Tracking Alzheimer's-linked protein in people with brain injuries

WASHINGTON - Scientists for the first time have peered into people's brains to directly measure the ebb and flow of a substance notorious for its role in Alzheimer's disease....More

NYC gives out free blood pressure machines as part of pilot program

NEW YORK - The New York City Health Department is delivering free blood pressure machines to pharmacies in neighbourhoods with residents suffering from the highest rates of hypertension....More

Maple Leaf says food inspection system not to blame for tainted meat

TORONTO - Canada's food inspection system, under scrutiny amid a massive meat recall and a listeriosis outbreak that's killed at least five people, was absolved of blame Wednesday by the president of embattled meat giant Maple Leaf Foods and defended by the minister of agriculture....More

Listeriosis death toll climbs to eight as consumer group demands action

TORONTO - The number of confirmed deaths in a listeriosis outbreak that's been linked to meat products made by Maple Leaf Foods took a sharp jump Thursday as a national consumer advocacy group called the outbreak an "outrageous" situation that never should have happened....More

Government backs off claim meat plant inspectors spend half time on site

OTTAWA - The federal government is backing away from previous assurances that its health inspectors spend at least half their time doing on-site physical inspections at meat processing plants across the country....More

Company won't help study pitting cheap and expensive versions of its eye drug

WASHINGTON - What does a company do when there's anecdotal evidence that two of its drugs are equally effective in treating a leading cause of blindness in the elderly, one costing patients C$63 per treatment and the other C$2,100? In the case of Genentech Inc., nothing....More

Maple Leaf products recalled in Delta, Ont.

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Delta Country Market, in Delta, Ont., are warning the public not to serve or consume some ready-to-eat deli meats sold in the store northeast of Kingston. The products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes....More

List of recalled products linked to ongoing listeriosis outbreak

TORONTO - A complete list of recalled products from Maple Leaf Foods, Atlantic Prepared Foods Ltd., Royal Touch Foods and Metro Ontario Inc....More

Deadly listeriosis outbreak shows need to revamp inspection system: Harper

TORONTO - Canada's listeriosis outbreak is a tragic example of why the food inspection system should be revamped, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday as he spoke publicly about the crisis for the first time, offering condolences to those whose loved ones have died or fallen ill....More

Caplan fires back after critics assail his absence during listeriosis outbreak

TORONTO - Health Minister David Caplan fired back Tuesday at critics who accused him of staying silent while the province grapples with a national listeriosis outbreak that has been tied to at least six deaths in Ontario....More

Canadians entitled to expect safe food, Harper says of listeria outbreak

TORONTO - Canadians have the right to expect the food they eat to be safe, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday as he offered his condolences to those families with loved ones who have died or fallen ill as a result of an ongoing listeriosis outbreak....More

B.C. health official says mumps outbreak began with unimmunized religious group

AGASSIZ, B.C. - A British Columbia health official says a spreading mumps outbreak began with a Fraser Valley religious group that shuns immunization. "It's part of their belief system that this is not the right thing to do," said Dr....More

Weight-loss camps invite families to come along to help dieters stay motivated

PAUL SMITHS, N.Y. - It took Kelsey Galer four weeks at a weight-loss camp to lose nine pounds. It took her dad just three days to start acting like a "dork." "He wears his pedometer around all the time," said Galer. "He's just really into it with the family workshop he went to....More

More sandwiches containing Maple Leaf meat products recalled

TORONTO - The list of ready-made sandwiches affected by the massive meat recall at Maple Leaf Foods (TSX:MFI) has expanded to include three brands distributed in the Maritimes and one sold in Ontario....More

List of recalled products linked to ongoing listeriosis outbreak

TORONTO - A complete list of recalled products from Maple Leaf Foods, Atlantic Prepared Foods Ltd., Royal Touch Foods and Metro Ontario Inc., with applicable product code, product name, UPC code, package size and best before dates....More

Health Canada OKs vaccine to protect against painful shingles

TORONTO - Health Canada has approved a vaccine that helps prevent painful shingles outbreaks in older people who had chickenpox earlier in life....More

Harper offers condolences to families impacted by listeriosis outbreak

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper is offering his condolences to those families with loved ones who have died or fallen ill as a result of an ongoing listeriosis outbreak....More

Deadly listeriosis outbreak shows need to revamp inspection system: Harper

TORONTO - Canada's listeriosis outbreak is a tragic example of why the food inspection system should be revamped, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday as he spoke publicly about the crisis for the first time, offering condolences to those whose loved ones have died or fallen ill....More

Caplan fires back after critics assail his absence during listeriosis outbreak

TORONTO - Health Minister David Caplan fired back Tuesday at critics who accused him of staying silent while the province grapples with a national listeriosis outbreak that has been tied to at least six deaths in Ontario....More

