Researchers say skewed sex ratio of fish in Alberta rivers raises red flags

CALGARY - Alberta researchers say gender-bending fish swimming in the province's southern rivers raise serious questions about whether the water is safe for people to drink....More

Report finds low morale, lack of expertise at St. John's, N.L., lab

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - An external review of laboratory services for Newfoundland's largest health authority recommends several changes to strengthen staff morale and avoid repeating past mistakes....More

Mothers Against Drunk Driving launches report impaired driver program in Alberta

RED DEER, Alta. - The group Mothers Against Drunk Driving wants people throughout Alberta to report suspected impaired drivers to police....More

More Ontario ERs get cash to reduce wait times; critics say nursing homes needed

TORONTO - Health Minister Deb Matthews is expanding a government program that gives Ontario emergency rooms extra cash to cut their wait times....More

Ignatieff's proposed ban on asbestos may have killed deal for Quebec mine

MONTREAL - A mining company says Michael Ignatieff might be responsible for stalling the reopening of one of Canada's last asbestos mines....More

Group urges shakeup of salt habit; industry urged to pinch sodium from products

OTTAWA - The movers and shakers of the health and business communities want to pinch Canadians' penchant for salt. A panel of experts has offered six general and 27 specific recommendations on reducing people's salt intake....More

Counterfeit Viagra was found on Montreal market, Health Canada warns

TORONTO - Health Canada is warning that a health product sold by a store in Montreal closely resembles Viagra, but is considered a counterfeit....More

B.C. children's minister halts controversial child sex-testing program

VICTORIA - British Columbia's children's minister says she killed a controversial government sex-testing program for young offenders after discovering a chief medical technician who administered the test was recently charged with sexual assault....More

Pathologist denies she was at fault for mistaken mastectomy: court documents

TORONTO - A southern Ontario doctor is denying that she was responsible for a misdiagnosis of cancer that led to a woman having her breast unnecessarily removed. Dr. Olive Williams filed a statement of defence in Windsor, Ont....More

New on the menu at NYC restaurants: Health Department grades of A, B or C

NEW YORK, N.Y. - New York City's 24,000 restaurants include fast-food outlets selling chicken by the bucket and temples of haute cuisine where multi-course tasting menus can cost hundreds of dollars per person — before the wine....More

Washington tries to educate women about female condoms to fight HIV

WASHINGTON - Charlene Cotton will talk to anyone about sex. Several days a week she stands behind a table decorated with a bowl of flavoured condoms and safer sex pamphlets, calling to women passing on the street, "Come check out my table. Don't be scared....More

Surgical victim should get apology from government, health officials: critic

TORONTO - The governing Liberals should apologize to two women whose breasts were removed after they were mistakenly diagnosed with cancer and explain why they didn't move sooner to warn the public that other errors may have been made, critics demanded Wednesday....More

Summer driving: Prepare car, eyes on the road to stay safe, experts urge

TORONTO - Goldie Eng remembers very little of the moment that nearly killed her. She remembers the autumn leaves and the bright sun, as she cruised her motorcycle along Highway 507 near Peterborough, Ont., on the Thanksgiving long weekend in October 2009....More

Save your breath: 2 studies show hands-only CPR is enough to save lives

ATLANTA - More bystanders are willing to attempt CPR if an emergency dispatcher gives them firm and direct instructions — especially if they can just press on the chest and skip the mouth-to-mouth, according to new research....More

Ontario won't follow Saskatchewan's lead and fund trials of MS surgery

TORONTO - Ontario will not follow Saskatchewan's lead and fund clinical trials of a new operation that offers hope to people with multiple sclerosis, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Wednesday....More

Doctor with cancer in Saskatchewan sentenced to jail for abusing patient

SASKATOON - A former Saskatoon doctor has been sentenced to a year in jail and two years probation for sexually assaulting two of his female patients....More

Doctor who misdiagnosed patients in Windsor hospital had cataracts: report

TORONTO - A doctor may have misdiagnosed patients in southern Ontario partly because she had cataracts that blurred her vision, a newly released document suggests. Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital in Windsor, Ont....More

Caffeinated kids: Journal voices alarm over teen consumption of energy drinks

TORONTO - How caffeinated are our kids? The Canadian Medical Association Journal thinks it's a question we ought to be asking....More

Boy who got surgery for facial deformity not returning to Edmonton this week

EDMONTON - A little Edmonton toddler who has undergone a second operation in New York to remove severe swelling on his face will be staying in the Big Apple a little longer....More

A pox on passwords and PINs! Multiple security systems tax overloaded memory

TORONTO - A pox on passwords and PINs. Just thinking about how many of the secret log-in codes you need to navigate through life these days is enough to bring on brain cramp. There's your debit card PIN....More

Winnipeg mother says she has few answers in the death of her son

WINNIPEG - More than a year after her son died in a hospital far from home, Cheryl Huska says the Manitoba government and local health officials have still not answered important questions about what happened....More

Saskatchewan premier calls for clinical trials of controversial MS treatment

REGINA - Saskatchewan is ready to help pay for clinical trials of the so-called liberation treatment for multiple sclerosis sufferers, despite a lack of scientific evidence that it might work, says Premier Brad Wall....More

