Delstar deli meats possible Listeria bacteria hazard; recall issued

TORONTO - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to consume some ready-to-eat deli meats from Delstar Foods Inc. as they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes....More

Alta. government spends $18M to expand children's hospital emergency department

EDMONTON - Health officials say that access to a children's hospital emergency department will improve with a cash injection from the provincial government and the hospital's foundation....More

Study shows drug cuts stroke risk in patients with irregular heartbeats

BARCELONA, Spain - An experimental drug reduces the stroke risk in patients with irregular heartbeats by more than three times, compared with the popular drug warfarin - but possibly at a cost, according to new research released Sunday....More

Gillian McKeith helps women shed pounds, regain mojo on 'Eat Yourself Sexy’

TORONTO - Eating healthier foods and breaking a sweat are key tools in battling the bulge, but Gillian McKeith says addressing weight issues doesn't just mean targeting your waistline - it starts in your head....More

Cancel that angioplasty, take a bike ride: Experts say exercise works better than surgery

BARCELONA, Spain - Working up a sweat may be even better than angioplasty for some heart patients, experts say. Studies have shown heart patients benefit from exercise, and some have even shown it works better than surgical procedures....More

Stephen Lewis dares Canadians to support grassroots AIDS projects in Africa

TORONTO - You can lace up your running shoes, but you can also host a dinner party, yodel on the subway or carry a canoe through city streets to raise money to fight AIDS. Whatever you choose, preposterous or not, it's a dare....More

Flu season: How many shots?

WASHINGTON - Doctors don't know yet if it will take one dose or two of vaccine to protect against the new swine flu....More

China faces 3rd case of mass lead poisoning in a month, with 200 children sickened

BEIJING - Two hundred children are suffering from lead poisoning in southwest China, the country's third such case of mass sickening in the past month, an official newspaper said Monday....More

Mexican health authorities ask for regulation of often toxic diet supplements

MEXICO CITY - Mexican health authorities are asking legislators to require dietary supplements to submit to the same registration requirements as medicines, after inspectors found evidence of toxic substances in some weight-reduction products....More

CDC distances itself from grim estimates of swine flu's toll but says early season likely

WASHINGTON - U.S. government health officials are urging Americans not to panic over estimates that up to 90,000 people might die in the United States from swine flu this year. "Everything we've seen in the U.S....More

Alta Health Services eyes 3 per cent cut in budget; layoffs possible

EDMONTON - Alberta's health authority is looking to cut another three per cent from its budget as it struggles to get a billion-dollar deficit under control....More

Swine flu vaccine called vital for pregnant women, new parents, to protect children

WASHINGTON - Health officials are stressing that it is vital for pregnant women and new parents to be vaccinated against swine flu to protect both themselves and their children....More

Feds put more cash into swine flu vaccine testing

OTTAWA - The federal government is putting up an extra $2.7 million to test a vaccine meant to combat the next wave of H1N1 flu cases this fall. Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said the funding is on top of $10.8 million the government poured into swine flu research this summer....More

Down syndrome centre named for Cardinals' Pujols

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. - A new centre for adults with Down syndrome will bear the name of St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols. St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield plans to open the Albert Pujols Wellness Center for Adults with Down Syndrome in November....More

Chicago study shows swine flu sends more blacks, Hispanics to hospital

ATLANTA - Swine flu was four times more likely to send blacks and Hispanics to the hospital than whites, according to a study in Chicago that offers one of the first looks at how the virus has affected different racial groups....More

Scientists say mosquito capable of spreading West Nile virus found in Switzerland

ZURICH - Swiss scientists say a mosquito capable of spreading the deadly West Nile virus has been detected in central Europe for the first time....More

Study: Two-thirds of US adults have medical scans with radiation exposure; most doses low

LOS ANGELES - As many as two-thirds of adults underwent a medical test in the last few years that exposed them to radiation and in some cases, a potentially higher risk of cancer, a study in five areas of the U.S. suggests....More

Panel recommends Ontario pay for in vitro treatments, overhaul adoption system

TORONTO - Ontario needs to overhaul an adoption system that saw less than 1 in 10 eligible children permanently placed with families last year and couples struggling to conceive should have access to publicly funded fertility treatments, an expert panel said Wednesday....More

One year later, federal politicians bicker over listeriosis outbreak

OTTAWA - Liberals and Conservatives are accusing each other of playing politics over the listeriosis outbreak one year ago that resulted in 22 deaths. Opposition MPs on a Commons committee had hoped to hear Wednesday from Dr....More

Newer, more sensitive blood tests can detect heart attacks earlier and better, studies show

LOS ANGELES - A new generation of blood tests can quickly and reliably show if a person is having a heart attack soon after chest pains start - a time when current tests are not definitive, two studies found....More

Monkey study suggests transplanting DNA between eggs may block inheritance of some diseases

NEW YORK - An experimental procedure that someday may enable women to avoid passing certain genetic diseases on to their children has gained an early success, with the birth of four healthy monkeys, scientists report....More

