System uses air traffic patterns to predict global infectious disease spread

TORONTO - Canadian researchers have designed a system based on air travel patterns to predict how infectious diseases will spread around the world, offering a means of halting transmission by taking preventive measures as soon as an outbreak occurs....More

Saskatchewan records second swine flu death after elderly man dies

REGINA - A man in 70s has become the second person in Saskatchewan to die from swine flu. The provincial Ministry of Health announced the death on its website, saying that the unidentified man had a serious underlying health condition....More

Nearly 15 per cent of American teens think they'll die young

CHICAGO - A surprising number of teenagers - nearly 15 per cent - think they're going to die young, leading many to drug use, suicide attempts and other unsafe behaviour, new research suggests....More

Drug regulator in the U.S. weighs options to reduce painkiller overdoses

ADELPHI, Md. - The makers of Tylenol, Excedrin and other medications are trying to dissuade regulators from placing new restrictions on their popular painkillers, including possibly removing some of them from store shelves. The U.S....More

Dreading your flu shot? Get ready for a triple dose

OTTAWA - Canadians who dread their annual flu shot may have to roll up their sleeves three times this fall. People seeking protection will need two swine flu shots, in addition to their regular flu shot, health officials said Monday. Canada's chief public health officer, Dr....More

Dorel unveils new car seats that protect children in side-impact collisions

MONTREAL - North American parents looking to protect their children from side-impact collisions will have a new option in August when the world's largest car-seat manufacturer begins to sell its patented new design. Dorel Industries' (TSX:DII....More

Danish patient has first reported case of Tamiflu-resistant swine flu, health officials say

ATLANTA - For the first time, a case of swine flu has proven resistant to Tamiflu - the leading pharmaceutical weapon against the new virus, international health officials said Monday. The resistance was seen in a patient in Denmark, who has recovered....More

Aquarium in Boston hopes obese kids flip for athletic seals

BOSTON - Yes, he's obsessed with grooming, and he occasionally barks at you, but in most ways Isaac is not your typical fitness instructor. He weighs in at 350 pounds, eats more than seven kilograms of food at a time and he's only nine years old. And he's a seal....More

Drug recall: Oversized pms-Phenobarbital tablets pose risk of overdose

OTTAWA - Health Canada is warning that a prescription drug used for seizure disorders and for anxiety and sleep disorders is being recalled because of the discovery of some oversized tablets....More

CDC says lung disease linked to obesity risk factor for swine flu

TORONTO - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says chronic lung problems linked to obesity, not the obesity itself, appear to be raising some people's risk of suffering bad disease when they get infected with swine flu....More

Three children's cases of E. coli infection in London 'unusual'

LONDON, Ont. - Three cases of children diagnosed with E. coli infections in less than a week have raised a red flag with health officials in London, Ont. The Middlesex-London Health Unit said Sunday three cases so close together is out of the ordinary....More

Saskatchewan marks first swine flu-related death as numbers also rise in Quebec

REGINA - Saskatchewan has recorded its first swine flu-related death, provincial Health Ministry officials said Sunday. Dr....More

Constant use of 'mild' to describe swine flu misleading people about threat

TORONTO - Officialdom's mantra about swine flu - "it is overwhelmingly mild" - might seem incongruous if we knew the number of children, teens and young adults in ICU beds right now alive only because a breathing machine has taken over for their ravaged lungs....More

Toyota technology has brain waves move wheelchair

TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp. says it has developed a way of steering a wheelchair by just detecting brain waves, without the person having to move a muscle or shout a command....More

Toyota technology allows for brain waves to steer wheelchair

TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp. says it has developed a way of steering a wheelchair by just detecting brain waves, without the person having to move a muscle or shout a command....More

Nearly 15 per cent of American teens think they'll die young

CHICAGO - A surprising number of teenagers - nearly 15 per cent - think they're going to die young, leading many to drug use, suicide attempts and other unsafe behaviour, new research suggests....More

StatsCan: 9 in 10 report they're satisfied with life; teen satisfaction highest

TORONTO - Adults often reflect on their teen years as the best time of their life - before the stresses of middle age begin to pile up - and new figures released Thursday by Statistics Canada seem to bear that out....More

Physical abuse in childhood linked to higher cancer rates later in life: study

TORONTO - A new study suggests children and adolescents who are physically abused have a greater chance of developing cancer later in life than those who are not abused....More

P.E.I. baby once caught up in Toronto transplant controversy receives new heart

A baby who was expected to receive a new heart from an infant at the centre of a transplant controversy has been given a new organ. Lillian O'Connor, a three-and-a-half month old baby from Prince Edward Island, had been waiting for a heart since she was born....More

Ontario drinking water improving, says chief inspector

WALKERTON, Ont. - Ontario's chief drinking water inspector says the quality of the water coming out of the province's taps is improving. John Stager says 99.8 per cent of the 520,000 water samples collected last year met rigorous provincial standards....More

Military launches mental-health awareness campaign

OTTAWA - Cpl. Mike O'Rourke fought his way through the sun-baked grape fields of Panjwaii in 2006. Charging into merciless Taliban machine gun fire, he retrieved wounded and dead buddies....More

Canada virtually sure to roll out H1N1 vaccine this fall: Butler-Jones

TORONTO - The decision about whether to undertake a mass vaccination of Canadians against swine flu has been all but taken, the country's chief public health officer said Thursday. Dr....More

1 million swine flu cases estimated in U.S.