Pathologist denies she was at fault for mistaken mastectomy: court documents

TORONTO - A southern Ontario doctor is denying that she was responsible for a misdiagnosis of cancer that led to a woman having her breast unnecessarily removed. Dr. Olive Williams filed a statement of defence in Windsor, Ont....More

New on the menu at NYC restaurants: Health Department grades of A, B or C

NEW YORK, N.Y. - New York City's 24,000 restaurants include fast-food outlets selling chicken by the bucket and temples of haute cuisine where multi-course tasting menus can cost hundreds of dollars per person — before the wine....More

Drab cement walls provide backdrop for 'healing hands' of Canadian medics

SPERWAN GHAR, Afghanistan - Hundreds of medics have literally made their mark taking care of the sick and dying at the Canadian military's Forward Operating Base Sperwan Ghar, in Afghanistan's Panjwaii district....More

Studies to test if fresher blood is better than transfusions of older blood

WASHINGTON - Facing surgery? You could receive blood that's been stored for a week, or three weeks, or nearly six — and there's growing concern that people who get the older blood might not fare as well....More

Out of luck: B.C. gambler suing lottery corp. over denied $42K jackpot

VANCOUVER - A British Columbia man who asked to be banned from a local casino to control his gambling says he was still allowed to return whenever he wanted — that is, until he finally won a $42,000 jackpot....More

Medical device problems hurt more than 70,000 U.S. kids annually: study

CHICAGO - More than 70,000 children and teens in the United States go to the emergency room each year for injuries and complications from medical devices, and contact lenses are the leading culprit, the first detailed national estimate suggests....More

Doctor who misdiagnosed patients in Windsor hospital had cataracts: report

TORONTO - A doctor may have misdiagnosed patients in southern Ontario partly because she had cataracts that blurred her vision, a newly released document suggests. Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital in Windsor, Ont....More

Caffeinated kids: Journal voices alarm over teen consumption of energy drinks

TORONTO - How caffeinated are our kids? The Canadian Medical Association Journal thinks it's a question we ought to be asking....More

Boy who got surgery for facial deformity not returning to Edmonton this week

EDMONTON - A little Edmonton toddler who has undergone a second operation in New York to remove severe swelling on his face will be staying in the Big Apple a little longer....More

A pox on passwords and PINs! Multiple security systems tax overloaded memory

TORONTO - A pox on passwords and PINs. Just thinking about how many of the secret log-in codes you need to navigate through life these days is enough to bring on brain cramp. There's your debit card PIN....More

Cartilage transplants get easier with method that improves shelf life of tissue

CALGARY - Calgary researchers say treating some joint injuries might soon become a lot easier with the creation of a way to keep cartilage alive and ready for transplant for up to 30 days....More

Salmonella illnesses involving headcheese reported in B.C. and Ontario

OTTAWA - Federal health officials are issuing a warning about a salmonella outbreak involving headcheese that has sickened 18 people in B.C. and Ontario. The Public Health Agency of Canada says people shouldn't eat Freybe brand headcheese produced by G....More

Middlesex-London issues weekend heat alert, humidex expected to exceed 40

LONDON, Ont. - Health officials have issued a heat alert for this weekend in Middlesex-London, in southwestern Ontario. The alert starts today and ends on Sunday....More

Medical journal expresses concern about cancer research by Duke scientist put on leave

MILWAUKEE - Concerns are being raised about the validity of research done by a Duke University cancer scientist who recently was placed on leave while the school investigates whether he falsely claimed to be a Rhodes scholar....More

Got low back pain? Exercise on elliptical may not be for you, research suggests

TORONTO - Elliptical trainers have been a longtime presence in gyms and fitness facilities and a go-to piece of equipment for those looking to get their cardio fix....More

Card device to test if drink is spiked with drugs goes on sale in Canada

TORONTO - A small card device for testing whether a drink has been spiked with drugs is being rolled out in Canada this summer, but the man who brought it to market in the United Kingdom six years ago says he has yet to hear of a would-be spiker being caught....More

Urban legend of digital drugs sweeps across the Internet with 'i-dosing' placebo

MONTREAL - Are kids really, actually, getting high these days by listening to MP3s on their computers? The phenomenon of so-called digital drugs — or i-dosing — has been spreading like wildfire around the Internet and the international press in...More

Drab cement walls provide backdrop for 'healing hands' of Canadian medics

SPERWAN GHAR, Afghanistan - Hundreds of medics have literally made their mark taking care of the sick and dying at the Canadian military's Forward Operating Base Sperwan Ghar, in Afghanistan's Panjwaii district....More

Major BBC investigation batters Canada's controversial asbestos industry

MONTREAL - Canada's controversial asbestos industry was hit with a public-relations tsunami Wednesday, following a volley of damning international media reports....More

For torn knee ligament, physio might help athletes avoid surgery: study

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Attention, weekend athletes: Don't be too quick to agree to surgery for a common type of knee ligament tear....More

FDA bars new patients from joining study of diabetes drug tied to heart risks

WASHINGTON - U.S. federal health officials are barring new patients from enrolling in a safety study of GlaxoSmithKline's controversial diabetes pill Avandia, a week after a panel of experts ruled that the drug increases heart risks....More

