guide to making the most of the season....More

Twenty-five-year-old Egyptian woman dies of bird flu, country's 16th fatality

CAIRO, Egypt - A 25-year Egyptian woman has died of bird flu after she apparently contracted the disease from domestic foul, a ministry of health spokesman said Wednesday....More

Honey - nature's infection-fighter - making a medical comeback

TRENTON, N.J. - Amid growing concern over drug-resistant superbugs and nonhealing wounds that endanger diabetes patients, nature's original antibiotic - honey - is making a comeback. More than 4,000 years after Egyptians began applying honey to wounds, Derma Sciences Inc....More

Being kind to someone can give you faith in humanity, improve your mental health

TORONTO - A random act of kindness, such as smiling at someone or shovelling snow or cutting the grass for an elderly neighbour, "gives you faith in humanity," says the organizer of a kindness campaign....More

Washington to fund needle-exchange programs to reduce AIDS, HIV infections

WASHINGTON - A nine-year ban on city funding for needle-exchange programs in the District of Columbia has been lifted, a move city officials say is key to reducing the soaring rate of AIDS and HIV infections in the country's capital. U.S. President George W....More

Type 1 diabetics sure to count each gram of sweet holiday treats

CALGARY - Melanie Barringer is surrounded by sweet Christmas treats, and for a diabetic kid who nearly died a few years ago, that doesn't sound like an overly good idea....More

Leukemia patient sues manufacturer of syringes contaminated with virus

CHICAGO - A leukemia patient has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of a batch of pre-filled syringes that were contaminated with bacteria, claiming they made her violently sick....More

Man, 29, donates part of his liver to his grandmother, 74, in Michigan

DECKERVILLE, Mich. - A man gave his 74-year-old grandmother an early Christmas present this year when he donated more than half of his liver to her. Patricia Middleton, a retired school bus driver, had been battling a chronic liver disease for a quarter-century....More

Japanese ruling bloc to submit bill to aid victims of tainted blood products

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Sunday his ruling bloc will submit legislation providing aid to about 1,000 people exposed to hepatitis C through defective blood-clotting products sold by pharmaceutical companies....More

Britain investigates loss of more data - this time patient information

LONDON - Personal information about patients in Britain's free health-care system has been lost, the Department of Health acknowledged Sunday - the third loss of data about the public by a government service this year....More

All but forgotten, Kabul's drug addicts live amid detritus of war

KABUL, Afghanistan - The sound of gunfire once echoed in the imposing, bullet-scarred structure. Now, a stale whiff of heroin hangs in the air. The spent bullet cartridges have been replaced by used syringes. Huddled in a tight circle, a group of men smoke hashish....More

Japan premier says government responsible for hepatitis from tainted blood

TOKYO - The Japanese government bears the ultimate responsibility for hepatitis C infections caused by tainted blood products, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Monday. "Pharmaceutical matters are the responsibility of the authority that grants permissions for them," Fukuda said....More

Holiday eating doesn't have to a minefield of unhealthy choices: dietitians

MONTREAL - The holiday imperative to eat, drink and be merry has often appeared as anathema to the health-conscious, but dietitians say it can actually provide a good guide to making the most of the season....More

Type 1 diabetics sure to count each gram of sweet holiday treats

CALGARY - Melanie Barringer is surrounded by sweet Christmas treats, and for a diabetic kid who nearly died a few years ago, that doesn't sound like an overly good idea....More

Leukemia patient sues manufacturer of syringes contaminated with virus

CHICAGO - A leukemia patient has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of a batch of pre-filled syringes that were contaminated with bacteria, claiming they made her violently sick....More

Man, 29, donates part of his liver to his grandmother, 74, in Michigan

DECKERVILLE, Mich. - A man gave his 74-year-old grandmother an early Christmas present this year when he donated more than half of his liver to her. Patricia Middleton, a retired school bus driver, had been battling a chronic liver disease for a quarter-century....More

Japanese ruling bloc to submit bill to aid victims of tainted blood products

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Sunday his ruling bloc will submit legislation providing aid to about 1,000 people exposed to hepatitis C through defective blood-clotting products sold by pharmaceutical companies....More

Britain investigates loss of more data - this time patient information

LONDON - Personal information about patients in Britain's free health-care system has been lost, the Department of Health acknowledged Sunday - the third loss of data about the public by a government service this year....More