Canadians entitled to expect safe food, Harper says of listeria outbreak

TORONTO - Canadians have the right to expect the food they eat to be safe, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday as he offered his condolences to those families with loved ones who have died or fallen ill as a result of an ongoing listeriosis outbreak....More

B.C. health official says mumps outbreak began with unimmunized religious group

AGASSIZ, B.C. - A British Columbia health official says a spreading mumps outbreak began with a Fraser Valley religious group that shuns immunization. "It's part of their belief system that this is not the right thing to do," said Dr....More

Sandwich distributor launches recall, says products could contain tainted meat

OTTAWA - A Calgary-based distributor of ready-made sandwiches has recalled dozens of goods sold in Saskatchewan and Alberta, saying some of them could contain meat products at the centre of a deadly nationwide listeriosis outbreak....More

List of recalled Maple Leaf products

TORONTO - List of recalled Maple Leaf products with product code, product name, UPC code, best before date and package size. 32138 Artisan Collection ALL HAM KIELBASA 900 63100 32138 6 08OC22 3....More

Head of dyspraxia group says it helps that Radcliffe has spoken of condition

TORONTO - When "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe spoke publicly about having dyspraxia recently, it was the first time many people had ever heard of the condition....More

Decline in smoking rates flatlines; cancer group blames contraband cigarettes

TORONTO - Efforts to cut smoking rates among Canadians have stalled and the Canadian Cancer Society is blaming huge sales of cheap contraband cigarettes in this country....More

Clearing confusion from food allergy warnings frustrating for consumers

WASHINGTON - It is one of the biggest frustrations of life with food allergies: That hodgepodge of warnings that a food might accidentally contain the wrong ingredient. The warnings are voluntary - meaning there is no way to know if foods that do not bear them really should....More

Alberta confirms first human case of West Nile for 2008

EDMONTON - Alberta has confirmed its first human case of West Nile virus this year. A man in his thirties in southern Alberta's Chinook region has contracted a mild case of the illness, but his name and hometown are not being revealed because of privacy rules....More

More sandwiches containing Maple Leaf meat products recalled

TORONTO - The list of ready-made sandwiches impacted by the massive meat recall at Maple Leaf Foods has expanded to include three brands distributed in the Maritimes and one sold in Ontario....More

More sandwiches containing Maple Leaf meat products recalled

TORONTO - The list of ready-made sandwiches impacted by the massive meat recall at Maple Leaf Foods (TSX:MFI) has expanded to include three brands distributed in the Maritimes....More

Face transplant patient can smile, blink again; such surgery could be more common

LONDON - Transplanting faces may seem like science fiction, but doctors say the experimental surgeries could one day become routine....More

1980-81 Maritimes outbreak showed that Listeria can taint food, cause illness

TORONTO - Canada is no stranger to Listeria. In fact, it was a large outbreak in the Maritimes a quarter-century ago that proved for the first time that the bacterium was a food-borne organism that could cause human disease....More

Shopsy's Classic Reuben sandwich recalled over Listeria concerns

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Royal Touch Foods are warning the public not to consume Shopsy's deli-fresh Classic Reuben sandwiches because they may be contaminated with Listeria. The affected product is sold in a 180-gram package with best before dates of Aug....More

Link found between listeria outbreak and Maple Leaf Foods

OTTAWA - Public health officials have apparently linked a deadly nationwide bacterial outbreak to recalled meat products from Maple Leaf Foods. The Prime Minister's Office has confirmed to The Canadian Press that public health officials found a connection....More

ATV group, safety advocates call for national safety regulations

EDMONTON - Safety advocates and a national ATV group are calling for national safety standards for the off-road machines, which have been implicated in a number of deaths across the country this summer....More

Victims of Britain's tainted blood scandal speak

PEEBLES, Scotland - Robert Mackie trembles with rage when he describes how he and his wife were kept in the dark about his HIV infection - and how doctors published his medical data in journals years before they gave him the devastating news....More

Public health system worked well despite listeriosis deaths: Clement

UNDATED - Health Minister Tony Clement says the federal government response to a deadly listeriosis outbreak shows the health system is working the way it's supposed to - even though it appears to have taken a month from the time the first suspicions arose until a recall order was issued for...More

More than 200 products involved in expanded Maple Leaf recall:McCain

TORONTO - A total of 220 products are involved in a sweeping expansion of a Maple Leaf Foods recall, which now includes all products from the company's Toronto plant that has been linked to a deadly, nationwide listeriosis outbreak....More

Codeine pills taken by breastfeeding moms can harm some babies, study warns

TORONTO - Some women given codeine after childbirth may be unknowingly putting their infants at risk because their breast milk carries an abnormally high dose of morphine derived from the commonly prescribed painkiller, researchers say....More

Cervical cancer shots less cost-effective with age, U.S. study shows

ATLANTA - An expensive vaccine aimed at preventing cervical cancer makes sense for young teens when it comes to cost-effectiveness, but not for women in their 20s, contends a new report. The vaccine against the HPV virus was licensed the U.S....More