Crown and defence lawyers agree B.C. woman was psychotic when she killed boy

ROSSLAND, B.C. - As a murder trial ended in Rossland, B.C., both Crown and defence lawyers agreed that Kimberly Ruth Noyes was in a psychotic state when she killed a 12-year-old boy. Her lawyer, Deanne Gaffar, told B.C....More

Alberta government announces $1.4 billion in health spending

EDMONTON - The Alberta government has announced $1.4 billion in spending on health facility projects in several medium-sized cities and rural locations. In a news release, the province says the money will be spent on 22 projects in 15 communities....More

Rare tropical fungus tied to 60 illnesses, 15 deaths in U.S. Northwest

ATLANTA - U.S. health officials say a fungus usually found in the tropics has taken root in the Pacific Northwest and has been blamed for at least 60 illnesses and 15 deaths. The fungal illness is still considered rare....More

Cartilage transplants get easier with method that improves shelf life of tissue

CALGARY - Calgary researchers say treating some joint injuries might soon become a lot easier with the creation of a way to keep cartilage alive and ready for transplant for up to 30 days....More

Salmonella illnesses involving headcheese reported in B.C. and Ontario

OTTAWA - Federal health officials are issuing a warning about a salmonella outbreak involving headcheese that has sickened 18 people in B.C. and Ontario. The Public Health Agency of Canada says people shouldn't eat Freybe brand headcheese produced by G....More

Accused in autistic boy's death woke and thought killing had been a dream

ROSSLAND, B.C. - A woman accused of murdering her 12-year-old autistic neighbour awoke the morning after he was killed and thought it had all been a dream, a forensic psychiatrist testified at her trial Monday....More

Website helps prepare N.S. patients waiting for hip and knee replacement

HALIFAX - Nova Scotians waiting for hip and knee replacements can now get information online to help them prepare for surgery. The Department of Health has created an orthopedic patient information website, called MySurgery (http://mysurgery.nshealth.ca)....More

U.S. obstetricians group issues guidelines to help reduce repeat C-sections

WASHINGTON - Most women who've had a C-section, and many who've had two, should be allowed to try labour with their next baby, say new U.S. guidelines — a step toward reversing the "once a caesarean, always a caesarean" policies taking root in many hospitals....More

Major BBC investigation batters Canada's controversial asbestos industry

MONTREAL - Canada's controversial asbestos industry was hit with a public-relations tsunami Wednesday, following a volley of damning international media reports....More

For torn knee ligament, physio might help athletes avoid surgery: study

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Attention, weekend athletes: Don't be too quick to agree to surgery for a common type of knee ligament tear....More

FDA bars new patients from joining study of diabetes drug tied to heart risks

WASHINGTON - U.S. federal health officials are barring new patients from enrolling in a safety study of GlaxoSmithKline's controversial diabetes pill Avandia, a week after a panel of experts ruled that the drug increases heart risks....More

Crown and defence lawyers agree B.C. woman was psychotic when she killed boy

ROSSLAND, B.C. - As a murder trial ended in Rossland, B.C., both Crown and defence lawyers agreed that Kimberly Ruth Noyes was in a psychotic state when she killed a 12-year-old boy. Her lawyer, Deanne Gaffar, told B.C....More

Alberta government announces $1.4 billion in health spending

EDMONTON - The Alberta government has announced $1.4 billion in spending on health facility projects in several medium-sized cities and rural locations. In a news release, the province says the money will be spent on 22 projects in 15 communities....More

Premier gives cash, go-ahead to new hospital in northern Alberta

GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. - Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach has given the official go-ahead and the cash to go with it for a new regional hospital in northern Alberta....More

Montreal researchers find people living with children exercise less

MONTREAL - A study conducted at the Montreal Heart Institute has yielded a surprising result _ living with children is linked to a reduction in physical activity. Concordia University professor Doctor Simon L....More

Health talks coming up between Manitoba government, northern First Nations

WINNIPEG - Talks are coming up in several northern Manitoba aboriginal communities on how to improve health care. Premier Greg Selinger says consultations will be held this fall with members of the Garden Hill, St....More

Edmonton boy released from NY hospital 1 day after surgery for facial growth

EDMONTON - An Alberta toddler has been released from a hospital in New York just one day after having surgery to remove a large swelling on his left cheek and mouth....More

CFIA alert: Cedar Brand Tahini may contain Salmonella bacteria

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Produits Phoenicia of Saint-Laurent, Quebec, are warning the public not to consume the Cedar brand Tahini....More

Cda-Gates partnership to spend $88M from ditched vaccine lab on HIV research

Almost $90 million once earmarked for an HIV vaccine-production facility in Canada will instead be spent on vaccine research and preventing mother-to-child transmission of the virus, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced Tuesday....More

AIDS breakthrough: African study offers hope to women by helping prevent HIV, herpes

MILWAUKEE - For the first time, a vaginal gel has proved capable of blocking the AIDS virus: It cut in half a woman's chances of getting HIV from an infected partner in a study in South Africa....More

Accused in autistic boy's death woke and thought killing had been a dream

ROSSLAND, B.C. - A woman accused of murdering her 12-year-old autistic neighbour awoke the morning after he was killed and thought it had all been a dream, a forensic psychiatrist testified at her trial Monday....More