All but forgotten, Kabul's drug addicts live amid detritus of war

KABUL, Afghanistan - The sound of gunfire once echoed in the imposing, bullet-scarred structure. Now, a stale whiff of heroin hangs in the air. The spent bullet cartridges have been replaced by used syringes. Huddled in a tight circle, a group of men smoke hashish....More

Japan premier says government responsible for hepatitis from tainted blood

TOKYO - The Japanese government bears the ultimate responsibility for hepatitis C infections caused by tainted blood products, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Monday. "Pharmaceutical matters are the responsibility of the authority that grants permissions for them," Fukuda said....More

Holiday eating doesn't have to a minefield of unhealthy choices: dietitians

MONTREAL - The holiday imperative to eat, drink and be merry has often appeared as anathema to the health-conscious, but dietitians say it can actually provide a good guide to making the most of the season....More

Calif. teen's family to sue health insurer Cigna in dispute over transplant for girl who died

LOS ANGELES - The family of a 17-year-old leukemia patient blamed Cigna Corp. on Friday for her death, saying the health insurance giant's initial refusal to pay for a liver transplant contributed to her death....More

Breast cancer patients not told reconstruction options when picking mastectomy

Most doctors don't talk about breast reconstruction with women before cancer surgery, depriving them of key information that can sway their decision about whether to have the whole breast or just a lump removed, new research suggests....More

Type 1 diabetics sure to count each gram of sweet holiday treats

CALGARY - Melanie Barringer is surrounded by sweet Christmas treats, and for a diabetic kid who nearly died a few years ago, that doesn't sound like an overly good idea....More

Leukemia patient sues manufacturer of syringes contaminated with virus

CHICAGO - A leukemia patient has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of a batch of pre-filled syringes that were contaminated with bacteria, claiming they made her violently sick....More

Man, 29, donates part of his liver to his grandmother, 74, in Michigan

DECKERVILLE, Mich. - A man gave his 74-year-old grandmother an early Christmas present this year when he donated more than half of his liver to her. Patricia Middleton, a retired school bus driver, had been battling a chronic liver disease for a quarter-century....More

Japanese ruling bloc to submit bill to aid victims of tainted blood products

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Sunday his ruling bloc will submit legislation providing aid to about 1,000 people exposed to hepatitis C through defective blood-clotting products sold by pharmaceutical companies....More

Britain investigates loss of more data - this time patient information

LONDON - Personal information about patients in Britain's free health-care system has been lost, the Department of Health acknowledged Sunday - the third loss of data about the public by a government service this year....More

All but forgotten, Kabul's drug addicts live amid detritus of war

KABUL, Afghanistan - The sound of gunfire once echoed in the imposing, bullet-scarred structure. Now, a stale whiff of heroin hangs in the air. The spent bullet cartridges have been replaced by used syringes. Huddled in a tight circle, a group of men smoke hashish....More

Two fox destroyed in N.S. after animals confirmed to have rabies

MULGRAVE, N.S. - Health officials in Nova Scotia say two rabid fox were destroyed after attacking dogs in the Mulgrave area earlier this month. The people who were in contact with the animals are now getting prophylaxis treatment as a safety precaution. Dr....More

Syphilis makes comeback in Europe amid spread of risky sex, online dating sites

LONDON - Syphilis is back: The sexually transmitted disease long associated with 19th Century bohemian life is making an alarming resurgence in Europe. "Syphilis used to be a very rare disease," said Dr....More

Study says marathon races prevent auto death risks

TORONTO - Marathon runners sometimes suffer fatal heart attacks, but the increasingly popular foot races actually save lives by preventing motor vehicle crashes, a new study says....More

Study in Romania finds foster care better for kids' brains than orphanages

WASHINGTON - Toddlers rescued from orphanages and placed in good foster homes score dramatically higher on IQ tests years later than children who were left behind, concludes a one-of-a-kind project in Romania that has profound implications for child welfare around the globe....More

Burger King takes fast-food trans fat crown; Ottawa threatens regulations

TORONTO - Popular restaurant chain Burger King has gained the dubious distinction of having the highest levels of artery-clogging, obesity-inducing trans fats in its french fries, chicken nuggets and other meals compared with its fast-food peers, according to federal data released Thursday....More

Babies do driving in Delaware robotics lab that seeks to help immobile kids

NEWARK, Del. - With a six-month-old at the controls, researchers at the University of Delaware are encouraging underage driving. Their ultimate goal is to help immobile, disabled children move and explore....More