BC mom joins NDP health critic's call on government to fund insulin pumps for kids

VANCOUVER - A Vancouver mother says her 11-year-old daughter won back her childhood when she was fitted with a $7,000 insulin pump to control her Type 1 diabetes....More

Leading Canadian AIDS researcher given France's highest honour

MONTREAL - A leading Canadian AIDS researcher has been awarded France's highest honour. Dr. Mark Wainberg was named a Chevalier, or knight, of the Legion d'honneur for his work fighting the spread of AIDS and HIV....More

Canada has more MRI and CT scanners but still lags other OECD nations

OTTAWA - The number of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners in Canada has increased significantly over the last four years but still lags the median for developed countries....More

More cases expected to emerge from listeriosis outbreak: health officials

TORONTO - Health officials grappling with a nationwide outbreak of listeriosis said Thursday they expect more cases of the disease, a dangerous bacterial infection that threatens the infirm, the elderly and the unborn children of pregnant women - and which could be linked to tainted meat....More

Jump in measles outbreaks worries health officials in the United States

ATLANTA - The number of measles cases in the U.S. is at its highest level since 1997, and nearly half of those involve children whose parents rejected vaccination, government health officials reported Thursday....More

Face transplant patient can smile, blink again; such surgery could be more common

LONDON - Transplanting faces may seem like science fiction, but doctors say the experimental surgeries could one day become routine....More

B.C. doctor says health minister's comments about safe-injection site ‘repugnant'

VANCOUVER - A doctor who works with addicts at North America's only supervised injection site says Health Minister Tony Clement's slam against physicians who support the facility is "repugnant" and "introduces an element of ugliness into the discussion." Dr....More

Alta. health minister announces review of two babies sick with infections

CALGARY - An expert in infectious diseases will attempt to get to the bottom of the mysterious skin infection that made two newborn babies from Lethbridge, Alta. seriously ill....More

One dead, 16 ill in listeriosis outbreak possibly linked to tainted meat

TORONTO - At least one person is dead and 16 others ill across Canada from a bacterial infection that can be fatal to the infirm, the elderly and unborn children - and could be linked to a massive, nationwide recall of ready-to-eat meat products made by food giant Maple Leaf Foods....More

More cases of West Nile virus in humans show up in Manitoba

WINNIPEG - Two more cases of West Nile virus in humans have been confirmed in Manitoba, bringing the total of positive tests in the province this year to four. The age, gender and home towns of the latest victims have not been released....More

Incoming CMA head says private-public mix will help ailing health care system

MONTREAL - The incoming leader of the association representing Canada's doctors says private health care will play a key role in helping the country's ailing public system. In his inaugural address, Dr....More

Codeine pills taken by breastfeeding moms can harm some babies, study warns

TORONTO - Some women given codeine after childbirth may be unknowingly putting their infants at risk because their breast milk carries an abnormally high dose of morphine derived from the commonly prescribed painkiller, researchers say....More

Cervical cancer shots less cost-effective with age, U.S. study shows

ATLANTA - An expensive vaccine aimed at preventing cervical cancer makes sense for young teens when it comes to cost-effectiveness, but not for women in their 20s, contends a new report. The vaccine against the HPV virus was licensed the U.S....More

BC mom joins NDP health critic's call on government to fund insulin pumps for kids

VANCOUVER - A Vancouver mother says her 11-year-old daughter won back her childhood when she was fitted with a $7,000 insulin pump to control her Type 1 diabetes....More

Taking pills? Lose the juice and take with water to ensure absorption: study

TORONTO - Downing a morning glass of grapefruit or other juice may be a great way to get vitamin C. But for those taking certain medications, the common breakfast beverage could also do serious harm....More

Stem cell advance may help transfusion supplies

NEW YORK - Scientists say they've found an efficient way to make red blood cells from human embryonic stem cells, a possible step toward making transfusion supplies in the laboratory....More

Ottawa providing $35M for new cardiovascular research institute in Hamilton

HAMILTON - The federal government will contribute nearly $35 million to a new cardiovascular disease research institute based in Hamilton, Ont....More

N.L. health authority revises number of patients retested for breast cancer

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Newfoundland's largest health authority has identified an additional 10 breast cancer patients who had their hormone receptor tests sent out of province for retesting....More

Health minister announces review of two babies sick with infections

CALGARY - There will be an immediate review of two seriously ill babies who are being cared for in a Calgary hospital after being brought in from Lethbridge. Health Minister Ron Liepert says the investigation will be headed by the University of Calgary's Dr....More

B.C. doctor says health minister's comments about safe-injection site ‘repugnant'

VANCOUVER - A doctor who works with addicts at North America's only supervised injection site says Health Minister Tony Clement's slam against physicians who support the facility is "repugnant" and "introduces an element of ugliness into the discussion." Dr....More

