Public health agency investigates Salmonella outbreak

TORONTO - The Public Health Agency of Canada says it is working with provincial, local and U.S. health authorities to investigate a potential North American outbreak of Salmonella Poona....More

B.C. shows lowest obesity levels in 10 years, sport minister says

VICTORIA - B.C.'s minister of healthy living and sport says a new survey shows the province has the lowest self-reported obesity rates in 10 years. The 2008 Canadian Community Health Survey covers obesity rates in Canadians aged 18 and older....More

Winnipeg hospital making changes to ER following death of homeless man

WINNIPEG - A Winnipeg hospital is hiring round-the-clock staff to meet incoming emergency patients and give them green wristbands so that nurses know who still needs attention....More

Ont. hospitals need to do more to prevent patient infections: auditor general

TORONTO - Ontario hospitals appear to have a good handle on how to prevent patients from contracting potentially deadly infections like C. difficile and MRSA, but improvement is needed in putting all the necessary strategies into practice, the province's auditor general says....More

Heart patients should be screened for depression: American Heart Association

DALLAS - Heart patients should be regularly screened for signs of depression, the American Heart Association recommended Monday....More

Candy-maker Cadbury pulls melamine-laced chocolate from China

HONG KONG - British candy-maker Cadbury said Monday it is recalling 11 types of Chinese-made chocolates found to contain melamine, as police in northern China raided a network accused of adding the banned chemical to milk....More

Accident prevention group aims new awareness campaign at young workers

TORONTO - When Sarah Wheelan started a new job in a delicatessen, she didn't know how to refuse to do a task that she knew was "very unsafe" - cleaning a meat slicer while the blade was rotating. "When I tried to talk to my supervisor about it, I found it very difficult....More

Dispute over anti-syphilis campaign blamed for departure of public health doctors

EDMONTON - The departure of three of Alberta's senior public health officials last spring may have been partly the result of a disagreement over how to alert the public about a major outbreak of syphilis....More

Hong Kong says it's found melamine in baby cereal made by Heinz

HONG KONG - The Hong Kong government says it has found traces of the industrial chemical melamine in baby cereals and crackers. The government said in a statement Friday the contaminated baby cereals were made by Heinz....More

First report from Ont. hospitals on C. difficile shows rates lower than Que, U.K.

TORONTO - Hospitals across Ontario reported 319 cases of the sometimes deadly Clostridium difficile infection last month, but the first mandatory report of the hospitals' data does not include the number of deaths related to the bacterial disease....More

Baby deaths shock Turkey as 13 premature babies die within 24 hours

ANKARA, Turkey - Outside the Zekai Tahir Burak maternity hospital stands a bronze statue of a mother nursing a baby with an inscription from the Prophet Mohammed: "Paradise lies at the feet of the mother....More

Alberta health minister critical of Catholic school boards' ban on HPV vaccine

CALGARY - Catholic school boards in Alberta that have decided to not take part in a program to vaccinate girls against a sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer are putting the health of the girls at risk, says the province's health minister....More

Death toll rises to 19 from listeriosis linked to Ontario plant

TORONTO - The number of people who have died from listeriosis linked to a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Ontario has reached 19. The Public Health Agency of Canada says the latest death occurred in Quebec. It did not release any details....More

Public health agency investigates Salmonella outbreak

TORONTO - The Public Health Agency of Canada says it is working with provincial, local and U.S. health authorities to investigate a potential North American outbreak of Salmonella Poona....More

B.C. shows lowest obesity levels in 10 years, sport minister says

VICTORIA - B.C.'s minister of healthy living and sport says a new survey shows the province has the lowest self-reported obesity rates in 10 years. The 2008 Canadian Community Health Survey covers obesity rates in Canadians aged 18 and older....More

Cadbury says safety of Chinese-made products questionable

HONG KONG - British chocolate maker Cadbury said Monday that tests have "cast doubt" on the safety of its Chinese-made products and ordered a recall, the latest foreign company affected by China's tainted milk scandal....More

Ontario hospitals to begin posting C. difficile infection rates online

TORONTO - Ontario will begin public online posting Friday of hospital rates of infection with the potentially deadly bacterium Clostridium difficile, but critics are already criticizing the new surveillance program as inadequate because the number of deaths won't be included....More

Lion cub, baby orangutans at Shanghai-area zoo fall ill from tainted milk

SHANGHAI, China - A lion cub and two baby orangutans have developed kidney stones at a zoo near Shanghai, making them the latest victims of China's tainted milk crisis....More

It's Ellen on the line in anti-cancer campaign

LOS ANGELES - Ellen DeGeneres has recorded a series of phone messages that amount to an urgent wake-up call for women: Help yourself fight breast cancer....More

Inquest into Winnipeg ER death must look at how First Nations treated: advocates

WINNIPEG - Native groups say an inquest into how an aboriginal homeless man died in a Winnipeg hospital's emergency department must consider whether First Nations people face discrimination in health care....More

EU bans baby food made with Chinese milk, as recalls expand worldwide

BEIJING - The European Union banned imports of baby food containing Chinese milk Thursday as a toxic chemical that was illegally added to China's dairy supplies turned up in candy and other Chinese-made goods that were quickly pulled from stores worldwide....More