B.C.'s conjoined twins to undergo vital surgery in new year

Vernon, B.C. - British Columbia's first set of conjoined twins will undergo a vital operation in Vancouver in the new year. Toddlers Tatiana and Krista Hogan, who will turn 14 months old on Christmas Day, are joined at the head and appear otherwise healthy....More

Athersys and Angiotech announce authorization of stem cell clinical trial

VANCOUVER - Co-developers Athersys Inc. and Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TSX:ANP) say they have received authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin clinical trials of a stem cell-based treatment for heart attacks....More

NIH studies how trillions of microbes live in human bodies

WASHINGTON - People's bodies are home to trillions of bacteria, fungi and other microbes, organisms that live on our skin, in our noses, in our digestive tracts. Some are helpful, some not. Now U.S....More

Montreal researchers link tone-deafness to size of grey matter

MONTREAL - Daring to dislike Christmas carols is often enough to be branded a hard-headed humbug, but a new study shows the size of a person's grey matter can actually have an impact on one's appreciation of music....More

HIV study involving University of Manitoba among top medical breakthroughs

WINNIPEG - Work done by a researcher from the University of Manitoba is among the top 10 medical breakthroughs of the year, according to Time magazine. Dr....More

High proportion of non-white students found to have insufficient vitamin D: study

TORONTO - A study of vitamin D levels in more than 100 University of Toronto students has found a much higher proportion of non-white participants had insufficient levels of the vitamin in their blood compared to white students....More

Expert panel concludes there is no evidence surgical masks protect against flu

TORONTO - Surgical masks aren't adequate to protect people from becoming infected during an influenza pandemic, a panel of experts said in a report released Wednesday....More

Bird flu experts comb Pakistan for signs of human-to-human infection

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - World Health Organization bird flu experts were continuing investigations Wednesday to determine whether human-to-human transmission may have occurred in Pakistan's first cases involving people....More

B.C. lifts 3-month waiting period for health coverage for military families

VICTORIA - The B.C. government has followed through on a promise to lift the waiting period for medical coverage for Canadian military families moving to the province from overseas. Usually there's a three-month delay before new B.C....More

Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach talking about eliminating health premiums

EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach is talking for the first time about the possibility of eliminating health-care premiums as part of his party's next election platform....More

Streamline system for getting drugs to poor countries: critics

OTTAWA - Critics say the government has missed a chance to streamline its vaunted system to supply cheap, generic drugs to poor countries, especially since it has yet to ship a single pill anywhere....More

Quebec announces register to add genetic typing to blood transfusions

MONTREAL - Quebec's blood agency announced Tuesday it is setting up a registry of blood donors that is genetically typed to ensure ease in blood transfusions. Genome Quebec, which will team up with blood agency Hema-Quebec, says the registry is the first of its kind in the world....More

New University of Alberta study suggests you are where you eat

EDMONTON - A broad look at Canadian cities suggests that when it comes to your weight, you are where you eat. Researchers at the University of Alberta have put together an obesity map they say comes from a pretty common-sense idea....More

Lululemon to stop selling plastic bottles containing bisphenol A

TORONTO - Lululemon Athletica Inc. (TSX:LLL) will stop selling plastic water bottles that contain bisphenol A, a chemical which studies have linked to infertility and cancer, but stopped short of pulling the bottles from its shelves....More

Confidential programs let addicted doctors practise while in rehab

SAN FRANCISCO - Troubling cases in which doctors were accused of botching operations while undergoing treatment for drugs or alcohol have led to criticism of rehab programs that allow thousands of U.S. physicians to keep their addictions hidden from their patients....More

Chemical linked to lung ailment nearly gone from most popcorn

OMAHA, Neb. - A flavouring chemical that has been linked to a lung ailment in popcorn plant workers has been removed by the four biggest makers of microwave popcorn in the U.S. - and at least two of the companies say this applies to their products sold in Canada, too....More

BioMS Medical stock up 49 per cent on licensing deal with Eli Lilly

EDMONTON - Shares in BioMS Medical Corp. (TSX:MS) rose nearly 38 per cent Tuesday, a day after the company announced a licensing and development deal with Eli Lilly and Co. on its lead multiple sclerosis compound....More

Bird flu experts comb Pakistan for signs of human-to-human infection

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - World Health Organization bird flu experts were continuing investigations Wednesday to determine whether human-to-human transmission may have occurred in Pakistan's first cases involving people....More