Alta. health minister announces review of two babies sick with infections

CALGARY - An expert in infectious diseases will attempt to get to the bottom of the mysterious skin infection that made two newborn babies from Lethbridge, Alta. seriously ill....More

Maple Leaf expands recall of packaged meats, temporarily closes plant

TORONTO - Maple Leaf Foods is expanding a recall of its packaged meats and temporarily closing a Toronto plant that prepares the products. A number of the affected products are part of a listeriosis outbreak investigation....More

Tony Clement questions ethics of doctors who back safe injection sites

MONTREAL - The association representing Canada's doctors rapped Health Minister Tony Clement on Monday after he questioned the ethics of physicians who support the use of supervised injection sites for drug addicts....More

Study: Chewing gum after colon surgery may speed return of bowel function

CHICAGO - Can you chew gum and recover from surgery at the same time? British researchers say it's a great idea for some patients. Chewing gum may speed the return of normal bowel function after colon surgery, a new analysis of five studies suggests....More

Recovery from West Nile disease can take about a year on average: study

TORONTO - Most people who have contracted West Nile virus from infected mosquitoes - even those with some serious neurological complications - can take heart that they will fully recover over time, Canadian researchers say....More

Ottawa to fund extension for Canadian Mental Health Commission

MONTREAL - The federal government has extended the mandate of the Canadian Mental Health Commission for another five years, Health Minister Tony Clement announced Monday....More

N.B. health minister announces more than $800,000 in funding for mammography unit

New Brunswick Health Minister Mike Murphy has announced $846,000 dollars toward the purchase of a new digital mammography unit and a digital radiology unit for the Moncton Hospital. Murphy says the funding will increase patient access and reduce wait times....More

Many Americans think God's intervention can revive the dying

CHICAGO - When it comes to saving lives, God trumps doctors for many Americans. An eye-opening survey reveals widespread belief that divine intervention can revive dying patients....More

FDA reports new deaths in U.S. with diabetes drug Byetta

WASHINGTON - U.S. federal regulators are working on a stronger label for a widely used diabetes drug marketed by Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Eli Lilly & Co. as deaths continue to be reported despite earlier government warnings....More

Benefit of angioplasty through the wrist backed by major new study

WASHINGTON - The best path to a clogged heart may be through the wrist. About one million artery-clearing angioplasties are performed in the United States each year, and the usual route is to thread a tube to the heart through an artery in the groin....More

N.S. government announces details for funding of colorectal cancer drug

HALIFAX - Patients in Nova Scotia with advanced colorectal cancer now have a new treatment to turn to if their doctors approve....More

First US drug for Huntington's disease wins approval by American regulators

WASHINGTON - U.S. regulators on Friday cleared the first treatment approved in the United States for Huntington's, a rare inherited disease that causes uncontrolled movements, deterioration of mental abilities and, ultimately, death....More

First human case this year of West Nile virus found in Saskatchewan

REGINA - The first human case this year of West Nile virus in Saskatchewan has been confirmed....More

Alta. health region waits for word on what made two babies very sick

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. - An official with an Alberta health region where two newborn babies became very sick says there's no link between the cases, and it appears they happened by coincidence....More

Survivors' bloodstreams still carry protection against 1918 virus

WASHINGTON - Nearly a century after history's most lethal flu faded away, survivors' bloodstreams still carry super-potent protection against the 1918 virus, demonstrating the remarkable durability of the human immune system....More

Egyptian septuplets' mother says she hopes to hold them soon

CAIRO, Egypt - A day after giving birth to septuplets, a 27-year-old Egyptian woman said Sunday she's only seen her babies on television and hopes to hold them and name them soon. Ghazala Khamis was still hospitalized after giving birth a day earlier to four boys and three girls....More

Doctors from across Canada confirm support for public health care

MONTREAL - A group of doctors from across Canada is calling on the Canadian Medical Association to support reforms that would strengthen Canada's public health care system. "Canadian doctors believe in the fundamentals of access based on need, not on the ability to pay," said Dr....More

CFIA warns against consuming Sure Slice roast, corned beef over bacteria concerns

OTTAWA - Concerns over meat-borne Listeria bacterial contamination have prompted a health warning from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. CFIA and Burlington, Ont....More

Study suggests Quebec ice-storm babies show developmental problems

MONTREAL - A new study suggests babies born to women who were pregnant during the 1998 Quebec ice storm have shown developmental difficulties....More

Health Canada warns 2 more 'non-dairy' acidophilus products contain milk protein

TORONTO - Health Canada is telling people with milk allergies to stay away from two more health products containing acidophilus because they've been found to contain trace amounts of milk protein....More

Doctors debate when to declare organ donors dead; 3 transplants involved babies

NEW YORK - A report on three heart transplants involving babies is focusing attention on a touchy issue in the organ donation field: When and how can someone be declared dead? For decades, organs have typically been removed only after doctors determine that a donor's brain has...More