Cancer society concerned about lack of transparency in flawed N.B. tests

FREDERICTON - The Canadian Cancer Society in New Brunswick says it's time for national guidelines in such critical areas as breast cancer tests....More

Asian stores, importers recall Chinese products linked to tainted milk

VANCOUVER - Asian supermarkets across Canada are pulling food linked to China's growing tainted-milk scandal, which has killed four infants in that country and left more than 50,000 children sick....More

Alberta company recalls 16 types of sandwiches in Listeria scare

TORONTO - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Thursday announced a recall on a wide variety of Hygaard brand sandwiches that it says could be contaminated with Listeria....More

Patient recovering as second case of listeriosis confirmed in New Brunswick

FREDERICTON - A second case of listeriosis has been confirmed in New Brunswick. Public health officials said Wednesday the elderly person is recovering in hospital....More

New study warns of concerns about caffeinated energy drinks

Caffeinated energy drinks are a growing concern and doctors need to be familiar with potential health consequences for their patients, researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore say in a new study....More

N.B. health officials say they have corrected flawed breast cancer tests

FREDERICTON - Health officials in Fredericton say they have corrected problems with hormone tests for breast cancer after they had a number of false negatives at a local laboratory several years ago. Dr....More

Homeless man who died in Winnipeg ER had bladder infection; inquest called

WINNIPEG - Manitoba's chief medical examiner called an inquest Wednesday into why a homeless man who died of a bladder infection sat unnoticed by staff for 34 hours in the emergency waiting room of a Winnipeg hospital. Dr....More

Countries ban Chinese imports amid tainted milk scandal

HONG KONG - At least 12 countries - from Indonesia to Colombia - have banned Chinese dairy products amid fears over a widening tainted milk scandal that has killed four Chinese babies and sickened thousands of others....More

China's milk scandal bares government shortcomings

BEIJING - The note posted in July on the website of China's food safety inspection agency came from a doctor: There had been a sudden rise in infants turning up at his hospital with kidney stones after drinking the same brand of formula....More

Surgery a waste for most with clogged carotids but no stroke signs: study

TORONTO - The vast majority of patients with narrowed carotid arteries but no warning signs of an impending stroke can avoid plaque-removing surgery and be treated instead with lifestyle changes and intensive drug therapy, researchers suggest....More

Alberta company recalls 16 types of sandwiches in Listeria scare

TORONTO - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced a recall on a wide variety of Hygaard brand sandwiches that it says could be contaminated with Listeria....More

13 members of same family reported killed by herbal potion in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - Thirteen members of the same family, including a two-week-old infant, have been found dead in their home after apparently taking herbal medicine, the South African Press Association said Monday....More

Where one resides could determine survival after cardiac arrest: study

TORONTO - There is a huge variation in survival rates among people who receive emergency treatment after suffering cardiac arrest - and the overall prognosis is poor at best, a study of 10 Canadian and U.S. cities and regions has found....More

Stock price falls for dairy amid massive China milk recall

BEIJING - The stock price of a company at the centre of China's tainted milk product scandal plunged Tuesday as the government pledged to crack down on an "out of control" milk-gathering system....More

Man who waited 34 hours in ER was dead for hours before discovered

WINNIPEG - It's an unacceptable tragedy that a man waited 34 hours in a Winnipeg hospital emergency room and was dead for several hours before he was finally brought to the attention of medical staff, Premier Gary Doer said Tuesday....More

Inhaler lung drugs tied to heart problems, deaths: study

CHICAGO - Inhaler drugs used by millions of people with emphysema and bronchitis may slightly raise the risk for heart attacks and even death, a study suggests. The results aren't conclusive and inhalers provide significant relief for these patients struggling to breathe....More

Can honey help sinuses? Preliminary study finds it kills communities of bacteria

TORONTO - Could honey some day become a sweet solution for people suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis? Researchers at the University of Ottawa have conducted a study that found honey can kill biofilms, small communities of bacteria that adhere to mucus in the nose and that are...More

Countries ban Chinese imports amid tainted milk scandal

HONG KONG - At least 12 countries - from Indonesia to Colombia - have banned Chinese dairy products amid fears over a widening tainted milk scandal that has killed four Chinese babies and sickened thousands of others....More

China's milk scandal bares government shortcomings

BEIJING - The note posted in July on the website of China's food safety inspection agency came from a doctor: There had been a sudden rise in infants turning up at his hospital with kidney stones after drinking the same brand of formula....More

More American parents pondering cancer gene tests for kids

CHICAGO - Women are going for breast cancer gene testing in record numbers, forcing more parents to face a tough question: Should we test the kids? About 100,000 tests for breast cancer gene mutations were done in the United States last year, double the number in 2005....More

Manitoba doctors sign deal to boost fees by 16.5 per cent over 3 years

WINNIPEG - Manitoba doctors have signed a deal with the province that will boost their fees by 16.5 per cent over three years. There are also financial incentives for family doctors and specialists, and to recruit and retain physicians in rural and northern areas....More

Labopharm submits FDA application for side-effect-reducing antidepressant

MONTREAL - Labopharm Inc. has submitted a new drug application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its once-daily formulation of antidepressant trazodone which studies indicate reduces side-effects....More