Accused in autistic boy's death woke and thought killing had been a dream

ROSSLAND, B.C. - A woman accused of murdering her 12-year-old autistic neighbour awoke the morning after he was killed and thought it had all been a dream, a forensic psychiatrist testified at her trial Monday....More

1 in 5 Canadians could suffer from arthritis by 2031: Public Health Agency

TORONTO - A new report estimates that one out of every five Canadians over age 15 may suffer from arthritis by 2031. The report says that in 2007-2008, more than 4....More

'War on drugs' fuels HIV epidemic as governments ignore science, experts say

VANCOUVER - Two Vancouver-based groups that do research on HIV-AIDS and drug policy say the war on drugs waged by many governments, including the government of Canada, has failed to curb illegal drug use and is actually fuelling the spread of the disease....More

Montreal researchers find people living with children exercise less

MONTREAL - A study conducted at the Montreal Heart Institute has yielded a surprising result _ living with children is linked to a reduction in physical activity. Concordia University professor Doctor Simon L....More

CFIA alert: Cedar Brand Tahini may contain Salmonella bacteria

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Produits Phoenicia of Saint-Laurent, Quebec, are warning the public not to consume the Cedar brand Tahini....More

Cda-Gates partnership to spend $88M from ditched vaccine lab on HIV research

Almost $90 million once earmarked for an HIV vaccine-production facility in Canada will instead be spent on vaccine research and preventing mother-to-child transmission of the virus, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq has announced....More

AIDS breakthrough: African study offers hope to women by helping prevent HIV, herpes

MILWAUKEE - For the first time, a vaginal gel has proved capable of blocking the AIDS virus: It cut in half a woman's chances of getting HIV from an infected partner in a study in South Africa....More

Accused in autistic boy's death woke and thought killing had been a dream

ROSSLAND, B.C. - A woman accused of murdering her 12-year-old autistic neighbour awoke the morning after he was killed and thought it had all been a dream, a forensic psychiatrist testified at her trial Monday....More

More than one-third of Ontario hospitals bleeding red ink for 2nd year running

TORONTO - For the second year running, more than a third of Ontario hospitals are bleeding red ink, amounting to a $107-million shortfall, The Canadian Press has learned....More

Military police records expose domestic violence, counsellors cite Afghanistan

Military police records describe spousal sexual assault, hitting, shoving and screaming matches on or near Canadian Forces bases — family violence that counsellors link to repeated tours in Afghanistan....More

Feds spend $400K on space-food project, scrub project,send up beef jerky instead

MONTREAL - It's the secret federal space-food project that never saw liftoff. After quietly spending more than $400,000 to develop made-in-Canada meals for astronauts, the federal government has discreetly shelved the program, The Canadian Press has learned....More

Cheech & Chong's blunt advice for PM Harper: 'Wise up' on pot laws, man

MONTREAL - Cheech and Chong have got some pretty blunt advice for Prime Minister Stephen Harper when it comes to Canada's marijuana's laws. "Wise up, you douchebag," Cheech Marin says with some glee when asked what he'd tell the prime minister....More

Antiretroviral HIV therapy saves lives, cuts rate of new cases: study

The introduction of antiretroviral therapy has not only transformed HIV from a virtual death sentence into a manageable disease, but treatment also appears to slash the number of new infections, Canadian researchers say....More

WHO: People on AIDS drugs climbs to 5.2 million, after 1.2 million increase in 2009

VIENNA - The number of people taking crucial AIDS drugs climbed by a record 1.2 million last year to 5.2 million overall, the World Health Organization said Monday — but Bill Clinton says that's still not nearly enough....More

In US cities, AIDS virus is linked more to poverty than race, study finds

ATLANTA - Poverty is perhaps the most important factor in whether inner-city heterosexuals are infected with the AIDS virus, according to the first government study of its kind....More

'War on drugs' fuels HIV epidemic as governments ignore science, experts say

VANCOUVER - Two Vancouver-based groups that do research on HIV-AIDS and drug policy say the war on drugs waged by many governments, including the government of Canada, has failed to curb illegal drug use and is actually fuelling the spread of the disease....More

In Uzbekistan, haunting tales of mass sterilization drive to curb population growth

GULISTAN, Uzbekistan - Saodat Rakhimbayeva says she wishes she had died with her newborn baby. The 24-year-old housewife had a cesarean section in March and gave birth to Ibrohim, a premature boy who died three days later....More

Ideology trumps evidence in Tories' decision to replace census: medical journal

OTTAWA - Ideology has trumped evidence in the Tory government's decision to scrap the long-form census, Canada's leading medical journal says in a searing editorial released Thursday....More

How old is too old to use opposite-sex bathroom? Parents face public bathroom angst

When you're out of the house and a kid says he has to go, you can bet he means business....More

High court rejects appeal by BC man who had to pay for own prostate exam

OTTAWA - The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear an appeal by a man who claimed it was unfair that he had to pay for a prostate screening test. Laurence Armstrong of Victoria, B.C....More

Healthy food advocates launch snack attack on school vending machine junk

SAN FRANCISCO - It's not hard to figure out that stocking school vending machines with sugary sodas and salty, fatty snacks is a bad idea. Replacing those culinary culprits with something more nutritious is tougher....More