Mexican health authorities ask for regulation of often toxic diet supplements

MEXICO CITY - Mexican health authorities are asking legislators to require dietary supplements to submit to the same registration requirements as medicines, after inspectors found evidence of toxic substances in some weight-reduction products....More

CDC distances itself from grim estimates of swine flu's toll but says early season likely

WASHINGTON - U.S. government health officials are urging Americans not to panic over estimates that up to 90,000 people might die in the United States from swine flu this year. "Everything we've seen in the U.S....More

Alta Health Services eyes 3 per cent cut in budget; layoffs possible

EDMONTON - Alberta's health authority is looking to cut another three per cent from its budget as it struggles to get a billion-dollar deficit under control....More

Study: Half of health staff would refuse swine flu shot, despite plans to vaccinate them first

LONDON - About half of Hong Kong's health workers would refuse the swine flu vaccine, new research says, a trend that experts say would likely apply worldwide....More

Sebelius: Pre-emptively closing schools wouldn't likely stop spread of swine flu virus

WASHINGTON - Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday that a massive school closing wouldn't stop the spread of the swine flu virus, saying vaccinations must be the defence against a menace that one report said could infect up to half of the population....More

Risk of death higher for some prostate cancer patients who use hormone therapy

CHICAGO - A new study links hormone therapy for prostate cancer with a higher risk of death in older men who have had serious heart problems. Hormone therapy suppresses the amount of testosterone produced, in turn causing prostate tumours to shrink or grow more slowly....More

Report: 65 per cent of China's organ transplants come from executed prisoners

BEIJING - The majority of transplanted organs in China come from executed prisoners, state media reported Wednesday in a rare disclosure about the country's problem of dubious organ donations....More

Long-term tamoxifen use linked to rise in second breast cancer, study finds

TORONTO - A new study suggests long-term use of tamoxifen is linked to increased risk of developing an aggressive type of breast cancer, but experts say the drug's proven track record in reducing risk of both recurrence of the disease and death outweigh potential negative effects....More

Large US study finds circumcision doesn't protect gay men from AIDS virus

ATLANTA - Circumcision, which has helped prevent AIDS among heterosexual men in Africa, doesn't help protect gay men from the virus, according to the largest U.S. study to look at the question....More

Handwashing, staying home if ill among ways to keep H1N1 flu at bay, says group

TORONTO - Ordinary Canadians got an opportunity Tuesday to ask the experts how to prepare for a possible second wave of H1N1 flu this fall, and their questions suggest that many still feel unclear about what they should do....More

American heart association advises cutting way back on sugar added to foods

DALLAS - A spoonful of sugar? Americans are swallowing 110 millilitres (22 teaspoons) of sugar each day, and it's time to cut way back, the American Heart Association says....More

Southern Hemisphere's swine flu experience holds hints of what may be ahead

TORONTO - When a new, unheralded flu virus startled the world last spring by igniting the first pandemic in four decades, public health authorities in the Northern Hemisphere knew they'd caught a bit of a break....More

Officials in New Caledonia: 2 people 'without complicating factors' have died from swine flu

NOUMEA, New Caledonia - Two people in New Caledonia without any known complicating factors have died from swine flu, the government of the French South Pacific territory said Monday....More

Nicotine in cars adds support for ban against smoking and driving: study

TORONTO - Nicotine levels are "strikingly higher" in smokers' cars than in non-smokers' vehicles, and even exceed those found in public or private indoor spaces where tobacco use is allowed, a study has found....More

Kids going back to school will cart H1N1 with them: BC medical officer

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Kids trudging back to school with their new books and backpacks will also be carting along the H1N1 virus and B.C.'s health officer says he's expecting a spike in flu cases this fall. Normally, flu doesn't start to ramp up until the winter, but Dr....More

Frustrated foot specialists find too many diabetics on stairway to amputation

WASHINGTON - It costs $1,400 to cover the oozing sore on the diabetic's foot with a piece of artificial skin, helping it heal if patients keep pressure off that spot. So when the U.S....More

FDA probes safety of only over-the-counter weight-loss pill available in U.S.

WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration is investigating reports of liver damage in patients taking alli, the only non-prescription weight loss drug approved by the agency for sale in the United States....More

BC researchers say public may refuse pandemic vaccine due to safety concerns

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Parents may refuse to vaccinate their children during a pandemic and health care workers may reject immunization themselves if they believe a vaccine's risks outweigh the benefits, say researchers in British Columbia....More

Sebelius: Pre-emptively closing schools wouldn't likely stop spread of swine flu virus

WASHINGTON - Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday that a massive school closing wouldn't stop the spread of the swine flu virus, saying vaccinations must be the defence against a menace that one report said could infect up to half of the population....More

You've got mail - and possibly an STD

RIO DE JANEIRO - You've got mail - and possibly an STD. The Brazilian Health Ministry has created a Web site to let people inform partners they've got a sexually transmitted disease via an emailed virtual postcard....More

WHO: Healthy people who get swine flu don't need Tamiflu; drug for young, old, pregnant

LONDON - The World Health Organization said Friday that Tamiflu should only be given to particularly vulnerable people - a warning to countries like Britain where the swine flu drug is being handed out freely....More

