Study: Fat, middle-aged women reduce their chances of surviving to age 70 by almost 80 per cent

LONDON - Being fat in middle age may slash women's chances of making it to their golden years in good health by almost 80 per cent, a new study says. American researchers observed more than 17,000 female nurses with an average age of 50 in the U.S....More

Senate panel rejects US government role in health care to keep Obama's bipartisan hopes alive

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama kept alive his hopes for a bipartisan health care bill as a U.S. Senate committee turned back an effort by liberals Tuesday to inject a government-run insurance plan into the legislation....More

Ontario sues tobacco makers for health costs; companies call move hypocritical

TORONTO - Ontario has become the latest jurisdiction to take aim at Big Tobacco's wallet, launching a lawsuit to recover smoking-related health costs from a beleaguered industry that denounced the action as hypocritical....More

Nova Scotia to study eating, physical activity habits of 2,200 students

HALIFAX, N.S. - Nova Scotia wants to know more about the eating and exercise habits of children and young people in the province. A study will track 2,200 Grade 3, 7 and 11 students from 60 schools across the province from early October until next June....More

North Dakota senator makes legislative push for Canadian prescription drugs

WASHINGTON - Cheap Canadian prescription drugs may soon be flooding into the United States if a North Dakota senator has his way. Democrat Byron Dorgan will introduce an amendment to the health-care reform bill currently before the U.S....More

Liberals fail to win government-run insurance option in Senate health care bill

WASHINGTON - In a long-anticipated showdown, liberal Democrats twice failed on Tuesday to inject a government-run insurance option into sweeping health care legislation taking shape in the Senate, despite bipartisan agreement that private insurers must change their ways....More

HPV vaccine being probed in UK girl's death awaiting Health Canada approval

TORONTO - The HPV vaccine given to a 14-year-old British girl a few hours before she died is not authorized for sale in Canada but is going through the federal approval process, says the drug's manufacturer....More

Dutch researchers find mutation linked to greater virulence in swine flu virus

TORONTO - Dutch scientists have reported they have found what was thought to be a key mutation in some swine flu viruses from the Netherlands, a change many virologists feared would give the viruses the ability to cause more severe disease....More

Like several other provinces, BC, PEI, to delay seasonal flu shots for under 65s

British Columbia and Prince Edward Island have joined a growing list of provinces that have announced they will delay part of their seasonal flu shot programs this year, decisions which are partially fuelled by concerns raised by controversial and unpublished Canadian research....More

High costs force some Americans to roll the dice on health care coverage, opt out of insurance

NEW YORK - Call it a health care gamble: the decision by some people to opt out of health insurance, paying cash for routine care while playing the odds that an accident or catastrophic illness won't plunge them into financial ruin....More

Heart attack study looking at whether giving clot-buster in ambulance is best

When Trevor Cooke was awakened in the wee hours of the morning with crushing chest pain in early September, he was pretty sure he was having a heart attack....More

Food poisoning sickens 76 students, teachers at kindergarten in northern China

BEIJING - Food poisoning sickened 76 students and teachers at a kindergarten in northern China, state media reported Tuesday....More

EU to set volume limits on MP3 players to limit risk of hearing loss

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The EU says it will draft new technical standards to limit the volume of mobile music players. EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva says maximum sound levels on the popular gadgets are damaging and will lead to more hearing loss among young people....More

EU launches campaign to get millions of overweight children eating healthy food

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Union is launching a campaign to promote healthy food to stem the rise of obesity among kids. EU Farm Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel says they need to "act now" because the number of overweight children is increasing....More

Alberta NDP hold public meetings on health care as Tory government cuts spending

EDMONTON - Alberta New Democrats are to begin public meetings this week on health care in response to government spending cuts. NDP Leader Brian Mason said his party is giving people a chance to be heard at meetings that start Tuesday in Calgary....More

British health authorities investigate as girl dies after receiving cervical cancer vaccine

LONDON - Health authorities launched an investigation Tuesday into the death of a 14-year-old girl who had just received a vaccine for cervical cancer....More

Obama presses health care plan at Congressional Black Caucus' annual conference in Washington

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama on Saturday resumed his push to overhaul the health care system, telling a Congressional Black Caucus conference that there comes a time when "the cup of endurance runs over....More

Health Canada issues warning over Tamiflu dosage confusion

OTTAWA - Health Canada said Saturday it is aware of an alert issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on dosing errors associated with the liquid form of Tamiflu....More

Analysis: Seniors' fears key part of health debate

WASHINGTON - Beware the wrath of the nation's seniors. It's a lesson both political parties have learned the hard way about the potent over-65 voting bloc, and it's one that Republicans are working to turn to their advantage in the high-stakes fight over President Barack Obama's...More

US readies unprecedented tracking for swine flu shot side effects - to sort true from false

WASHINGTON - The U.S. government is starting an unprecedented system to track possible side effects as mass swine flu vaccinations begin next month. The idea is to detect any rare but real problems quickly, and explain the inevitable coincidences that are sure to cause some false alarms....More

New Alberta Medical Association president says patients' interests come first

CALGARY - The new president of the Alberta Medical Association wants doctors to be equal partners with the provincial government when it comes to health-care reform. But Dr....More

Big hearts, concern about disease credited with making Thai AIDS vaccine trials successful

NONGTAPAN, Thailand - Nearly 16,000 Thais ignored the false rumours that they were being infected by the AIDS virus, and overcame their fears of becoming social outcasts to participate in trials of the first vaccine found to prevent infection with the deadly virus....More

Study: Bad drug reactions, side effects send half a million US kids to the doctor each year

CHICAGO - More than half a million U.S. children yearly have bad reactions or side effects from widely used medicines that require medical treatment and sometimes hospitalization, new research shows. Children younger than age 5 are most commonly affected....More

EU to set volume limits on MP3 players to limit risk of hearing loss

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The EU says it will draft new technical standards to limit the volume of mobile music players. EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva says maximum sound levels on the popular gadgets are damaging and will lead to more hearing loss among young people....More

N.B. premier offers to expand building to stop blood centre move to N.S.