For phobics, a tall bridge can be a terrifying roadblock

STEVENSVILLE, Md. - Maryland's Bay Bridge offers a postcard-perfect view of the Chesapeake Bay, seagulls and ... whatever. I'm not looking. I am memorizing every curve of the car's bumper in front of me....More

Chinese children ill from bad milk jumps to almost 53,000

BEIJING - The tally of children sickened by tainted milk in China jumped to nearly 53,000 as the government vowed to crack down on those responsible for the scandal, which has raised more questions about the safety of the country's food chain....More

China's food safety chief resigns in wake of tainted milk scandal

BEIJING - The head of the Chinese agency that monitors food and product safety has resigned, state media announced Monday, pushed out by a scandal over tainted baby formula that killed four babies and sickened nearly 53,000....More

13 members of same family reported killed by herbal potion in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - Thirteen members of the same family, including a two-week-old infant, have been found dead in their home after apparently taking herbal medicine, the South African Press Association said Monday....More

Stock price falls for dairy amid massive China milk recall

BEIJING - The stock price of a company at the centre of China's tainted milk product scandal plunged Tuesday as the government pledged to crack down on an "out of control" milk-gathering system....More

China seeks public trust amid milk scandal

BEIJING - China's leaders were scrambling to contain public dismay over widespread contamination of milk supplies, castigating local officials for negligence while moving to tamp down criticism of the government's response....More

China orders tainted milk products off shelves

SHIJIAZHUANG, China - China's national product safety agency said all batches of milk that have tested positive for an industrial chemical are being recalled and by Saturday the dairy sections of many stores were empty in Beijing and Shanghai....More

CFIA and Baltic Bread Products recall products with undeclared milk, egg and soy

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning people with allergies to egg, milk, and soy not to consume certain products produced by Baltic Bread Products of Hamilton. These products contain egg, milk, and soy which are not declared on the label....More

Canadian Food Inspection Agency issues warning over dessert product

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning Canadians not to consume a dessert product which may contain milk contaminated by melamine. Nissin Cha Cha Dessert is distributed in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia by Regent Long Marketing and Distribution Ltd....More

Labopharm submits FDA application for side-effect-reducing antidepressant

MONTREAL - Labopharm Inc. has submitted a new drug application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its once-daily formulation of antidepressant trazodone which studies indicate reduces side-effects....More

For phobics, a tall bridge can be a terrifying roadblock

STEVENSVILLE, Md. - Maryland's Bay Bridge offers a postcard-perfect view of the Chesapeake Bay, seagulls and ... whatever. I'm not looking. I am memorizing every curve of the car's bumper in front of me....More

Chinese children ill from bad milk jumps to almost 53,000

BEIJING - The tally of children sickened by tainted milk in China jumped to nearly 53,000 as the government vowed to crack down on those responsible for the scandal, which has raised more questions about the safety of the country's food chain....More

China's quality watchdog boss steps down after tainted milk scandal

BEIJING - State media says the head of China's quality watchdog has resigned in the wake of the tainted baby formula scandal that has sickened nearly 53,000 infants....More

Quebec says it could provide support for cheesemakers hit by Listeria recall

VICTORIAVILLE, Que. - Quebec could come to the aid of the province's cheese industry that is still dealing with the aftermath of a Listeria outbreak....More

New guidelines stress early detection, aggressive treatment to avoid diabetes

TORONTO - An estimated six million Canadians are in danger of developing Type 2 diabetes, says the Canadian Diabetes Association, which has issued new guidelines for doctors to help them better identify and treat high-risk patients....More

Lawyer concerned with lack of public information on N.B. Listeria case

FREDERICTON - A lawyer at the head of a class-action lawsuit over Canada's Listeria outbreak is critical of secrecy surrounding a death in New Brunswick....More

Japan farm chief offers to quit over tainted rice

TOKYO - Japan's agriculture minister resigned Friday over widespread sales of mold-and pesticide-tainted rice used to make lunches for thousands of schoolchildren and nursing home patients....More

How did Chinese baby formula become chemically contaminated?

BEIJING - China's unfolding scandal involving tainted baby formula has reawakened fears over product safety amid rapid economic growth and lax regulation across the sprawling country of 1.3 billion people....More

Hong Kong recalls Chinese dairy's products after milk scandal

HONG KONG - Hong Kong is recalling a Chinese dairy's products after tests found a chemical linked to tainted milk powder that has killed and sickened babies on the mainland....More

Federal Trade Commission in U.S. warns of bogus cancer cures

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission charged five companies with making false and misleading claims for cancer cures and said Thursday that it has reached settlements with six others....More

China says some liquid milk also tainted

SHIJIAZHUANG, China - China's latest tainted product crisis has spread to its liquid milk industry, the country's quality watchdog said Friday....More

Maple Leaf products back in stores next week after plant linked to Listeria opens

TORONTO - Maple Leaf Foods has reopened the Toronto plant linked to the nationwide Listeria outbreak and will now work to restore consumer confidence as it prepares to relaunch products from that facility in stores next week, CEO Michael McCain said Wednesday....More