WHO predicts 'explosion' of swine flu cases, urges countries to react swiftly to limit deaths

BEIJING - The global spread of swine flu will endanger more lives as it speeds up in coming months and governments must boost preparations for a swift response, the World Health Organization said Friday....More

Swine flu jumps again - to turkeys in Chile - but scientists see no dangerous mutation yet

SANTIAGO, Chile - Chile said Friday that tests show swine flu has jumped to birds, opening a new chapter in the global epidemic. Top flu and animal-health experts with the United Nations in Rome and the U.S....More

West Nile virus detected in B.C. for first time; two people show symptoms

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Two people in British Columbia are being tested for West Nile virus, which has been detected in the province for the first time, the BC Centre for Disease Control said Saturday. Epidemiologist Dr....More

No H1N1 viruses isolated from CFIA inspectors, can't compare to pig viruses

TORONTO - With swine flu viruses now showing they can infect humans, pigs and turkeys, scientists will be looking closely for genetic evidence of whether the viruses change in potentially dangerous ways as they pass from one species to another....More

Obama tells health care critics to stop making false claims and engage in ’honest debate’

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama challenged critics of his push to overhaul America's health care system to stop the "outrageous myths" fanning an acrimonious, nationwide debate on the president's top domestic priority....More

Agri-foodies push Canada's berries and flax over olive oil and red wine

Move over Mediterranean diet. The Canucks are coming for you. Many health-conscious foodies have been following the Mediterranean diet for years....More

Health advisory issued as rats infest Saskatchewan city of Swift Current

SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. - After killing 38 rats with poison and traps since June, motel owner Ike Reimer is fed up and taking no chances....More

Halifax surgeon removes brain tumour after using virtual reality simulator

HALIFAX, N.S. - A Halifax brain surgeon has removed a brain tumour after using a virtual reality-based simulator, a medical advance considered to be a world first....More

Flu-related antibiotic use down two-thirds since Ont. introduced universal shots

TORONTO - Influenza-related antibiotic use in Ontario dropped 64 per cent in the seven years after the province adopted a universal flu shot program, the latest instalment of an evaluation of the program revealed Thursday....More

Fewer than half of Ont. women with abnormal Paps receive recommended followup

TORONTO - Researchers say that fewer than half of Ontario women with abnormal Pap smears receive the recommended followup care. The study by researchers at St....More

Chinese state media say 1,300 children sickened in new lead poisoning case

BEIJING - More than 1,300 children have been sickened by lead poisoning in central China, the second such case involving a large number of children this month, state media said Thursday....More

China issues essential drugs list as part of health system overhaul

BEIJING - The Chinese government has issued a list of more than 300 commonly used medicines that will be sold at controlled prices starting next month as part of reforms aimed at making health care more affordable....More

WHO: Healthy people with swine flu don't need Tamiflu; drug should be for young, old, pregnant

LONDON - The World Health Organization says healthy people who catch swine flu don't need antiviral drugs like Tamiflu. In new advice issued to health officials on Friday, the U.N....More

WHO predicts 'explosion' of swine flu cases, urges countries to react swiftly to limit deaths

BEIJING - The global spread of swine flu will endanger more lives as it speeds up in coming months and governments must boost preparations for a swift response, the World Health Organization said Friday....More

Canada explored, rejected idea of bottling flu vaccine in another plant: PHAC

TORONTO - The production capacity of GlaxoSmithKline's flu vaccine plant near Quebec City isn't likely to delay efforts to vaccinate Canadians against swine flu this fall, the head of the Public Health Agency of Canada said Wednesday. Dr....More

Britain to start mad cow study to find out how many people are silently carrying the disease

LONDON - British health officials say they will start a small study later this year to find out how common mad cow disease is. Health experts have long recommended coroners take samples from dead people to test for the potentially fatal neurological illness....More

Australia expects to begin a swine flu vaccination program next month

CANBERRA, Australia - Australia expects to launch a swine flu vaccination program next month, giving the first doses to vulnerable Australians including pregnant women, handicapped children and health workers, the health minister said Thursday....More

Alberta NDP says closing psychiatric beds puts budget cuts ahead of people

EDMONTON - Alberta's NDP leader is calling on the Stelmach government to cancel a plan to cut beds at the province's largest psychiatric facility....More

Sugary 'energy' bars, fattening probiotic ice cream: Consumers devour amped-up foods, drinks

MILWAUKEE - From heart-friendly margarines to sugary cereals that strengthen bones, once-demonized foods are being spiked with nutrients to give them a healthier glow - and consumers are biting, even on some that are little more than dressed-up junk food....More

Fewer than half of Ont. women with abnormal Paps receive recommended followup

TORONTO - Researchers say that fewer than half of Ontario women with abnormal Pap smears receive the recommended followup care. The study by researchers at St....More

Chinese state media say 1,300 children sickened in new lead poisoning case

BEIJING - More than 1,300 children have been sickened by lead poisoning in central China, the second such case involving a large number of children this month, state media said Thursday....More