SAINT JOHN, N.B. - The New Brunswick government is ready to put its money where its mouth is in a fight to keep a Canadian Blood Services facility in the province....More

Milk-duct tumors vexing: Who is at real risk for invasive cancer? Time to change the name?

WASHINGTON - Some doctors tell patients they have "stage zero" breast cancer. Others call it a precancer. A less scary formal name could help, says a new report that urges removing the word "carcinoma" from the diagnosis of a common growth in milk ducts....More

Michael J. Fox comes home to Canada to mark foundation's charity status

TORONTO - His speech is a bit slurred and his body has a mind of its own, but Michael J. Fox's passion for finding a cure for the disease that has afflicted him and millions of others worldwide is clear and unequivocal....More

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq still stumped over body bags sent to reserves

WINNIPEG - It's been over a week but Canada's health minister said she still doesn't know why dozens of body bags were sent to some Manitoba reserves in preparation for flu season....More

Group urges government, food manufacturers to reduce sodium in foods

TORONTO - A new report calls on Health Canada to set category-by-category sodium reduction targets for foods, similar to what has already been done in the United Kingdom....More

Experts: Obesity might become the top cause of cancer in Western women in the next decade

LONDON - Being fat could become the leading cause of cancer in women in Western countries in the coming years, European researchers said Thursday. Being overweight or obese accounts for up to 8 per cent of cancers in Europe....More

Alberta RN students protest at legislature about shortage of nursing jobs

EDMONTON - Alberta nursing students who are preparing to graduate with very unhealthy job prospects showed their frustration Thursday by holding a protest rally in front of the legislature....More

A world first: AIDS vaccine cuts the risk of HIV infection by 31 per cent in large Thai study

BANGKOK, Thailand - For the first time, an experimental vaccine has prevented infection with the AIDS virus, a watershed event in the deadly epidemic and a surprising result. Recent failures led many scientists to think such a vaccine might never be possible....More

Some women might get pap smears less often under new Alta screening guidelines

CALGARY - Alberta is to introduce new cervical cancer screening guidelines next month that could see some women getting pap smears once every three years. Dr....More

N.S. opposition says too many people being rejected for new caregiver allowance

HALIFAX, N.S. - Opposition politicians are expressing concerns that too many Nova Scotians are being rejected for the province's new Caregiver Allowance Program....More

Medical students cross the line on sites from Facebook to YouTube

CHICAGO - From Facebook to YouTube to personal blogs, future doctors are crossing the line - and getting in trouble....More

Letting pharmacists prescribe drugs like letting flight attendant fly plane: OMA

TORONTO - The Liberal government is putting patient safety at risk by letting non-physicians do some of the work doctors currently perform, the Family and General Practice section of the Ontario Medical Association warned Wednesday....More

Flu keeping B.C. kids home from school as virus season gets early start

VANCOUVER, B.C. - More than one-third of the students at a downtown Vancouver elementary school were absent from class Wednesday, signalling an early start to the annual flu season in the westernmost province....More

African leaders ally to eliminate some 1 million annual malaria deaths by 2015

African states launched an campaign on Wednesday to stop malaria from killing an estimated 1 million people on their continent each year. The objective of the 20-member African Leaders Malaria Alliance is to eradicate nearly all malaria deaths by the end of 2015....More

Experts: Obesity might become the top cause of cancer in Western women in the next decade

LONDON - Being fat could become the leading cause of cancer in women in Western countries in the coming years, European researchers said Thursday. Being overweight or obese accounts for up to 8 per cent of cancers in Europe....More

A world first: AIDS vaccine cuts the risk of HIV infection by 31 per cent in big Thai study

BANGKOK, Thailand - For the first time, an experimental vaccine has prevented infection with the AIDS virus, a watershed event in the deadly epidemic and a surprising result. Recent failures led many scientists to think such a vaccine might never be possible....More

Unions not happy with contract offer to Saskatchewan health care workers

REGINA - Thousands of Saskatchewan health-care support workers are being offered a wage increase of 9.5 per cent in a new four-year contract....More

Study: Common hormone treatment for prostate cancer could spark heart problems

LONDON - A common treatment for prostate cancer may slightly increase patients' risk of heart problems, new research says....More

Recession's impact: US census data show longer commutes, delayed marriage, fewer immigrants

WASHINGTON - The recession is profoundly disrupting American life: More people are delaying marriage and home-buying, turning to carpools yet stuck in ever-worse traffic, staying put rather than moving to a new city. A broad array of U.S....More

