Charges may change after elderly man dies following assault in care home

WINNIPEG - Charges against a senior suffering from Alzheimer's disease may change following the death of a care home resident he's accused of assaulting....More

Top doctor says health care needs to move off of the election waiting list

CALGARY - The president of the Canadian Medical Association wants health care moved from the waiting list to the top of the agenda in the federal election campaign. Dr....More

Pharmacies can make cheaper version of new, expensive drug to prevent preemie birth, FDA says

ATLANTA - U.S. officials say they won't stop special pharmacies from making a cheaper version of a new expensive drug that prevents preterm labour. The Food and Drug Administration's unusual statement concerns the recently approved Makena....More

FDA examines links between food dyes and hyperactivity in children

WASHINGTON - The FDA is examining the link between dyes found in everyday foods and hyperactivity in children. At a two-day meeting starting Wednesday, an FDA advisory committee will decide whether available data links the dyes and the disorder....More

Colorado law addressing concussions for young athletes is most sweeping in U.S.

DENVER - Jake Bryant played hockey for seven years and was the goalie in an advanced youth hockey with the Colorado Rampage. He suffered five concussions in less than two years, which forced him to retire from the sport at age 16....More

Blood donors excluded if they spent 6 months in Saudi Arabia from 1980-96

OTTAWA - Canadian Blood Services says it will begin excluding potential blood donors if they spent a total of six months or more in Saudi Arabia between 1980 and 1996....More

B.C. announces $2 million to study fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, chronic fatigue

VANCOUVER - Health officials in British Columbia announced $2 million for a study and new centre that will focus on screening, diagnoses and treatment of patients with fibromyalgia, Lyme disease and chronic fatigue syndrome....More

Drugs not working? Try this sugar pill instead. German doctors advised to use more placebos

LONDON - For German patients plagued with problems like chronic pain and mild depression, doctors may soon be trying something a little different: a placebo....More

Physiotherapist charged with five counts of sexual assault dating back to 1996

DUNCAN, B.C. - RCMP in Duncan, B.C., say a physiotherapist has been charged with five counts of sexual assault. Cpl. Kevin Day says 51-year-old Campbell Crichton was working at a local clinic when the alleged offences occurred....More

Ontario won't follow Flaherty's lead with tax credit goodies in today's budget

TORONTO - Ontario won't be following the federal Conservatives' lead in peppering today's budget with pre-election goodies designed to entice voters in an upcoming election. The province is heading to the polls Oct....More

Ontario budget includes funding for mental health, more post-secondary spaces

TORONTO - There was just a smattering of spending in Ontario's pre-election budget Tuesday with health care and education collecting the lion's share of the money....More

No wage hike in new contract between province, public sector nurses

VICTORIA - Two unions representing a small group of B.C. nurses have reached a tentative collective agreement with the provincial government that does not include any wage increases....More

N.B. government asks public for comment on ways to improve primary health care

FREDERICTON - There needs to be a shift in philosophy in order to improve access and delivery of primary health care in New Brunswick, the province's health minister said Tuesday....More

It's war: Ontario Liberal budget paints Tory rivals as threat to public services

TORONTO - Ontario delivered a garrison budget Tuesday designed to paint the governing Liberals as white knights defending vital public services against the threat of penny-pinching Conservatives and "job killing" New Democrats ahead of a fall election....More

Highlights from the 2011 Ontario budget

TORONTO - Highlights of the 2011 Ontario budget presented Tuesday by Finance Minister Dwight Duncan: — No new tax increases, decreases or credits for taxpayers or businesses....More

Charges may change after elderly man dies following assault in care home

WINNIPEG - Charges against a senior suffering from Alzheimer's disease may change following the death of a care home resident he's accused of assaulting....More

N.S. health authority, workers come to tentative deal; terms go for vote

HALIFAX - About 3,900 health workers in Nova Scotia's largest health district have reached a tentative agreement with their employer....More