China issues essential drugs list as part of health system overhaul

BEIJING - The Chinese government has issued a list of more than 300 commonly used medicines that will be sold at controlled prices starting next month as part of reforms aimed at making health care more affordable....More

Drug maker AstraZeneca wants to bring no-needle flu vaccine to Canada

TORONTO - Drug giant AstraZeneca is hoping to bring its needle-free flu vaccine to Canada. The company says it has applied to Health Canada for a licence to sell the vaccine FluMist in this country....More

Chinese vaccine maker says trial shows one dose of swine flu vaccine sufficient

Sparse details of the world's first clinical trial of a swine flu vaccine emerged Tuesday, with Chinese manufacturer Sinovac reporting that a single dose of its vaccine produces a good immune response....More

Canadian Medical Association urges doctors to be immunized for flu

SASKATOON - The organization representing Canada's doctors is urging physicians to roll up their own sleeves for a flu shot. The Canadian Medical Association has passed a resolution encouraging all physicians and other health-care providers to be immunized for influenza annually....More

Canada's doctors debate role private sector could play in public health care

SASKATOON - Canada's doctors are urging governments to look at the role competition could play in health care as they try to develop a new blueprint to help an ailing system....More

Study finds end-of-life counselling improves mood, quality of life

CHICAGO - As a political uproar rages over end-of-life counselling, a new study finds offering such care to dying cancer patients improves their mood and quality of life....More

Some U.S. baby boomers still getting high, report says

WASHINGTON - Some Americans haven't let go of one part of the 1960s era: getting high on illicit drugs. The percentage of Americans age 50-59 who reported use of illicit drugs within a year nearly doubled between 2002 and 2007, from 5.1 per cent to 9....More

Handwashing best defence against swine flu, but are all schools equipped?

TORONTO - When Karen Shein sends her two children off to elementary school in a few weeks, they will be packing more than just the usual back-to-class gear....More

Britain to start mad cow study to find out how many people are silently carrying the disease

LONDON - British health officials say they will start a small study later this year to find out how common mad cow disease is. Health experts have long recommended coroners take samples from dead people to test for the potentially fatal neurological illness....More

Dutch bracing for the worst when top two isotope reactors are shut down next year

OTTAWA - The Netherlands is bracing for the worst if the world is without its two top sources of medical isotopes next year, a scenario that became more likely last week after Canada's nuclear agency said it will take longer than planned to repair a leaky reactor at Chalk River, Ont....More

Canadians need better flu education, says new head of doctors group

SASKATOON - The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says Canadians need to be better educated about flu symptoms ahead of a possible resurgence of the H1N1 virus this fall. Dr....More

US: Far fewer swine flu shots now expected by October, extending vaccinations another month

WASHINGTON - The U.S. won't have nearly as much swine flu vaccine ready by mid-October as long predicted - 45 million doses instead of the anticipated 120 million, a federal official said Monday. It's not a shortage but a delay, Health and Human Services spokesman Bill Hall said....More

Roy Romanow says health system needs work, but not privatization

SASKATOON - The man who headed up a Royal commission on health care in Canada says the system needs some work, but changes should not include privatization....More

Economic downturn affecting health of Canadians, says medical association poll

SASKATOON - Worries about the global economic downturn may be keeping Canadians awake at night and affecting their overall health, suggests a new poll done for the Canadian Medical Association....More

Canada needs 'health czar' with powers to co-ordinate response to H1N1: Journal

TORONTO - Canada needs an independent health czar to co-ordinate the country's response to the swine flu pandemic, the Canadian Medical Association Journal said Monday. In an editorial signed by editor-in-chief Dr....More

Aeterna Zentaris reports disappointing test results for prostate treatment

QUEBEC CITY - Pharmaceutical company Aeterna Zentaris Inc. said Monday it has hit a snag in the development of prostate treatment drug cetrorelix pamoate, a product at the heart of a partnership with French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi-aventis....More

Ibuprofen works better than stronger painkillers for kids with broken arms, study finds

MILWAUKEE - Kids with a broken arm do better on a simple over-the-counter painkiller than on a more powerful prescription combination that includes a narcotic, a surprising study finds....More

Obama targets insurance companies in health care town hall meeting

GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado - President Barack Obama on Saturday criticized what he termed as the "scare tactics" of opponents to health care reform. He told a town hall meeting "what is truly scary is if we do nothing" to solve the nation's health care problems....More

Obama seeks upper hand in health care debate, relies on tactics that won him White House

GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado - President Barack Obama has made it clear that his efforts to reform the U.S. health care system have meaning to him personally....More

Obama invokes grandmother's death in emotional argument for health care reform

GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado - President Barack Obama has made it clear that his efforts to reform the U.S. health care system have meaning to him personally....More

Hundreds of US schools already planning swine flu shots, to help keep doors open

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of U.S. schools are heeding the government's call to set up flu-shot clinics this fall, preparing for what could be the most widespread school vaccinations since the days of polio....More

Dutch bracing for the worst when top two isotope reactors are shut down next year