New Brunswick doctors and province reach settlement over wage freeze

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick doctors and the provincial government have reached a settlement in principle in their dispute over a threatened wage freeze....More

Key Senate committee tries to overcome hurdles on US health care reform bill

WASHINGTON - A key Senate committee tried Tuesday to overcome policy and political hurdles in an effort to advance a sweeping U.S. health care reform bill and deliver on President Barack Obama's top domestic priority....More

Concern about early surge of swine flu puts vaccine timing issues on the table

TORONTO - In the face of concerns that swine flu may mount a fall surge, public health officials in Canada are rethinking pandemic and seasonal flu vaccination plans, with issues of timing and vaccine formulation back on the table, a variety of on-and off-the-record sources say....More

Canadian-made code of ethics for stem cell research stresses public trust

A made-in-Canada charter outlining the ethical principles of international stem cell research is being presented Tuesday at the World Stem Cell Summit in Baltimore....More

Alberta will reduce long-term care in favour of for-profit assisted living

EDMONTON - Alberta's plans to shift seniors care to the private sector have been revealed in detail for the first time in a planning document leaked to the NDP....More

Obama's TV blitz aimed at reaching American people on health care

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is back doing what many believe he does best - communicating his message via high-profile television appearances....More

Key Senate committee tries to overcome hurdles on health care reform bill

WASHINGTON - A key Senate committee is trying to overcome policy and political hurdles in an effort to advance a sweeping health care reform bill and deliver on President Barack Obama's top domestic priority....More

In university dormitories, US researchers try to detect flu before symptoms appear

WASHINGTON - Duke University researchers are developing a test to determine - with a mere drop of blood - who will get influenza before the sniffling and fever set in. And they are turning to hundreds of dormitory-dwelling first year students to see if it works....More

Health Canada to consider mustard a priority allergen in proposed regulations

TORONTO - Health Canada says it's making a few changes to its proposed regulatory amendments for the labelling of food allergens, gluten sources and sulphites....More

Authorities investigate rare possible plague-linked death of US scientist; spread unlikely

CHICAGO - Chicago health officials say there's so sign of any spread after the possible plague-related death of a university scientist....More

Study: Common hormone treatment for prostate cancer could spark heart problems

LONDON - A common treatment for prostate cancer may slightly increase patients' risk of heart problems, new research says....More

Recession's impact: US census data show longer commutes, delayed marriage, fewer immigrants

WASHINGTON - The recession is profoundly disrupting American life: More people are delaying marriage and home-buying, turning to carpools yet stuck in ever-worse traffic, staying put rather than moving to a new city. A broad array of U.S....More

Canadian-made code of ethics for stem cell research stresses public trust

A made-in-Canada charter outlining the ethical principles of international stem cell research is being presented Tuesday at the World Stem Cell Summit in Baltimore....More

University of Chicago: Scientist death may be linked to bacteria he researched, causes plague

CHICAGO - The University of Chicago Medical Center says the infection that killed a scientist may be connected to bacteria he researched that causes the plague....More

Senate committee that's choke point on health care bill is next battle for divided Democrats

WASHINGTON - The fate of President Barack Obama's top domestic priority - a remake of the U.S. health care system - now rests in the hands of a pivotal but deeply divided Senate committee....More

Ottawa announces communications protocol to deal with flu outbreak

OTTAWA - The federal government has announced a communications protocol to deal with the outbreak of swine flu in the native communities. Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq and Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl outlined the plan at a news conference in Ottawa Saturday morning....More

Flu communication plan follows body-bag controversy

OTTAWA - The federal health minister says a new flu virus communication plan for aboriginal communities will prevent confusing episodes like this past week's body-bag uproar....More

Obama launches TV blitz to push health care reform ahead of key Senate committee meeting

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's launched a TV broadcast blitz to build public support for his top domestic priority, a remake of the U.S. health care system whose fate now rests in the hands of a pivotal but deeply divided Senate committee....More

Researchers: People susceptible to colon cancer can cut their risk in half by taking aspirin

LONDON - People with a genetic susceptibility to colon cancer could cut their chances of developing the disease in half by taking a daily dose of aspirin, researchers said Monday....More

Researchers: People susceptible to colon cancer can cut their risk in half by taking aspirin

LONDON - People with a genetic susceptibility to colon cancer could cut their chances of developing the disease in half by taking a daily dose of aspirin, researchers said Monday....More

Report finds Alzheimer's, dementia afflict more than 35 million worldwide and rising rapidly

WASHINGTON - More than 35 million people around the world are living with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, says the most in-depth attempt yet to assess the brain-destroying illness - and it's an ominous forecast as the population ages....More

Alberta closing 300 acute-care hospital beds to save $50M over three years

EDMONTON - Alberta is closing 300 acute-care hospital beds and another 246 at an Edmonton mental hospital over the next three years as the province's health superboard struggles with a $1-billion deficit....More

900 medical lab workers in Alberta reach tentative contract deal with Dynalife

EDMONTON - A tentative deal has been reached between 900 Alberta medical lab workers and their employer....More

U.S. government study says as many as 8 million Americans seriously consider suicide annually

WASHINGTON - More than 8 million Americans seriously consider suicide each year, according to a new U.S. government study....More

Provinces suggest Ottawa should cover more swine flu vaccine costs

WINNIPEG - The federal government is willing to consider extra funding to help provinces deal with any severe swine flu pandemic, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said Thursday, although she stopped short of committing to a specific figure....More

