ER visits for concussions soar among young athletes; docs say never 'tough out' these injuries

CHICAGO - Emergency room visits for school-age athletes with concussions has skyrocketed in recent years, suggesting the intensity of kids' sports has increased along with awareness of head injuries....More

Smoking cannabis can relieve some pain, improve sleep: clinical trial

TORONTO - Smoking pot can make some of the pain go away, without the patient getting high....More

Saskatchewan turns to private clinic for surgeries to clear patient backlog

REGINA - Saskatchewan has turned to private health care to help clear up a backlog of patients waiting for day surgeries....More

Review says safe injection site works and government should drop legal action

VANCOUVER - The authors of an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal reviewing the history and effectiveness of Vancouver's safe-injection site are urging the federal government to give up its Supreme Court of Canada challenge aimed at shutting the facility down....More

Pregnant and taking a trip? Ob-gyn author offers travelling advice

TORONTO - It's not uncommon for a woman who's expecting a baby to go on vacation beforehand, knowing that the early months of motherhood will be filled with diaper changes, feedings and sleepless nights....More

Governments should cover cost of smoking-cessation products: medical journal

TORONTO - The Canadian Medical Association Journal says provinces and territories should cover the cost of smoking-cessation programs and products to help tobacco users butt out....More

Smog advisory issued again for most of Ontario

TORONTO - People with breathing problems should take care -- Environment Canada has issued another smog advisory for much of southern Ontario. The advisory covers Windsor, Chatham and London to Niagara and Toronto....More

J.K. Rowling donates US$15.4 million for MS research

LONDON - Author J.K. Rowling has given US$15.4 million to set up a clinic to treat and research multiple sclerosis, the disease that killed her mother....More

Pigeon droppings may be source of e.Coli in White Rock water, boil order extends

WHITE ROCK, B.C. - Pigeon droppings are being blamed for a boil water advisory in White Rock that's been extended again throughout the weekend....More

Invest in cities, health care to boost voter turnout, Layton says

TORONTO - Jack Layton says governments need to invest in infrastructure and cities to make apathetic Canadians want to vote again....More

Sorbara denies telling mom to get aggressive autistic teen jailed

TORONTO - A co-founder of the Ontario Autism Coalition accused a Liberal provincial politician of suggesting she should have her autistic son jailed to get better treatment for him, but Greg Sorbara said his comments were misrepresented and he was set up....More

Sobara told mom to get aggressive autistic teen jailed, mom claims

TORONTO - A co-founder of the Ontario Autism Coalition says a Liberal member of the legislature told her she should have her aggressive autistic son jailed to get better treatment for him....More

More omega-3 fats don't help heart attack patients who get good care: study

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Eating more heart-healthy omega-3 fats provided no additional benefit in a study of heart attack survivors who were already getting good care, Dutch researchers report....More

Ex-CFLer Tony Proudfoot works to tackle Lou Gehrig's disease as his health fades

MONTREAL - Sitting on a patio chair in the tranquility of his backyard, Tony Proudfoot hammers away on a portable keyboard. The retired CFL all-star finishes typing a sentence and taps the grey "Speak" button....More

ER visits for concussions soar among young athletes; docs say never 'tough out' these injuries

CHICAGO - Emergency room visits for school-age athletes with concussions has skyrocketed in recent years, suggesting the intensity of kids' sports has increased along with awareness of head injuries....More

Smoking cannabis can relieve some pain, improve sleep: clinical trial

TORONTO - Smoking pot can make some of the pain go away, without the patient getting high....More

Premier says Saskatchewan not rushing MS surgery, but ready to move on trials

REGINA - Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says he believes there will be a proposal for clinical trials of a controversial multiple sclerosis treatment before the end of the year....More

P.E.I. seniors to see drug cost savings beginning next month

CHARLOTTETOWN - The cost of drugs is going down for thousands of seniors in Prince Edward Island on Sept. 1. That's when the provincial government's plan to reduce the seniors' co-pay by 25 per cent takes effect....More

One in 6 caregivers to ailing seniors in Canada is in distress: study

TORONTO - One in six people who take care of the everyday needs of ailing seniors at home is in a state of distress, says a study of more than 130,000 people age 65 and over who receive publicly funded long-term home care in Canada....More

MMA safety: Protecting fighters the Nevada way

TORONTO - In the wake of a Canadian Medical Association resolution calling for a ban on mixed martial arts, here is a look at the medical checks for fighters instituted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission....More

Health Canada issues warning following recall of MamaLittleHelper baby hammocks

OTTAWA - Health Canada is warning against using hammocks for infants and young children following a voluntary recall south of the border. The department says it's issuing the warning due to a potential suffocation hazard....More

Diet guru Michel Montignac, author of 'glycemic index' weight loss books, dies

PARIS - A French official says French diet guru Michel Montignac, whose "glycemic index" weight-loss books sold millions of copies, has died. The official at the City Hall of Annemasse, in eastern France, said Montignac died on Sunday at a clinic there....More

Alberta lifts air quality advisory issued last week because of forest fire smoke

EDMONTON - Alberta has lifted an air quality health advisory that it issued last week because of dense, acrid smoke from forest fires in British Columbia. Dr....More