Genetically altered mosquito could one day end malaria's deadly bite

TORONTO - With at least one million people dying each year from malaria — most of them children in sub-Saharan Africa —researchers are scrambling to find a way to stop the mosquito-borne parasitic disease by any means. Now U.S....More

Diabetics urged not to change diabetes drugs used without doctor's say-so

TORONTO - Medical experts are warning people taking a controversial diabetes drug not to change their medication without consulting their doctor....More

As of today, Manitoba drivers banned from cell phone use, smoking with kids

WINNIPEG - Manitoba drivers are facing some new rules as of today. Talking on a handheld phone while driving, or smoking while kids are in the car, can get you a fine of $199.80....More

Salmonella outbreak from headcheese sends several elderly patients to hospital

VANCOUVER - The B.C. Centre for Disease Control has issued a warning about a salmonella outbreak involving the Freybe brand of headcheese....More

Quebec to fully fund in vitro fertilization as of August

MONTREAL - Couples struggling to conceive are about to get financial help from the Quebec government to pay for fertility treatments....More

Needle-free flu vaccine gets green light; will hit Canadian market this fall

TORONTO - Come this fall, some Canadians will finally have the option of getting a flu shot without the shot part....More

Needle-free flu vaccine gets green light; will hit Canadian market this fall

TORONTO - Come this fall, some Canadians will finally have the option of getting a flu shot without the shot part....More

Hold the lettuce: Some brands of romaine-based salads contaminated with E. coli

TORONTO - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to eat some types of Fresh Express brand romaine-based salads because they may be contaminated with E. coli....More

Health Canada to launch public consultation on whether to ban drop-side cribs

TORONTO - Health Canada says it wants to have a public conversation about whether it's time to ban drop-side cribs....More

Experimental diet pill promising with fewer health risks, study shows

ATLANTA - An experimental diet pill helped about half the people who tried it lose some weight and keep it off a year later, without the heart problems that some earlier drugs caused, a study found....More

As of today, Manitoba drivers banned from cell phone use, smoking with kids

WINNIPEG - Manitoba drivers are facing some new rules as of today. Talking on a handheld phone while driving, or smoking while kids are in the car, can get you a fine of $199.80....More

Many American doctors don't blow whistle on addicted, incompetent colleagues

CHICAGO - Your doctor could be drunk, addicted to drugs or outright incompetent, but other physicians may not blow the whistle....More

Lip necrosis and gangrene among side-effects seen with dermal fillers use

TORONTO - A person in Canada suffered lip necrosis — tissue death — and gangrene after being injected with a dermal filler, an adverse drug reaction newsletter from Health Canada reported Tuesday....More

High-stakes meeting on Avandia exposes internal rifts among US scientists

WASHINGTON - The diabetes pill Avandia has been used by millions of patients and racked up billions in sales in more than a decade on the market. This week the U....More

Health authority to take a new look at thousands of CT scans in southwest Sask.

SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. - Health officials in southwestern Saskatchewan are going to review thousands of CT scans done since January 2008. The Cypress Health Region says concerns have been raised about the way diagnostic images have been interpreted....More

Fox, Jake Gyllenhaal back TV fundraiser 'Stand Up to Cancer' airing this fall

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - A fourth major broadcast network and Jake Gyllenhaal are adding their support to the ambitious TV fundraiser "Stand Up to Cancer....More

Danish company delivers 1 million doses of next-generation smallpox vaccine to US stockpile

WASHINGTON - A Danish company has delivered the first 1 million doses of a next-generation smallpox vaccine to the U.S. national stockpile, a vaccine reserved for people with weakened immune systems....More

Bucking bulls carry serious risks for cowboys, shows early rodeo registry

CALGARY - The pounding hooves of a bucking bull are more likely to be deadly if they collide with a cowboy's body than his head, but a helmet could help him finish the ride alive, suggests new research....More

Another cadmium jewelry recall: 137,000 Tween jewelry trinkets

About 137,000 pieces of imported children's jewelry sold at two U.S. stores popular with pre-teen girls — Justice and Limited Too — were recalled Tuesday for high levels of cadmium, the latest in a series of recalls involving the toxic metal....More

Know your pedigree: Family medical history holds key to your health

TORONTO - A decade after scientists completed the once unthinkable task of charting the genetic codes of humans, a simple low-tech tool may be more, not less, important for staying healthy....More

From texting to two-way feedback, testing cellphones as tool to fight disease

WASHINGTON - What if my blood sugar's too high today? Is it time for my blood pressure pill? With nagging text messages or more customized two-way interactions, researchers are trying to harness the power of cellphones to help fight chronic diseases....More

Coughing, sneezing into hands common but isn't right way to stop spread of germs

ATLANTA - Alas, here's more proof that most people have habits that aren't very sanitary — and sometimes can be plain disgusting....More

Alberta premier asks for review of bigwig bonuses at health superboard

CALGARY - Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says he has asked his health minister to review controversial bonuses given to bigwigs at the province's health superboard....More