Obama pushes health plan at rally, but deep divisions foretell rough road ahead

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Calling health insurance reform a "defining struggle of this generation," President Barack Obama told thousands of college students Thursday that the U.S. Congress must resist scare tactics and false accusations to do a makeover....More

European health agencies warn more new drugs needed to tackle antibiotic-resistant bacteria

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - There are not enough new drugs under development to tackle the growing problem of superbugs, which already kill 25,000 Europeans a year, EU health agencies warned Thursday....More

WHO: Pandemic flu vaccine output will be 'substantially less' than previous maximum prediction

GENEVA - Global production of swine flu vaccines will be "substantially less" than the previous maximum forecast of 94 million doses a week, the World Health Organization said Friday. The number of doses produced in a year will therefore fall short of the 4....More

More challenges await lawmakers, Obama to get US health overhaul done

WASHINGTON - With a sweeping U.S. health care overhaul proposal finally on the table, senators who've been waiting months to see the bill are lined up to offer a bevy of contentious changes. One senator said the bill "needs more than just a few tweaks....More

Doctors warn failure to act on climate change could be catastrophic for health

LONDON - A weak response to climate change could be catastrophic for international health, leading doctors said in two British medical journals Wednesday....More

Alberta closing 300 acute-care hospital beds to save $50M over three years

EDMONTON - Alberta is closing 300 acute-care hospital beds and another 246 at an Edmonton mental hospital over the next three years as the province's health superboard struggles with a $1-billion deficit....More

Alberta closing 300 acute-care hospital beds to save $50M over three years

EDMONTON - Alberta is closing 300 acute-care hospital beds over three years as the province's health superboard struggles with a $1-billion deficit....More

Alberta closing 300 acute care hospital beds to save $50M over three years

EDMONTON - Alberta plans to mothball about 300 acute care hospital beds over three years to save money and to create emergency space in case of a serious swine flu outbreak....More

900 medical lab workers in Alberta reach tentative contract deal with Dynalife

EDMONTON - A tentative deal has been reached between 900 Alberta medical lab workers and their employer....More

U.S. government study says as many as 8 million Americans seriously consider suicide annually

WASHINGTON - More than 8 million Americans seriously consider suicide each year, according to a new U.S. government study....More

Provinces suggest Ottawa should cover more swine flu vaccine costs

REGINA - Ottawa is being asked to pick up a bigger share of the cost for the swine flu vaccine....More

European health agencies warn more new drugs needed to tackle antibiotic-resistant bacteria

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - There are not enough new drugs under development to tackle the growing problem of superbugs, which already kill 25,000 Europeans a year, EU health agencies warned Thursday....More

5 scientists honoured for leukemia treatment, research in creating stem cells

NEW YORK - Five scientists have won prestigious research awards for developing a life-saving leukemia treatment and for advances in "reprogramming" DNA, which led to a new kind of stem cell. The $250,000 Lasker Awards will be presented Oct....More

Low levels of key antibodies may lead to severe disease, study suggests

TORONTO - Australian researchers may have uncovered a clue as to why some people who catch swine flu suffer life-threatening illness. And if they are right, there is an existing weapon in the treatment arsenal that could help reduce the pandemic death toll....More

FDA approves new swine flu vaccine, a step toward vaccinations expected to start next month

WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration approved the new swine flu vaccine Tuesday, a long-anticipated step as the government works to get vaccinations under way next month....More

Canadian Paediatric Society changes recommendations for treating ear infection

TORONTO - The practice of routinely prescribing antibiotics to kids suffering from an ear infection is coming to a formal end....More

Birth defects on the rise in China's capital, health bureau says

BEIJING - The number of birth defects in China's capital has almost doubled in the last decade, the city's health bureau said. There were 170 birth defects per every 10,000 births in Beijing last year, compared with 90 per 10,000 in 1997, it said....More

Alberta Health Services reports Canada's second drug-resistant swine flu case

EDMONTON - Alberta Health Services is reporting Canada's second drug-resistant case of pandemic swine flu - one of about two dozen such cases around the world....More

Adding nutrient DHA to formula boosts babies' cognitive skills: study

TORONTO - Babies fed formula experimentally supplemented with the essential fatty acid DHA appear to have higher cognitive skills than infants given standard formula, a study has found....More

Report urges Saskatchewan to provide more information on medical isotopes

LUMSDEN, Sask. - The Saskatchewan government is being urged to provide the public with more information about medical isotopes, especially if it wants to get into the supply business....More

Plan needed to fix 'patchwork' cancer drug coverage across Canada: report

TORONTO - A patchwork system of coverage for cancer drugs across the country means patients are being denied equal access to life-saving treatments, says a report by the Canadian Cancer Society....More

NFL players promise brains to concussion research

BOSTON - Three active NFL players are joining former players in agreeing to donate their brains after death to a Boston University medical school program that studies sports brain injuries....More

Canada's vaccine maker says single dose of adjuvanted vaccine protective

TORONTO - A shot of swine flu vaccine that is about a third of the size of a standard dose is protective when boosted with an additive called an adjuvant, Canada's pandemic vaccine manufacturer said Monday....More