Tougher product safety laws coming after Christmas: Harper

OTTAWA - The federal government will introduce tougher product-safety laws in the new year in the wake of some high-profile recalls of imported toys, foods and drugs....More

Study hints timing of blood pressure pills might help high-risk patients

WASHINGTON - Taking a blood pressure pill at bedtime instead of in the morning might be healthier for some high-risk people....More

N.B. Ombudsman says loss of health records a wake-up call for government

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's ombudsman says the recent disappearance of computer tapes containing confidential health records was a wake-up call for the New Brunswick government on the issue of protecting personal information....More

Madagascar improves health care, has lowest HIV rate in Africa

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar - On a back street in one of Antananarivo's seedier neighbourhoods, Saholy clutches at the hood of her blue jacket, pulling it down against the light rain. She steels herself for more verbal abuse from her fellow street walkers plying their trade on the corners....More

Liberals start formal review of health tax as critics call for it to be scrapped

TORONTO - The governing Liberals are setting the stage for a formal review of Ontario's $2.6-billion health tax even though Premier Dalton McGuinty has already ruled out abolishing the controversial levy....More

Ho, ho, ho? No, no, no: Stress of holidays can bring out worst in families

Ah, Christmas. That magical day when the extended family gathers for a perfect meal of succulent turkey and all the trimmings. Everyone is rapturous over the gifts you chose with such care and wrapped so beautifully....More

Health agency says its working hard to contain latest TB outbreak

PORT ALBERNI, B.C. - Three cases of tuberculosis have been reported in Port Alberni, B.C. over the last month. The Vancouver Island Health Authority says since May 2006, there have been a total of 33 TB cases in the region....More

Chemical linked to lung ailment nearly gone from most popcorn

OMAHA, Neb. - A flavouring chemical that has been linked to a lung ailment in popcorn plant workers has been removed by the four biggest makers of microwave popcorn in the U.S. - and at least two of the companies say this applies to their products sold in Canada, too....More

Union is angry about government move to share health services

VICTORIA - The B.C. government is "tossing a time bomb" into court-forced negotiations between the province and health-care unions, a spokesman for the Hospital Employees Union claimed Friday....More

Students who work all night have lower grades than those who sleep, study finds

ALBANY, New York - Students who rely on working at night to improve their grades might want to sleep on that strategy: A new survey in the U.S. says those who never study all night have slightly higher grades than those who do. A survey of 120 students at St....More

Male kin face risk from breast cancer genes; doctors urge more men to be tested

SAN ANTONIO - Doctors are encouraging a new group of people to consider getting tested for genes that raise the risk of breast cancer: men....More

FDA panel recommends new sterilization procedure for women

WASHINGTON - An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration is recommending approval of a new method of sterilization for women. It would offer another option to the procedure known as tubal ligation....More

AECL head resigns amid medical isotope controversy

OTTAWA - The head of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. quit Friday in the wake of the fiasco that shut down the Chalk River nuclear reactor and prompted a worldwide medical crisis. Prime Minister Stephen Harper accepted the resignation of AECL chairman Michael Burns, effective Dec....More

Indian girl leaves hospital after successful surgery to remove 4 extra limbs

BANGALORE, India - A two-year-old girl who was born with four arms and four legs left a hospital in southern India on Saturday little more than a month after surgeons there successfully removed her extra limbs....More

Family cluster infected in Pakistan's 1st reported bird flu cases

Authorities in Pakistan announced the country's first reported human cases of H5N1 avian flu Saturday in a cluster of family members which may have involved person-to-person transmission....More

Brain-injured firefighter's brief awakening treasured by family, told in book

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Firefighters waited in the hospital's hallways, the campfire smell of their last call still heavy on their turnout gear. Word had spread quickly among the Buffalo department's ranks. Donny Herbert wasn't doing well....More

Many breast cancer patients can skip chemo or take gentler versions: studies

SAN ANTONIO - Thousands of breast cancer patients each year could be spared chemotherapy or get gentler versions of it without harming their odds of beating the disease, new research suggests....More

Fee-for-service statistics suggest physicians under 40 bill less

TORONTO - A large proportion of doctors under 40 are billing the health-care system for less than what a "full-time equivalent" doctor would bill, an analysis of fee-for-service payments to doctors suggests....More

