Mammogram debate: Swedish study refutes US advice, says screening lowers death risk in 40s

A new study from Sweden is stirring fresh debate over whether women in their 40s should get mammograms. It suggests that the breast cancer screening test can lower the risk of dying of the disease by 26 per cent or more in this age group....More

Hormone blockers before surgery can help breast cancer patients avoid mastectomy

Taking hormone-blocking pills for a few months before breast cancer surgery can shrink tumours and allow many women to have just the lump removed instead of the whole breast, a new study suggests....More

Health concerns over Alta man who died of drug withdrawal not given to RCMP: report

GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. - A fatality report says RCMP officers were unaware of a doctor's medical concerns about a man who was taken from an Alberta hospital into police custody....More

Health Canada launches consultation on whether to ban drop-side cribs

OTTAWA - Health Canada is launching a public consultation on the safety of drop-side cribs that could lead to a ban....More

Education board approves shorter hours, better supervision for US docs-in-training

CHICAGO - Rookie doctors in the U.S. will be getting shorter work shifts, along with stricter supervision, but a medical student group said Wednesday that the changes don't do enough to protect sleep-deprived residents and their patients....More

Cancer society renews call for more coverage of catastrophic drugs

TORONTO - The cost of cancer drugs that need to be taken at home can be devastating to families, the Canadian Cancer Society said Wednesday as it renewed its call for more coverage of catastrophic drugs....More

Anyone over 18 in Ontario asked to volunteer for new health study

TORONTO - Everyone in Ontario is being invited to participate in what's being billed as the largest health study of its kind ever conducted in the province....More

Study: Kids with ADHD more likely to have missing or extra DNA in their brains

LONDON - Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are twice as likely to have missing or extra chromosomes than other children — the first evidence that the disorder is genetic, a new study says....More

Exercise could cut womb cancer risk by 30 per cent; less sitting helps: study

LONDON - Women who regularly work up a sweat exercising have a 30 per cent lower risk of developing endometrial cancer, a new study says....More

Developing countries getting more AIDS drugs to pregnant women, others in need

WASHINGTON - Just over half of HIV-infected pregnant women in poor countries received crucial AIDS drugs to protect their unborn children last year, the World Health Organization reported Tuesday, one of a list of improvements in the global fight against HIV....More

Cautionary tale: Pushing cotton swabs into ears could cause hearing damage

A case study presented at a conference in Boston on Tuesday serves as a reminder about what can happen when you stick something in your ear....More

Bedbugs have no borders, so Canada needs co-ordinated approach: summit organizer

TORONTO - An Ontario politician is hoping Wednesday's bedbug summit in Toronto will lead to a Canada-wide co-ordinated effort to stamp out the resurgent pest....More

B.C. could save $2 billion in health costs if people ate better, exercised more

VANCOUVER - B.C.'s chief medical officer says the province would save a bundle of money if only people ate healthier food, got more exercise and stopped smoking. Dr....More

Alberta neurologist's study suggests HIV can cause brain disease

CALGARY - A 10-year study by an Alberta neurologist suggests HIV can cause one in four patients to develop seizures, dementia and other brain-related problems. Dr....More

Manitoba woman credits family love for recuperation from unique surgery

BALMORAL, Man. - A Manitoba woman whose skeletal structure was cut in half says family love and determination helped her through the ordeal. When Janis Ollson, of Balmoral, Man....More

Cancer society renews call for more coverage of catastrophic drugs

TORONTO - The cost of cancer drugs that need to be taken at home can be devastating to families, the Canadian Cancer Society said Wednesday as it renewed its call for more coverage of catastrophic drugs....More

Vets ombudsman asks for privacy probe after personal information accessed

OTTAWA - Canada's Veteran's ombudsman says he's asking the country's privacy watchdog to investigate why his Veterans Affairs file was access hundreds of times....More

Smoking declines among teens, young adults, but rates still too high: expert

OTTAWA - Smoking rates appear to be on the decline among teens and young adults, according to a release from Statistics Canada on Monday....More

Michaelle Jean's memorable five-year mandate as GG draws to a close

OTTAWA - A yellow schoolbus rumbled to a stop at the village grocery store just north of the Arctic circle and, without warning, a bundled-up Governor General had walked in and was wandering the aisles. Michaelle Jean considered the prices an outrage....More

Kindergarten lunch box study produces failing grade with poor nutrition quotient

When dietitian Shannon Crocker agreed to go into four kindergarten classrooms in two Ontario elementary schools and check the contents of the children's lunch boxes, she was dismayed by what she found....More

Improve management of prescriptions, diagnostic tests: Health Council

TORONTO - The Health Council of Canada is calling for better management of prescription drugs and diagnostic imaging services in this country....More

Feds want a Plan B for pandemic flu shot; seeking backup supplier

OTTAWA - The federal government wants some backup in case its main supplier of pandemic flu vaccine can't deliver....More

50 years into era of cancer genetics, how to widen the hunt for targeted therapies