Ontario to track overuse of OxyContin and other prescriptions drugs

TORONTO - Ontario's governing Liberals are moving ahead with new restrictions on the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin and other prescription narcotics....More

Health officials say frozen pulp may contain salmonella

TORONTO - Canadian health officials are warning consumers not to eat certain La Nuestra brand Mamey Pulp, because it may be contaminated with salmonella. La Nuestra brand Mamey Pulp comes from Guatemala, and has been recalled in the United States....More

E. coli traces prompt continued boil water order for White Rock, B.C.

WHITE ROCK, B.C. - A massive water tank in suburban Vancouver is being drained of its 1.2 million litres in an effort to pinpoint and flush E. coli contamination that's led to an indefinite boil-water order for about 20,000 residents....More

Auditor general says better health data a key to transforming system

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. - Canadians have no way of judging whether the health-care system is providing good value for their tax dollars because of a lack of solid information to assess its performance, Canada's auditor general says....More

Two lots of GlucaGen Hypokit subject to voluntary recall: manufacturer

TORONTO - Health Canada says two lots of a syringe product used by some people with diabetes are being recalled by the manufacturer. Novo Nordisk Canada Inc....More

N.B. Liberals make campaign promise to increase long-term care beds for seniors

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick Liberals are promising that, if re-elected, they will create 550 new advanced-care beds for seniors in the province. Premier Shawn Graham is to make the announcement Thursday afternoon in Fredericton....More

Emergency-room doctors urge MPs to keep long-gun registry

OTTAWA - Emergency-room doctors, who deal with the bloody reality of gunshots, are urging MPs to keep the long-gun registry. The Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians says it opposes a bid to kill the registry because it saves lives....More

Doctors group seeking ban of mixed martial arts matches in Canada

TORONTO - The country's largest doctors group wants government to ban mixed martial arts, a sport it calls dangerous because of the risk of potentially lifelong injuries to fighters....More

Artificial corneas pioneered by Canadian scientist give hope to vision impaired

OTTAWA - It was three months after the surgery before Dr. May Griffith got her first good night's sleep....More

Labyrinthitis makes the world spin for awhile, leaves its mark for life for some

TORONTO - Alison Anderson woke up one morning a few years ago feeling very, very dizzy. "The room was moving," Anderson, 28, said. "It felt like I was moving — and I was standing still....More

Emotional problems still rampant in Katrina kids 5 years after hurricane: study

NEW ORLEANS - A startling number of Gulf coast area children displaced by Hurricane Katrina still have serious emotional or behavioural problems five years later, a new study found....More

Efforts under way to ease ER delays, and some post wait times by text, billboard

WASHINGTON - Need an X-ray or stitches? Online, via text message or flashing on a billboard, some emergency rooms are advertising how long the dreaded wait for care will be, with estimates updated every few minutes....More

Paralyzed computer engineer helps develop technology for kids with disabilities

TORONTO - Eric Wan sways his head from side to side and the sound of tinkling ivories radiates throughout the room. The pace of the melody accelerates in tandem with the rhythm of his movements, as colourful shapes twirl in sync on a monitor....More

NYC, Philly and Detroit top list of most bedbug-infested cities

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - A leading pest control company has released a list of the 15 most bedbug-infested cities in the United States, and New York, Philadelphia and Detroit have scratched their way to the top....More

Michael Douglas, ex-wife Diandra clash over cash from 'Wall Street' sequel

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Michael Douglas' starring role in a sequel to "Wall Street" has gotten him an unwanted part in a legal sequel to his 2000 divorce....More

Medical program to help N.B. family doctors who also work in ERs

SAINT JOHN, N.B. - The New Brunswick government says it's working to improve training for some doctors who will practise both family and emergency medicine....More

Auditor general says better health data a key to transforming system

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. - Auditor General Sheila Fraser says governments need better reporting of health-related information if the health-care system is to be transformed to meet the future needs of Canadians....More

Brockton-area residents ordered to not use water due to possibly toxic algae

LAKE ROSALIND, Ont. - There were more water troubles Saturday for the municipality that includes Walkerton, Ont., where a tainted water tragedy was blamed for seven deaths in 2000....More

Tap on, weight off? Drinking water before meals aids in losing pounds: study

It's long been suggested that drinking water can help with weight loss, but now a scientific study lends some credence to the claim....More

Study finds mouse viruses in some chronic fatigue patients, but link not proven

WASHINGTON - A U.S. government study has uncovered a family of mouse viruses in some people with chronic fatigue syndrome, raising still more questions about whether an infection may play a role in the complicated illness....More

Patient advocate welcomes creation of charter for patient-centred care

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. - Patient advocates are backing a blueprint by Canada's largest doctors group to transform the health system by focusing on patient-centred care, but they admit the road forward could be strewn with obstacles....More

Obstetricians: Women should get antibiotics 1 hour before C-sections

WASHINGTON - Women who need a C-section should get antibiotics before, not after, they're cut — preferably within an hour of the start of surgery, says a new guideline for obstetricians in the United States....More