FDA panel rejects Merck bid for over-the-counter cholesterol drug

WASHINGTON - Government advisers on Thursday rejected Merck & Co.'s bid for over-the-counter sales of Mevacor, the granddaddy of the famed cholesterol-lowering drugs....More

Chronic disease affects nine million Canadians, survey finds

VANCOUVER - Government and individual Canadians must improve efforts to prevent a "growing epidemic" of chronic health conditions that now make up the largest chunk of strained health-care budgets, a new report says....More

Boy with growth to be treated in Boston after being turned down in Toronto

HALIFAX - A 10-year-old Vietnamese orphan high-fived his caregiver and beamed Thursday after learning he will head to Boston to receive medical care for a large facial growth that a Toronto hospital has said it won't treat....More

Amputee soldier hopes new fitness program will help others in future

EDMONTON - An Alberta soldier who lost both legs in a suicide attack in Afghanistan says he hopes a new program will help amputees start rehabilitation and fitness early and keep it up throughout their lives. Master Cpl....More

AECL reactor at Chalk River expected to be producing isotopes again in a week

OTTAWA - Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., is restarting its research reactor at Chalk River, Ont., and expected to be producing vital medical isotopes again within seven or eight days....More

Students who work all night have lower grades than those who sleep, study finds

ALBANY, New York - Students who rely on working at night to improve their grades might want to sleep on that strategy: A new survey in the U.S. says those who never study all night have slightly higher grades than those who do. A survey of 120 students at St....More

Local health units in Ontario not prepared for pandemic outbreak: auditor

TORONTO - Despite taking many steps to prepare for a pandemic after the deadly 2003 SARS outbreak, Ontario is still not adequately prepared for another similar medical emergency, Auditor General Jim McCarter said in his annual report....More

French doctors recount struggles of world's first face transplant patient

Two years after French doctors stunned the world with the first partial face transplant, other doctors remain cautious about pursuing the surgery. The French patient, Isabelle Dinoire, has a new face that resembles and moves like the one she was born with....More

Folic acid boost with multivitamin could reduce incidence of birth defects

TORONTO - Women planning pregnancy should boost their intake of folic acid as it could play a key role in reducing as many as half of certain birth defects, according to new guidelines released Wednesday....More

Fall-out from nuclear reactor furor includes blame game, partisan meltdown

OTTAWA - Federal politicians got down to the business of assigning blame for the critical shortage of isotopes, only hours after passing emergency legislation aimed at averting a global medical crisis....More

Common childhood vaccine recalled in U.S. over contamination concerns

More than a million doses of a common vaccine given to babies as young as two months was being recalled in the United States on Wednesday because of contamination risks, but the Canadian market is not affected. The recall is for 1....More

BC public health officials welcome crack pipe study and link to Hepatitis C

VICTORIA - A new study is providing evidence to support fears that the highly infectious and potentially fatal hepatitis C virus can be passed among crack cocaine smokers sharing their pipes....More

B.C. study looks at link between contaminants and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

TORONTO - People with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma had higher levels of environmental contaminants in their blood than a control group, suggesting the agents may play a role in the disease, say researchers at the B.C. Cancer Agency....More

Alberta halts most mumps vaccinations due to serious allergic reactions

EDMONTON - Alberta has suspended a provincewide campaign to vaccinate young people against the mumps after five people suffered serious allergic reactions for reasons that are still unknown. Dr....More

Inquest probing death of murdered Ont. nurse makes 26 recommendations

WINDSOR, Ont. - A coroner's jury examining the November 2005 murder of a nurse at the hands of her former boyfriend in a hospital in Windsor, Ont., has recommended that hospital employees are educated about issues of domestic violence and how to deal with them....More

Death of native boy far from home inspires motion to end funding squabbles

OTTAWA - A native boy who died in hospital while governments fought over the cost of moving him home has inspired a motion in the House of Commons. MPs of all stripes are expected to support Jordan's Principle on Wednesday....More

Confidential medical records for N.B. and B.C. residents gone missing

FREDERICTON - Confidential medical information relating to hundreds of patients who received health services in New Brunswick and British Columbia has gone missing....More

Commons sits late to rush through bill to relieve medical isotope shortage

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government introduced emergency legislation Tuesday aimed at bypassing Canada's nuclear safety watchdog and putting a swift end to a critical shortage of medical isotopes....More