Alberta doctor suspended for 18 months for having sex with a patient

EDMONTON - An Edmonton family doctor has been banned from practising medicine for having sex with one of his patients. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta says Dr. Wlodzimierz Rydz has been suspended for 18-months....More

Advances in finding Alzheimer's disease show need for drugs to stop or slow its course

Scientists are reporting advances in detecting and predicting Alzheimer's disease at a conference in Honolulu this week, plus more proof that getting enough exercise and vitamin D may lower your risk. There are better brain scans to spot Alzheimer's disease....More

Undeclared Egg in Yiangello Brand Cookies & Cream Cheesecakes prompts recall

OTTAWA - People with egg protein allergies are being warned not to consume Yiangello brand Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes. The affected products, made by Dawn Food Products Montreal Limited, contain egg, which is not declared on the label....More

UN: Number of young people with HIV in Africa is falling in countries hardest hit by the virus

LONDON - The number of young people infected with HIV in Africa is falling in 16 of the 25 countries hardest hit by the virus, according to a new report by a U.N. agency....More

Health Canada says benefits of controversial diabetes drug still outweigh risks

TORONTO - Health Canada has waded into the controversy over the diabetes medication rosiglitazone, which is sold under the brand name Avandia....More

US regulatory agency scrutinizes diabetes pill Avandia's safety risks ahead of deliberations

WASHINGTON - A review by U.S. health scientists reinforces potential ties between the diabetes pill Avandia and heart attack and death. The result opens the door for government action, including a possible withdrawal of the once blockbuster drug. The U.S....More

N.S. approves use of generic for cholesterol control drug Lipitor

HALIFAX - Nova Scotians who use the cholesterol control drug Lipitor will soon be able to save money by opting for its less expensive generic....More

Contracts awarded for additional cataract, corneal surgeries in Alberta

EDMONTON - Alberta government contracts have been awarded to Calgary and Edmonton clinics that will perform an additional 1,400 cataract surgeries in coming months....More

B.C. to cut generic drug costs to 35 per cent of brand-name pharmaceuticals

VANCOUVER - British Columbians will pay less for generic drugs as the cost drops to 35 per cent of brand-name versions over the next three years, following on a bold standard set by Ontario....More

Top senator seeks probe into marketing of flavoured alcoholic drinks

ALBANY, N.Y. - New York Sen. Charles Schumer is urging the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the marketing of flavoured alcoholic beverages with caffeine that appear to be explicitly designed to attract underage drinkers....More

Odour onslaught showed oilpatch oversight confusing, frustrating: critics

PEACE RIVER, Alta. - When the Alberta government travelled to the tiny town of Peace River last week to discuss the oilpatch smells that are making area residents sick, it may have brought part of the problem along with it....More

Health agency says faucets can be turned back on in Fawcett, Alta.

FAWCETT, Alta. - A provincial agency says it's now safe for residents of an Alberta community to use the water that comes out of their taps. But some residents of Fawcett, Alta., say the water still stinks and they'd don't want to drink it....More

Baltimore food czar faces challenge of bringing healthy food to poor

BALTIMORE - At the Almost Everything Grocery & Deli in east Baltimore, a cashier hits a buzzer, allowing customers to open the locked door. Inside, they're greeted by ... very little....More

Authorities urge prudence as heat wave envelopes southern Quebec, Ontario

A record-breaking heat wave has enveloped Canada's most populous corridor with a mixture of scorching sun and stifling haze that has proven fatal farther south....More

4 new doctors getting residency training in Swift Current, Saskatchewan

SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. - Four medical residents are receiving training in family medicine at a new clinic in Swift Current, Sask. It's part of a plan by Saskatchewan's College of Medicine to expand medical education beyond Saskatoon....More

Tween hosts of Fit For A Feast site share appetite for healthy living with kids

TORONTO - They may not yet be household names and aren't even into their teen years, but Katrina Pacher and Sloane Wilson already have a fan base that spans countries and continents. An orphanage in Utah is using their recipes....More

Quest for AIDS vaccine gets boost from discovery of potent antibodies

TORONTO - Researchers have discovered two powerful antibodies that neutralize most known strains of the AIDS virus in laboratory testing, providing a possible new direction for developing an effective vaccine to prevent the disease....More

N.S. to provide free flu shots to everyone in province this winter

HALIFAX - Seasonal flu shots will be free for all Nova Scotians later this year. Health Minister Maureen MacDonald says the potential exists for H1N1 to be one of the main influenza strains this coming winter....More

High-tech ER at Vancouver hospital tracks patients' location, tests, treatment

VANCOUVER - A new high-tech emergency department has opened at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver featuring electronic tracking equipment that will tell doctors where patients are, who's treating them and what tests they're having. The $14....More

Health Canada says benefits of controversial diabetes drug still outweigh risks

TORONTO - Health Canada has waded into the controversy over the diabetes medication rosiglitazone, which is sold under the brand name Avandia....More

Study says increasing HIV drug treatment will save millions through prevention

VANCOUVER - Treating more HIV patients will prevent the spread of the virus and save almost $1 billion in health-care costs in British Columbia over 30 years, a new study suggests....More

Regina doctor sentenced to jail for sexually assaulting patients

REGINA - A Regina doctor convicted of sexually assaulting two of his patients has been sentenced to two-years less a day in jail. Dr. Edward Poon was charged after six women complained in 2008 that they had been assaulted during medical examinations....More