British Columbia unveils mobile hip and mobility research laboratory

VANCOUVER, B.C. - The adage might well suggest the hip bone is connected to the back bone, but researchers in British Columbia will soon be scouring the province as they try to determine if the health of those bones differs from region to region....More

Atlantic premiers launch TV and Internet campaign to promote wellness

SAINT JOHN, N.B. - The Atlantic premiers have launched a television and Internet campaign aimed at encouraging young people to live active and healthy lives....More

5 scientists honoured for leukemia treatment, research in creating stem cells

NEW YORK - Five scientists have won prestigious research awards for developing a life-saving leukemia treatment and for advances in "reprogramming" DNA, which led to a new kind of stem cell. The $250,000 Lasker Awards will be presented Oct....More

Canadian Paediatric Society changes recommendations for treating ear infection

TORONTO - The practice of routinely prescribing antibiotics to kids suffering from an ear infection is coming to a formal end....More

Birth defects on the rise in China's capital, health bureau says

BEIJING - The number of birth defects in China's capital has almost doubled in the last decade, the city's health bureau said. There were 170 birth defects per every 10,000 births in Beijing last year, compared with 90 per 10,000 in 1997, it said....More

Thousands of downtown DC protesters blast 'Obamacare,' government spending outside Capitol

WASHINGTON - Tens of thousands of protesters fed up with government spending marched to the U.S. Capitol on Saturday, showing their disdain for the president's health care plan with slogans such as "Obamacare makes me sick" and "I'm not your ATM....More

Obama tries to boost momentum on health care, will not accept 'the status quo' as a solution

MINNEAPOLIS - President Barack Obama assailed critics of his health care initiative Saturday, seeking to grab the megaphone from his opponents and boost momentum in his drive for congressional passage of his chief domestic priority. "I will not accept the status quo....More

Obama says he'll be blamed if health plan doesn't work, so he's every reason to get it right

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he'll be held responsible for any problems once a health care overhaul becomes law, so he has every reason to get it right. "I have no interest in having a bill get passed that fails....More

Obama, backing down from gov't option, says he expects 'good health care bill' from Congress

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said he is confident Congress will pass "a good health care bill," as months of rancour over reforming the U.S. health care system seemed to be easing Sunday, with the White House playing down an immediate role for a government insurance option....More

Novel flu drug proves effective; Tamiflu saves lives, not just shortens illness, studies show

SAN FRANCISCO - Researchers delivered a double dose of good news Sunday in the fight against flu: successful tests of what could become the first new flu medicine in a decade, and the strongest evidence yet that such drugs save lives, not just shorten illness....More

More US primary care doctors needed for projected surge of 50 million uninsured patients

BOSTON - Among the many hurdles facing President Barack Obama's plan to revamp the nation's health care system is a shortage of primary care physicians - those legions of overworked doctors who provide the front line of medical care for both the sick and those hoping to stay healthy....More

Plan needed to fix 'patchwork' cancer drug coverage across Canada: report

TORONTO - A patchwork system of coverage for cancer drugs across the country means patients are being denied equal access to life-saving treatments, says a report by the Canadian Cancer Society....More

5 scientists honoured for leukemia treatment, research in creating stem cells

NEW YORK - Five scientists have won prestigious research awards for developing a life-saving leukemia treatment and for advances in "reprogramming" DNA, which led to a new kind of stem cell. The $250,000 Lasker Awards will be presented Oct....More

Number of medically uninsured in US rises to 46.3 million; poverty rate hits 13.2 per cent

WASHINGTON - The number of Americans without health insurance rose to 46.3 million last year as people began losing jobs and coverage in the current recession. The poverty rate hit 13.2 per cent, an 11-year high....More

In crucial speech, Obama urges Congress to end bickering, pass health care overhaul

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama, delivering one of the most crucial speeches of his young presidency, urged Congress Wednesday to set aside partisan bickering and work with him to overhaul the U.S. health care system....More

Health Canada warns consumers not to use cesium compounds off the Internet

TORONTO - Health Canada is warning consumers against the use of stable cesium compounds being promoted on the Internet to prevent and self-treat various forms of cancer....More

Government launches radio ads on flu prevention

OTTAWA - The Public Health Agency of Canada is buying up advertising time on radio stations across the country to talk about swine flu. The month-long advertising campaign is designed to offer advice to Canadians about how to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus. Dr....More

Democratic leaders voice confidence Obama will have a health care law to sign this year

WASHINGTON - Democratic congressional leaders predicted passage of health care legislation within a few months despite undimmed Republican opposition, claiming momentum Thursday from President Barack Obama's speech and renewed commitment from lawmakers fresh from a month of meetings with...More

Chinese police warn parents of children sickened by tainted milk from marking anniversary

BEIJING - Chinese police have tried to prevent parents of children sickened by tainted milk powder from travelling to Beijing to mark the anniversary of last year's scandal, an activist said Thursday....More

Studies suggest 1 dose of swine flu vaccine works for adults

WASHINGTON - Fighting the swine flu may have gotten more manageable. Australian and U.S. researchers said Thursday that one dose of the new swine flu vaccine looks strong enough to protect adults - and can begin protection within 10 days of the shot....More

Japan's list of those 100 or older swells to more than 40,000 people

TOKYO - The number of Japanese centenarians has doubled in the past six years to a record high of more than 40,000, with women dominating the list of those whose lives have spanned more than a century, the government said Friday....More