Labyrinthitis makes the world spin for awhile, leaves its mark for life for some

TORONTO - Alison Anderson woke up one morning a few years ago feeling very, very dizzy. "The room was moving," Anderson, 28, said. "It felt like I was moving — and I was standing still....More

Emotional problems still rampant in Katrina kids 5 years after hurricane: study

NEW ORLEANS - A startling number of Gulf coast area children displaced by Hurricane Katrina still have serious emotional or behavioural problems five years later, a new study found....More

Efforts under way to ease ER delays, and some post wait times by text, billboard

WASHINGTON - Need an X-ray or stitches? Online, via text message or flashing on a billboard, some emergency rooms are advertising how long the dreaded wait for care will be, with estimates updated every few minutes....More

Rescuers free man 5 hours after he fell into hole at Saskatoon construction site

SASKATOON - A 25-year-old man spent nearly five hours Friday trapped in a hole on a Saskatoon roadway before rescue workers pulled him to safety....More

In new system, Africans sending text messages to find out if medicine is real

LONDON - For Africans wondering whether the malaria drugs they've bought are real, there may soon be a quick way of finding out: sending a text message....More

Boil water advisory issued for parts of southern Ontario

ST. THOMAS, Ont. - A boil water advisory has been issued for residents in parts of southern Ontario. Officials with Elgin St. Thomas Public Health put out the advisory after a routine water test came back positive for E.coli bacteria....More

BC forest fire smoke drifting into Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, even Ont.

EDMONTON - Edmonton Marathon organizer John Stanton knows there's something in the air, and he doesn't like it. Stanton has been keeping an eye on the acrid grey smoke from B.C....More

'Penny-pinching' claims in veterans affairs to go under Commons microscope

OTTAWA - Opposition MPs plan to force another House of Commons committee to return early from summer break to review the impending departure of the first-ever veterans ombudsman....More

New superbug found at Brampton, Ont. hospital; patient had travelled to India

BRAMPTON, Ont. - Officials are confirming a new superburg first found in India and Pakistan has turned up at an Ontario hospital. The province's health ministry says antibiotic-resistant NDM-1 bacteria was confirmed at a Brampton hospital this week....More

Low pressure systems to clear smoke from West, and deliver rain to B.C. fires

EDMONTON - The buildings on prairie city skylines were becoming easier to see, but a smoky smell similar to a provincial park on a holiday long weekend lingered across much of Western Canada Saturday. However, drifting smoke from B.C....More

Brockton-area residents ordered to not use water due to possibly toxic algae

LAKE ROSALIND, Ont. - There were more water troubles Saturday for the municipality that includes Walkerton, Ont., where a tainted water tragedy was blamed for seven deaths in 2000....More

Tobacco use on the silver screen down; still shown in half of PG-13-rated movies: study

NEW YORK, N.Y. - There's a lot less smoking in the movies these days, a new report shows. Tobacco use on the silver screen peaked in 2005 and has been on the decline since, according to research that looked at the most popular films from 1991 to 2009....More

Saskatchewan hires Alberta man to help solve province's doctor shortage

REGINA - Saskatchewan has hired an Alberta man to help solve the province's ongoing doctors shortage problem....More

Nova Scotia premier supports clinical trial on controversial MS treatment

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia's premier has added his voice to a growing chorus of support for a national clinical trial for a controversial treatment for multiple sclerosis....More

Lawyer for Ontario woman accused of faking cancer hopes she gets bail Friday

MILTON, Ont. - The lawyer for an Ontario woman accused of faking terminal cancer and taking money raised to help her hopes she will be released from jail Friday, though he is concerned for her once she is out. Police allege Ashley Kirilow, of Burlington, Ont....More

Health officials say frozen fruit pulp may contain Salmonella, recalled in U.S.

Canadian health officials are warning consumers not to eat Goya brand Fruta Mamey Pulp, which has been recalled in the United States for carrying traces of Salmonella. Goya brand Fruta Mamey Pulp comes from Guatemala, and has been distributed in Quebec....More

Doctors want MMA ban over injury fears, but league says fighter safety a priority

TORONTO - Joe Doerksen isn't sure what all the fuss is about. As far as the mixed martial arts fighter is concerned, his sport is no more dangerous than most other high-contact contests and might even be safer than many recreational pursuits....More

Certain pesticides linked to attention problems in young kids: study

TORONTO - Children exposed to organophosphate pesticides while still in the womb are more likely to exhibit attention and behavioural problems by kindergarten age, researchers suggest....More

Alberta chief medical officer issues health warning due to B.C. fire smoke

EDMONTON - Alberta's chief medical officer is warning people with respiratory problems to remain indoors as a pall of acrid smoke from British Columbia forest fires hangs over the province....More

Prosthetic makeup artists give medical educators a hand in recreating injuries

TORONTO - Members of Ornge, Ontario's transport medicine service, are typically in the business of helping to treat injuries — not create them....More

Lung cancer patients live longer, not just better, with care stressing quality of life

Palliative care, which helps the gravely ill make the most of the time they have left, provided a surprising bonus for terminal lung cancer patients: More time left to enjoy....More

Low-income women at greater risk for diabetes than high-income women: study

TORONTO - Lower-income women were more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than high-income women in a 14-year study, even when researchers controlled for the effects of being overweight and ethnic and cultural background....More