WASHINGTON - Cancer is a tale of two sets of genetic code, your own and your tumour's — and tracing the unique areas of damage makes for a way to target treatment. Fifty years after the discovery of the first direct genetic link to cancer, U....More

Gallup poll: 25 per cent increase in depression cases along Gulf Coast since massive BP spill

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - Before the BP oil spill, the Gulf Coast was a place of abundant shrimping, tourist-filled beaches and a happy if humble lifestyle. Now, it's home to depression, worry and sadness for many....More

25 per cent of Canadians considered obese; in U.S., it's nearly three out of four

TORONTO - Nearly one quarter of Canadians are considered obese, and the country is getting fatter, a new global study indicates — but it's nothing compared to the staggering swelling that's going on south of the border....More

1 in 5 gay, bisexual men has AIDS virus and many don't know it: CDC study

ATLANTA - One in five sexually active gay and bisexual men has the AIDS virus, and nearly half of those don't know they are infected, a federal study of 21 U.S. cities shows....More

Vancouver-processed raw oysters recalled after food poisoning reports

VANCOUVER - A voluntary recall has been issued for a brand of raw West Coast oysters after three groups of diners got food poisoning after eating together in the Vancouver-area....More

Saskatchewan urges vaccination for whooping cough; 120 cases so far this year

REGINA - Saskatchewan's top health official is urging parents to get their children vaccinated against whooping cough. Chief medical officer Dr....More

Suicide prevention strategy top of mind for researchers gathered in Toronto

TORONTO - Suicide, and how to prevent it don't make for easy conversation, but James Bolton is hoping to get people talking....More

Military has a 'don't ask, won't tell' media policy on wounded, documents

OTTAWA - National Defence has a "Don't ask, won't tell" policy on Canadian soldiers wounded in Kandahar....More

Alberta woman who lost daughter, son-in-law wants tougher drunk driving laws

RED DEER, Alta. - Sandra Green was vacationing in Mexico last winter when she learned on the Internet that her daughter and son-in-law had been killed by a suspected impaired driver in Alberta. Their five children had suddenly become orphans....More

Michaelle Jean's memorable five-year mandate as GG draws to a close

OTTAWA - A yellow schoolbus rumbled to a stop at the village grocery store just north of the Arctic circle and, without warning, a bundled-up Governor General had walked in and was wandering the aisles. Michaelle Jean considered the prices an outrage....More

Flu outbreak at London, Ont., long-term care facility, health unit says

LONDON, Ont. - The Middlesex-London Health Unit says there's an outbreak of influenza A at a London, Ont., long-term care facility....More

Canadians bowing to the bulge as obesity rates climb, report says

TORONTO - Canada’s battle with the bulge is continuing to escalate with nearly a quarter of the population part of the country’s rising obesity rates, a new report from a leading economic organization said Thursday....More

Canadians bowing to the bulge as obesity rates climb, OECD report says

TORONTO - A new report from a prominent economic organization says Canadians are struggling to win the battle against obesity....More

Breast cancer incidence falls after hormone therapy use drops in Canada: study

TORONTO - The first Canadian study of its kind is adding to a growing body of international evidence suggesting that the use of hormone replacement therapy may raise the risk of breast cancer....More

A fatter future: 3 of 4 Americans to be overweight by 2020, new report warns of health costs

PARIS - Citizens of the world's richest countries are getting fatter and fatter and the United States is leading the charge, an organization of leading economies said Thursday in its first ever obesity forecast....More

25 per cent of Canadians considered obese; in U.S., it's nearly three out of four

TORONTO - Nearly one quarter of Canadians are considered obese, and the country is getting fatter, a new global study indicates — but it's nothing compared to the staggering swelling that's going on south of the border....More

1 in 5 gay, bisexual men has AIDS virus, many unaware: CDC studies 21 cities

ATLANTA - One in five sexually active gay and bisexual men has the AIDS virus, and nearly half of those don't know they are infected, a study of 21 U.S. cities shows....More

1 in 5 gay, bisexual men has AIDS virus and many don't know it: CDC study

ATLANTA - One in five sexually active gay and bisexual men has the AIDS virus, and nearly half of those don't know they are infected, a federal study of 21 U.S. cities shows....More

New Brunswick Tories say they support unproven liberation therapy for MS

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's Conservatives say they would establish a $500,000 fund to help multiple sclerosis patients seek liberation treatment — an unproven therapy for the disease....More

NDP demand probe after veteran's medical files appear in minister's briefing

OTTAWA - New Democrats say a Commons committee should investigate how personal information about an outspoken veteran's advocate ended up in the briefing notes of a federal cabinet minister....More

Mammograms offer modest benefit to women over 50, new study finds

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Mammograms don't help women over 50 as much as has been believed, new research suggests....More

Less invasive heart valve replacement an option for patients too frail for surgery, study says

WASHINGTON - Thousands of older Americans who need new heart valves but are too frail to survive the surgery might soon get a chance at an easier option — a way to thread in an artificial aortic valve without cracking their chests....More