Colon X-ray seen as effective at spotting cancer, study finds

ATLANTA - A long-awaited federal study of an X-ray alternative to the dreaded colonoscopy confirms its effectiveness at spotting most cancers, although it was far from perfect....More

China reports third death in tainted milk scandal

BEIJING - China's health minister says a third death of a baby has been reported in the country's spreading scandal over tainted milk formula, and more than 6,200 infants have become sick....More

Canada's health care fares poorly when compared to Western Europe; study

TORONTO - Universal health care is something many Canadians cherish and want to fiercely protect, but a new study finds it lags far behind the standard of care that is commonplace in Western Europe....More

B.C. project shows ER patients get faster care when hospitals get more money

VANCOUVER - A B.C. pilot project that paid hospitals more money for cutting emergency wait times seems to have been a success....More

Almost 1 in 10 Cdns have post-traumatic stress disorder at some point: study

TORONTO - Canadians are most accustomed to hearing about post-traumatic stress disorder among returning soldiers, but a newly published study suggests that almost one in 10 civilians meet the criteria for PTSD at some point in their lifetime....More

Twelve more arrested in China's tainted milk scandal

SHIJIAZHUANG, China - More than a 1,000 parents anxious over tainted milk powder on Thursday rushed their infants to hospitals for health checks as the government announced that a fourth baby had died in the spreading scandal....More

Hong Kong recalls Chinese dairy's products after milk scandal

HONG KONG - Hong Kong is recalling a Chinese dairy's products after tests found a chemical linked to tainted milk powder that has killed and sickened babies on the mainland....More

New health risks linked with bisphenol A, chemical found in some plastic bottles

CHICAGO - The first major study of health effects in people from a chemical used in plastic baby bottles, food cans and a host of other products links it with possible risks for heart disease and diabetes....More

N.B. woman's death becomes 17th listeriosis fatality linked to food recall

FREDERICTON - An elderly New Brunswick woman has become the 17th person whose death has been linked to the recall of food products from a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Toronto....More

Medical journal slams Ottawa over listeriosis as 17th death linked to food recall

FREDERICTON - As the death toll rose Tuesday from the national listeriosis outbreak, an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal slammed the federal government for undermining public health safeguards....More

FDA defends plastic linked with health risks, as scientists raise new concern

WASHINGTON - With scientists at odds over the safety of a chemical found in some plastic baby bottles, metal cans and other food packaging, consumers got minimal guidance Tuesday about how to protect themselves. At a scientific hearing, the U.S....More

China's tainted milk scandal spreads; some products were exported

BEIJING - China's latest product safety scandal - tainted milk formula blamed for killing two babies and sickening 1,200 - expanded to include more foods Tuesday, with state media reporting some formula produced by companies involved was exported....More

3-D MRI shows promise for predicting stroke risk, researchers say

TORONTO - Researchers are testing an advanced form of MRI to see if it could prevent stroke by detecting a specific type of dangerous plaque in the major arteries that send blood to the brain....More

China reports third death in tainted milk scandal

BEIJING - China's health minister says a third death of a baby has been reported in the country's spreading scandal over tainted milk formula, and more than 6,200 infants have become sick....More

Canada's health care fares poorly when compared to Western Europe; study

TORONTO - Universal health care is something many Canadians cherish and want to fiercely protect, but a new study finds it lags far behind the standard of care that is commonplace in Western Europe....More

Doctors say leg pain can signal deadly blood clot

WASHINGTON - Far too many Americans are dying of dangerous blood clots that can masquerade as simple leg pain, says a major new government effort to get both patients and their doctors to recognize the emergency in time. "It's a silent killer....More

CP Exclusive: Ontario doctors get 12.25 per cent wage hike in four-year deal

TORONTO - Ontario's doctors will get a more than 12 per cent wage increase over the next four years along with an extra $350 million in special program funding....More

China says milk powder contamination kills two infants, sickens 1,253

BEIJING - China's Health Ministry says two infants have died from ingesting contaminated milk powder and 1,253 have been sickened. The ministry says hundreds more remain under observation in hospitals....More

China makes first arrests in tainted milk probe as hundreds of infants fall ill

BEIJING - Chinese police arrested two brothers suspected of adding a dangerous chemical to milk they sold to a company that produced infant formula that killed two babies and sickened more than 1,200 others, officials and state media reported Monday....More

C. difficile death rate to become clearer once hospitals report data: Ontario

GODERICH, Ont. - Ontario Health Minister David Caplan says a clearer picture of the death rate from C. difficile will emerge by month's end when hospitals report their data to the province. Caplan was responding to a Hamilton Spectator report that Ontario's death rate from C....More

Ontario doctors get 12.25 per cent wage hike in four-year deal with province

GODERICH, Ont. - Ontario's doctors will get a 12.25 per cent wage increase under a new contract that will cost taxpayers $9-billion annually by the fourth year, up $1 billion a year from the last deal with physicians....More

China warns more may be sickened by tainted milk

BEIJING - China's Health Ministry is warning that its investigation into contaminated milk powder may uncover additional cases of babies who have fallen ill from the tainted product....More

3-D MRI shows promise for predicting stroke risk, researchers say

TORONTO - Researchers are testing an advanced form of MRI to see if it could prevent stroke by detecting a specific type of dangerous plaque in the major arteries that send blood to the brain....More