Liberals urge government to protect freshwater from oilsands development

OTTAWA - Federal Liberals say the Harper government is in denial about the negative impact of oilsands development on Alberta's freshwater supplies....More

Government says Red Deer physician broke law by leaving patient records behind

RED DEER, Alta. - An investigator says a Red Deer physician has broken an Alberta law by leaving behind patient medical records when he moved his office....More

Chalk River reactor resumes isotope production after long shutdown

OTTAWA - The first batches of medical isotopes to come out of the Chalk River nuclear reactor in more than a year should start arriving at clinics within days. The shipments can't come soon enough for patients waiting for tests....More

Bureaucracy stymies efforts to help veterans, ombudsman charges

OTTAWA - The country's soon-to-be former veterans ombudsman is accusing federal bureaucrats of "cheating" war widows and saying it's better for the country if soldiers die in Afghanistan rather than come home wounded to be a burden on the treasury....More

Certain pesticides linked to attention problems in young kids: study

TORONTO - Children exposed to organophosphate pesticides while still in the womb are more likely to exhibit attention and behavioural problems by kindergarten age, researchers suggest....More

Le Belle de Jersey cheese may contain Listeria monocytogenes

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to consume Le Belle de Jersey cheese because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes....More

Kids who are younger than peers more likely to get ADHD diagnosis: studies

TORONTO - Kids who are younger than their classmates are more likely to be diagnosed with or treated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, two new U.S. studies have found....More

First parents, now teachers concerned about Wi-Fi in Ontario schools

TORONTO - A group of Ontario teachers is joining a push to remove wireless Internet from classrooms in the province for fear it's harming children's health....More

Experts urge caution with music volumes as study finds 1 in 5 US teens has slight hearing loss

CHICAGO - A stunning number of teens have lost a little bit of their hearing — nearly one in five — and the problem has increased substantially in recent years, a new national study has found....More

Chalk River reactor resumes isotope production after long shutdown

OTTAWA - The first batches of medical isotopes to come out of the Chalk River nuclear reactor in more than a year should start arriving at clinics within days. The shipments can't come soon enough for patients waiting for tests....More

Alberta Health Services reports spike in viral meningitis cases in Edmonton area

EDMONTON - Alberta Health Services is warning people to avoid sharing water bottles, soft drinks, lipstick and cigarettes because of an outbreak of viral meningitis in the province....More

Chalk River reactor resumes isotope production after long shutdown

OTTAWA - The first batches of medical isotopes to come out of the Chalk River nuclear reactor in more than a year should start arriving at clinics within days. The shipments can't come soon enough for patients waiting for tests....More

Bureaucracy stymies efforts to help veterans, ombudsman charges

OTTAWA - The country's soon-to-be former veterans ombudsman is accusing federal bureaucrats of "cheating" war widows and saying it's better for the country if soldiers die in Afghanistan rather than come home wounded to be a burden on the treasury....More

Manitoba health minister calls for national trials of controversial MS procedure

WINNIPEG - Manitoba's health minister called Monday for a national clinical trial of a controversial treatment for multiple sclerosis that has lured some Canadian sufferers overseas....More

Intense testing under way to assure safety of Gulf seafood following oil spill

WASHINGTON - Fish, shrimp and other catches from the Gulf of Mexico are being ground up to hunt for minute traces of oil in what's considered unprecedented safety testing — sort of a "CSI" for seafood that's far more reassuring than the sniff test that made all the...More

Home care lowers deaths among elderly patients following hip surgery: study

TORONTO - Elderly patients given formal home care after a hip replacement due to a fall have a lower risk of dying within a few months after leaving hospital compared to those who don't get such follow-up services, a study suggests....More

HEALTHBEAT: Intense testing under way to assure safety of Gulf seafood

WASHINGTON - Seafood from the Gulf of Mexico is being put under the microscope like no other kind on the market, with fish, shrimp and other catches ground up to hunt for minute traces of oil — far more reassuring than that sniff test that made all the headlines....More

Family comes to grips with snip of son's tip in circumcision film

OTTAWA - A snip of the tip wasn't on Danae Elon's mind when her husband walked into the kitchen with a question: "What are we going to do if it's a boy?" It was two months into her pregnancy and the couple hadn't really talked about circumcising their first...More

Cancer is world's top 'economic killer' as well as its leading cause of death, report finds

Cancer is the world's top "economic killer" as well as its likely leading cause of death, the American Cancer Society contends in a new report it will present at a global cancer conference in China this week....More

Breadwinners beware? Men dependent on women's income more likely to cheat: study

TORONTO - They may have success in bringing home the bucks, but new research suggests female breadwinners may be less victorious in the love department when it comes to their male partners staying faithful....More

Study finds less lead in Canadians' blood, but chemicals in their urine

OTTAWA - It's found in some plastic bottles and in the linings of tin cans — and probably in your urine, too. Most Canadians have low levels of a chemical called bisphenol A in their urine, a new federal study has found....More

Toddler Maddox Flynn home in Alberta after surgery to remove growth from face

EDMONTON - An Edmonton toddler who underwent a second operation in New York to remove a severe swelling on his face is back home in Canada. Maddox Flynn arrived in Edmonton this morning with his parents....More