Don't worry about running out of water, Canada: former federal scientist

MONTREAL - He's calling for a revolution in how Canadians think about water and how they use it — whether it's for washing their cars, rinsing their hair or flushing their toilets....More

B.C. health minister announces first funds under performance model

VICTORIA - British Columbia's health services minister announced Wednesday the first wave of money designed to signal a shift in the way the province plans to fund health care....More

Appendix removal often can safely be delayed 12 to 24 hours, researchers say

Surgery to remove an inflamed appendix can safely be postponed for 12 to 24 hours without patients suffering any more complications than those who have an appendectomy sooner, a Canadian-led study has found....More

Opposition demands probe as vet's medical files appear in minister's notes

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper acknowledged an outspoken veterans critic was likely the target of character assassination after private medical information about him was widely circulated within the federal bureaucracy....More

Vancouver Angel's Cradle program for unwanted babies inspires Alberta healthcare

VANCOUVER - Desperate mothers in Alberta who feel they can't keep their newborns may be delivered a new option modelled after a young safe-haven program in Vancouver that has successfully taken in one child....More

Seasonal flu shot linked to reduced heart attack rate, study finds

TORONTO - Getting a seasonal flu shot may not only prevent influenza — it may also stop some people from having a heart attack, new research suggests....More

Saskatchewan youths hospitalized after eating toxic plant known for its buzz

MOOSE JAW, Sask. - Five young Saskatchewan people are in hospital after eating a common house and garden flower which is known to have hallucinogenic properties....More

Report: Cost of dementia to exceed $604 billion, number of cases to double every 20 years

LONDON - The global cost of dementia will likely exceed $604 billion this year, or 1 per cent of the world's gross domestic product, a new report says....More

Prediction puts 3 Canadians on list of top contenders for Nobel in Medicine

TORONTO - Three Canadians are among an elite group being touted as possible winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, which will be announced early next month in Stockholm....More

Harper calls on UN to get serious about improving child, maternal health

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Prime Minister Stephen Harper urged world leaders to set aside their anti-poverty rhetoric and focus instead on getting concrete results Tuesday as he confirmed Canada's plan to boost the coffers of an international fund battling disease in the developing world....More

Feds say program will go on even if review finds it isn't needed

OTTAWA - The man who controls the government's purse strings says a multimillion-dollar program that makes buildings accessible to people with disabilities will run its course, even if a review finds there's no need for it....More

Airlines have few defences against pregnant women who want to fly: experts

MADRID - If a woman really wants to get around the rules barring her from flying in late pregnancy, there's little an airline can do to stop her....More

Reiki therapy helps some cancer patients cope with side effects, but not a cure

MONTREAL - It's not easy coping with an illness like cancer, and some patients turn to a number of therapies to help them deal with the discomforts and side effects that go with the disease....More

Pixel perfect body? British government steps in to curb digitally slimmed models

LONDON - Beware those impossibly tiny waists and never-ending legs: looking at too much airbrushed beauty in glossy magazines can be hazardous to your health. That, at least, is what campaigners working against eating disorders insist....More

Nova Scotia to consult drug makers and users on ballooning prescription costs

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia will have consultations to grapple with the ballooning cost of prescription drugs covered under its pharmacare programs, the province's health minister announced Monday....More

New Brunswick Conservatives promise to provide free ambulance services

SAINT JOHN, N.B. - New Brunswick Conservatives are promising to provide ambulance services for free if they win next Monday's provincial election. Residents of New Brunswick pay $130 for an ambulance ride while non-residents are billed $650....More

Manganese in well water linked to lower IQ scores in children: researchers

TORONTO - Children whose drinking water contains high concentrations of manganese appear to have lower IQ scores on average than children not exposed to the metallic element, researchers have found....More

Doctor describes behind-the-scenes life in emergency room in new book

TORONTO - The countless Canadians who have visited a hospital emergency room after the sun goes down and waited and waited, fretting about why it's taking so long to receive treatment, will find some illumination in a new book by a veteran ER doctor. Dr....More

Before cameras rolled, MPs illness prompts rare moment of civility in Commons

OTTAWA - "Blocked veins = poisoned brains," said one of the placards being hoisted Monday on the front lawn of Parliament Hill. And no, they weren't talking about MPs whose neck ties are too tight....More

Seasonal flu shot linked to reduced heart attack rate, study finds

TORONTO - Getting a seasonal flu shot may not only prevent influenza — it may also stop some people from having a heart attack, new research suggests....More

Tampering of cans of baby formula in the Ottawa-area prompts warning

OTTAWA - An infant became ill after consuming some powdered infant formula from a can that was tampered with, prompting a warning from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency late Friday....More

Rheumatoid arthritis drug carries risk of potentially fatal allergic reaction

TORONTO - The maker of a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis is updating safety information after an elderly patient taking the medication died from a severe allergic reaction. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd....More