British doctors call for blanket ban on alcohol advertising to control country’s drinking

LONDON, United Kingdom - British doctors called for a ban on alcohol advertisements Tuesday, saying the move was necessary to challenge Britain's dangerous drinking culture....More

Bipartisan Senate group to meet on health care as time winds down for compromise

WASHINGTON - Time is running out for a two-party compromise on health care as a bipartisan group of six Finance Committee senators considers a new proposal that might be the last, best hope for an overhaul agreement. The six were to meet Tuesday on Sen....More

Obama exhorts Congress to pass health care overhaul, says 'time for bickering is over'

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama urged Congress to enact sweeping health care legislation Wednesday night, declaring the "time for bickering is over" and the moment has arrived to help millions who have insurance and many more without it....More

N.S. cabinet minister to review abuse at home for mentally disabled

HALIFAX, N.S. - Nova Scotia's NDP government says quick changes are not planned to a centre for the mentally handicapped and mentally ill where 19 cases of physical, emotional or sexual abuse of residents were recorded over an almost two-year period....More

Glaxo's Cervarix vaccine moves towards US approval; Merck's Gardasil wins backing for boys

WASHINGTON - Drugmaker Merck probably will face U.S. competition for its vaccine Gardasil after federal experts recommended that rival GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix also be approved to prevent the virus that causes most cervical cancers....More

Obama urges Congress to set aside differences, pass health care overhaul

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama urged Congress to set aside differences and work with him to overhaul the U.S. health care system, delivering one of the most crucial speeches of his tenure....More

In crucial speech, Obama urges Congress to end bickering, pass health care overhaul

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama, delivering one of the most crucial speeches of his young presidency, urged Congress Wednesday to set aside partisan bickering and work with him to overhaul the U.S. health care system....More

Chinese police warn parents of children sickened by tainted milk from marking anniversary

BEIJING - Chinese police have tried to prevent parents of children sickened by tainted milk powder from travelling to Beijing to mark the anniversary of last year's scandal, an activist said Thursday....More

Pakistan resumes vaccinating children for polio after Taliban halted Swat program 1 year ago

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Authorities in Pakistan's Swat Valley have resumed vaccinating children for polio, a practice the Taliban had banned as un-Islamic before they were beaten back by an army offensive, an official said Tuesday....More

Gecko's twisting tails could help research on humans' severed spines

CALGARY - It's long been known that when geckos feel threatened they shed their tails as moving decoys, skittering away unharmed as the abandoned appendages flop about for predators to focus on....More

FDA unveils electronic database to identify food safety problems reported by companies

WASHINGTON - U.S. food makers will be required to alert government officials of potentially contaminated products within 24 hours under a new rule designed to help federal regulators spot food safety issues sooner....More

Doctor from 'A Baby Story' offers would-be moms tips in 'Nine Healthy Months'

TORONTO - Ready to have a baby? It's time to pencil in a checkup - with your dentist. Oral care is probably not first on the priority list when it comes to planning a pregnancy....More

China to start swine flu vaccination in weeks as it enters flu season expected to be ’grim’

BEIJING - China will start vaccinating citizens against swine flu in coming weeks to fight a surge in cases that is expected to gain speed, the county's top health official said Tuesday. Health Minister Chen Zhu said that performers in the Oct....More

British doctors call for blanket ban on alcohol advertising to control country’s drinking

LONDON, United Kingdom - British doctors called for a ban on alcohol advertisements Tuesday, saying the move was necessary to challenge Britain's dangerous drinking culture....More

Bipartisan Senate group to meet on health care as time winds down for compromise

WASHINGTON - Time is running out for a two-party compromise on health care as a bipartisan group of six Finance Committee senators considers a new proposal that might be the last, best hope for an overhaul agreement. The six were to meet Tuesday on Sen....More

Obama health care speech bids to recover momentum with a balking Congress, confused public

WASHINGTON - Facing near unanimous Republican opposition and a serious divide among his own Democrats, President Barack Obama is using a highly unusual address to Congress on Wednesday to sell the country on the need to reform America's health care system....More

Some Catholics bishops, wary of big government, open new front in health care criticism

DENVER - U.S. Roman Catholic bishops have taken a consistent line on a health care overhaul: It's vital, but they cannot support proposals that go too far in covering abortion and not far enough in protecting health workers who don't want to provide that procedure....More

White House political adviser says public option 'shouldn't define' health care debate

WASHINGTON - White House officials said Sunday a government health insurance option is negotiable, signalling a potential compromise on an issue that President Barack Obama's liberal supporters consider do-or-die....More

US nuclear tests in Pacific lead to migration tensions, costly health obligations for Hawaii

HONOLULU - Pius Henry fears his adopted government will kill him, that the United States won't live up to a health care obligation to people from Pacific islands where it tested nuclear bombs....More

Feds between a rock and a hard place juggling speed, safety of pandemic vaccine

TORONTO - In the race to get pandemic vaccine into Canadian arms, public health and vaccine regulatory authorities in this country find themselves the reluctant filling in a rock-and-a-hard-place sandwich, knowledgeable observers say....More

Advisers say Obama supports government health insurance option, but is it a must-have in bill?

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration's bottom line on a government health insurance option blurred Sunday as White House officials stressed support but stopped of short of calling it a must-have part of an overhaul....More

When to stay home from school: Is it a cold, allergies or swine flu?