Ministry of Health reports outbreak of Salmonella Oranienberg in Ontario

The Ministry of Health is reporting an outbreak of Salmonella Oranienberg in Ontario. Salmonella Oranienberg is a rare form of Salmonella that causes acute intestinal infection in humans....More

Toddler Maddox Flynn home in Alberta after surgery to remove growth from face

EDMONTON - An Edmonton toddler who underwent a second operation in New York to remove a malformation on his face is back home in Canada. Maddox Flynn arrived in Edmonton Saturday morning with his parents....More

Study: Teen flings bad for grades, but sex in relationship doesn't affect school performance

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - There's good news for parents who worry that their teenagers' sex lives are affecting their school performance: A provocative new study has found that teens in committed relationships do no better or worse in school than those who don't have sex....More

Parents at 14 Barrie, Ont.-area schools say Wi-Fi is making their kids sick

TORONTO - A group of central Ontario parents is demanding their children's schools turn off wireless Internet before they head back to school next month, fearing the technology is making the kids sick. Some parents in the Barrie, Ont....More

Green onions sold in Ontario may be contaminated with salmonella:CFIA

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning consumers not to consume some green onions sold in the Toronto area since they may be contaminated with salmonella....More

HEALTHBEAT: Intense testing under way to assure safety of Gulf seafood

WASHINGTON - Seafood from the Gulf of Mexico is being put under the microscope like no other kind on the market, with fish, shrimp and other catches ground up to hunt for minute traces of oil _ far more reassuring than that sniff test that made all the headlines....More

Breadwinners beware? Men dependent on women's income more likely to cheat: study

TORONTO - They may have success in bringing home the bucks, but new research suggests female breadwinners may be less victorious in the love department when it comes to their male partners staying faithful....More

Poultry, beef, leafy greens named top culprits in food poisoning outbreaks

ATLANTA - Cooking chicken on the grill this summer? Be careful. Poultry is still the leading culprit in food poisoning outbreaks, U.S. health officials said Thursday....More

Omar Khadr's defence lawyer collapses in court; in hospital on morphine

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - The war-crimes trial of Omar Khadr was thrown into disarray late Thursday after his defence lawyer collapsed in front of shocked participants in the courtroom and was taken to hospital. Lt. Col....More

New gel currently being tested could speed wound healing, British scientists say

LONDON - For three years, Connie McPherson had debilitating leg ulcers that were so painful she sometimes couldn't sleep. Despite repeated surgery, antibiotics, steroids and other treatments, nothing helped....More

McGuinty defends local health agencies but admits they need to be more open

SUDBURY, Ont. - Ontario's Local Health Integration Networks are an important way to get local input on critical health care decisions, but they need to do a better job of consulting their communities, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Thursday....More

Keep tabs on alcohol use among women of child-bearing age, doctors told

TORONTO - Health providers should routinely ask women of child-bearing age about their alcohol consumption as a first step in trying to prevent fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in children, says the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada....More

Getting along with dad? Relationship may play role in later-life stress: study

TORONTO - The father-son relationship may affect how sons, when they've grown into adults, deal with day-to-day stress in their lives, a new study suggests....More

Frozen fruit pulp used in smoothies tied to rare US outbreak of typhoid fever in West

ATLANTA - A rare U.S. outbreak of typhoid fever has been linked to a frozen tropical fruit product used to make smoothies, health officials reported Thursday. Seven cases have been confirmed — three in California and four in Nevada....More

Shopsy's Jumbo Franks recalled over undeclared wheat; no illnesses reported

OTTAWA - People with wheat allergies are being asked not to eat Shopsy’s Original Recipe brand Jumbo Franks. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Maple Leaf Consumer Foods say the affected product contains wheat which is not declared on the label....More

All provinces should have helmet laws for cyclists: university study

WINNIPEG - A new study is calling on provincial governments to pass laws that force cyclists to wear helmets....More

Woman accused of faking cancer faces a new fraud charge

MILTON, Ont. - An Ontario woman accused of faking terminal cancer and taking money raised to help her is facing another fraud charge. Police allege Ashley Kirilow, of Burlington, Ont....More

Stem cells offer hope for treating rare but deadly genetic skin disease

TORONTO - As children's diseases go, it is surely one of the most cruel. Skin that blisters and turns into gaping sores with the merest bump or pressure. Open wounds in the mouth and digestive tract that make eating painful or even impossible....More

Pump up for less: Heavy weights not needed to help build muscle, study suggests

HAMILTON - For individuals looking to build some brawn, pumping up your muscles may be possible without the heavy lifting, according to new research....More

Ontario delays review of health agencies that dole out $21 billion until 2012

TORONTO - Health care advocates and opposition parties cried foul Wednesday after an overdue review of controversial provincial agencies that dole out $21.5 billion a year in health funding was postponed until after next year's Ontario election....More

Gov't building closed in N.B. after mould found near ventilation system

SHEDIAC, N.B. - A government building in Shediac, N.B., has been closed indefinitely after the discovery of mould near an air intake to the building's ventilation system. Place Pascal was closed last Thursday as a preventative measure....More