Asbestos scare shines light on lack of government funding for victims

OTTAWA - As debris rained down on scores of houses during last week's explosion at a propane plant in Toronto, no one was thinking about asbestos contamination. They are now - and critics are warning there is not much help out there for anyone affected by the carcinogen....More

Argentina investigates deaths of vaccine kids

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Argentine authorities are investigating a possible link between the deaths of 14 children and an experimental vaccine they were taking in a clinical trial....More

Appeal in case of Vancouver's safe-injection site to be heard next April

VANCOUVER - Ottawa's fight to shut down Vancouver's controversial supervised injection site will be heard by the B.C. Court of Appeal next April. The federal government is appealing a B.C....More

Teens misjudge risk of injury, death from accidents, feel invincible: study

TORONTO - Most teens consider themselves virtually invincible and seriously misjudge their risk of injury or death from motor vehicle and other accidents, say researchers, who suggest such misguided attitudes could be avoided with injury-prevention programs begun at an early age....More

Study suggests drugs may slow decline in lung function of COPD patients

TORONTO - Patients with COPD - a lung disease usually caused by smoking - can't be cured, but a study released Friday suggests that drug therapy may reduce the loss of lung function....More

Canadian mathematicians, grad students to fight AIDS with numbers

WINNIPEG - A team of Canadian graduate students and two leading mathematicians is heading to Africa for a unique fight against AIDS and other infectious diseases....More

After combat, citizen soldiers turning to alcohol, study finds

CHICAGO - National Guard and Reserve combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are more likely to develop drinking problems than active-duty soldiers, a new military study suggests....More

Medical association forecasts sharp rise in air pollution deaths

OTTAWA - A major medical report is warning the number of deaths related to air pollution is set to soar in the coming decades, with a cumulative death toll of 800,000 Canadians by 2031....More

Manitoba's first human case of West Nile virus this year found in Winnipeg

WINNIPEG - Manitoba has its first human case of West Nile virus for 2008. The province's chief medical officer says the victim is a 50-year-old man from the Winnipeg area....More

Drugs as good as stents for many heart patients, study finds

People with chronic chest pain who are not in big danger of a heart attack now may have even less reason to rush into an artery-opening angioplasty: There's more evidence drugs should be tried first and often are just as effective....More

Blood agency will build national computer registries for organ donation

TORONTO - Efforts to create an integrated national system to improve organ donation in Canada are being heralded by those in the field as "very positive....More

Argentine senate declares obesity a disease

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Argentine senators have approved a bill declaring obesity and other eating disorders diseases covered by the nation's public and private health care programs....More

Doctors debate when to declare organ donors dead; 3 transplants involved babies

NEW YORK - A report on three heart transplants involving babies is focusing attention on a touchy issue in the organ donation field: When and how can someone be declared dead? For decades, organs have typically been removed only after doctors determine that a donor's brain has...More

Art-gardening program brings outdoors in for kids at rehab hospital

TORONTO - Ana Mikarovska playfully sprays her face and hair with a cooling dose of water from a plant mister, her face breaking into a huge grin as she chatters away to Jane the Gardener. "I just like spraying myself," announces Ana, aiming the sprayer at her face once again....More

Widow of misdiagnosed cancer patient repaid for treatment sought in U.S.

SASKATOON - A widow whose husband had to seek medical care in the United States after he was allegedly misdiagnosed in Saskatchewan is getting nearly $52,000 from the provincial government....More

Some people taking cholesterol-fighting statins splitting pills, saving money

TORONTO - A small but growing percentage of British Columbians who take statins to lower their cholesterol have twigged to the fact that they can save on their medication bills by pill splitting, a new study suggests....More

Problem sleepers cite stress as common cause

NO REST FOR THE WEARY: Can't sleep? Welcome to the 3 a.m. club. A survey in the September issue of Consumer Reports found that 44 per cent of U.S. adults are what the magazine calls "problem sleepers....More

Philadelphia veterans' hospital fear prostate treatment error

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia veterans hospital says it may have given insufficient radiation treatment to more than 100 prostate-cancer patients....More

Ottawa to spend $300,000 on addiction support programs for P.E.I. youth

SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. - The federal government says it will spend more than $300,000 over the next three years to improve addiction support programs and services for youth in conflict with the law in Prince Edward Island....More

Canadian mathematicians, grad students to fight AIDS with numbers

WINNIPEG - A team of Canadian graduate students and two leading mathematicians is heading to Africa for a unique fight against AIDS and other infectious diseases....More

After combat, citizen soldiers turning to alcohol, study finds

CHICAGO - National Guard and Reserve combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are more likely to develop drinking problems than active-duty soldiers, a new military study suggests....More

Cancer researchers in Calgary develop new way of studying cancer

CALGARY - Researchers in Calgary are using cells from a rare form of childhood cancer to develop a new research techniques in hopes of sparking improvements in how the disease is studied....More