ATLANTA - U.S. health officials estimate that as many as one million Americans now have the new swine flu. Lyn Finelli, a flu surveillance official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, voiced the estimate at a vaccine advisory meeting today in Atlanta....More

1 in 25 deaths worldwide linked to alcohol consumption, study finds

TORONTO - One in every 25 deaths worldwide can be linked to diseases or injuries related to alcohol consumption, concludes a Canadian-led study, which equates the libation's burden of harm to that of smoking almost a decade ago....More

Stomach stapling may lower cancer risk in women: Swedish study

LONDON - Women who have their stomachs stapled not only lose weight, they also may reduce their cancer risk by up to 40 per cent, new research says....More

Sask nurses says report raises health concerns about nuclear plants

REGINA - The debate over building Saskatchewan's nuclear industry has gone from politics to health. A report commissioned by the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses suggests children living near a nuclear power facility are more likely to get cancer than those living away from one....More

Researchers use brain scans to show how hypnosis can paralyze a limb

NEW YORK - How can a hypnotist paralyze your hand just with words? By making a part of your brain interrupt the process that normally makes your hand move, a study says....More

Manitoba chiefs want state of emergency declared because of swine flu

WINNIPEG - Manitoba aboriginal leaders have declared a state of emergency in their communities because of swine flu, and they want the federal and provincial governments to do the same....More

Just 4 rabies shots needed after exposure, U.S. immunization advisory panel decides

ATLANTA - People exposed to rabies need only four vaccinations, not the five currently recommended, a vaccine advisory committee said Wednesday. In the past, rabies shots were dreaded almost as much as the disease itself....More

Huge gap in health care between aboriginal children and other Cdn youth: UNICEF

TORONTO - Four sterile walls, a wheelchair and ventilator were hallmarks of the early life of a little boy named Jordan....More

Bitter apricot kernels can cause cyanide poisoning in consumers: Health Canada

TORONTO - Health Canada says consumers should avoid eating large amounts of bitter apricot kernels or products containing these kernels because of the risk of cyanide poisoning. Bitter apricot kernels contain a natural substance that can release cyanide into the body....More

Avoid cross contamination of foods with reusable grocery bags: Health Canada

TORONTO - Health Canada says people grocery shopping with reusable bags or bins should take steps to prevent cross-contamination of foods....More

Withholding hand sanitizer from flu-ravaged reserves 'outrageous': chiefs

WINNIPEG - Canada's health minister must apologize on behalf of Health Canada for withholding hand sanitizers from flu-stricken reserves because they contained alcohol, one of Manitoba grand chiefs said Tuesday....More

Study shows resynchronization devices were effective against heart failure

NEW YORK - Boston Scientific said Tuesday a clinical study shows its heart resynchronization implant devices were better at preventing death or surgery due to heart failure than another popular type of device. The Natick, Mass....More

Organic salad from B.C. producer may be tainted with salmonella

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning people not to eat some organic salad greens produced by a company in Sidney, B.C. because the vegetables could be contaminated with salmonella....More

National plan needed to deal with spiralling costs of vision loss: report

TORONTO - Canada urgently needs a national plan to deal with the ever-increasing burden of serious vision loss, says a report by the CNIB and the Canadian Ophthalmological Society. The report, released Tuesday, estimates the annual price tag for vision loss in Canada at $15....More

Four more deaths bring Canada's swine-flu fatality total to 20

TORONTO - Authorities say four more Canadians have died after contracting swine flu. The deaths bring to 20 the number of people to die across the country after getting the H1N1 virus....More

A little extra weight may protect from early death, study suggests

TORONTO - A new study of Canadians' body mass index and mortality adds to existing research suggesting that people who are overweight live longer than people of normal weight....More

Sask nurses says report raises health concerns about nuclear plants

REGINA - The debate over building Saskatchewan's nuclear industry has gone from politics to health. A report commissioned by the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses suggests children living near a nuclear power facility are more likely to get cancer than those living away from one....More

Huge gap in health care between aboriginal children and other Cdn youth: UNICEF

TORONTO - Four sterile walls, a wheelchair and ventilator were hallmarks of the early life of a little boy named Jordan....More

Pandemic planning: Preventing absenteeism is key to corporate health

TORONTO - A new report on corporate risk and pandemic preparedness touts the benefits associated with having business plans in place for a global outbreak of flu, likening them to insurance against a calamity like fire....More

Hunting ways to protect babies from fetal alcohol syndrome when mom drinks

WASHINGTON - Drinking during pregnancy can seriously harm a baby's brain, yet thousands of mothers-to-be still do. Now scientists have begun testing whether a prenatal nutrient might offer those babies a little protection, part of a growing quest for ways to reverse the damage....More

Heart disease deaths down by 30 per cent, but no time for complacency: study

TORONTO - Deaths from cardiovascular disease have dropped by almost a third in Canada, but for the first time slightly more women than men are dying from the country's Number 1 killer, statistics show....More

Contaminated onions likely caused North Bay E. coli outbreak last fall

NORTH BAY - Hundreds of residents in northern Ontario likely suffered painful food poisoning last fall as a result of contaminated onions, an investigation has concluded....More

Bringing pandemic vaccine to flu clinics first requires animal, human testing

TORONTO - If you went by statements from the pharmaceutical industry, you might be tempted to think it was nearly time to roll up your sleeve for a swine flu shot....More