British doctors warn new superbug gene from India could spread widely

LONDON - People travelling to India for medical procedures have brought back to Britain a new gene that allows any bacteria to become a superbug, and scientists are warning this type of drug resistance could soon appear worldwide....More

Superbug was brought to Canada and treated, with no spread: official

TORONTO - A single case has turned up in Canada of a person affected by a new strain of bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics, a health official said Wednesday....More

Flooding blamed for anthrax outbreak in bison in southern Saskatchewan

REGINA - Severe flooding across a wide swath of the Prairies is being blamed for an anthrax outbreak in bison in southern Saskatchewan....More

Evolution under way to learn when mild memory loss signals later-in-life dementia

WASHINGTON - Doctors cannot tell if Leif Utoft Bollesen's mild memory loss will remain an annoyance or worsen, but experimental checks of the man's aging brain may offer clues....More

Drug-resistant staph infections linked with health care decline: US report

CHICAGO - U.S. government research shows hard-to-treat staph infections caught in hospitals or through medical treatment are becoming scarcer....More

Chretien released from hospital, headed home to recover in Shawinigan

MONTREAL - Jean Chretien was apparently raring to get out of the hospital when he was discharged Monday, just three days after undergoing brain surgery....More

Biochip weds brain cells and electronics, should prove boon for drug testing

TORONTO - It seems like the stuff of science fiction, but Canadian researchers have created a microchip embedded with brain cells that allows them to "listen in" as the neurons communicate with each other....More

All provinces should have helmet laws for cyclists: university study

WINNIPEG - A new study is calling on provincial governments to pass laws that force cyclists to wear helmets....More

Woman accused of faking cancer due in court today to continue bail hearing

MILTON, Ont. - A woman accused of faking terminal cancer and taking money raised to help her is due back in court today in Milton, Ont., to continue her bail hearing. Police allege Ashley Kirilow, of Burlington, Ont....More

Gov't building closed in N.B. after mould found near ventilation system

SHEDIAC, N.B. - A government building in Shediac, N.B., has been closed indefinitely after the discovery of mould near an air intake to the building's ventilation system. Place Pascal was closed last Thursday as a preventative measure....More

FDA warns about filters meant to trap deadly blood clots; 900 problems reported

CHICAGO - Medical filters that stop blood clots from reaching the lungs can move or break and cause life-threatening problems for patients, the U.S. government and a medical journal report said Monday....More

Farmers, cottagers told to be careful after hantavirus reported in Saskatchewan

REGINA - Health officials in Saskatchewan are urging farmers, grain handlers and cottagers to take precautions after a case of hantavirus was reported....More

Evolution under way to learn when mild memory loss signals later-life dementia

WASHINGTON - Doctors can't tell if Leif Utoft Bollesen's mild memory loss will remain an annoyance or worsen, but experimental checks of the Minnesota man's aging brain may offer clues....More

Death in sauna competition sparks reminder of extreme heat dangers

TORONTO - The death of a Russian contestant in the World Sauna Competition in Finland is providing a cautionary tale for more casual users of the centuries-old heat therapy designed for relaxation and other health benefits....More

B.C. researchers say personalized treatments coming for rare cancers

VANCOUVER - Researchers at the B.C. Cancer Agency say they're working on a new technique that may one day provide custom-made treatments for people with rare cancers....More

WHO says decision on whether to downgrade swine flu pandemic is likely Tuesday

GENEVA - The World Health Organization said it will likely decide Tuesday whether to declare the swine flu pandemic over, months after many national authorities started cancelling vaccine orders and shutting down hotlines as the disease ebbed from the headlines....More

Forces closes book on officer's suicide, but troubling questions persist

OTTAWA - The Canadian Forces has quietly closed the book on the case of Maj. Michelle Mendes and officially ruled the death of the rising military star as a suicide....More

Chretien released from hospital, headed home to recover in Shawinigan

MONTREAL - Jean Chretien was apparently raring to get out of the hospital when he was discharged Monday, just three days after undergoing brain surgery....More

Giant hogweed finds itself on the radar of Canadians coast-to-coast

MONTREAL - It's tall, pretty and impressive and it has been living quietly in Canadian yards and hiding out in lush green space for decades....More

Nova Scotia nursing home residents were hit, spat on, reports reveal

HALIFAX - Nursing home staff hit, spit and in one instance used a pen to draw on a resident, according to Nova Scotia government summaries of abuse at homes over the past 20 months....More

Lessons on bullying, cyberstalking and defibrillators coming this fall

TORONTO - Bullying, cyberstalking, drug abuse and defibrillators are among the new subjects coming this fall to elementary school classrooms across Ontario....More

End is nigh for H1N1 pandemic: WHO head hints declaration could come this week

TORONTO - The H1N1 pandemic is likely to be officially consigned to the history books in the next week or so, says Dr. Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organization....More

Anti-abortion sniper won't face Canuck justice for suspected attacks on doctors

OTTAWA - A notorious anti-abortion sniper serving a murder sentence in the U.S. will not face justice in Canada for suspicion of attacks on three doctors here, The Canadian Press has learned....More