Average ER waiting time nears one hour in the U.S., CDC says

ATLANTA - The average time that hospital emergency room patients wait to see a doctor in the United States has grown from about 38 minutes to almost an hour over the past decade, according to new federal statistics released Wednesday....More

N.B. court gives Morgentaler legal standing to challenge province on abortion

FREDERICTON - A New Brunswick court has cleared the way for Dr. Henry Morgentaler to challenge restrictions on abortion funding in the province....More

FDA warns that some cholesterol and heart drugs don't mix

WASHINGTON - The U.S. government says patients taking some common medications for high cholesterol and irregular heart beats can suffer severe muscle damage because of a problem in the way the drugs interact....More

Democrats adopt goal of health care guarantee, heading off divisive debate

PITTSBURGH - Democrats shaped a set of principles Saturday that commits the party to guaranteed health care for all, heading off a potentially divisive debate and edging the party closer to the position of Barack Obama's defeated rival, Hillary Clinton....More

Researchers urge time-out if student athlete has suffered possible concussion

WASHINGTON - Your brain needs more of a time-out than just missing the next game to recover from a concussion. New research suggests student athletes who are too active - not just on the field, but at home and school - may hinder their recovery....More

Half of overweight adults may be heart-healthy, says study

CHICAGO - You can look great in a swimsuit and still be a heart attack waiting to happen. And you can also be overweight and otherwise healthy....More

Art-gardening program brings outdoors in for kids at rehab hospital

TORONTO - Ana Mikarovska playfully sprays her face and hair with a cooling dose of water from a plant mister, her face breaking into a huge grin as she chatters away to Jane the Gardener. "I just like spraying myself," announces Ana, aiming the sprayer at her face once again....More

Study finds press releases from drug companies often short on information

TORONTO - Researchers who scrutinized news releases put out by top-selling pharmaceutical companies say they've found some shortcomings. Dr....More

For unexplained infertility, 2 methods don't help: British Medical Journal study

LONDON - A new study calls into question the use of two common infertility treatments for couples who have unexplained problems having children....More

Dental experts defend fluoride in water; activists claim link to brain damage

TORONTO - Canadian dental experts defended the use of fluoride in drinking water Thursday as some environmental activists claimed international studies show the chemical can cause brain damage in children and called for an end to the "60-year experiment....More

Cancer researchers in Calgary develop new way of studying cancer

CALGARY - Researchers in Calgary are using cells from a rare form of childhood cancer to develop a new research techniques in hopes of sparking improvements in how the disease is studied....More

Average ER waiting time nears one hour in the U.S., CDC says

ATLANTA - The average time that hospital emergency room patients wait to see a doctor in the United States has grown from about 38 minutes to almost an hour over the past decade, according to new federal statistics released Wednesday....More

N.B. court gives Morgentaler legal standing to challenge province on abortion

FREDERICTON - A New Brunswick court has cleared the way for Dr. Henry Morgentaler to challenge restrictions on abortion funding in the province....More

FDA warns that some cholesterol and heart drugs don't mix

WASHINGTON - The U.S. government says patients taking some common medications for high cholesterol and irregular heart beats can suffer severe muscle damage because of a problem in the way the drugs interact....More

Democrats adopt goal of health care guarantee, heading off divisive debate

PITTSBURGH - Democrats shaped a set of principles Saturday that commits the party to guaranteed health care for all, heading off a potentially divisive debate and edging the party closer to the position of Barack Obama's defeated rival, Hillary Clinton....More

Health Canada warns Rize 2 the Occasion is unauthorized erectile drug

TORONTO - Health Canada is warning consumers against using Rize 2 The Occasion, an unauthorized product sold for the treatment of erectile dysfunction....More

B.C. doctors call for more beds and staff to provide faster treatment

VICTORIA - The B.C. Medical Association says the provincial government must provide more acute-care beds, the staff to support them, and set maximum allowable wait times for acute-care treatment....More

Average ER waiting time nears one hour in United States, CDC says

ATLANTA - The average time that hospital emergency room patients wait to see a doctor in the United States has grown from about 38 minutes to almost an hour over the past decade, according to new federal statistics released Wednesday....More

Study finds press releases from drug companies often short on information

TORONTO - Researchers who scrutinized news releases put out by top-selling pharmaceutical companies say they've found some shortcomings. Dr....More

For unexplained infertility, 2 methods don't help: British Medical Journal study

LONDON - A new study calls into question the use of two common infertility treatments for couples who have unexplained problems having children....More

Dental experts defend fluoride in water; activists claim link to brain damage

TORONTO - Canadian dental experts defended the use of fluoride in drinking water Thursday as some environmental activists claimed international studies show the chemical can cause brain damage in children and called for an end to the "60-year experiment....More

Cancer researchers in Calgary develop new way of studying cancer

CALGARY - Researchers in Calgary are using cells from a rare form of childhood cancer to develop a new research techniques in hopes of sparking improvements in how the disease is studied....More