OTTAWA - The Netherlands is bracing for the worst if the world is without its two top sources of medical isotopes next year, a scenario that became more likely last week after Canada's nuclear agency said it will take longer than planned to repair a leaky reactor at Chalk River, Ont....More

Canadians need better flu education, says new head of doctors group

SASKATOON - The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says Canadians need to be better educated about flu symptoms ahead of a possible resurgence of the H1N1 virus this fall. Dr....More

Roy Romanow says health system needs work, but not privatization

SASKATOON - The man who headed up a Royal commission on health care in Canada says the system needs some work, but changes should not include privatization....More

Economic downturn affecting health of Canadians, says medical association poll

SASKATOON - Worries about the global economic downturn may be keeping Canadians awake at night and affecting their overall health, suggests a new poll done for the Canadian Medical Association....More

Health Canada investigating asthma drug for possible link to cardiac problems

TORONTO - Health Canada is conducting a safety review of the potential link between the asthma drug Xolair and an increased risk of cardiovascular problems....More

Harper urges quicker action on Chalk River reactor

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper is urging Canada's beleaguered nuclear agency to pick up the pace in repairing a leaky reactor at Chalk River, Ont., which won't be back up and running until at least next spring....More

Doctors worry about head injuries as jumping stilts go commercial in Canada

MONTREAL - The recent commercialization in Canada of jumping stilts has raised concerns among doctors who are worried about head injuries suffered by people who practise "powerbocking....More

Calgary researcher helps people who constantly get lost, even in their own homes

CALGARY - If a man asked for directions to take Sharon Roseman home after the first date, she knew the relationship was over. She'd have to admit she hadn't the faintest idea where she lived in relation to where they were, and couldn't give any hints at all on how to get there....More

Breast cancer test results from Kelowna, B.C. patients under review

KELOWNA, B.C. - B.C.'s Interior Health Authority is retesting 58 breast cancer exams conducted at Kelowna General Hospital, months after authority officials and the health minister said an external review wasn't needed....More

BC Cancer Agency rechecks breast cancer tests from Kelowna patients

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Dozens of breast cancer results in Interior British Columbia have been sent to an outside agency to be retested, months after health authority officials and the province's health minister said an internal review would be enough....More

AECL says Chalk River won't return to service until early next year

TORONTO - The aging nuclear reactor that produces most of Canada's medical isotopes won't be operating for at least eight more months. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited says its reactor at Chalk River, Ontario won't be back up and running until the spring of 2010....More

A step in studying sleep: Mother, daughter need fewer winks thanks to a rare gene mutation

WASHINGTON - Scientists have discovered a gene that helps a mother and daughter stay alert on about six hours sleep a night, two hours less than the rest of their family needs. It is believed to be a very rare mutation, not an excuse for the rest of us who stay up too late....More

Already insured? Obama pitching his health care plan to those worried about changes in system

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is altering his message on his overhaul of the U.S. health care system, readying a fresh pitch designed for those who already have insurance....More

Weightlifting helps, not harms, breast cancer survivors with arm swelling: study

Breast cancer survivors have been getting bad advice. For decades, many doctors warned that lifting weights or even heavy groceries could cause painful arm swelling. New research shows that weight training actually helps prevent this problem....More

Study: Even microscopic spread of breast cancer raises risk disease will recur

Breast cancer patients with even the tiniest spread of the disease to a lymph node have a much higher risk of it recurring years later and may need more treatment than just surgery, a new study by Dutch researchers suggests....More

Singapore, China find Tamiflu-resistant H1N1 viruses: WHO

More cases of Tamiflu resistant swine flu viruses have come to light, the World Health Organization said Wednesday....More

Federal government urges small, medium businesses to work on pandemic plans

OTTAWA - The federal government is trying to encourage small-and medium-sized businesses that don't have pandemic plans to start working on them....More

Factory closes after 300 kids sickened by lead poisoning in northwestern China

BEIJING - Authorities in northern China have shut down a smelter after it was found to have caused lead poisoning that sickened more than 300 children, state media reported on Wednesday....More

Edmonton heart procedure on 11-year-old Ontario girl is successful

EDMONTON - An 11-year-old Ontario girl was resting comfortably in an Edmonton hospital Wednesday night after a lengthy and rather harrowing medical procedure that ultimately will give her a shot at a more normal life....More

AECL says Chalk River won't return to service until early next year

TORONTO - The aging nuclear reactor that produces most of Canada's medical isotopes won't be operating for at least eight more months. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited says its reactor at Chalk River, Ontario won't be back up and running until the spring of 2010....More

Manitoba's aboriginals, pregnant women and homeless get priority for flu drug

WINNIPEG - Manitoba is making it easier for some vulnerable people to get the swine flu drug free of charge. The province has set out who can get Tamiflu under Manitoba's pharmacare program if swine flu surges in the fall as expected....More

Binge drinking affects brain function of university students, study suggests

TORONTO - Binge drinking could lead to nursing more head troubles than a hangover - it could alter brain functioning and memory, a new study suggests....More