50-per-cent spike in older inmates carries cost implications for prison policy

MONTREAL - The number of federal inmates older than 50 surged by almost half in less than a decade as prisons undergo a demographic trend with wide-ranging implications for Canada's correctional system....More

Woman who allegedly faked cancer to appear in court Monday

TORONTO - An Ontario woman who police say pretended to have cancer to raise money for herself is set to appear in court today. A bail hearing will be held in Toronto for Ashley Anne Kirilow of Burlington, Ont....More

Pet food may be making kids sick; agency calls kibble an under-recognized salmonella source

CHICAGO - Fido's food may be making kids sick, a government report warns, detailing the first known salmonella outbreak in humans, mostly young children, linked to pet food. The outbreak sickened 79 people in 21 mostly eastern states, between 2006 and 2008....More

Aging hearts: Over-80s may benefit from angioplasty, bypass surgery too

TORONTO - More octogenarians are surviving heart attacks and part of the credit may rest with revascularization procedures such as bypass surgery and angioplasty, a new Canadian study suggests....More

Women who have miscarriage need not wait before trying for another baby: study

LONDON - Women who suffer a miscarriage may have the best chance of having a baby if they get pregnant again within six months, new research says....More

U.S. doctors advised to avoid one flu shot brand for young kids

ATLANTA - A government panel is recommending doctors steer clear of giving one brand of flu vaccine to young children this year because of problems with it in Australia and New Zealand. At issue is a flu shot made by CSL Biotherapies, an Australian company....More

Saskatchewan premier tries to bolster support for trials of MS surgery

WINNIPEG - Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says he won't push other provinces to follow his government's lead and commit to funding clinical trials of a new operation giving hope to people with multiple sclerosis....More

Opposition blames Liberals for growing wait for long-term care beds in Ontario

TORONTO - Ontario's Liberal government wasted hundreds of millions of dollars on another level of bureaucracy instead of addressing the growing shortage of long-term care beds, the Opposition charged Thursday. The government's $1....More

Ontario investigators find 'significant concerns' with work of pathologist

TORONTO - Ontario's Health Minister is vowing to implement the recommendations of a report into mistakes at three Windsor, Ont.-area hospitals....More

Fisher-Price recalls figure from campsite toy due to choking hazard

Fisher-Price is voluntarily recalling a figure in a six-piece campsite playset because it poses a choking hazard, Health Canada and the U.S. Consumer Safety Commission said Thursday....More

Cancer care advocates urge government to develop plan to cover effective drugs

TORONTO - Groups that advocate for cancer patients are using a new report from the United Kingdom to bolster their call for greater access to cancer drugs in Canada....More

Report on unnecessary surgeries at Windsor-area hospitals to be released today

WINDSOR, Ont. - Provincial investigators trying to find out why unnecessary surgeries were performed at three Windsor-area hospitals are releasing their report today. The findings are expected to be delivered at a news conference in Windsor....More

Preliminary study suggests deep brain stimulation may slow Alzheimer's in some

TORONTO - Deep brain stimulation may help slow progression of Alzheimer's disease in some patients, a new study suggests. The notion, while intriguing, is still very much in experimental territory....More

Overeating for 2 could create a baby more likely to be obese, study finds

LONDON - Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy have big babies, putting their children at risk of becoming heavy later on, a new study says. American researchers followed all births in Michigan and New Jersey between 1989 and 2003....More

Ontario investigators find 'significant concerns' with work of pathologist

TORONTO - Ontario's battered pathology system received another blow Wednesday after a provincial probe into mistakes at three Windsor-area hospitals uncovered "significant concerns" with the work of a pathologist....More

New Brunswick premier calls for more federal stimulus, questions census decision

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham is calling on the federal government to continue providing stimulus money ahead of a meeting with other provincial and territorial leaders this week in Winnipeg....More

Michelle Obama on health: she beats up on beets, likes dietary cleanses

WASHINGTON - Michelle Obama dishes on her family's health and eating habits in a new magazine interview, admitting she can't stand beets and that she does an occasional dietary "cleanse" to clear her palate and change her mindset....More

Aging hearts: Over-80s may benefit from angioplasty, bypass surgery too

TORONTO - More octogenarians are surviving heart attacks and part of the credit may rest with revascularization procedures such as bypass surgery and angioplasty, a new Canadian study suggests....More

Ontario investigators find 'significant concerns' with work of pathologist

TORONTO - Ontario's Health Minister is vowing to implement the recommendations of a report into mistakes at three Windsor, Ont.-area hospitals....More

Consumers try to sift through growing health claims about probiotics

Kathleen Goldhar tried for years to figure out what was causing her young daughter to suffer from persistent, sometimes agonizing stomach pains....More

Cancer conundrum: Poorer Canadians less likely to survive cancer

TORONTO - Cancer patients from poor neighbourhoods have a greater chance of dying prematurely than their wealthier counterparts, says a new study, describing a problem that persists despite universal health care in Canada....More

Obesity rates: Gap closing between what Americans say they weigh and what measurements show

ATLANTA - Are Americans becoming more honest about their weight? That theory could explain why the gap appears to be closing in what people say they weigh and what actual measurements report....More