Medical schools and journals fight drug industry influence

TRENTON, N.J. - Just about every segment of the medical community is piling on the pharmaceutical industry these days, accusing drugmakers of deceiving the public, manipulating doctors and putting profits before patients....More

UN agency says child mortality is down 27 per cent since 1990

GENEVA - The United Nations Children's Fund says the number of children who die before the age of five has declined by 27 per cent over the last two decades....More

China blames dairy farmers for milk contamination, vows 'serious punishment'

BEIJING - Investigators believe dairy farmers added a dangerous chemical to milk that has been linked to kidney stones in infants and one death in China's latest product safety disaster, state media said Friday. U.S....More

CFIA issues recall of frozen dinners that may contain Listeria

TORONTO - About 1,850 frozen dinners distributed by Meals on Wheels and similar charitable organizations in B.C., Ontario and New Brunswick are being recalled because they may contain Listeria. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the product manufacturer, Private Recipes Ltd....More

Armstrong says fight against cancer the driving force behind cycling comeback

MONT-TREMBLANT, Que. - Lance Armstrong says the fight against cancer is the driving force in his decision to race again....More

Ontario doctors warn driving and cellphone use a dangerous mix

TORONTO - Ontario's doctors are the latest to weigh in on the risks of chatting on a cellphone while driving, saying it significantly increases the danger of accidents....More

Not letting the bed bugs bite is getting harder to do in large Canadian cities

WINNIPEG - Bed bugs are no longer just the stuff of bedtime rhymes with the blood-sucking critters increasingly becoming a problem in large Canadian cities....More

Health officials watching whether flu viruses are becoming resistant to drug

TORONTO - As flu season approaches, public health authorities will be keeping an anxious eye on one family of flu viruses to see if an unwelcome phenomenon that cropped up last winter will stage a repeat performance....More

Que. government defends draconian measures to answer cheese Listeria outbreak

QUEBEC - Quebec's Agriculture Department defended itself vigorously for a decision to throw out all cheese that may have come into contact with products contaminated with Listeria, saying the measures were necessary to save lives....More

Popular arthroscopic surgery provides no relief for arthritic knees: study

TORONTO - Having patients undergo arthroscopy for osteoarthritis of the knee is a waste of time in most cases, say Canadian researchers, who have found the surgical procedure doesn't reduce pain and stiffness in the joint or improve function....More

Does missing copy of brain-protective gene lead to Alzheimer's?

TORONTO - Canadian scientists have discovered that a particular gene appears to be essential for protecting the brain as people age and that missing one copy may boost the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease or other neurodegenerative disorders....More

Cholera spreading south of Baghdad, with at least 2 dead, Iraqi officials say

BAGHDAD - Health officials in Iraq say cholera has killed two people in a province south of Baghdad, indicating that water quality and sanitation remain poor in a country that has endured years of war....More

70,000 may suffer post-9/11 stress disorder: Study

NEW YORK - New data from a public health registry that tracks the health effects of 9/11 suggest that as many as 70,000 people may have developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the terrorist attacks....More

Ottawa hospital officials investigate influenza infections in ward

OTTAWA - Officials at Ottawa Hospital's general campus are investigating two deaths that may be linked to a para-influenza outbreak there. Dr....More

Medical schools and journals fight drug industry influence

TRENTON, N.J. - Just about every segment of the medical community is piling on the pharmaceutical industry these days, accusing drugmakers of deceiving the public, manipulating doctors and putting profits before patients....More

China vows 'serious punishment' after dairy recalls baby formula

BEIJING - China has vowed "serious punishment" after a major dairy recalled 635 tonnes of milk powder linked to a rash of illnesses in infants, reigniting fears about Chinese product safety. U.S....More

Tips for protecting your joints from arthritis or slow its progression

Here are ways to protect your joints from osteoarthritis or slow its progression: -Lose weight. Excess weight stresses hips, knees and other joints; every pound lost reduces the load exerted on the knee for each step by four pounds. -Get active....More

Tight supplies of rabies vaccines have officials scrambling to avoid shortage

TORONTO - Public health authorities on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border are trying to reduce demand for rabies vaccine in the face of a serious supply problem expected to persist well into next year....More

Study sees long-term benefit of blood-sugar control for diabetics

Diabetics who tightly control their blood sugar - even if only for the first decade after they are diagnosed - have lower risks of heart attack, death and other complications 10 or more years later, a large follow-up study has found....More

Que. government defends draconian measures to answer cheese Listeria outbreak

QUEBEC - Quebec's Agriculture Department defended itself vigorously for a decision to throw out all cheese that may have come into contact with products contaminated with Listeria, saying the measures were necessary to save lives....More

Popular arthroscopic surgery provides no relief for arthritic knees: study

TORONTO - Having patients undergo arthroscopy for osteoarthritis of the knee is a waste of time in most cases, say Canadian researchers, who have found the surgical procedure doesn't reduce pain and stiffness in the joint or improve function....More

Does missing copy of brain-protective gene lead to Alzheimer's?