In the face of a possible wave of H1N1 flu cases this fall, public health and education officials are encouraging parents and teachers to help stem the potential spread by keeping or sending students with flu-like symptoms home....More

China to start swine flu vaccination in weeks as it enters flu season expected to be ’grim’

BEIJING - China will start vaccinating citizens against swine flu in coming weeks to fight a surge in cases that is expected to gain speed, the county's top health official said Tuesday. Health Minister Chen Zhu said that performers in the Oct....More

Bipartisan Senate group to meet on health care as time winds down for compromise

WASHINGTON - Time is running out for a two-party compromise on health care as a bipartisan group of six Finance Committee senators considers a new proposal that might be the last, best hope for an overhaul agreement. The six were to meet Tuesday on Sen....More

Canada to buy unadjuvanted vaccine for pregnant women, health officer says

TORONTO - Canada will purchase supplies of unadjuvanted swine flu vaccine to offer to pregnant women who might otherwise choose not to be vaccinated, the country's chief public health officer has revealed. Dr. David Butler-Jones told The Canadian Press that Canada will buy 1....More

U of Alberta scientists find natural preservatives in wheat, barley and mango

EDMONTON - When Jodie McKague and husband Adam Larson buy groceries, they tend to shop along the perimeter of the store where fresh produce and meats are sold....More

Some Catholics bishops, wary of big government, open new front in health care criticism

DENVER - U.S. Roman Catholic bishops have taken a consistent line on a health care overhaul: It's vital, but they cannot support proposals that go too far in covering abortion and not far enough in protecting health workers who don't want to provide that procedure....More

Some Catholics bishops, wary of big government, open new front in health care criticism

DENVER - U.S. Roman Catholic bishops have taken a consistent line on a health care overhaul: It's vital, but they cannot support proposals that go too far in covering abortion and not far enough in protecting health workers who don't want to provide that procedure....More

White House political adviser says public option 'shouldn't define' health care debate

WASHINGTON - White House officials said Sunday a government health insurance option is negotiable, signalling a potential compromise on an issue that President Barack Obama's liberal supporters consider do-or-die....More

US nuclear tests in Pacific lead to migration tensions, costly health obligations for Hawaii

HONOLULU - Pius Henry fears his adopted government will kill him, that the United States won't live up to a health care obligation to people from Pacific islands where it tested nuclear bombs....More

Feds between a rock and a hard place juggling speed, safety of pandemic vaccine

TORONTO - In the race to get pandemic vaccine into Canadian arms, public health and vaccine regulatory authorities in this country find themselves the reluctant filling in a rock-and-a-hard-place sandwich, knowledgeable observers say....More

Advisers say Obama supports government health insurance option, but is it a must-have in bill?

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration's bottom line on a government health insurance option blurred Sunday as White House officials stressed support but stopped of short of calling it a must-have part of an overhaul....More

Ontario expects a different kind of flu season, but well prepared: King

TORONTO - Ontario is preparing for a different kind of flu season, but health officials don't currently expect the amount of pandemic flu activity to overwhelm health systems, the province's chief medical officer of health said Thursday. Dr....More

Nurses across Canada prepare for fall upsurge of H1N1 flu cases

TORONTO - With fears that Canada could be hit by a massive wave of H1N1 influenza cases this fall, nurses across the country are preparing to take their places on the front lines of the pandemic - and bracing for the worst....More

Novartis becomes 3rd company to say its swine flu vaccine may work with single dose

BARCELONA, Spain - A third company signalled Thursday that its swine flu vaccine may protect people with just one shot instead of two - another hopeful sign for flu prevention efforts....More

Lung damage in fatal swine flu cases more bird flu than seasonal flu: expert

TORONTO - The lungs of people who have died from swine flu look more like those of the victims of H5N1 avian influenza than those of people who succumb to regular flu, the chief of infectious diseases pathology at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says....More

Health minister says Saskatchewan will be ready for swine flu surge by fall

SASKATOON - Saskatchewan's health minister concedes that not everything is in place yet to deal with a potential rise in swine flu cases this fall, but he insists the work will be done in time....More

CDC study: Swine flu deaths are more common in school-age children than in babies or toddlers

ATLANTA - The first detailed study of U.S. children killed by swine flu found the outbreak differs from ordinary flu in at least one puzzling respect: It appears to be taking a higher toll on school-age youngsters than on babies and toddlers....More

Britain's health care in spotlight as study suggests drastic cuts, doctors worry about care

LONDON - Britain's universal health care system was back in the spotlight Thursday, as a leaked consultants' report advised drastic staff and budget cuts, and a group of senior doctors expressed concern about the treatment of dying patients....More

WHO says swine flu deaths surge to at least 2,837

GENEVA - The World Health Organization says at least 625 people have been reported dead from swine flu in the last week....More

Insite safe drug-injection site sues critic for defamation over article

VANCOUVER, B.C. - The operators of Vancouver's controversial drug safe-injection site are suing one of its critics for defamation and slander over a two-year-old article....More

Health minister says Canada will have vaccine the same time as other countries

WINNIPEG - Canada's top health officials say the country is not lagging behind other nations in flu preparation and Canada is on track to have a swine flu vaccine by mid-November....More