New Brunswick government promises to finish Trans Canada Trail by 2017

FREDERICTON - The New Brunswick government is promising it will complete the Trans Canada Trail through the province by 2017....More

Doctors group sets out vision for improving Canada's health care system

TORONTO - Canada's largest doctors group has created a framework for overhauling the health-care system to make it more patient-centred, improve quality of care and increase efficiency....More

Constipation drug used in palliative care linked to GI wall weakening

TORONTO - Health Canada and the drug company Wyeth Canada are warning about a potentially serious side-effect of a drug called Relistor....More

Aging hearts: Over-80s may benefit from angioplasty, bypass surgery too

TORONTO - More octogenarians are surviving heart attacks and part of the credit may rest with revascularization procedures such as bypass surgery and angioplasty, a new Canadian study suggests....More

Report on unnecessary surgeries at Windsor-area hospitals to be released today

WINDSOR, Ont. - Provincial investigators trying to find out why unnecessary surgeries were performed at three Windsor-area hospitals are releasing their report today. The findings are expected to be delivered at a news conference in Windsor....More

Love the Glove: Glove use in hospitals appears to cut risk of needlestick injury

TORONTO - Wearing surgical gloves may substantially lower a health-care worker's risk of experiencing a needlestick injury or injury with another type of instrument capable of breaking the skin, a new study suggests. The work, by Canadian and U.S....More

Brandt Meat Packers issues recall on meats, closes Mississauga plant temporarily

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - A suspected salmonella outbreak from headcheese produced at a Toronto-area plant that sickened two dozen people this month has prompted a recall of a variety of processed meats produced at the same facility....More

Adult stem cell studies abound for heart, diabetes, MS; far ahead of embryonic research

NEW YORK, N.Y. - A few months ago, Dr. Thomas Einhorn was treating a patient with a broken ankle that would not heal, even with multiple surgeries. So he sought help from the man's own body....More

Low-carb diet better at boosting 'good' cholesterol than low-fat; weight loss same, study says

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Over the long term, a low-carb diet works just as well as a low-fat diet at taking off the pounds — and it might be better for your heart, new research suggests....More

Lack of doctors leads to pair of emergency room closures in Nova Scotia

PUGWASH, N.S. - A doctor shortage is closing a pair of emergency rooms Tuesday in facilities in Nova Scotia's Cumberland Health Authority. In Pugwash, the North Cumberland Memorial Hospital's emergency room is closing for 36 hours starting at 8 a.m....More

Doctor learns little-known option to try to help leaky lung that just will not heal

WASHINGTON - The final straw came when Guy Vance's chest, neck and face ballooned, little air bubbles in his skin crackling to the touch — all because of a leak somewhere in his lung....More

Consumers try to sift through growing health claims about probiotics

Kathleen Goldhar tried for years to figure out what was causing her young daughter to suffer from persistent, sometimes agonizing stomach pains....More

Cancer conundrum: Poorer Canadians less likely to survive cancer

TORONTO - Cancer patients from poor neighbourhoods have a greater chance of dying prematurely than their wealthier counterparts, says a new study, describing a problem that persists despite universal health care in Canada....More

Chicken producers debate 'natural' label for poultry injected with salt, water

SAN FRANCISCO - A disagreement among poultry producers in the United States about whether chicken injected with salt, water and other ingredients can be promoted as "natural" has prompted federal officials to consider changing labelling guidelines. The U.S....More

Calgary psychiatrist now faces 21 sex assault charges involving patients

CALGARY - A Calgary psychiatrist who frequently provided expert opinions in court now faces 21 charges of sexual assault, most of which allegedly took place during court-ordered visits. Dr....More

Que. health agency denies link between toxin and cancer rates in Shannon

MONTREAL - A Quebec public health agency is disputing a link between a toxin from a Canadian military base and unusually high levels of cancer in a town near the province's capital....More

Love the Glove: Glove use in hospitals appears to cut risk of needlestick injury

TORONTO - Wearing surgical gloves may substantially lower a health-care worker's risk of experiencing a needlestick injury or injury with another type of instrument capable of breaking the skin, a new study suggests. The work, by Canadian and U.S....More

Brandt Meat Packers issues recall on meats, closes Mississauga plant temporarily

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - A suspected salmonella outbreak from headcheese produced at a Toronto-area plant that sickened two dozen people this month has prompted a recall of a variety of processed meats produced at the same facility....More

Adult stem cell studies abound for heart, diabetes, MS; far ahead of embryonic research

NEW YORK, N.Y. - A few months ago, Dr. Thomas Einhorn was treating a patient with a broken ankle that would not heal, even with multiple surgeries. So he sought help from the man's own body....More

Lack of doctors leads to pair of emergency room closures in Nova Scotia

PUGWASH, N.S. - A doctor shortage is closing a pair of emergency rooms Tuesday in facilities in Nova Scotia's Cumberland Health Authority. In Pugwash, the North Cumberland Memorial Hospital's emergency room is closing for 36 hours starting at 8 a.m....More

Cancer conundrum: Poorer Canadians less likely to survive cancer

TORONTO - Cancer patients from poor neighbourhoods have a greater chance of dying prematurely than their wealthier counterparts, says a new study, describing a problem that persists despite universal health care in Canada....More