Average ER waiting time nears one hour in the U.S., CDC says

ATLANTA - The average time that hospital emergency room patients wait to see a doctor in the United States has grown from about 38 minutes to almost an hour over the past decade, according to new federal statistics released Wednesday....More

Review of controversial Ont. health tax a waste of time, say critics

TORONTO - A review of Ontario's controversial health tax is underway, but critics call it pointless because the government has no intention of phasing it out....More

Report: More UCLA staff saw health records of celebrities

LOS ANGELES - More than 120 workers at a Los Angeles hospital looked at celebrities' medical records and other personal information without permission between January 2004 and June 2006 - nearly double the number initially reported earlier this year, according to a state report....More

MDs in the U.S. urged to end prostate screening in elderly men

NEW YORK - Doctors should stop routine prostate cancer screening of men over age 75 because there is more evidence of harm than benefit, a federal task force advised on a hotly debated topic. The U.S....More

Canada pledges $45 million to help fight HIV in Africa, health minister says

TORONTO - Federal Health Minister Tony Clement says Canada will spend $45 million toward fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS in Africa. Clement made the announcement at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City on Monday....More

Researchers able to direct stem cells to create certain progeny

TORONTO - Canadian researchers have found a way to control embryonic stem cells so they give rise to only one category of cell, a first step in medicine's quest to generate specific tissues to repair or replace parts of the body that are diseased, damaged or just plain worn out....More

Health Canada warns Rize 2 the Occasion is unauthorized erectile drug

TORONTO - Health Canada is warning consumers against using Rize 2 The Occasion, an unauthorized product sold for the treatment of erectile dysfunction....More

B.C. doctors call for more beds and staff to provide faster treatment

VICTORIA - The B.C. Medical Association says the provincial government must provide more acute-care beds, the staff to support them, and set maximum allowable wait times for acute-care treatment....More

Average ER waiting time nears one hour in United States, CDC says

ATLANTA - The average time that hospital emergency room patients wait to see a doctor in the United States has grown from about 38 minutes to almost an hour over the past decade, according to new federal statistics released Wednesday....More

Dive safely: Learn the proper technique, have proper supervision

Some strategies to reduce diving-related injuries from Lara McKenzie, co-author of a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics: -Stretching and strengthening by competitive diver to prevent shoulder injuries....More

Tories slammed for burying negative reports

OTTAWA - The Harper government's timing for the release of some unflattering reports has critics scratching their heads over the Conservatives' concept of transparency....More

Ticks that may carry Lyme spreading in Canada, as is controversy over disease

Mitch Thibodeau recently set off by car from his Calgary home to travel eastward across the country on a mission to find a doctor. Diagnosed with Lyme disease that he believes he contracted from an infected tick in 2000, Thibodeau has been on antibiotics for the last two years....More

Task force urges doctors to quit prostate screens in elderly men

NEW YORK - Doctors should stop routine prostate cancer screening of men over 75 because there is more evidence of harm than benefit, a federal task force advised Monday in a new blow to a much scrutinized medical test. The U.S....More

Review of controversial Ont. health tax a waste of time, say critics

TORONTO - A review of Ontario's controversial health tax is underway, but critics call it pointless because the government has no intention of phasing it out....More

Report: More UCLA staff saw health records of celebrities

LOS ANGELES - More than 120 workers at a Los Angeles hospital looked at celebrities' medical records and other personal information without permission between January 2004 and June 2006 - nearly double the number initially reported earlier this year, according to a state report....More

MDs in the U.S. urged to end prostate screening in elderly men

NEW YORK - Doctors should stop routine prostate cancer screening of men over age 75 because there is more evidence of harm than benefit, a federal task force advised on a hotly debated topic. The U.S....More

Canada pledges $45 million to help fight HIV in Africa, health minister says

TORONTO - Federal Health Minister Tony Clement says Canada will spend $45 million toward fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS in Africa. Clement made the announcement at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City on Monday....More

Report finds restaurant kids' meals loaded with calories

WASHINGTON - A new report says parents looking for healthy meal choices for their children are likely to find slim pickings on the menus of the top U.S. restaurant chains....More

Lens implant surgery offers children a chance at beating lazy eye

WASHINGTON - Dr. Paul Dougherty delicately slipped a tiny lens inside the right eye of seven-year-old Megan Garvin, in a last-ditch shot at saving her sight in that eye. The California girl last week became one of a small number of U.S....More

In modern era of pills, fewer shrinks are doing talk therapy

CHICAGO - Cartoons about the psychiatrist's couch were recently the subject of a museum exhibition. Now, the couch itself may be headed for a museum. A new study finds a significant decline in psychotherapy practised by U.S. psychiatrists....More

Immigrant children in U.S. even less active than American-born kids: study

CHICAGO - Immigrant children of all backgrounds get even less vigorous exercise than their U.S.-born counterparts, the largest study of its kind suggests. Plenty of earlier evidence shows that American children are pretty inactive....More