AP Interview: US face transplant recipient recovers from final surgery, urges organ donation

CLEVELAND - There is an initial shock upon first glance at Connie Culp, the woman who received the nation's first face transplant nearly two years ago....More

Government set to announce expanded aid package for wounded soldiers

OTTAWA - The Harper government will offer an olive branch of expanded benefits to angry war veterans, whose escalating criticism of "penny-pinching" bureaucrats threatens to derail their fall political agenda....More

New Brunswick NDP calls for higher tobacco tax to reduce smoking

TRACADIE-SHEILA, N.B. - New Brunswick's New Democrats are calling for a tobacco-control strategy that includes raising taxes on cigarettes. NDP Leader Roger Duguay made the announcement today, with just over a week left in the provincial election campaign....More

Global water conference in Canada to be used for anti-privatization protest

MONTREAL - A call to end the privatization of municipal water is expected to spill onto the streets Monday outside the World Water Congress in Montreal....More

Charity walks, runs takeover Toronto streets

TORONTO - A number of charity walks and runs are taking over Toronto streets today....More

Manganese in well water linked to lower IQ scores in children: researchers

TORONTO - Children whose drinking water contains high concentrations of manganese appear to have lower IQ scores on average than children not exposed to the metallic element, researchers have found....More

More paved shoulders for bikes possible on Ontario secondary highways: Wynne

TORONTO - There could soon be more paved shoulders on the side of some secondary provincial highways in Ontario to encourage more cyclists and make roads safer for everyone....More

Jennifer Hudson credits weight loss program, Canadian trainer for slimmer figure

TORONTO - She may have dropped pounds for a movie role, but a newly slimmed down Jennifer Hudson says she's gained more than a svelte figure....More

In second US cluster, amoeba blamed in deaths of 2 US organ transplant recipients

ATLANTA - U.S. health officials say two organ transplant recipients died of an infection from a microscopic parasite they got from their organ donor....More

How well do you know your mind? Research sheds light on brain structure

WASHINGTON - New research has uncovered a part of the brain that is larger in people who seem particularly introspective....More

Genetically engineered salmon fishy and should be rejected: groups say

BAY FORTUNE, P.E.I. - A number of groups in the U.S. and Canada are calling on the American government to reject a proposal for genetically engineered salmon....More

Bill would change rules on medical records in Ontario

TORONTO - An Ontario Liberal backbencher wants to clarify the laws regarding personal medical records and stop doctors from charging patients for access to their own files....More

Albertans want health-care advocate, health charter in any new legislation

CALGARY - A proposed overhaul of Alberta's health-care legislation could include a charter and an advocate to enforce it....More

2 popular arthritis supplements don't work, insurers shouldn't fund them: study

LONDON - Two popular supplements used to treat joint pain don't work and health authorities should stop paying for them, a new study says....More

Sex education is common for U.S. kids; birth control isn't always taught: CDC

ATLANTA - Almost all U.S. teens have had formal sex education, but only about two-thirds have been taught about birth control methods, according to a new government report released Wednesday....More

Researchers closing in on why more boys than girls affected by autism

TORONTO - Researchers are a step closer to understanding why autism spectrum disorder affects four times as many boys as girls....More

Probability of survival five years after diagnosis rises for many cancers: study

OTTAWA - The predicted probability of surviving five years following diagnosis has increased for a number of cancers, notably non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, according to a study released Wednesday....More

Pregnant women need flu shots: U.S. medical groups remind health providers

WASHINGTON - Flu season may not sound as scary for pregnant women this year as last — but they're still at high risk and need that shot, says a letter being mailed to thousands of U.S. health providers this week from some leading medical societies....More

Ottawa to spend $800,000 in bid to cut wait times for foreign-trained dentists

TORONTO - Ottawa says a new initiative will cut the wait time for foreign-trained dentists to be certified in Canada from seven years to less than one....More

Ontario to table bill to track OxyContin, painkiller prescriptions

TORONTO - A bill aimed at curbing the abuse of the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin and other prescription drugs will be tabled in the Ontario legislature today....More

Chuck E. Cheese recalls rings and toy eyeglasses in Canada and U.S.

WASHINGTON - More than 1.2 million Chuck E. Cheese light-up rings and toy eyeglasses are being recalled in Canada and the U.S. There are concerns a child could break open the plastic and swallow the small battery inside the toys. The U....More

Bill would change rules on medical records in Ontario

TORONTO - An Ontario Liberal backbencher wants to clarify the laws regarding personal medical records and stop doctors from charging patients for access to their own files....More

Many new doctors say they've worked while sick; job demands among likely reasons

CHICAGO - Junior doctors quickly learn that exposure to patients' germs is part of the job, but a study suggests many are returning the favour....More

Many new doctors say they've worked while sick; dedication, job demands among likely reasons

CHICAGO - Junior doctors quickly learn that exposure to patients' germs is part of the job, but a study suggests many are returning the favour....More