Big isotope bills piling up at clinics: doctors

OTTAWA - Big isotope bills are starting to pile up at medical clinics. Doctors opened their mail last week and found bills up to $30,000 higher than usual from suppliers who have come to collect after hiking their prices in the spring....More

B.C.'s H1N1 death toll climbs to 4, pushing national swine flu toll to 65

A fourth person in B.C. has died from the H1N1 flu virus, pushing the total number of swine flu deaths in Canada to 65. The Ministry of Health Services has released no details about the B.C....More

Angry crowds greet members at health care events; congressman says swastika painted at office

LEBANON, Pennsylvania - Jeers and taunts drowned out Democrats calling for a health care overhaul at town halls Tuesday, and one lawmaker said a swastika was spray-painted at his office as debate turned to noisy confrontation over President Barack Obama's plan....More

Already insured? Obama pitching his health care plan to those worried about changes in system

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is altering his message on his overhaul of the U.S. health care system, readying a fresh pitch designed for those who already have insurance....More

Ontario girl, 11, to undergo unique heart procedure in Edmonton

PETERBOROUGH, Ont. - An 11-year-old girl from Peterborough, Ont., girl is scheduled to undergo a unique heart procedure today in Edmonton. Grace Wood will have a pulmonary valve replaced in what's believed to be the first operation of its kind for a child in North America....More

Factory closes after 300 kids sickened by lead poisoning in northwestern China

BEIJING - Authorities in northern China have shut down a smelter after it was found to have caused lead poisoning that sickened more than 300 children, state media reported on Wednesday....More

New book gives helpful advice for caregivers, patients in crisis

MONTREAL - Patrick Conlon felt like he was in a foreign country where he didn't know the language or the customs when he suddenly found himself watching doctors fighting to save his long-time partner from a life-threatening illness....More

Immune system cancer found in young 9/11 officers

NEW YORK - Researchers say a small number of young law enforcement officers who participated in the World Trade Center rescue and cleanup operation have developed an immune system cancer....More

Gene scans for all? Maybe not so far off as US professor sequences own genome in weeks

SAN FRANCISCO - It might not be long until there is a gene scanner in every doctor's office, as DNA sequencing becomes faster and cheaper....More

Chest blows that stop heart make lacrosse deadlier than most other sports: study

MINNEAPOLIS - Sudden deaths from cardiac arrest due to blunt chest trauma are more common in competitive lacrosse than in any other sport except hockey, a U.S. study has found....More

Canadian clinics still waiting on Aussie isotopes

OTTAWA - Canadian clinics are still waiting for medical isotopes from Down Under. A fledgling Australian nuclear reactor isn't yet making enough isotopes to cover for a downed Canadian reactor that used to produce a third of the world's supply....More

British study says healthy children who get the flu don't need Tamiflu

TORONTO - A scientific review published Monday questions the merits of broad use of antiviral drugs in children suffering from influenza, suggesting there is an urgent need for a better understanding of how well the drugs work in children....More

Aboriginal groups look at how traditional healers might help fight swine flu

For a sore throat, the roots of a type of plant that grows in the water. For a fever, the gum and needles of a spruce tree, boiled together and swallowed first thing in the morning....More

Already insured? Obama pitching his health care plan to those worried about changes in system

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is altering his message on his overhaul of the U.S. health care system, readying a fresh pitch designed for those who already have insurance....More

French drugmaker Sanofi Pasteur starts testing swine flu vaccine in 2,000 people in the US

LONDON - French drugmaker Sanofi Pasteur began human trials of its swine flu vaccine this week in about 2,000 people in the United States, the company said Friday - becoming the third company conducting clinical trials on swine flu vaccines....More

CEO of B.C.'s Interior Health quits; board says not related to financial woes

KAMLOOPS, B.C. - The chief executive officer of the regional health authority for British Columbia's Interior is quitting at the end of the year....More

Alberta lab service employees vote in favour of strike to back contract demands

EDMONTON - Hundreds of unionized workers at Edmonton-based Dynalife laboratory and diagnostic services have voted in favour of strike action to back contract demands....More

Obama says health care reform key to nation's economic well-being as opposition grows fiercer

WASHINGTON - Using better-than-expected jobs numbers to press his top domestic priority, President Barack Obama argued Saturday that overhauling the nation's costly health care system is essential to the country's economic well-being....More

Obama says 'worst may be behind us' on recession

WASHINGTON - Using better-than-expected jobs numbers to press his top domestic priority, President Barack Obama is arguing that overhauling the health care system is essential to the country's economic well-being. Republicans said the high unemployment rate - 9....More

US military: 51 American soldiers in Iraq diagnosed with swine flu

BAGHDAD - Fifty-one American troops in Iraq have been diagnosed with and treated for swine flu, while another 71 soldiers remain in isolation suspected of contracting the potentially deadly virus, the U.S. military said Sunday....More

Immune system cancer found in young 9/11 officers

NEW YORK - Researchers say a small number of young law enforcement officers who participated in the World Trade Center rescue and cleanup operation have developed an immune system cancer....More