Big U.S. study will test vitamin D, fish oil for health benefits

Two of the most popular and promising dietary supplements - vitamin D and fish oil - will be tested in a large, U.S.-government-sponsored study to see whether either nutrient can lower a healthy person's risk of getting cancer, heart disease or having a stroke....More

Bad test results often don't reach patients, U.S. study finds

CHICAGO - No news isn't necessarily good news for patients waiting for the results of medical tests. The first study of its kind finds U.S. doctors failed to inform patients of abnormal cancer screenings and other test results one out of 14 times....More

Avoid unapproved home HIV test kits, could yield false results: Health Canada

TORONTO - Health Canada is advising consumers not to use the Clean Testing HIV Home Test Kit, or any HIV home test kits, as they are unlicensed medical devices and may provide false results. The Clean Testing HIV Home Test Kit, available online at cleantesting....More

Ottawa wants to ban 'rubber ducky' chemicals

OTTAWA - The rubber ducky could soon go the way of the dodo. The Conservative government moved Friday to ban harmful chemicals used in some children's toys....More

Ottawa appoints experts to isotope panel

OTTAWA - The Harper government has named its expert panel to look at medium-and long-term supply options for medical isotopes....More

New Brunswick doctors say legal action the only way to salvage deal with province

FREDERICTON - The president of the New Brunswick Medical Society says doctors feel "used and abused" by the provincial government, and may have no choice but to take their labour dispute to the courts. In a release, issued Friday, Dr....More

Nestle USA recalls Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products

NEW YORK - Nestle USA on Friday voluntarily recalled its Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products after a number of illnesses were reported by those who ate the dough raw....More

Cover-up followed patient's death in waiting room at NYC hospital, report says

NEW YORK - Staffers at a Brooklyn hospital falsified medical records and lied to authorities in an attempt to cover up the neglect of a patient who died on the waiting room floor, according to city investigators....More

Alberta gov't. seeks to dismiss $500 million lawsuit by chiropractic patient

EDMONTON - The Alberta government is expected to go court Monday in a bid to derail a $500 million class action lawsuit filed by a woman who claims she was severely injured during a visit to a chiropractor....More

Staff shortages created patient risk in N.S. hospitals: workload reports

HALIFAX, N.S. - Nurses who filed workload reports at Halifax-area hospitals last year complained of "unsafe" situations for patients caused by a shortage of nurses, including one case where an unattended patient yanked out his intravenous tubes....More

Avoid potential second-wave crisis by planning for H1N1 now

TORONTO - The pandemic that hit like a cyclone but mellowed to a cool breeze could still take the world by storm....More

Alan Hudson out as eHealth chair after spending scandal reaches premier's office

TORONTO - Another top official at eHealth Ontario is out. Dr. Alan Hudson has resigned as chairman of the eHealth board, just over a week after the agency's CEO, Sarah Kramer, was dumped and given a $314,000 payout for leaving....More

Time for Ottawa to regulate trans fat levels in prepared foods, critics say

TORONTO - It's time for Ottawa to bring in regulations compelling the prepared-food industry to reduce artery-clogging trans fats in everyday products eaten by Canadians, the Heart and Stroke Foundation says....More

Swine flu patients in ICU tough to manage, 'just really, really sick': doctors

In a typical flu season, the Winnipeg hospitals where Dr. Anand Kumar works might see one, maybe two life-threatening cases of viral pneumonia caused by influenza....More

Poll suggests most Canadians find docs provide 'excellent' service

TORONTO - Most Canadians who have a family doctor are satisfied with their physician, suggests a new survey that shows 54 per cent of respondents rate the service they receive as excellent....More

Panel split over listeriosis findings

OTTAWA - A parliamentary probe is split over its investigation into last summer's deadly listeriosis crisis....More

Health officials shut down Edmonton tattoo parlour, urge HIV tests

EDMONTON - Customers of an Edmonton tattoo parlour are being urged to get themselves tested for HIV and hepatitis after health officials closed the facility because of unsanitary conditions....More

Doctors press Ottawa and provinces to cut wait times in more medical areas

MONTREAL - Government efforts to slash health-care waiting times across the country have failed to target a wider range of clinical procedures, says a coalition of Canadian medical specialists. Under a $5....More

CDC says too soon to say if swine flu crowding out season strains in S. Hemisphere

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says it's too soon to say if the new swine flu virus is replacing seasonal flu viruses in the Southern Hemisphere where flu season is beginning or underway....More

McGuinty changes rules on consulting contracts as eHealth chairman resigns

TORONTO - Ontario government ministries and agencies will no longer be allowed to award contracts to consultants without a competitive bidding process, Premier Dalton McGuinty announced Wednesday as he moved to quash a growing scandal at eHealth amidst news of the agency chairman's...More

Maternal Group B strep screening campaign has unexplained false test results

ATLANTA - A massive effort to test pregnant women for a deadly germ they can spread to their babies has yielded a bad surprise - a high rate of wrong test results that led some infants to miss out on treatment....More

Homeopathic remedies contain diluted amounts of pharmaceutical ingredients

Here's a sampling of active pharmaceutical ingredients used in homeopathic remedies, but in highly diluted amounts. The homeopathic name is listed first along with its recommended homeopathic use, then the conventional name for the same drug, and a recommended conventional use....More