TORONTO - Canadian scientists have discovered that a particular gene appears to be essential for protecting the brain as people age and that missing one copy may boost the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease or other neurodegenerative disorders....More

Cholera spreading south of Baghdad, with at least 2 dead, Iraqi officials say

BAGHDAD - Health officials in Iraq say cholera has killed two people in a province south of Baghdad, indicating that water quality and sanitation remain poor in a country that has endured years of war....More

70,000 may suffer post-9/11 stress disorder: Study

NEW YORK - New data from a public health registry that tracks the health effects of 9/11 suggest that as many as 70,000 people may have developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the terrorist attacks....More

Titanium surfaces better at preventing Listeria compared to stainless steel: study

TORONTO - Outbreaks of Listeria in meat-processing plants could be reduced if companies used titanium work surfaces instead of stainless steel, according to research to be presented Wednesday at the Society for General Microbiology's autumn meeting in Dublin....More

Sask government offers free vaccine against cervical cancer for girls in Grades 6, 7

REGINA - A vaccine that can help prevent cervical cancer is now being offered for free to girls in Grades 6 and 7 in Saskatchewan. The province is taking advantage of nearly $9 million in federal funding for the human papillomavirus vaccination program over the next three years....More

Premier officially opens private-public partnership hospital in Abbotsford

VICTORIA - One of British Columbia's major public-private partnership projects - a hospital and cancer centre in the growing Fraser Valley - officially opened its doors Tuesday....More

Few hospitals in the United States meet colon cancer care standard

WASHINGTON - Nearly two-thirds of hospitals fail to check colon cancer patients well enough for signs that their tumour is spreading, says a study that advises patients to ask about this mark of quality care before surgery....More

Cancer specialists delay resignations: N.L. medical association

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - The Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association says the province's three gynecological oncologists have postponed their resignations because they haven't been able to notify their patients. The doctors had planned to resign Oct....More

Amphetamine use on the rise in Asia, Mideast

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Demand for amphetamines, Ecstasy and other synthetic drugs appears to have stabilized in the West, but the problem is worsening in Asia and spreading to new markets in the Middle East, a U.N. report said Tuesday....More

Alta. government sets up 5 networks to help people with fetal alcohol syndrome

CAMROSE, Alta. - The Alberta government is adding another five centres across the province to assess, diagnose and provide support services for people with fetal alcohol syndrome disorder....More

Study sees long-term benefit of blood-sugar control for diabetics

Diabetics who tightly control their blood sugar - even if only for the first decade after they are diagnosed - have lower risks of heart attack, death and other complications 10 or more years later, a large follow-up study has found....More

More flu vaccine in the U.S. aimed at key flu spreaders: children

WASHINGTON - Lots of youngsters on your street? Watch out: Flu may strike your community sooner and harder than it hits the hip singles neighbourhood down the road....More

Liver disease in fat children latest obesity risk, experts say

TRENTON, N.J. - In a new and disturbing twist on the obesity epidemic, some overweight teenagers have severe liver damage caused by too much body fat, and a handful have needed liver transplants....More

Listeriosis drives home need for food safety; grocers rely on manual, training

TORONTO - Grocery store owner Francois Bouchard keeps a BlackBerry with him that's set to go off whenever there's a food recall, and it's had him up in the predawn hours several times since the listeriosis outbreak came to light....More

Got a fat gene? Get active for 3-4 hours a day, researchers say

CHICAGO - Maybe you CAN blame being fat on your genes. But there's a way to overcome that family history - just get three to four hours of moderate activity a day. Sound pretty daunting? Not for the Amish of Lancaster County, Pa....More

French woman, 59, gives birth to triplets; went abroad to get donated eggs

PARIS - Hospital officials in France say a 59-year-old woman has given birth to triplets after going abroad to get donated eggs. An official at the Paris public hospital network said Monday that the woman gave birth on the weekend by caesarean section....More

Expert witness at N.B. pathology inquiry raises concerns about small labs

MONCTON, N.B. - A leading pathologist has told a New Brunswick inquiry he has concerns about the quality of small hospital laboratories with just one or two pathologists. Dr....More

Elderly woman who had listeriosis dies in New Brunswick hospital

FREDERICTON - Health officials are investigating the death of an elderly New Brunswick woman who had listeriosis. Dr. Eilish Cleary, New Brunswick's acting chief medical officer of health, said Monday the woman died recently in hospital after she became ill in a nursing home....More

Amphetamine use on the rise in Asia, Mideast

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Demand for amphetamines, Ecstasy and other synthetic drugs appears to have stabilized in the West, but the problem is worsening in Asia and spreading to new markets in the Middle East, a U.N. report said Tuesday....More

Manitoba's aboriginal kids with special needs won't be caught in funding fight

WINNIPEG - Aboriginal children with special needs in Manitoba won't be caught in government disputes over who should pay for their care....More

Independent review panel criticizes Great Lakes health study

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - Substandard science has hurt a federal agency's seven-year effort to document possible links between industrial pollution and health problems in the Great Lakes region, an independent review panel said Friday....More

Federal government urged to adopt national strategy on suicide prevention

WINNIPEG - A national suicide prevention group wants the federal government to develop a countrywide strategy that could help save lives. Dr....More