Aboriginal groups look at how traditional healers might help fight swine flu

For a sore throat, the roots of a type of plant that grows in the water. For a fever, the gum and needles of a spruce tree, boiled together and swallowed first thing in the morning....More

Health care overhaul renews battle over federal funds for abortions

WASHINGTON - Health care legislation before the U.S. Congress would allow a new government-sponsored insurance plan to cover abortions, a decision that would affect millions of women and recast federal policy on the divisive issue....More

Back treatment for elderly with osteoporosis no better than fake one: studies

NEW YORK - A common treatment that uses medical cement to fix cracks in the spinal bones of elderly people worked no better than a sham treatment, the first rigorous studies of the popular procedure reveal....More

Tool helps avoid seizure-inducing content on web

MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin researchers have released a free software tool that could help web surfers susceptible to certain seizures. An estimated one in 4,000 people has photosensitive epilepsy and could suffer a seizure when exposed to bright colours and rapidly flashing images....More

Researchers find itch-specific cells in mice spinal cords, in quest for better itch relief

WASHINGTON - Got an itch to scratch? Scientists have pinpointed a key group of cells that sends itch-alerts to the brain. When researchers at Washington University in St....More

Pandemic H1N1 vaccine development 'on track,' WHO vaccine head says

Development of swine flu vaccine is "on track" and some countries may begin administering the vaccine as early as September, the head of the World Health Organization's initiative for vaccine research said Thursday. Dr....More

Ottawa reports 4th death related to H1N1 but no more information released

OTTAWA - A fourth person in Ottawa has died after contracting the H1N1 virus, bringing the total across the country to 63. Ottawa Public Health is releasing no information about the person, only saying the victim had chronic medical conditions....More

Canada to buy 50.4 million doses of pandemic vaccine; feds picking up 60% of cost

TORONTO - Canada will purchase 50.4 million doses of pandemic flu vaccine, an amount that should be sufficient to protect all Canadians who want to be vaccinated against the swine flu virus, federal officials said Thursday....More

Back treatment for elderly with osteoporosis no better than fake one: studies

NEW YORK - A common treatment that uses medical cement to fix cracks in the spinal bones of elderly people worked no better than a sham treatment, the first rigorous studies of the popular procedure reveal....More

Scandal-plagued eHealth gets third CEO in 3 months, fourth by end of year

TORONTO - The opposition parties accused the Liberal government of incompetence Tuesday after eHealth Ontario named its third chief executive officer in as many months, with a fourth to be appointed before the end of this year....More

Possible fix found for problem of low yield in pandemic vaccine production

A British laboratory may have found a fix for the low yield problem that has been plaguing companies making swine flu vaccine, a scientist from the lab revealed Wednesday. John Wood of the U.K....More

Ontario study finds 50 per cent increase in inflammatory bowel disease in kids

TORONTO - An increasing number of Ontario children are being diagnosed with the serious and lifelong condition known as inflammatory bowel disease, a new study has found....More

Novartis starts testing swine flu vaccine, 1st person in Europe injected 10 days ago

LONDON - Swiss drugmaker Novartis has begun injecting its swine flu vaccine into people in the company's first human tests, a spokesman said Wednesday....More

Manufacturers shipping seasonal flu vaccine early as swine flu pandemic concerns boost demand

TRENTON, New Jersey - The swine flu pandemic is spurring makers of seasonal flu vaccines to ship them to the U.S. market well ahead of schedule, and supplies are tightening as distributors and others snap up vaccine vials. The top U.S....More

Health officials in B.C. confirm another H1N1 death; provincial total now 3

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Another death in British Columbia from the H1N1 flu virus have pushed the total number of swine-flu deaths in Canada to 62. The Public Health Agency of Canada says there was another confirmed case in B.C. some time between July 30 and Aug....More

Health care overhaul renews battle over federal funds for abortions

WASHINGTON - Health care legislation before the U.S. Congress would allow a new government-sponsored insurance plan to cover abortions, a decision that would affect millions of women and recast federal policy on the divisive issue....More

Back treatment for elderly with osteoporosis no better than fake one: studies

NEW YORK - A common treatment that uses medical cement to fix cracks in the spinal bones of elderly people worked no better than a sham treatment, the first rigorous studies of the popular procedure reveal....More

People attempting to flee western China town where pneumonic plague outbreak has killed 3

BEIJING - Residents of a remote farming town in western China say people have been seeking to flee in defiance of a lockdown by authorities to prevent the spread of highly infectious pneumonic plague which has claimed three lives in the area....More

Medical staff disinfect sealed-off town after pneumonic plague kills 3rd man

BEIJING - Authorities killed rats and fleas on Tuesday as they disinfected a town sealed off after three people died of pneumonic plague in a remote farming town in northwestern China, according to the provincial health department....More

Hip and back fractures linked to increased risk of death within 5 years: study

TORONTO - Almost one in four Canadians over 50 who break a hip and almost one in six who fracture their spine die within five years of the injury, say researchers, stressing that more must be done to promote good bone health and to prevent falls....More