Hamilton pharmacy denies it took part in alleged scheme to resell drugs

TORONTO - A Hamilton pharmacy and its owner are disputing allegations that it took part in an alleged scheme involving the reselling of generic drugs. The Ontario government took legal action in April against Kohler's Drug Store Ltd....More

Excess body weight predicts development of low self-esteem in kids: StatsCan

TORONTO - Childhood obesity can increase the risk of developing low self-esteem in the tween and teen years, a new study from Statistics Canada suggests....More

Doctors issue new guidelines on breech birth: not an automatic C-section

TORONTO - Many women who end up with a breech pregnancy can safely deliver vaginally, so doctors should not automatically opt to perform a caesarean section, says the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada....More

Doctor faces three charges in alleged sexual assault of youth at Winnipeg hospital

WINNIPEG - A Winnipeg doctor is facing three charges in a sexual assault inside a city hospital. Police say a physician is alleged to have approached a youth early Monday and committed a non-violent but serious assault....More

Alan Hudson out as eHealth chair after spending scandal reaches premier's office

TORONTO - Another top official at eHealth Ontario is out. Dr. Alan Hudson has resigned as chairman of the eHealth board, just over a week after the agency's CEO, Sarah Kramer, was dumped and given a $314,000 payout for leaving....More

U.S. health regulators say Zicam nasal spray can cause loss of smell

WASHINGTON - Consumers should stop using Zicam Cold Remedy nasal gel and related products because they can permanently damage the sense of smell, U.S. federal health regulators said Tuesday....More

Ontario to fund alternative diagnostic procedure during shortage of isotopes

TORONTO - Ontario will pay for an alternative diagnostic procedure for some 2,000 cancer patients in response to the global shortage of radioactive isotopes. The Ministry of Health is putting aside $1....More

Jordan, Qatar and Yemen all report first swine flu cases in arrivals from abroad

AMMAN, Jordan - Jordan, Qatar and Yemen reported Tuesday their first cases of swine flu, all in arrivals from abroad, widening the scope of the disease across a region that had once been largely free of the virus....More

Health officials in Manitoba and Quebec report two deaths each from swine flu

The number of official deaths from swine flu in Canada nudged closer to a dozen Tuesday with two reported in Quebec and two in Manitoba....More

Feds to spend $6m looking for isotope alternatives

OTTAWA - The Harper government has earmarked $6 million for research into alternatives to the radioactive isotopes produced by the downed Chalk River reactor. "We need to look at what options are available to TC-99 (technetium-99) and the research . . ....More

Eaters driven by stress turn to fatty, sugary food to feel better in bad economy

NEW YORK - Leslie Fuller tried to stick to her shopping list on a recent grocery run. Instead, she found herself venturing down the candy aisle, throwing bags of Hershey's Miniatures and M&M's into her cart....More

British health officials say confirmed cases of swine flu is nudging 1,500

LONDON - British health officials say the country's number of confirmed swine flu cases is nearing 1,500. The Department of Health says it has confirmed that an additional 141 patients in England are suffering from the disease....More

Baby born to British woman who died of swine flu also dies

LONDON - The premature baby of the first person in Britain to die of swine flu has also died. A Scottish government spokesman, who declined to be named in keeping with government policy, said Tuesday that the baby did not die from swine flu....More

N.B. premier confident dispute with doctors can be kept out of the courts

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham says he's confident legal action by the province's physicians over a proposed wage freeze can be averted....More

GE to provide loans for electronic medical records with stimulus money lagging

FAIRFIELD, Conn. - General Electric Co.'s health care division said Monday it will offer financing to doctors and hospitals that buy GE's electronic medical records equipment in an effort to cover an expected lag in the flow of federal stimulus money meant for the medical technology....More

Flu drugs relatively safe for pregnant, breastfeeding women, should be used: study

TORONTO - The antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza are relatively safe for use in pregnant and breastfeeding women, say the authors of review of data that includes previously unpublished evidence....More

FDA urges caution in weighing risks of ADHD drugs

WASHINGTON - Federal health regulators in the United States are urging parents to keep their children on attention deficit drugs like Ritalin and Adderall, despite new evidence from a government-backed study that the stimulants can increase the risk of sudden death....More

Family friend says US boy getting court-ordered chemotherapy is responding

SLEEPY EYE, Minnesota - X-rays show the tumour in the chest of a 13-year-old boy who resisted treatment has shrunk significantly after two courses of court-ordered chemotherapy, a family spokesman said Monday....More

Class-action suit filed against Quebec over botched breast-cancer tests

MONTREAL - A Montreal woman is seeking permission to file a class-action suit against the provincial government for its alleged mishandling of breast-cancer tests for thousands of patients....More

Jordan, Qatar each report first swine flu cases in arrivals from abroad

AMMAN, Jordan - Jordan and Qatar reported Tuesday the first cases of swine flu, two in each country, in arrivals from abroad. Jordanian Health Minister Nayef Al-Fayez said the kingdom's first cases were two young girls who arrived on separate flights Sunday....More

Baby born to British woman who died of swine flu also dies

LONDON - The premature baby of the first person in Britain to die of swine flu has also died. A Scottish government spokesman, who declined to be named in keeping with government policy, said Tuesday that the baby did not die from swine flu....More

Swine flu hitting northern Ont. First Nations; Lots of flu, Sandy Lake chief says