N.L. justice minister rejects ombudsman report on psychiatric needs of inmates

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - A call for changes in psychiatric services for inmates at jails in Newfoundland and Labrador is being rejected by the provincial government....More

N.L. bans smoking in cars while children present, workplace smoking rooms

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Newfoundland and Labrador is banning smoking in cars when children under the age of 16 are present. The government is also banning designated smoking rooms in workplaces....More

Getting mellow with marijuana may help MS pain, but could hurt brain

TORONTO - Multiple sclerosis patients who regularly smoke pot to relieve pain and spastic muscles could be putting their brain function in peril, say researchers, who found that marijuana can further reduce cognitive abilities often already impaired by the disease....More

Few therapies today for radiation emergencies but drugs, rapid tests in pipeline

WASHINGTON - Japan's nuclear emergency highlights a big medical gap: Few treatments exist to help people exposed to large amounts of radiation....More

Facebook depression is among harms linked to social media sites, doctors warn

CHICAGO - Add "Facebook depression" to potential harms linked with social media, an influential doctors' group warns, referring to a condition it says may affect troubled teens who obsess over the online site....More

Crying shame: Alternative remedies for screaming babies' colic don't work, medical review says

CHICAGO - That nonstop crying of a baby with colic has some parents turning to popular folk remedies. Unfortunately, there's no good evidence they work, according to a review of 15 studies. The results don't surprise New York City mom Leni Calas, 32....More

Ontario won't follow Flaherty's lead with tax credit goodies in today's budget

TORONTO - Ontario won't be following the federal Conservatives' lead in peppering today's budget with pre-election goodies designed to entice voters in an upcoming election. The province is heading to the polls Oct....More

China reports elevated radiation on 2 Japanese tourists; bans food from affected areas

BEIJING, China - China said it found higher than normal levels of radiation on two Japanese tourists who arrived on Friday....More

Disgraced pathologist Charles Smith doesn't show up for harsh reprimand

TORONTO - The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario didn't mince words in what may well be the final official reprimand of Dr. Charles Smith: egregious, repulsive, disgraced, abhorrence, abysmal....More

Alleged Alzheimer's assault in Manitoba care facility prompts review

WINNIPEG - Health officials in Winnipeg have launched a review of an alleged attack by an Alzheimer's patient whose stint in jail last year made political waves....More

Flu drove up ER wait times, now Ontario hospitals fear funding cuts

TORONTO - Some Ontario hospitals fear they could be facing funding cuts after a worse-than-expected flu season drove up emergency room wait times this winter....More

Smoking pot and getting behind the wheel? Lab tests find some drivers on drugs

TORONTO - Drugs showed up in toxicology tests in more than seven per cent of drivers in a random roadside survey in British Columbia, and about 33 per cent of fatally injured drivers tested for drugs across the country....More

Slower, fatter, weaker: London's promise to get people moving before 2012 Olympics flops

LONDON - At a north London gym on a recent evening, Claire Palmer was busy pounding her gloved fists into a punching bag....More

Facebook depression is among harms linked to social media sites, doctors warn

CHICAGO - Add "Facebook depression" to potential harms linked with social media, an influential doctors' group warns, referring to a condition it says may affect troubled teens who obsess over the online site....More

Crying shame: Alternative remedies for screaming babies' colic don't work, medical review says

CHICAGO - That nonstop crying of a baby with colic has some parents turning to popular folk remedies. Unfortunately, there's no good evidence they work, according to a review of 15 studies. The results don't surprise New York City mom Leni Calas, 32....More

A look at how Nevada regulates boxers and mixed martial arts fighters

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - A look at how the Nevada State Athletic Commission regulates fighters' health: Fighter Licenses Fighters have to take a physical, which may be more comprehensive depending on age and activity....More

Study finds kids in military families are under stress, feel isolated, depressed

OROMOCTO, N.B. - Children of military parents often suffer stress, isolation and depression linked to the deployment of their parents to war zones, according to a three-year study that says the military has failed to address the problem....More

Some fertility drugs carry theoretical risk of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: study

TORONTO - Women injected with urine-derived fertility drugs could be at risk of developing the human form of mad cow disease, although no cases have yet been linked to the drugs, researchers say....More

Saskatchewan privacy commissioner dumpster dives to recover medical files

REGINA - Dumpster diving isn't something Saskatchewan's privacy commissioner makes a habit of, but this time Gary Dickson says he was left with little choice....More

MMA has medical suspensions but what happens when fighters don't listen?