Hundreds of athletes gather in Windsor, Ont., for Transplant Games

WINDSOR, Ont. - Cam Garner's eyesight may be failing him due to complications of diabetes. But he has no trouble visualizing how the positive influence of successful and healthy fellow transplant recipients will improve his quality of life....More

Grassroots effort in Egypt and passage of tough laws fight female circumcision

SULTAN ZAWYIT, Egypt - In this small Nile River farming village, Maha Mohammed has started to doubt whether she should circumcise her two daughters....More

Genetic discovery may lead to blood test for families with high cancer risk

TORONTO - Canadian researchers have uncovered a genetic anomaly in people with a higher-than-normal risk of developing cancer that could lead to a blood test for detecting their tumours early, when the disease is most treatable....More

Dive safely: Learn the proper technique, have proper supervision

Some strategies to reduce diving-related injuries from Lara McKenzie, co-author of a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics: -Stretching and strengthening by competitive diver to prevent shoulder injuries....More

Families of anthrax victims say suicide of suspect means closure

WASHINGTON - Survivors of the anthrax attacks and relatives of the victims expressed relief Friday that the long-running case appears finally to be closed, but they wondered about questions that may never be answered because of the suicide of suspect Bruce E. Ivins....More

Alberta government to boost long-term care fees by 7 per cent

EDMONTON - The Alberta government says it's getting more expensive to run long-term care facilities, so it will hike residents' fees by seven per cent Nov. 1....More

CFIA issues recalls on certain cheese, mushrooms, chocolate products

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a series of voluntary food recalls ranging from cheese to mushrooms to chocolate bars....More

CDC understated number of new HIV infections in U.S., officials say

ATLANTA - The number of Americans infected by the AIDS virus each year is much higher than the government has been estimating, U.S. health officials reported Sunday, acknowledging that their numbers have understated the level of the epidemic....More

New York teen overdose spotlights growing heroin problem

MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. - When high-school senior Natalie Ciappa nearly died of a heroin overdose on Memorial Day weekend, she promised her parents she had learned her lesson and was going clean. She got a job, met a guy and appeared to be getting better....More

Mixed results for growth hormone in HIV patients, study finds

CHICAGO - A hormone better known for illicit use among athletes can help treat troublesome complications from the AIDS virus, but with potentially risky side effects, a small study found....More

12-year-old with HIV to open world AIDS conference in Mexico City

MEXICO CITY - Keren Dunaway was five when her parents used drawings to explain to her that they both had HIV, and so did she....More

About 43 per cent of diving injuries involve hitting diving board on entry: study

TORONTO - As we prepare to be dazzled by the spectacular feats of Olympic divers in Beijing, the authors of a new study on diving injuries - both recreational and competitive - are urging prevention efforts to lower the risk of such injuries among children and teens....More

What's in that cup? Canadian water quality not up to snuff, experts say

LETHBRIDGE, Alta - The water coming out of Mildred Dyck's tap doesn't worry her despite what happened in 2001. That's when parasites contaminated the supply for North Battleford, Sask., where she lives and 50 people ended up in hospital....More

Health Canada issues climate change health warning

OTTAWA - A major Health Canada report is warning of a jump in health problems across the country as the planet's climate changes, ranging from more heat-related illnesses and deaths to outbreaks of previously unknown infectious diseases....More

Drug gives couch potato mice benefits of a workout, scientists report

NEW YORK - Here's a couch potato's dream: What if a drug could help you gain some of the benefits of exercise without working up a sweat? Scientists reported Thursday that there is such a drug - if you happen to be a mouse....More

Contempt case for Ont. farmer who provided raw milk demands trial: judge

NEWMARKET, Ont. - A contempt of court case against an Ontario farmer accused of selling raw milk is too serious to deal with without a trial, a judge ruled Thursday....More

Cells with same genetic makeup as ALS patients may help Lou Gehrig's research

WASHINGTON - Using a new technique to reprogram cells, scientists are growing neurons from people with Lou Gehrig's disease, a possible first step in understanding how the deadly illness develops....More

California company recalls fresh cilantro after salmonella detected

OTTAWA - A California company has issued a voluntary recall of its fresh cilantro distributed in the U.S. and parts of Western Canada because it could be contaminated with salmonella. NewStar Fresh Foods says the cilantro was distributed in more than 20 U.S....More

Astronaut technology in shoe insole could prevent falls among elderly people

BOSTON - Scientists working to help astronauts regain balance after extended flights in zero gravity say they've found a way to use the research to help elderly people avoid catastrophic falls. An "iShoe" insole contains sensors that read how well a person is balancing....More

Alberta government to boost long-term care fees by 7 per cent

EDMONTON - The Alberta government says it's getting more expensive to run long-term care facilities, so it will hike residents' fees by seven per cent Nov. 1....More