TORONTO - Swine flu has started to circulate in First Nations communities in northern Ontario, with hundreds of people falling ill on the Sandy Lake First Nation reserve....More

Swine flu fatality in the UK; appears to be 1st reported outside the Americas

LONDON - A person with underlying health conditions died of swine flu in Scotland on Sunday - the first reported death from the illness outside the Americas, health officials said. Britain has been harder hit by the virus - known as H1N1-than elsewhere in Europe....More

Saudi Arabia reports 3 more cases of swine flu, bringing total to 11

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - The Health Ministry has announced three more cases of swine flu, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 11....More

Confirmed cases of swine flu in Britain rise to 1,226

LONDON - Another 61 cases of swine flu have been confirmed in England, bringing the U.K. total to 1,226 cases. Health officials confirmed the latest tally on Sunday. Britain has been harder hit by the virus than elsewhere in Europe. The U.K....More

Co-op plan shaping up as compromise between White House, Congress on health care overhaul

WASHINGTON - As Congress begins work on putting President Barack Obama's goal of universal health coverage into law, administration officials and allies sought to sidestep Republican objection to lettign the government compete with private plans....More

China confirms 31 more cases of swine flu, total on mainland at 196

BEIJING - China reported 31 more cases of swine flu, bringing the total on the mainland Monday to 196. The Health Ministry said on its Web site late Sunday that the cities of Beijing and Shanghai have reported more cases, as did provinces in central, eastern and southern China....More

Blood tests rule out prime suspect in pig farm swine flu case

TORONTO - Officials have ruled out the prime suspect in the mystery over how a herd of Alberta pigs was infected with the new swine flu virus sweeping the globe....More

Belgium reports 3 more swine flu cases linked to Dominican Republic

BRUSSELS - Belgian health authorities have confirmed three new cases of swine flu, bringing the total to 17 across the country....More

Death rate declines for those admitted to hospital after heart attack: report

TORONTO - Progress is being made in the fight against one of the leading causes of death in Canada, with new statistics Thursday showing that fewer Canadians are dying from heart attacks after being admitted to hospital....More

B.C. premier cautions more money not the answer for health-care

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Gordon Campbell, who enraged health-care and other public sector unions by cancelling contracts and legislating nurses back to work in his first mandate, told nurses from across the country Thursday that the solution for problems in the health-care system is not simply...More

Analysis suggests first cases of swine flu happened months before spotted

TORONTO - A new analysis of swine flu viruses suggests the first cases in humans probably started several months before authorities recognized there was an outbreak....More

Alberta judge says schools should use World Suicide Prevention Day to teach youth

CALGARY - In the days before she hanged herself from a beam in the basement of her third foster home, a 15-year-old southern Alberta girl told her sisters and ex-boyfriend that life was no longer worth living....More

A chronology of recent events in the outbreak of H1N1 swine flu

A chronology of the outbreak of H1N1 swine flu, which on Thursday was declared a global pandemic - the first since 1968 - by the World Health Organization: March 18 - Mexican government starts tracking an increase in cases of severe respiratory illness in Mexico....More

65 breast cancer tests missed in review to verify accuracy: N.L. health board

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - The breast cancer tests of 65 patients in Newfoundland were overlooked in a review of tests done from 1997 to 2005 that was intended to verify their accuracy, health officials in the province said Thursday....More

WHO declares swine flu a pandemic, warns moderate severity expected

TORONTO - The World Health Organization declared the swine flu outbreak a pandemic Thursday, the first since the Hong Kong flu of 1968. Director General Dr....More

Swiss firm Novartis says it has produced first batch of H1N1 vaccine

BASEL, Switzerland - Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis AG said Friday it has successfully produced a first batch of swine flu vaccine weeks ahead of expectations. The company says the vaccine was made in cells, rather than grown in eggs as is usually the case with vaccines....More

Manitoba native leaders say they are in 'pandemic mode' as flu hits hard

WINNIPEG - Schools are closed, public events have been cancelled and people are scrambling for masks to fight the swine flu....More

Israeli study suggests drug is safe for morning sickness

For the first time, a large study shows that pregnant women who suffer morning sickness are not risking harm to their babies if they take a certain anti-nausea drug....More

Institute of Wellbeing issues first report, creates index on quality of life

TORONTO - A new index is being created to measure the well-being of Canadians, which will go beyond what we learn about ourselves from economic indicators like the GDP....More

Heart and Stroke Foundation warns type of irregular heartbeat hikes risk of stroke

TORONTO - An estimated quarter of a million Canadians have a type of irregular heartbeat that dramatically increases their risk of having a potentially fatal stroke - but many are not getting the treatment they need, says the Heart and Stroke Foundation....More

Evidence of swine flu risk to pregnant women rises; experts urge early treatment

TORONTO - There are mounting and troubling signs that swine flu and pregnancy don't mix well. Six pregnant women in Manitoba are reportedly on ventilators because they are severely ill with the virus....More

Buying iron supplements? Read labels carefully for dosage, Health Canada says

TORONTO - Consumers should carefully read the labels of iron supplement products as there is potential for confusion about dosage and a danger of ingesting too much of the mineral, Health Canada says....More

WHO likely to declare swine flu pandemic Thursday as cases spread worldwide

GENEVA - The World Health Organization held an emergency swine flu meeting Thursday and was likely to declare the first flu pandemic in 41 years as infections climbed in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere....More