Nuke watchdog says Chalk River facility now safe, authorizes restart

OTTAWA - Canada's nuclear watchdog has declared the controversial nuclear facility at Chalk River, Ont., safe and has authorized its restart after more than a year of repairs. The announcement came today after Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd....More

New robotic system allows medical diagnoses in remote Labrador community

NAIN, N.L. - A new robotic system has been installed at a health clinic in the remote Labrador community of Nain allowing for medical care without the need to travel....More

FDA clears first telescope implanted into eye to counter blindness of aging

WASHINGTON - U.S. health officials have approved a first-of-its-kind technology to counter a leading cause of blindness in older adults — a tiny telescope implanted inside the eye....More

Baltimore food czar faces challenge of bringing healthy food to poor

BALTIMORE - At the Almost Everything Grocery & Deli in east Baltimore, a cashier hits a buzzer, allowing customers to open the locked door. Inside, they're greeted by ... very little....More

Authorities urge prudence as heat wave envelopes southern Quebec, Ontario

A record-breaking heat wave has enveloped Canada's most populous corridor with a mixture of scorching sun and stifling haze that has proven fatal farther south....More

4 new doctors getting residency training in Swift Current, Saskatchewan

SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. - Four medical residents are receiving training in family medicine at a new clinic in Swift Current, Sask. It's part of a plan by Saskatchewan's College of Medicine to expand medical education beyond Saskatoon....More

Well-wishers like 'wind under your wings,' says cancer-stricken NDP leader

OTTAWA - NDP Leader Jack Layton says public support for his battle against prostate cancer has been like "wind under your wings....More

Public health officials offer 3 simple rules to beat Canada's ongoing heat wave

Health officials offer three simple rules for beating the heat: stay cool indoors, keep hydrated, take it easy on the physical activity....More

N.S. cancer surgeons join project testing web-based way of reporting results

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia is joining several other provinces in testing a web-based method of reporting the results of surgeries on cancer patients....More

Extreme heat blanketing Central Canada expected to stay until weekend

With Central Canada expected to be blanketed by heat and smog for the rest of the week, people are being advised to find a nice cool place to chill out....More

Colon cancer testing increasing, but breast screening has plateaued, CDC says

ATLANTA - More older Americans are getting tested for colon cancer, with nearly two out of three getting recommended screenings. Meanwhile, rates for breast cancer screening remain stuck on a higher plateau, according to a U.S....More

Bridge barrier ended jumping deaths, more prevention plans needed: study

TORONTO - Erecting a barrier on a landmark Toronto bridge successfully stopped people from ending their lives at the infamous site, but rates of suicide-by-jumping in Canada's largest city have remained unchanged, a study has found....More

Authorities urge prudence as heat wave envelopes southern Quebec, Ontario

A record-breaking heat wave has enveloped Canada's most populous corridor with a mixture of scorching sun and stifling haze that has proven fatal farther south....More

Support a cancer march or an asbestos mine? No dilemma for town named Asbestos

MONTREAL - A mining town was faced with the following choice: Support a cancer fundraiser or an asbestos operation. For a town named Asbestos, there was no dilemma at all....More

Toronto declares heat alert as temperature soars; 31 degrees expected today

TORONTO - Toronto's medical officer of health has issued a heat alert for the city amid soaring temperatures. It will be in effect until further notice. In issuing the alert, Dr....More

Smog advisory issued for parts of southern and central Ontario

TORONTO - Environment Canada has issued a smog advisory for parts of southern and central Ontario. The affected region includes Toronto, Hamilton, Barrie, Peterborough, London, Sarnia, and Windsor....More

US study group urges more postmenopausal women to be screened for osteoporosis

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Routine screening for osteoporosis should include all younger postmenopausal women who have at least the same chance of a bone break as an older woman, a government task force said Monday....More

Starting school day half-hour later shows big gains for tired teens in Rhode Island study

CHICAGO - Giving teens 30 extra minutes to start their school day leads to more alertness in class, better moods, less tardiness, and even healthier breakfasts, a small study found. "The results were stunning....More

It's summertime, and the fair's in town: Stay safe, healthy at amusement parks

Thousands of Canadians will visit amusement parks and fairs this summer, strolling through sun-drenched grounds and clambering onboard to experience the hang-onto-your-stomach thrill of the rides....More

Experimental drug targets Achilles heel of breast cancer caused by BRCA mutation

TORONTO - An experimental drug designed to attack breast cancer cells caused by a particular genetic mutation appears to show some promise in arresting the growth of tumours, researchers say....More

Excess TV, computer video gaming linked to poor attention in kids: study

TORONTO - Children who spend many hours a day glued to the TV or playing computer video games may be harming their ability to concentrate and focus on tasks in school, researchers suggest....More

Canada pulls fruit and candy flavoured cigarettes off store shelves

TORONTO - Canada is pulling flavoured cigarettes and cigars off store shelves today to discourage children and youth from picking up the habit....More

40 million doses of expired swine flu vaccine to be destroyed in the US

ATLANTA - A whopping 40 million doses of swine flu vaccine have expired and will be destroyed. That’s believed to be a record loss of flu vaccine. And it means about a quarter of the swine flu vaccine supply for the U.S....More