Health minister says MS treatment trials possible if research supports them

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - The federal health minister says Ottawa has not ruled out clinical trials of a controversial treatment for multiple sclerosis....More

Health minister alleges media have left Canadians misinformed about MS studies

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Canada's health minister says the media have left Canadians misinformed about Ottawa's intentions regarding a controversial treatment for multiple sclerosis. Leona Aglukkaq says the federal government "has never said no" to clinical trials....More

Health minister accuses media of misinforming Canadians about MS plans

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - The federal health minister accused the media Tuesday of leaving Canadians misinformed about Ottawa's intentions regarding a controversial treatment for multiple sclerosis, saying the federal government has never ruled out countrywide trials....More

Discovery of mould leads to operating room closures at Moncton, N.B., hospital

MONCTON, N.B. - A mould problem at Moncton's Georges-Dumont Hospital has led to a reduction in surgeries for about two weeks. Three of the hospital's six operating rooms will be closed starting today....More

Ontario to table bill to track OxyContin, painkiller prescriptions

TORONTO - A bill aimed at curbing the abuse of the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin and other prescription drugs will be tabled in the Ontario legislature today....More

Chuck E. Cheese recalls rings and toy eyeglasses in Canada and U.S.

WASHINGTON - More than 1.2 million Chuck E. Cheese light-up rings and toy eyeglasses are being recalled in Canada and the U-S. There are concerns a children might break open the plastic and swallow the small battery inside the toys....More

Med school anatomy students form an unusual bond: Getting to know family of a cadaver donor

GARY, Ind. - Dot Purcell always knew she would donate her body to science. Even when young, the doctor's daughter, a little girl who would grow up to become the mother of 11, would say, "there's something good in here" that might help others....More

Longtime Bloc Quebecois MP Lalonde steps down to fight bone cancer

MONTREAL - A Bloc Quebecois MP has decided to step down after the next federal election to focus on her fight against cancer....More

Health ministers agree to move 'quickly, ethically' on MS treatment

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Canada's provincial health ministers pledged Monday to work together to explore ways to speed up the study of a controversial treatment for multiple sclerosis. The agreement came as the ministers gathered in St....More

Claimants in B.C., Sask file lawsuit, say zinc in denture cream causing pain

REGINA - When Hedvig Ahlquist started feeling ill last year, she didn't know what was wrong. Her arms and legs tingled, and she was constantly tired and in pain....More

Alberta researchers hope to find test for women at risk of preeclampsia

EDMONTON - Researchers at the University of Alberta say they're making progress in trying to save the lives of pregnant women and their newborns. Five to eight per cent of expecting mothers are diagnosed with preeclampsia, or pregnancy-induced hypertension....More

'Hand-washing police' find more people washing up after bathroom use

BOSTON - Swine flu may have scared people straight, or maybe they're finally listening to their mothers. Whatever the reason, Americans are washing their hands more often, suggests the latest check by researchers who spy on people using public restrooms....More

'Hand-washing police' find more of us are washing up after bathroom use; men still dirtier

BOSTON - Researchers who secretly spy on people using public restrooms say that Americans seem to be washing their hands more often....More

Discovery of mould leads to operating room closures at Moncton, N.B., hospital

MONCTON, N.B. - A mould problem at Moncton's Georges-Dumont Hospital has led to a reduction in surgeries for about two weeks. Three of the hospital's six operating rooms will be closed starting today....More

Psychiatrists hope cellphones could be tool for treating teen mood disorders

TORONTO - If there's one thing the typical Canadian teen wouldn't be caught without, it's a cellphone. So doctors are hoping to employ the ubiquitous communications device as a means of diagnosing and treating mood disorders among the adolescent set....More

Bedbugs sucking human blood nationwide, but no one is tracking the pests

TORONTO - The creepy comeback of bedbugs in Canada has an Ontario politician calling for a national health strategy to track the tiny bloodsuckers. They're crawling into homes, apartments, hospitals, hotels and student residences nationwide....More

Scientists find drugs, antiseptics that may help fight fungus that's wiping out bats

BOSTON - Scientists may have found some ways to help the nation's bats, which are being wiped out by a novel fungal disease....More

Mining waste, car batteries, propane tanks litter northern town dumps: report

OTTAWA - Mining waste and other hazardous material ends up in community dumps across the North, putting people and the environment at risk, a new report says....More

Med school anatomy students form an unusual bond: Getting to know family of a cadaver donor

GARY, Ind. - Dot Purcell always knew she would donate her body to science. Even when young, the doctor's daughter, a little girl who would grow up to become the mother of 11, would say, "there's something good in here" that might help others....More

OECD eyes user fees, private sector competition in Canada's medicare system

OTTAWA - The OECD says Canadian governments desperately need to clamp down on their health spending, and they should do so by making patients carry some of the costs and by fostering more competition....More

N.B. New Democrats would make it illegal for kids to use tanning beds

BATHURST, N.B. - New Brunswick New Democrats say it should be illegal for tanning booth operators to serve people under 18 years of age. Campaigning today in the province's Sept....More