UN-funded report: East Timor should decriminalize abortion to save lives

DILI, East Timor - The U.N. population agency is urging predominantly Catholic East Timor to soften laws that criminalize abortion and to promote contraceptives, saying in a report released Wednesday that women are dying from secret abortions....More

Small hospitals run out of isotopes this week

OTTAWA - Smaller hospitals across the country will run out of medical isotopes this week, leaving many cancer and heart patients scrambling to find alternatives....More

Sask. health authority doing review after mistake on glucose test for 30 patients

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. - A health authority in Saskatchewan is reviewing its procedures after discovering a testing mistake on 30 patients. The Parkland Health Region says a lower dose of glucose was given to patients suspected of having diabetes between May 25 and June 3....More

Ontario residents wait twice as long as recommended for urgent cancer surgery

TORONTO - Ontario cancer patients are still waiting twice as long as recommended for urgent and potentially life-saving surgery, despite the government's much-touted efforts to reduce health-care wait times, the Ontario Health Quality Council reported Tuesday....More

Nova Scotia reports first hospitalized case of swine flu; patient improving

HALIFAX, N.S. - Health officials in Nova Scotia are reporting their first hospitalized case of swine flu. In a statement, the Health Promotion and Protection Department said the patient in the Capital District Health Authority is improving, but offered no other details....More

Doctors group launches online tool to help diabetics better control disease

TORONTO - The Canadian Medical Association has launched an online tool aimed at helping diabetics and their doctors to better keep on top of the chronic disease. The site - part of mydoctor....More

Acute computer-related injuries on rise, kids under five at most risk: study

TORONTO - Computers have long been linked to repetitive strain injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, but the equipment is increasingly being blamed for other physical harms, especially among young children. A U.S....More

5 more Americans at unversity in Cairo have swine flu, says Egypt health minister

CAIRO - Another four students and a faculty member at the American University in Cairo have contracted swine flu, said Egypt's health minister, bringing the total number of those infected at the school to seven....More

Institute of Wellbeing issues first report, creates index on quality of life

TORONTO - A new index is being created to measure the well-being of Canadians, which will go beyond what we learn about ourselves from economic indicators like the GDP....More

Quebec woman becomes fourth Canadian to die after getting swine flu

MONTREAL - Health officials say a Quebec woman has become the fourth Canadian to die after getting swine flu. Dr. Alain Poirier says the woman from the Quebec City area died on Friday, three days after she began showing symptoms....More

Ont. minister dismisses calls for resignation over eHealth spending scandal

TORONTO - Ontario Health Minister David Caplan rejected calls for his resignation Monday over a spending scandal at embattled eHealth Ontario, a day after its top executive was abruptly removed from her job....More

Motor skills clinic helps rehab patients get moving on wheels and on land

TORONTO - A short distance from a bustling east-end street where pedestrians amble along sidewalks and cars and buses zoom by in either direction lies a tranquil little slice of roadway heaven. A gleaming sedan sits parked mere steps from a cosy, inviting wooden bench....More

Long wait times in ERs only the tip of health-care problems: doctors

CALGARY - A decade ago, emergency room doctor Grant Innes stopped and looked at the chaos that surrounded him. More than a dozen stretchers filled the emergency waiting room. People were throwing up into garbage cans. And there was nowhere for them to go....More

Flu cases requiring intensive care spike in Manitoba, first death in Quebec

WINNIPEG - Manitoba health officials were investigating a sudden spike in the number of people requiring intensive care for flu-like illnesses Monday, while Quebec reported its first death related to swine flu....More

China quarantines New Orleans Mayor Nagin, wife, guard after swine flu suspected on flight

NEW ORLEANS - Chinese authorities have quarantined New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, his wife and a security guard in Shanghai after another traveller on their flight from New Jersey exhibited suspected swine flu symptoms....More

Beheading mosquitoes, attempting to use the bugs to fight deadly malaria

WASHINGTON - Think your job's tedious? Try beheading 100 mosquitoes an hour. Gently, no smushing allowed. Malaria parasites lurk in these mosquitoes' salivary glands, and a small company on the outskirts of the U.S....More

Acute computer-related injuries on rise, kids under five at most risk: study

TORONTO - Computers have long been linked to repetitive strain injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, but the equipment is increasingly being blamed for other physical harms, especially among young children. A U.S....More

Ontario looking into $114K bonus paid to eHealth CEO Sarah Kramer

TORONTO - The legislature's summer recess started Friday but that didn't stop the opposition party attacks over the spending and expenses scandal at eHealth Ontario, the second provincial agency set up to create electronic health records for Ontarians....More

New documentary 'Food, Inc.' offers troubling view of American food industry

NEW YORK - The new documentary "Food, Inc." begins with idyllic scenes of American farmland, panning from golden fields of hay to a solitary cowboy rounding up a herd of cattle....More

Fraser Institute says health care in Alberta is getting worse

CALGARY - Alberta's health-care reform is being compared to shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic. Nadeem Esmail from the Fraser Institute says the province is undertaking many reforms, such as reducing the number of surgeries, cutting staff and delisting services....More

Canadian swine flu cases top 2,000

OTTAWA - Canada's caseload of the new swine flu virus has topped the 2,000 mark. The Public Health Agency of Canada says the number of cases since April now stands at 2,115, including three deaths....More