FDA posts list of potential problem prescription drugs on website

WASHINGTON - The U.S. government on Friday began posting a list of prescription drugs under investigation for potential safety problems, in an effort to better inform doctors and patients....More

Clement says listeriosis inquiry could prompt changes in government response

QUEBEC - Health Minister Tony Clement says the Conservative government is ready to consider changes to how it responds to epidemic cases following an independent investigation into the listeriosis outbreak involving Maple Leaf Food products....More

Quebec cheese retailers reeling in the wake of Listeria recall

MONTREAL - The Quebec government, concerned about the rising number of Listeria cases in the province, widened its recall of cheese products Saturday and ordered an additional eight cheeses pulled from store shelves. The move brings the total number of products recalled to 11....More

Weekly diabetes drug provides better blood sugar control, spurs weight loss

TORONTO - A once-a-week injectable diabetes drug appears to lower blood sugar somewhat better than the same drug injected twice daily, creating promise that the new formulation may be a more useful part of a Type 2 diabetes control regime, a new study suggests....More

Efforts needed to integrate aging population into society, conference told

MONTREAL - The aging population has a contribution to make to society and efforts are needed to ensure they are not left out, Irene Hoskins, president of the International Federation on Aging, said at a conference Sunday....More

Health Canada issues warning about balloon blowing kits sold at CNE

OTTAWA - Health Canada says anyone who bought a kit at the CNE in Toronto last month that lets children blow their own balloons should dispose of them immediately....More

Gene domino effect behind brain, pancreatic tumours, scientists report

WASHINGTON - Scientists have mapped the cascade of genetic changes that turn normal cells in the brain and pancreas into two of the most lethal cancers. The result points to a new approach for fighting tumours and maybe even catching them sooner....More

FDA orders stronger warnings about fungal infections for 4 arthritis drugs

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered stronger warnings Thursday on four medications widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other serious illnesses, saying they can raise the risk of possibly fatal fungal infections....More

CFIA warns of undeclared milk proteins in No Name Cookie Dough

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Loblaw Companies Limited are warning people with allergies to milk proteins not to consume certain No Name Cookie Dough products. The affected products contain milk which is not declared on the label....More

Canada needs screening program for abdominal aneurysms for plus-65s, group says

TORONTO - Canada should have a national screening program to diagnose potential abdominal aortic aneurysms in men and high-risk women aged 65 and older, the Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery says....More

Bologna sold in Newfoundland supermarket added to Maple Leaf recall

OTTAWA - Another recall has been issued involving meat from the Maple Leaf Foods packing plant in Toronto linked to a listeriosis outbreak that has killed at least 13 people....More

BioMS says its lead drug has received a fast-track designation from the FDA

EDMONTON - Drug developer BioMS Medical Corp. said Thursday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had granted its lead multiple sclerosis compound "fast track" status, which may expedite the drug's review process....More

B.C. Appeal Court upholds abortion bubble-zone law, saying women need protection

VANCOUVER - British Columbia's highest court has dismissed a constitutional challenge of the province's controversial "bubble-zone law," which restricts protesters around abortion clinics. Two anti-abortion protesters went to the B.C....More

Smoking riskier to women's hearts than men's, Norwegian researchers say

MUNICH, Germany - Women typically get heart disease much later than men, but not if they smoke, researchers said Tuesday....More

New study finds no link between measles vaccine and autism

WASHINGTON - New research further debunks any link between measles vaccine and autism, work that comes as the United States is experiencing a surge in measles cases fuelled by children left unvaccinated....More

Modest brain test benefit seen with brisk walking: Australian study

CHICAGO - Brisk walking led to slight improvements on mental tests for older people with memory problems in what is billed as the first rigorous test of exercise on the aging brain. The results from the small Australian study were only modest....More

Heart defibrillator shock can signal more trouble, study finds

NEW YORK - A lifesaving shock from an implanted heart defibrillator provides relief that a crisis was avoided, but new research suggests it can also be a sign that more trouble is ahead....More

Doctors at cardiology conference say Vytorin-cancer link can't be ruled out

MUNICH, Germany - Results so far from three studies of the cholesterol-lowering drug Vytorin are not enough to prove or rule out a possible link to a higher risk of cancer, so the drug should be used with caution until more is known, editors of a leading medical journal urged Tuesday....More

Canada's health ministers to push Ottawa for health care help as election looms

MONTREAL - Calls for more help to beef up electronic health records, reverse health professional shortages and build a national pharmaceutical plan are topping wish lists to be presented to federal Health Minister Tony Clement during a meeting with his counterparts....More

'Very troubled' Stephen Harper promises investigation into listeriosis outbreak

WINDSOR, Ont. - The federal government is promising a "broad" independent investigation into the countrywide listeriosis outbreak that now is blamed in 13 deaths....More

CFIA warns of undeclared milk proteins in No Name Cookie Dough

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Loblaw Companies Limited are warning people with allergies to milk proteins not to consume certain No Name Cookie Dough products. The affected products contain milk which is not declared on the label....More

Listeria

Recalled meats linked to a type of food poisoning called listeria may have you worried. Learn more about this foodborne illness - its causes, symptoms, and some ways to protect yourself from infection.