Cardiome Pharma says advisory committee recommends Kynapid formula

VANCOUVER - Cardiome Pharma Corp. (TSX: COM) says an advisory committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is recommending approval of Kynapid, the intravenous formulation of an investigational new drug for rapid conversion of acute atrial fibrillation....More

Canadian study raises more alarm bells about diabetes drug Avandia

TORONTO - A Canadian study is adding to concerns about the safety of a class of drugs for Type 2 diabetes after at least one of the medications appeared to raise the risk of heart failure, heart attack and death in older patients....More

Beijing official defends Chinese medicine, says remedies won't be used at Olympics

BEIJING - Chinese traditional medicines do not contain banned substances, a Beijing Olympics medical official said Tuesday. However, as a precaution they will not be used to treat athletes at the Aug. 8-24 Games....More

Alberta halts most mumps vaccinations due to serious allergic reactions

EDMONTON - Alberta has suspended a provincewide campaign to vaccinate young people against the mumps after five people suffered serious allergic reactions for reasons that are still unknown. Dr....More

Smoking in cars with kids is 'reprehensible,' province open to ban: Premier

TORONTO - Smoking in cars carrying young passengers is "reprehensible" given the dangers of second-hand smoke, but Ontario would have to think hard before becoming the first province to pass "invasive" legislation against it, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Monday....More

Quebec coroner wants caregivers more aware of cultural barriers with patients

MONTREAL - A Quebec coroner entered the controversial debate on reasonable accommodation today by suggesting caregivers in the province should show more openness to the needs of foreign-born patients. Dr....More

N.B. boy dying of cancer leaves inspiring book about coping with disease

FREDERICTON - Sean Collins hoped that the story of his fight against cancer would provide insights into what the sickness meant to him and to the people he loved and depended upon....More

Monthly fasting may help protect against heart diseases, study of Mormons finds

Mormons have less heart disease - something doctors have long chalked up to their religion's ban on smoking. New research suggests that another of their "clean living" habits also may be helping their hearts: fasting for one day each month....More

Max noise levels in toys too loud, exceed international standards: experts

OTTAWA - Regulations governing noise levels in toys are not tough enough and are allowing potentially dangerous toys on the market, hearing experts warned Monday....More

Gender matters with puzzling frozen shoulder, but nobody knows why

WASHINGTON - Wake up to find your shoulder killing you but don't recall an injury? It could be the start of frozen shoulder, a curse of middle-aged women and one of the most puzzling joint conditions....More

FDA review shows no safety problem with heartburn drugs Prilosec, Nexium

WASHINGTON - Patients who suffer from heartburn are not at increased risk for heart problems as a result of taking Prilosec or Nexium, according to a review released Monday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration....More

Combining antibiotic with interferon may benefit some MS patients: study

A common antibiotic taken daily by multiple sclerosis patients who are on interferon treatment may be effective in helping some people with the disabling neurological condition, a small preliminary study suggests....More

Safety agency demands answers over AECL violation that caused isotope drought

TORONTO - The failure of Canada's publicly owned nuclear company to follow safety orders involving a reactor that supplies material for much of the world's medical isotopes is a serious matter that demands proper answers, the federal regulator said Friday....More

Manitoba program tests retinas of over 400 diabetics for vision loss, blindness

WINNIPEG - More than 400 people in northern Manitoba have taken advantage of a program that monitors the retinas of diabetics to check for vision loss or blindness....More

Legal experts pan N.S. bill on gunshot and stab wound reporting by health workers

HALIFAX - A proposed law that would make it mandatory for hospitals in Nova Scotia to report gunshot and stab wounds to police likely violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, two legal experts said Friday....More

Ambulance agreement in N.B. clears way for new public sector provider

FREDERICTON - The New Brunswick government has settled with the province's private ambulance operators, clearing the way for a new provincewide ambulance service....More

11 Minnesota slaughterhouse workers fall ill; pig-brain removal work suspected

ST. PAUL, Minn. - On the slaughterhouse floor at Quality Pork Processors Inc. is an area known as the "head table," but not because it is the place of honour. It is where workers cut up pigs' heads and then shoot compressed air into the skulls until the brains come spilling out....More

Scientists find another gene's role in breast cancers linked to genetic mutation

NEW YORK - Researchers say they have discovered a major reason why women who inherit a mutated version of the gene BRCA1 run a high risk of breast cancer - and that finding might aid the search for new treatments....More