Glaxo: 9 more countries order 96 million doses of swine flu vaccine

LONDON - Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline says that nine additional countries have ordered 96 million doses of swine flu vaccine since last month. That is in addition to the 195 million vaccine doses and products previously ordered by countries including Britain and the U.S....More

FDA says arthritis drugs pose cancer risk to children

WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration is adding stronger warnings to a group of bestselling arthritis drugs because they can increase the risk of cancer in children and adolescents....More

Athlete deaths, confusion spur work to better test, explain sickle cell trait

WASHINGTON - Thousands of families carry the gene that causes sickle cell disease and don't know it - even though almost every newborn today is tested for what's called "sickle cell trait," and starting this summer more U.S. college athletes are getting tested, too....More

Novartis starts testing its swine flu vaccine, 1st person in Europe injected 10 days ago

LONDON - Swiss drugmaker Novartis says it has begun injecting its swine flu vaccine into people for its first human tests. Novartis spokesman Eric Althoff says a person in Britain became the first person to get its swine flu vaccine about 10 days ago....More

Health care overhaul renews battle over federal funds for abortions

WASHINGTON - Health care legislation before the U.S. Congress would allow a new government-sponsored insurance plan to cover abortions, a decision that would affect millions of women and recast federal policy on the divisive issue....More

U.S. study suggests deer infected with chronic wasting disease safe to eat

EDMONTON - A new study has added to evidence that meat from deer infected with chronic wasting disease - an infection similar to mad cow disease - is safe for humans to eat. "I think the inference is that humans probably are resistant to CWD," said Dr....More

South Africa reports first swine flu fatality with death of 22-year-old college student

JOHANNESBURG - Health officials say that a college student has become the first South African to die from swine flu. The 22-year-old male student from the University of Stellenbosch, near Cape Town, died July 28 after being sick for a week....More

Small Italian study shows success in new glaucoma treatment

WASHINGTON - A new type of eye drop may point the way to treatment for glaucoma, though it has only been tested in three Italians so far. One of the leading causes of blindness, glaucoma occurs when the optic nerve is damaged, often by high pressure within the eye....More

Not just a cranky toddler: Study finds depression in children as young as 3

CHICAGO - Depression in children as young as 3 is real and not just a passing grumpy mood, according to provocative new research....More

More details emerge of spending and expense abuses at eHealth Ontario

TORONTO - More details are emerging about what critics have called shocking spending excesses by consultants and executives at eHealth Ontario, adding fuel to opposition demands for Health Minister David Caplan's resignation....More

Growing numbers of physician assistants to ease health care burden in Canada

TORONTO - When warrant officer Rob Andersen talks about his profession, it can take a bit of explaining. The 39-year-old is a physician assistant with the Canadian Forces, a profession which until recently has been relatively low key in Canada....More

Medical staff disinfect sealed-off town after pneumonic plague kills 3rd man

BEIJING - Authorities killed rats and fleas on Tuesday as they disinfected a town sealed off after three people died of pneumonic plague in a remote farming town in northwestern China, according to the provincial health department....More

Hip and back fractures linked to increased risk of death within 5 years: study

TORONTO - Almost one in four Canadians over 50 who break a hip and almost one in six who fracture their spine die within five years of the injury, say researchers, stressing that more must be done to promote good bone health and to prevent falls....More

Obama hails 'historic step' on health care overhaul, sees 'unprecedented' chance for families

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats are looking ahead to a health care showdown on the House floor in September following a key committee's passage of sweeping overhaul legislation....More

Cyprus to vaccinate half of its population against swine flu

NICOSIA, Cyprus - Cyprus plans to gradually inoculate half of its population against swine flu once clinical tests confirm that a safe vaccine has been found....More

Yale scientist looks for easier method of measuring placenta in utero

TORONTO - Seven or eight years ago, Dr. Harvey Kliman saw a number of pregnant patients in a row who lost their fetuses around the 25-week mark, and they all shared one common feature. The placenta, which supplies nourishment in utero, was "extremely small....More

US Marshals seize sanitizer made by Utah company, citing problems with bacteria

WASHINGTON - Officers with the U.S. Marshals Service have seized all skin sanitizers and skin protectants, including ingredients and components, at Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory's facility in Roy, Utah, the Food and Drug Administration said....More

New political powers to quarantine, close schools may be tested in flu outbreak

WINNIPEG - A resurgence of swine flu anticipated this fall could test new provincial powers that include being able to place sick people under quarantine in their homes and shut down schools....More

New HIV strain discovered in woman from Cameroon

WASHINGTON - A new strain of the virus that causes AIDS has been discovered in a woman from the African country of Cameroon....More

Herdsman dies from plague in northwest China, 11 others infected, town quarantined

BEIJING - Thousands of people have been placed under quarantine in a town in northwest China after a man died of pneumonic plague and 11 others were confirmed infected with the deadly lung infection, health authorities said....More

2nd man dies from plague in northwest China town where authorities have quarantined 10,000

BEIJING - A second man has died of pneumonic plague in northwest China, in an outbreak that prompted authorities to seal off an entire town where about a dozen people were infected with the highly contagious deadly lung disease, a state news agency said....More