Group calls for provincial standards for cleaning air after marijuana grow-op

CALGARY - Houses used for marijuana grow operations are usually an obvious mess, dingy and littered with burst pipes, broken walls and illegal wiring....More

Detroit Tigers' Brandon Inge develops bond with pediatric patients

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Detroit Tigers all-star Brandon Inge has dedicated two recent homers to pediatric patients he knows at Mott Children's Hospital. And now, they're making requests....More

China set to approve swine flu vaccines requiring only 1 dose

BEIJING - China will soon approve domestically developed swine flu vaccines that manufacturers say can protect people against the virus with only one dose, an encouraging development for health officials racing to prepare for an expected spike in cases this winter....More

Alberta buys 106 more ventilators for the most serious swine flu patients

EDMONTON - Alberta is buying dozens of ventilator units to be used at hospitals and clinics around the province in case there's a serious outbreak of swine flu....More

Vaccine being developed for pigs to guard against swine flu strain circulating among humans

LINCOLN, Nebraska - Humans may not be the only ones guarding against swine flu by the time cold weather ushers in influenza season. The flu namesakes could also be getting new vaccinations. The U.S....More

UK study suggests drastic cuts to make up budget shortfall in health care system

LONDON - Management consultant McKinsey&Co. says Britain's universal health care system should make drastic cuts - including laying off doctors and nurses - to make up a budget shortfall....More

Communities should make it easier for families to make fat-fighting choices

WASHINGTON - Where you live matters when it comes to children's waistlines, says a report that finds lots of options localities could and should use to fight child obesity - from easy bike paths, to luring healthier stores, to taxes on junk food....More

Canadians ambivalent about whether to get a pandemic flu shot, poll suggests

TORONTO - Canadians aren't clamouring en masse for swine flu vaccine, a new poll suggests. The Canadian Press Harris-Decima poll also indicates some parents have concerns about allowing their children to have a vaccine that contains an adjuvant, a compound that boosts the impact...More

Biovail 'disappointed' by clinical trial of drug to treat Parkinson's psychosis

TORONTO - Disappointing results from a clinical trial for a drug aimed at patients with Parkinsons's disease psychosis sent shares of Biovail Corp. and its American development partner lower Tuesday, but neither company indicated it was giving up on the drug....More

Australian veterinarian dies of rare virus after contracting it from sick horse

BRISBANE, Australia - An Australian veterinarian has died from a rare viral disease after treating an infected horse, becoming the fourth known fatality from the illness since it was discovered in 1994, a health official said Wednesday....More

Amid flu flurry, teen still face different threat - meningitis

WASHINGTON - Fever, chills, vomiting: It starts like a stomach bug or the flu. But bacterial meningitis can go on to kill terrifyingly fast - one of the few infections in the U.S. where someone can feel fine in the morning and be dead by night. And prime targets are kids aged 11 to 19....More

Alberta picks panel to fix health rules; critics say more privatization on way

EDMONTON - Alberta is taking the first step to overhaul its health laws - including redefining public care - but Health Minister Ron Liepert stresses the move is not a stalking horse to introduce more privatization....More

Obama considering giving more specifics about what he'd like to see in health care overhaul

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is thinking of throwing more details and personal weight into the debate about a major overhaul of the American health care system, which polls indicate Republicans have been winning in recent weeks....More

China set to approve swine flu vaccines requiring only 1 dose

BEIJING - China will soon approve domestically developed swine flu vaccines that manufacturers say can protect people against the virus with only one dose, an encouraging development for health officials racing to prepare for an expected spike in cases this winter....More

First Nations communities will be ready for swine flu, says health minister

VICTORIA, B.C. - First Nations communities will be a high priority when Ottawa decides who will be the first to receive the swine flu vaccine this fall, the federal health minister said Monday. At a news conference in Victoria focusing on First Nations health, a B.C....More

CMAJ editorial urges pandemic vaccine without adjuvant for high-risk groups

TORONTO - An editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal is urging the government to fast-track pandemic H1N1 vaccine for high-risk groups....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

Calgary-area man Alberta's first human case of West Nile virus for 2009

CALGARY - An adult male in the Calgary area has become Alberta's first human case of West Nile virus for 2009. Alberta Health says it's likely the man picked up the virus in Alberta, although he had travelled in Saskatchewan during the first week of August....More

Blood thinners with heartburn drugs may not add to risk of stroke, heart attack

BARCELONA, Spain - Heart patients taking a commonly prescribed cocktail of blood thinners and heartburn drugs may not be at increased risk of heart attacks or other problems, a new study says....More

Amid flu flurry, don't forget teen shots against different threat - meningitis

WASHINGTON - Fever, chills, vomiting: It starts like a stomach bug or the flu. But bacterial meningitis can go on to kill terrifyingly fast - one of the few infections in the U.S. and Canada where someone can feel fine in the morning and be dead by night....More

Study: Combination heart device cut patients' chances of heart failure by 41%

BARCELONA, Spain - A two-in-one heart device to fix irregular beats and contraction patterns cut patients' chances of developing heart failure by 41 per cent, new research says....More

Police arrest 6 for supplying blood tainted with hepatitis B, C to hospitals in northern India

LUCKNOW, INDIA - Police charged six people, including a doctor, for spreading infectious diseases after they allegedly supplied blood contaminated with hepatitis B and C to blood banks in northern India, police said Tuesday....More