Almost 1/2 of students at Regina elementary school now absent over swine flu fears

REGINA - A school board spokesman says almost half of the students at a Regina elementary school with at least one case of swine flu were absent Friday. But Ross Brown said he couldn't say whether all the 200 kids who didn't show up for classes at Massey School were sick....More

Alberta nurses say hiring freeze is forcing them to work overtime

EDMONTON - Alberta's largest nurses union is accusing health officials of putting a hiring freeze into effect in Calgary and other regions even though there's a dire need for more nurses in many hospitals....More

Head of eHealth Ontario to receive $317K after being removed amid scandal

TORONTO - EHealth Ontario's top executive will receive nearly $317,000 in compensation after being removed from her position amid a scandal over $5 million in untendered contracts and questionable spending, officials confirmed Sunday....More

Entire Alta. herd of 3,000 hogs culled due to lingering effects of swine flu

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta. - A central Alberta pig farmer whose herd was infected with the new swine flu virus has culled his entire herd. Arnold Van Ginkel says in a news release that the virus is still present in his herd....More

More than 150 staff and teachers absent after Regina student gets swine flu

REGINA - Health officials say about 156 students and staff from a Regina elementary school have been absent after a student was diagnosed with the swine flu. Dr....More

LMS Medical seeks court protection under bankruptcy law

MONTREAL - LMS Medical Systems (TSX:LMZ) is seeking a 30-day court order under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act to prevent its creditors from seizing assets while the company prepares an alternate proposal....More

Chalk River reactor may be down longer than expected

OTTAWA - The aging Chalk River nuclear reactor, which produces a big chunk of the world's medical isotopes, may be down longer than expected. The head of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd....More

Canada and U.S. should share kidney list to help donations:doctor

CALGARY - Canada and the United States should have a joint kidney registry that would enable the largest number of people to get well-matched organs as quickly as possible, says a doctor with ties to both sides of the border....More

Angiotech strikes licence, distribution and supply deals with Haemacure

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TSX:ANP) believes troubles that trounced its profit and stock are now history and that its products are gaining traction in the medical device market....More

WHO's Chan aims for balance as agency steers world toward possible pandemic

TORONTO - The head of the World Health Organization has defended the agency's handling of the swine flu outbreak, insisting its credibility as a science-driven organization has not been compromised. Dr....More

WHO calls meeting of top scientists on swine flu

GENEVA - The World Health Organization called a meeting of top world scientists on Friday to assess the swine flu outbreak that has killed 125 and infected almost 22,000 people....More

Fraser Institute says health care in Alberta is getting worse

CALGARY - Alberta's health-care reform is being compared to shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic. Nadeem Esmail from the Fraser Institute says the province is undertaking many reforms, such as reducing the number of surgeries, cutting staff and delisting services....More

Tories, NDP say heads must roll at eHealth Ontario over untendered contracts

TORONTO - Ontario's opposition parties said Wednesday they didn't know why the Liberal government was still defending officials at a provincial agency that awarded $5 million in untendered contracts to "friends" in the consulting business....More

Possible swine flu has been in N.L.: province's chief medical officer of health

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer of health says it's possible the province has had a case of swine flu. The province is the only jurisdiction in Canada that hasn't recorded a single case of swine flu since its detection in the country in April....More

Ontario records another big spike in new swine flu cases.

TORONTO - The number of cases of the new swine flu virus in Canada has jumped 17 per cent in the past two days. It's largely due to a 25 per cent increase in reported cases in Ontario. The total number of cases in Canada as of Wednesday stands at 1,795....More

Ontario denying funding to disabled baby despite need, reverend says

TORONTO - The father of a 10-month-old baby with severe cerebral palsy said Wednesday that he's worried he'll have to give up his daughter unless the government removes a cap denying her the funding she's entitled to....More

Number of N.L. patients whose breast cancer tests were missed still unknown

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Health officials in Newfoundland and Labrador admitted Wednesday they still don't know how many breast cancer tests were missed in a review that began late last year to verify their accuracy....More

N.B. doctors call emergency meeting to address government imposed wage freeze

FREDERICTON - The president of the New Brunswick Medical Society has called an emergency meeting to consider the provincial government's decision to legislate a two-year wage freeze for doctors. Dr....More

Manitoba health officials won't comment on mystery flu on northern reserve

WINNIPEG - Manitoba health officials refused to comment Wednesday on a mysterious flu that has sent at least a dozen people from an isolated reserve to hospital in Winnipeg....More

Consumer group wants halt on review of Lilly drug

WASHINGTON - U.S. Consumer health advocates and a patent holder on a highly anticipated blood thinner from Eli Lilly are calling on the Food and Drug Administration to halt its review of the drug, which they say may be unsafe at the suggested dose....More

U.K. docs study trampoline injuries; warn against too many users, alcohol

Doctors in Britain are warning that too many users on a trampoline at the same time can lead to injury. The doctors at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School in Dundee analyzed 50 cases of trampoline injuries that showed up at the emergency department over a six-week period....More

Too much screen time, not enough physical activity for most Canadian kids: report

TORONTO - Canadian kids continue to spend too much time glued to TVs, computers and video games and not enough being physically active, with the vast majority failing to meet recommended guidelines for daily physical activity, according to a report released Tuesday....More

Sexual health info needs of Toronto teens not being met: survey

TORONTO - A new survey says Toronto teens need more sexual health education. It says teens are engaging in risky sexual behaviour but aren't getting the information they need to protect themselves from sexually-transmitted infections....More