Australians report higher-than-expected rate of allergic reaction to HPV shot

TORONTO - Australian researchers have observed a higher-than-expected rate of a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis in young women who have received the HPV or human papillomavirus vaccine, Gardasil....More

12 deaths confirmed from listeriosis outbreak, federal health officials say

OTTAWA - The Harper Conservatives are scoffing at the notion that the listeriosis outbreak will become an issue in a federal election that is expected to be called within days....More

Number of Ont. kids dying in bike accidents halved after helmet law enacted

TORONTO - Ontario's bike helmet law for children under age 18 helps save one life every two months, an analysis of cycling deaths that occurred before and since the bill was enacted suggests....More

New Quebec cheeses added to list as possible source of salmonella outbreak

MONTREAL - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is expanding a warning over cheese products over a salmonella outbreak in Quebec that has claimed one life. The agency is warning the public not to consume six more cheeses products because they may be contaminated....More

Teen suicides dip slightly in United States, experts worry rate remains high

CHICAGO - The number of teen suicides has fallen slightly in the United States, but the rate remains disturbingly high, possibly fuelled by drug warnings that have scared many from using antidepressants. The suicide rate was about 4....More

Smoking riskier to women's hearts than men's, Norwegian researchers say

MUNICH, Germany - Women typically get heart disease much later than men, but not if they smoke, researchers said Tuesday....More

Modest brain test benefit seen with brisk walking: Australian study

CHICAGO - Brisk walking led to slight improvements on mental tests for older people with memory problems in what is billed as the first rigorous test of exercise on the aging brain. The results from the small Australian study were only modest....More

Doctors at cardiology conference say Vytorin-cancer link can't be ruled out

MUNICH, Germany - Results so far from three studies of the cholesterol-lowering drug Vytorin are not enough to prove or rule out a possible link to a higher risk of cancer, so the drug should be used with caution until more is known, editors of a leading medical journal urged Tuesday....More

Suicide risks studied in drugs for physical ills

WASHINGTON - Cody Miller was a high school football player who was allergic to ragweed. Douglas Briggs was a doctor coping with pain from an old back injury....More

Fish oil appears to help against heart failure, research suggests

MUNICH, Germany - Fish oil supplements may work slightly better than a popular cholesterol-reducing drug to help patients with chronic heart failure, according to new research released Sunday....More

Scandinavian study links bipolar disorder with older fathers

CHICAGO - Children born to older fathers face a greater chance of developing bipolar disorder, according to one of the largest studies linking mental illness with advanced paternal age....More

Australians report higher-than-expected rate of allergic reaction to HPV shot

TORONTO - Australian researchers have observed a higher-than-expected rate of a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis in young women who have received the HPV or human papillomavirus vaccine, Gardasil....More

12 deaths confirmed from listeriosis outbreak, federal health officials say

OTTAWA - The Harper Conservatives are scoffing at the notion that the listeriosis outbreak will become an issue in a federal election that is expected to be called within days....More

Number of Ont. kids dying in bike accidents halved after helmet law enacted

TORONTO - Ontario's bike helmet law for children under age 18 helps save one life every two months, an analysis of cycling deaths that occurred before and since the bill was enacted suggests....More

Bacteria found in water at restaurant linked to Oklahoma E. coli outbreak

OKLAHOMA CITY - State health officials in Oklahoma say bacterial contamination has been found in well water at a restaurant linked to a deadly E. coli outbreak....More

Alta invests more than $50M to increase youth access to mental health services

EDMONTON - The Alberta government is investing more than $50 million over three years to provide better mental health services to children and youth. The province says the money will go toward implementing 23 actions outlined in the province's new children's mental health plan....More

'Sexual addiction' label is controversial, even in sex therapy circles

TORONTO - A man who spends two to four hours viewing Internet porn and masturbating as much as 12 times daily might have any number of labels pinned on him. Beyond the lewd and lowbrow, however, is a polarizing term even among professionals: sex addict....More

Whooping cough outbreak reported at Pittsburgh veterans hospital

PITTSBURGH - Medical officials in Pittsburgh say staff members and some patients at a Veterans Affairs hospital are getting preventive treatment for whooping cough after an outbreak was traced to several workers at an outpatient clinic....More

Officials announce tenth death linked to ongoing listeriosis outbreak

OTTAWA - The death toll of the listeriosis outbreak rose to 10 Saturday as federal health officials confirmed that an Alberta resident died after contracting the bacteria. The death is the first reported in Alberta as a result of the outbreak....More

Expect more recalls, officials say as B.C. death brings listeriosis toll to 9

TORONTO - Expect more sandwiches and other products with meat that came from a Maple Leaf plant at the centre of an ongoing listeriosis outbreak to be recalled in the coming days as investigators use "further precision" to determine just where that meat ended up, officials said Friday....More

Suicide risks studied in drugs for physical ills

WASHINGTON - Cody Miller was a high school football player who was allergic to ragweed. Douglas Briggs was a doctor coping with pain from an old back injury....More

Fish oil appears to help against heart failure, research suggests

MUNICH, Germany - Fish oil supplements may work slightly better than a popular cholesterol-reducing drug to help patients with chronic heart failure, according to new research released Sunday....More