Med school anatomy students form an unusual bond: Getting to know family of a cadaver donor

GARY, Ind. - Dot Purcell always knew she would donate her body to science. Even when young, the doctor's daughter, a little girl who would grow up to become the mother of 11, would say, "there's something good in here" that might help others....More

Mother of shooting rampage victim urges others to seek help as study released

MONTREAL - What's being touted as a landmark study on the impact of school shootings suggests nearly one-third of students at a Montreal college suffered psychological damage after a gunman's rampage in 2006....More

Landmark study on school shooting: 27% of survivors seek mental-health help

MONTREAL - What's being touted as a landmark study on the impact of school shootings suggests nearly one-third of students at a Montreal college suffered psychological damage after a gunman's rampage in 2006....More

Groups call decision allowing ban on gay men donating blood 'disturbing'

OTTAWA - Canadian Blood Services is legally allowed to ban men who have sex with men from donating blood, an Ontario court ruled Thursday in a decision that critics branded "disturbing....More

Groups call decision allowing ban on gay men donating blood 'disturbing'

OTTAWA - Canadian Blood Services is legally allowed to ban men who have sex with men from donating blood, an Ontario court ruled in a decision that critics branded "disturbing....More

Failure of anesthesia machines leads to cancellation of surgeries in N.S.

NEW GLASGOW, N.S. - A Nova Scotia health authority says it had to cancel 21 elective surgeries this week after problems with several anesthesia machines....More

Critics of gay blood donation ban see 'glimmer of hope' in ruling upholding ban

A ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men was upheld Thursday in a court decision branded discriminatory by critics who did, however, find a "glimmer of hope" in the ruling....More

Challenge fails against blood donation policy that effectively bans gay men

OTTAWA - An Ontario court has found that Canadian Blood Services is legally allowed to ban men who have sex with other men from giving blood....More

Study shows mental toll of school shooting:30% suffer psychological woes later

MONTREAL - A landmark study looking at the psychological impact of a gunman's rampage at Montreal's Dawson college suggests nearly one-third of students surveyed suffered mental health problems in the aftermath....More

Genetic malfunction may set endometriosis on cancer path: researchers

TORONTO - Canadian researchers have isolated a genetic mutation that appears to link two types of ovarian cancer with endometriosis, a common gynecological condition in women....More

Facebook a big hit with narcissists and people with low self-esteem: study

A new study of Canadian university students suggests Facebook is a magnet for narcissists and people with low self-esteem....More

Doctors should tell police when they suspect a crime, drug report recommends

TORONTO - Ontario's doctors should be legally required to tell police when they suspect a patient has committed a crime, a new report says....More

Diabetes could cost Ontario $7 billion a year by 2020, new study indicates

TORONTO - The Canadian Diabetes Association says if action isn't taken now, diabetes could cost Ontario $7 billion a year by 2020....More

After teen damages eyes, experts cite risk of powerful laser pointers

NEW YORK, N.Y. - A 15-year-old boy damaged his eyes while playing with a laser pointer he'd bought over the Internet, say doctors who warn that dangerously high-powered versions are easily available online....More

Abuse of opioid medication in Ontario a 'public health crisis': report

TORONTO - Ontario's doctors say the province is in the midst of a public health crisis in battling the misuse of opioids. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario released a report today on the abuse of the pain medications, such as OxyContin....More

3 Calgary hospitals to get 132 more hospital beds; more staff to be hired

CALGARY - Alberta Health Services plans to open 132 new beds in three Calgary hospitals this fall. Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky announced today that the beds will open at the Foothills, Peter Lougheed and Rockyview General hospitals at a cost of $15....More

Prison watchdog wants end to prolonged isolation for mentally ill

OTTAWA - The federal prison ombudsman says the practice of locking up mentally ill offenders alone for long periods must end to help cut the risk of death behind bars....More

Embedding: Parents, teachers should keep eye out for severe self-injury in teens

TORONTO - By any objective measure, the girl's upper arm was a mess. A painful, pus-filled swelling about the dimension of a paperback novel had brought the 16-year-old to hospital desperate for help....More

CT, nuclear imaging tests in pregnancy don't raise risk of cancer in kids: study

TORONTO - In about one out of every 160 pregnancies, a CT scan or other nuclear medicine diagnostic test is done on the woman — to diagnose serious problems like lung clots, appendicitis or bleeding in the brain....More

Consensus unlikely at Quebec public hearings on dying with dignity

MONTREAL - Hearings into what Quebecers think about dying with dignity began in Montreal on Tuesday with differing opinions and an admission from the commission chief that consensus is highly unlikely....More

Cancer-stricken Quebec minister Claude Bechard dies

QUEBEC - Claude Bechard, a youthful Quebec cabinet minister who soldiered on in his post despite suffering from terminal cancer, died Tuesday at the age of 41....More