24,000 Alberta registered nurses approve three-year contract

EDMONTON - Members of the union that represents 24,000 registered nurses in Alberta have voted in favour of a new contract. The United Nurses of Alberta had been recommending acceptance of a three-year deal recommended by a mediator....More

The wounds of war: physical, psychological injuries legacy of Afghan battle

VANCOUVER - Master Cpl. Jody Mitic was a sniper on patrol with his unit in Kandahar province in January 2007 when he stepped on a land mine and lost both legs below the knee....More

Costs may hinder access to public HPV vaccination for Canadian males

MONTREAL - Issues like cost may mean a long wait before Canadian boys have the same access as girls to a public immunization program for a highly prevalent sexually transmitted disease, experts attending a conference on the subject said Saturday....More

Toronto declares heat alert as temperature soars; 31 degrees expected today

TORONTO - Toronto's medical officer of health has issued a heat alert for the city amid soaring temperatures. It will be in effect until further notice. In issuing the alert, Dr....More

Smog advisory issued for parts of southern and central Ontario

TORONTO - Environment Canada has issued a smog advisory for parts of southern and central Ontario. The affected region includes Toronto, Hamilton, Barrie, Peterborough, London, Sarnia, and Windsor....More

Excess TV, computer video gaming linked to poor attention in kids: study

TORONTO - Children who spend many hours a day glued to the TV or playing computer video games may be harming their ability to concentrate and focus on tasks in school, researchers suggest....More

Canada pulls fruit and candy flavoured cigarettes off store shelves

TORONTO - Canada is pulling flavoured cigarettes and cigars off store shelves today to discourage children and youth from picking up the habit....More

Canadian doctors call on Quebec to allow cash-strapped asbestos mine to die

MONTREAL - Canadian doctors are calling on Quebec to walk away from one of the country's last-remaining asbestos mines....More

British doctors say there could be twice as many cases of Huntington's disease as once thought

LONDON - British officials say there may be twice as many cases of Huntington's disease in Britain than previously thought....More

24,000 Alberta registered nurses vote on proposed three-year contract

EDMONTON - Members of the union that represents 24,000 registered nurses in Alberta are voting on a new contract. The United Nurses of Alberta is recommending acceptance of a three-year deal recommended by a mediator....More

Documents reveal it took months to develop Cdn space cookie for astronauts

MONTREAL - It may take your mother or grandmother one hour — tops — to make and bake a batch of oatmeal cookies....More

Centenarians appear to share similar genetic signatures: researchers

TORONTO - Researchers have identified a group of genetic signatures shared by people with exceptional longevity — those rare folks whose lifespans reach the century mark and beyond....More

Alberta Health says water in hamlet of Fawcett is dangerous for babies

FAWCETT, Alta. - Alberta Health Services is warning residents of Fawcett, Alta., to be cautious with the hamlet's drinking water....More

40 million doses of expired swine flu vaccine to be destroyed in the US

ATLANTA - A whopping 40 million doses of swine flu vaccine have expired and will be destroyed. That’s believed to be a record loss of flu vaccine. And it means about a quarter of the swine flu vaccine supply for the U.S....More

24,000 Alberta registered nurses approve three-year contract

EDMONTON - Members of the union that represents 24,000 registered nurses in Alberta have voted in favour of a new contract. The United Nurses of Alberta had been recommending acceptance of a three-year deal recommended by a mediator....More

Could teen exercise pay dividends in less cognitive impairment as a senior?

TORONTO - Exercise has been linked to possible benefits in staving off dementia in numerous studies in the past decade, but a new look at the topic suggests the earlier the better....More

Canadian doctors call on Quebec to allow cash-strapped asbestos mine to die

MONTREAL - Canadian doctors are calling on Quebec to walk away from one of the country's last-remaining asbestos mines....More

British doctors say there could be twice as many cases of Huntington's disease as once thought

LONDON - British officials say there may be twice as many cases of Huntington's disease in Britain than previously thought....More

24,000 Alberta registered nurses vote on proposed three-year contract

EDMONTON - Members of the union that represents 24,000 registered nurses in Alberta are voting on a new contract. The United Nurses of Alberta is recommending acceptance of a three-year deal recommended by a mediator....More

Documents reveal it took months to develop Cdn space cookie for astronauts

MONTREAL - It may take your mother or grandmother one hour — tops — to make and bake a batch of oatmeal cookies....More

Alberta Health says water in hamlet of Fawcett is dangerous for babies

FAWCETT, Alta. - Alberta Health Services is warning residents of Fawcett, Alta., to be cautious with the hamlet's drinking water....More

40 million doses of expired swine flu vaccine to be destroyed in the US

ATLANTA - A whopping 40 million doses of swine flu vaccine have expired and will be destroyed. That’s believed to be a record loss of flu vaccine. And it means about a quarter of the swine flu vaccine supply for the U.S....More

24,000 Alberta registered nurses approve three-year contract

EDMONTON - Members of the union that represents 24,000 registered nurses in Alberta have voted in favour of a new contract. The United Nurses of Alberta had been recommending acceptance of a three-year deal recommended by a mediator....More