Good "probiotic" bacteria increasingly interest food marketers

CHICAGO - Bugs in baby food? Microbes in your milkshake? Relax, this is not the latest tainted food scare - it is a growing trend in foods designed to boost health, not make you sick....More

China launches campaign to promote healthy, safe diets for children's food

BEIJING - China is launching a nationwide drive to boost food safety and healthy diets among children. It follows repeated poisoning incidents and scandals over substandard products....More

Ugandan health workers among the dead hit by Ebola, causing panic

KAMPALA, Uganda - Health workers are among the dead in an Ebola outbreak in Uganda, spreading panic among doctors and nurses needed to help treat victims of the highly contagious disease, officials said....More

Two petitions add pressure to fund cancer drug in Nova Scotia

HALIFAX - A mother battling to ensure her son receives the cancer-fighting drug Avastin presented a petition at Province House on Thursday that urges the Nova Scotia government to reverse its decision to not fund the costly treatment. Madeline Bolivar, 71, of Bridgewater, N.S....More

Research suggests even computer calls help couch potatoes get exercise

BERKELEY, Calif. - Fitness research shows that when a computer talks the talk, even couch potatoes can be persuaded to walk the walk....More

Pressure growing on Ontario to ban drivers with young passengers from smoking

TORONTO - Ontario should become the first province to ban smoking in cars that contain young passengers, health advocates said Thursday as they rallied around a private member's bill that would outlaw the practice, which critics liken to child abuse....More

New stem cell technique cures mice of sickle cell anemia

WASHINGTON - Scientists have the first evidence that those "reprogrammed stem cells" that made headlines last month really have the potential to treat disease: They used skin from the tails of sick mice to cure the rodents of sickle cell anemia....More

Medical isotope shortage on verge of becoming 'catastrophic,' doc says

TORONTO - Suppliers around the world were scrambling Thursday to help out a Canadian company that produces much of the world's medical isotopes as a global shortage forced thousands more patients across North America to indefinitely delay tests for cancer and other diseases....More

Enforcement, rehab, smarter laws needed to combat impaired driving: experts

TORONTO - It's a simple enough message trumpeted in awareness campaigns and reinforced at sobriety checkpoints, particularly during the holiday season: don't drink and drive....More

Babies more accepting after repeated exposure to fruits, veggies, study suggests

TORONTO - Getting kids to eat healthy foods - especially fruits and vegetables - has become a battle cry in the North American fight against obesity....More

Ontario to ban trans fats from all school cafeterias: McGuinty

TORONTO - Ontario's Liberal government will introduce legislation Wednesday that would see it join the ranks of Canadian provinces that are banning trans-fatty foods from school cafeterias and vending machines, Premier Dalton McGuinty announced Tuesday....More

N.S. Liberals question government about private hospital proposal

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia's opposition Liberals are looking for reassurances that the Conservative government isn't planning to allow a private hospital in Halifax....More

Massachusetts woman misdiagnosed with HIV sues doctor

WORCESTER, Mass. - Audrey Serrano received HIV treatments for almost nine years before receiving a stunning diagnosis: she never actually had the virus that causes AIDS....More

Studies: Obese children could face more heart disease when they're adults

NEW YORK - The chicken nuggets are coming home to roost. By the time today's teens are middle age, the rate of heart disease could be 16 per cent higher because of the extra pounds they are carrying around today, a U.S. study suggests....More

Medical isotope shortage delays procedures for patients across Canada

TORONTO - Hundreds of cancer patients and others awaiting treatment across Canada had their procedures delayed while hospitals scrambled Wednesday to deal with a growing shortage of medical isotopes caused by a nuclear reactor shutdown in Chalk River, Ont....More

Government-grown medical marijuana can't meet needs of patients: lawyer

TORONTO - Lawyers for Canadian users of medical marijuana who want Ottawa to ease restrictions on where they get their pot wrapped up their case Wednesday by telling a Federal Court judge that government-approved marijuana doesn't compare to higher-quality strains available on the street....More

FDA panel recommends against approving Genentech's Avastin for breast cancer

WASHINGTON - A panel of U.S. government experts said Wednesday that Genentech's cancer drug should not be approved for expanded use in breast-cancer patients....More

Environmental groups find 100s of toys containing lead still on store shelves

DETROIT - Tests on more than 1,200 children's products, most of them still on store shelves, found that 35 per cent contain lead, many with levels far above the U.S. federal recall standard used for lead paint....More