A plea from Africa: grandmothers raising orphans cross Canada for AIDS support

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Imagine being 64 years old, virtually penniless and mourning the death of your child as you raise grandchildren orphaned by AIDS....More

Quebec public hearings on dying with dignity prompt deep divide on Day 1

MONTREAL - One side compared euthanasia to murder. The other laid out a series of proposed ground rules for doing it more humanely....More

Owner of peanut company linked to 9 salmonella deaths is back in business

WASHINGTON - The peanut industry executive whose filthy processing plants were blamed in a salmonella outbreak two years ago that killed nine people and sickened hundreds more is back in the business....More

Facebook a big hit with narcissists and people with low self-esteem: study

A new study of Canadian university students suggests Facebook is a magnet for narcissists and people with low self-esteem....More

Dead blue jay in Guelph had West Nile virus, residents urged to take precautions

GUELPH, Ont. - Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health is warning Guelph-area residents about the West Nile virus after a dead blue jay tested positive....More

30 households in St. Thomas under boil water advisory because of E. coli

ST. THOMAS, Ont. - A small area of St. Thomas is under a boil water advisory. Elgin St. Thomas Public Health officials issued the advisory Friday afternoon after a water sample collected on Thursday turned up E. coli bacteria. Dr....More

Expert says bird flu still a pandemic danger, warns against complacency after swine flu fizzle

HONG KONG - A leading virus expert urged health authorities around the world Sunday to stay vigilant even though the recent swine flu pandemic was less deadly than expected, warning that bird flu could spark the next global outbreak....More

WHO official: Faster, more vaccine production needed for next flu pandemic

HONG KONG - The vaccine used to contain the recent swine flu pandemic was effective, but health authorities will need to ramp up the speed and volume of production during the next global outbreak, a World Health Organization official said Monday....More

Websites tap into real patients' expertise to help others coping with diagnosis

For months, Jennifer Smith wondered what was causing neck and back pain so severe that a spa visit, chiropractics and muscle relaxants were rendered useless. Doctors confirmed a diagnosis of leukemia in 2003....More

Research sheds light on which blood pressure pills work better for which people

WASHINGTON - It's hard to predict which pills will best lower which patient's high blood pressure, but researchers are hunting ways to better personalize therapy — perhaps even using a blood test....More

Public to have their say as Quebec's dying with dignity hearings hit the road

MONTREAL - Quebecers will delve into the thorny and emotionally charged debate over euthanasia and assisted suicide this week as public hearings into dying with dignity get underway....More

Embedding: Parents, teachers should keep eye out for severe self-injury in teens

TORONTO - By any objective measure, the girl's upper arm was a mess. A painful, pus-filled swelling about the dimension of a paperback novel had brought the 16-year-old to hospital desperate for help....More

Hepatitis A vaccines available for people who ate at a southern Alta. restaurant

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. - Alberta Health Services is issuing an alert about a Hepatitis A scare at a McDonald's in southern Alberta. The area's medical officer of health, Dr....More

Canadian medical officials for New Delhi aware of dengue fever threat

The pesky mosquito could be Canada's biggest adversary at next month's Commonwealth Games. A month from the opening of India's largest multi-sports event, Games organizers are dealing with one of the worst outbreaks of the dengue fever in New Delhi in years....More

Two Quebec hospitals closed because they don't meet earthquake standards

BAIE-ST-PAUL, Que. - One hospital in Quebec's Charlevoix region will be demolished and another will undergo major renovations after a study for the provincial government determined they don't meet standards to withstand earthquakes....More

Lafleur brand Original wieners may be contaminated with Listeria bacteria

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to eat certain Lafleur brand Original wieners because they may be contaminated with Listeria bacteria. Olymel L....More

Dead blue jay in Guelph had West Nile virus, residents urged to take precautions

GUELPH, Ont. - Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health is warning Guelph-area residents about the West Nile virus after a dead blue jay tested positive....More

30 households in St. Thomas under boil water advisory because of E. coli

ST. THOMAS, Ont. - A small area of St. Thomas is under a boil water advisory. Elgin St. Thomas Public Health officials issued the advisory Friday afternoon after a water sample collected on Thursday turned up E. coli bacteria. Dr....More

Expert says bird flu still a pandemic danger, warns against complacency after swine flu fizzle

HONG KONG - A leading virus expert urged health authorities around the world Sunday to stay vigilant even though the recent swine flu pandemic was less deadly than expected, warning that bird flu could spark the next global outbreak....More

WHO official: Faster, more vaccine production needed for next flu pandemic

HONG KONG - The vaccine used to contain the recent swine flu pandemic was effective, but health authorities will need to ramp up the speed and volume of production during the next global outbreak, a World Health Organization official said Monday....More

New Brunswick Tories promise increased funding for amateur sports, if elected

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's Conservative leader says he'll boost funding for amateur sports if his party is elected Sept. 27....More

New Brunswick Medical Society seeks election promise to end cap on new doctors

FREDERICTON - The New Brunswick Medical Society is calling on all political parties to commit to removing the cap on its health care billing numbers to address a shortage of physicians in the province....More