Raitt not making any promises that hospitals will get isotopes

OTTAWA - Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt isn't making any promises to hospitals that they'll get all the isotopes they need. Raitt told MPs Tuesday it's hard to promise something that's in such short supply these days....More

EHealth Ontario hires consultants to review hiring of consultants

TORONTO - An outside review of spending habits and expense abuses at the Ontario agency tasked with creating electronic health records is "a joke," the opposition parties charged Tuesday as they again demanded Health Minister David Caplan's resignation....More

Bulk of Canadian kids don't meet recommended physical activity levels: report

TORONTO - A new report reveals that a large majority of Canadian kids are failing to meet recommended guidelines of daily physical activity. Active Healthy Kids Canada released its annual report card on physical activity for children and youth today....More

Another isotope distributor hikes its prices

OTTAWA - Another distributor of medical isotopes has hiked its prices as the global supply dwindles. GE Healthcare notified its customers Tuesday of a price increase for the special isotope generators used in diagnostic scans....More

World Health Organization says flu infection tally nearing 20,000

GENEVA - The World Health Organization says the number of swine flu cases worldwide has reached 19,273 after the United States reported over 1,000 new infections....More

Good pool hygiene: Shower before entering, don't pee in the pool

TORONTO - There's a famous scene in the 1980 movie "Caddyshack" that shows a chocolate bar being dropped into a country club swimming pool. Horrified swimmers clear the pool because they think the clean blue waters have been sullied by - well, the unmentionable....More

Depression diagnoses decline after FDA warning, U.S. study finds

CHICAGO - A persistent decline in the rate of Americans, especially children, newly diagnosed with depression followed the first federal warning on risks connected with antidepressant drugs, a study suggests. In 2003, the U.S....More

Class-action lawsuit filed against Sask radiologist, government and health regions

SASKATOON - A Saskatchewan radiologist faces a class-action lawsuit over work which has sparked a review of 70,000 medical tests. The lawsuit filed Monday by Regina lawyer Tony Merchant also names the provincial government and the three health regions where Dr....More

Celexa failed autism study; kids got side effects, including nightmares

CHICAGO - An antidepressant that is among the most popular kinds of medicine used for treating autism didn't work for most kids and caused nightmares and other side effects, new research found....More

Canadian-led study: Cancer survivors not getting needed tests

ORLANDO, Fla. - Adult survivors of childhood cancer who most need mammograms and other tests to watch for second cancers are less likely to follow screening recommendations than the general public or even their healthy siblings, a new study finds....More

Anteaters caught (human) H1N1 flu in zoo outbreak, expanding range of wily virus

TORONTO - Chalk up another species for the wily flu virus. Humans, horses, dogs, whales, seals, birds, cats, ferrets and even raccoons are known to be susceptible to the tiny eight-gene viruses. Researchers in Tennessee have now added giant anteaters to that list....More

Too much screen time, not enough physical activity for most Canadian kids: report

TORONTO - Canadian kids continue to spend too much time glued to TVs, computers and video games and not enough being physically active, with the vast majority failing to meet recommended guidelines for daily physical activity, according to a report released Tuesday....More

Bulk of Canadian kids don't meet recommended physical activity levels: report

TORONTO - A new report reveals that a large majority of Canadian kids are failing to meet recommended guidelines of daily physical activity. Active Healthy Kids Canada released its annual report card on physical activity for children and youth today....More

Grandmother of kids in Manitoba custody dispute says they were living in squalor

WINNIPEG - The grandmother of two children involved in a controversial custody hearing in Manitoba says they were living in squalor when they were seized by family services....More

Study suggests hormone pills may make lung cancer more deadly

ORLANDO, Fla. - There's more troubling news about hormone therapy for menopause symptoms: Lung cancer seems more likely to prove fatal in women who are taking estrogen-progestin pills, a study suggests....More

Study suggests drug combos may raise breast cancer risk

ORLANDO, Fla. - Breast cancer survivors risk having their disease come back if they use certain antidepressants while also taking the cancer prevention drug tamoxifen, worrisome new research shows....More

Quebec government pleads for patience over flawed cancer lab tests

MONTREAL - Premier Jean Charest pleaded for patience Saturday from thousands of anxious women in Quebec who are concerned their breast cancer lab tests are flawed, and said officials were sensitive to how the women must feel....More

Immune system taught to fight deadly skin cancer melanoma

ORLANDO, Fla. - For the first time, a novel treatment that trains the immune system to fight cancer has shown modest benefit in late-stage testing against the deadly skin cancer melanoma....More

Quebec health minister says study on cancer tests misinterpreted

MONTREAL - A study released last week indicates there are problems with Quebec's breast cancer screening practices, but that the majority of the province's patients have likely received the correct treatment for their illness, says Health Minister Yves Bolduc....More

Que health minister seeks to reassure breast cancer patients

MONTREAL - Quebec Health Minister Yves Bolduc says a study released last week indicates there are problems with Quebec's breast cancer screening practices, but that the majority of the province's patients have likely received the correct treatment for their illness....More

Ontario to pay for meningococcal vaccine, starting in September

Parents in Ontario will soon be able to choose to have their children receive a meningococcal vaccine that protects against four strains of the dangerous bacteria, the provincial government will announce Monday....More