New Brunswick Liberals promise to add air ambulance in province's north

CHARLO, N.B. - New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham says he'll add an air ambulance in the north of the province, if his Liberal government is re-elected Sept. 27. Graham says the new air ambulance would be based in Charlo....More

Harper government firm on refusal to fund abortions in Third World

OTTAWA - The Harper government insists it hasn't backed down from its refusal to fund abortions in Third World countries....More

Drugs to strengthen bones may slightly raise the chances of throat cancer: study

LONDON - People who take bone-strengthening drugs for several years may have a slightly higher risk of esophageal cancer, a new study suggests....More

At least 1 in 7 home kitchens would flunk restaurant inspections, study suggests

ATLANTA - Could your kitchen at home pass a restaurant inspection? New research suggests that at least one in seven home kitchens would flunk the kind of health inspection commonly administered to restaurants....More

25% of animal hoarders were once rescuers; trend growing in U.S., experts say

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Linda Bruno called her Pennsylvania cat rescue the land of milk and tuna. It thrived for years as people sent pets they couldn't care for from hundreds of kilometres away — unaware it was a death camp for cats....More

Link between chronic stress, increased heart risk may be found in hair: study

TORONTO - Whether you're sporting a cropped cut or long curls, your hair may do more than reflect your personal style — researchers say it may serve as a means to measure stress....More

Ottawa to take 'wait-and-see' approach on controversial MS treatment

OTTAWA - It will take more than anecdotes from some multiple sclerosis patients to sway the federal government into funding clinical trials of a controversial new treatment for the nerve-wasting disease....More

N.S. health official warns of possible toxin-producing algae bloom in lake

HALIFAX - Residents of Nova Scotia's Inverness County are being advised to take precautions when using Lake Ainslie because of a possible algae bloom....More

Journal editors question sale of diet pill; study shows it can raise heart risks

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Editors of a top medical journal call Meridia "another flawed diet pill" and question whether it should stay on the market as a study shows it raises the risk of heart attack and stroke in people with heart problems....More

Invisible danger lurks in Canada's freshwater lakes: electric shock drowning

TORONTO - With the long weekend on the horizon, many people will be heading up to the cottage and some will be taking a dip in the lake. But, there's a hidden danger that lurks under the surface of freshwater lakes, called electric shock drowning....More

In Africa, research shows donated malaria drugs smuggled into private markets

LONDON - Millions of free malaria drugs are sent to Africa every year by international donors. New research is now providing evidence for what health workers have long suspected: some of the donated medication is being stolen and resold on commercial markets....More

Experts not sold on controversial MS treatment pioneered by Italian doctor

OTTAWA - Jan Mills can feel her fingertips. Most people take that feeling for granted, but Mills doesn't. Multiple sclerosis stole the sensation right out of her hands 24 years ago....More

Ottawa to take 'wait-and-see' approach on controversial MS treatment

OTTAWA - It will take more than anecdotes from some multiple sclerosis patients to sway the federal government into funding clinical trials of a controversial new treatment for the nerve-wasting disease....More

New Brunswick Liberals promise to add air ambulance in province's north

CHARLO, N.B. - New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham says he'll add an air ambulance in the north of the province, if his Liberal government is re-elected Sept. 27. Graham says the new air ambulance would be based in Charlo....More

Tories say they'll consider grants for med students who stay in New Brunswick

GRAND BAY-WESTFIELD, N.B. - New Brunswick Conservative Leader David Alward says he would consider giving full grants to some medical students if they want to work in the province....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

Removing healthy ovaries helps women with genetic risk lower odds for breast, ovarian cancer

CHICAGO - Surgery to remove healthy ovaries gives a triple benefit to high-risk women: It lowers their threat of breast and ovarian cancer, and boosts their chances of living longer, new research suggests....More

Ontario's health networks spent $33M on consultants over 4 years, figures show

TORONTO - Ontario's local health integration networks spent $33 million on consulting services since their inception four years ago — including $6 million last year alone, according to figures obtained by The Canadian Press....More

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

LONDON - Author J.K. Rowling has given 10 million pounds (US$15.4 million) to set up a center to research multiple sclerosis, the disease that killed her mother....More

Experts not sold on controversial MS treatment pioneered by Italian doctor

OTTAWA - Jan Mills can feel her fingertips. Most people take that feeling for granted, but Mills doesn't. Multiple sclerosis stole the sensation right out of her hands 24 years ago....More

Drilling for shale gas unearths environmental risks, Ottawa warned

MONTREAL - The Conservative government has been warned that drilling for shale gas could boost carbon-dioxide emissions, encroach on wildlife habitat and sap freshwater resources....More

Experts not sold on controversial MS treatment pioneered by Italian doctor

OTTAWA - Jan Mills can feel her fingertips. Most people take that feeling for granted, but Mills doesn't. Multiple sclerosis stole the sensation right out of her hands 24 years ago....More