While other leagues struggle with concussions, the UFC points proudly to its medical record. "Here's the reality. This is the most regulated sport in the world," UFC president Dana White told the UFC 128 pre-fight news conference last week in New York....More

Legal medical marijuana growers being targeted by grow-op robbers

VANCOUVER - Marco Renda's home in Dundalk, Ont., was equipped with night-vision cameras, fencing, and alarms — all to protect his medicine....More

Health officials credit harm reduction for decline in B.C. HIV rates

VANCOUVER - A new report says there are fewer new cases of HIV among injection drug users in B.C., and health officials are crediting the province's harm reduction programs....More

China reports elevated radiation on 2 Japanese tourists; bans food from affected areas

BEIJING, China - China said it found higher than normal levels of radiation on two Japanese tourists who arrived on Friday....More

On first birthday of Obama's health-care overhaul, fight heads to the courts

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama's sweeping health-care reform law marked its first birthday on Wednesday, but the battle rages on against the biggest piece of social legislation enacted in decades in a country with a historical distrust of government....More

McGuinty urges travellers to buy insurance in wake of man's death

TORONTO - Ontario will look at what can be learned from the tragic story of a young man who was stranded abroad after falling ill during a trip to Mexico and died months later in hospital, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Wednesday....More

Liberal leader asks if lung cancer death rate linked to doctors leaving

EDMONTON - Alberta's Liberal leader is asking if lower lung cancer survival rates in the province are linked to the departure of surgical specialists who say they were bullied out of their jobs....More

Cape Breton hospitals coping with bacterial infection after four deaths

SYDNEY, N.S. - An infectious disease specialist says four elderly patients have died at three hospitals in Cape Breton that are dealing with a bacterial infection. Dr....More

B.C. scientist who specializes in rare diseases among Gairdner Award winners

TORONTO - Dr. Michael Hayden, a clinical scientist whose pioneering work in rare genetic diseases has led to predictive tests and treatments, is among the recipients of this year's Canada Gairdner Awards....More

Alberta premier says federal budget misses health-care payment disparity

EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach believes the federal government owes the province about $900 million in health-care equalization payments....More

A look at how Nevada regulates boxers and mixed martial arts fighters

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - A look at how the Nevada State Athletic Commission regulates fighters' health: Fighter Licenses Fighters have to take a physical, which may be more comprehensive depending on age and activity....More

MMA has medical suspensions but what happens when fighters don't listen?

While other leagues struggle with concussions, the UFC points proudly to its medical record. "Here's the reality. This is the most regulated sport in the world," UFC president Dana White told the UFC 128 pre-fight news conference last week in New York....More

Saskatchewan premier says no surprises in federal budget, but that's OK

REGINA - Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says the new federal budget doesn't — in his words — "light up the night sky" when it comes to new initiatives....More

Ontario has eye on stimulus, health care funding in upcoming budget

TORONTO - Premier Dalton McGuinty says he's keeping an eye on health care funding and stimulus spending in Tuesday's federal budget, which could trigger an election....More

Ontario finance minister says federal budget fails province on several fronts

TORONTO - Ontario's governing Liberals slammed the federal budget Tuesday, saying it fails the province on five key fronts that may affect the Tories' fortunes in a spring election....More

Health Canada monitoring stations detect 'minuscule' increase in radiation

VANCOUVER - Health Canada monitoring stations detected a "minuscule" increase in radiation levels along the B.C. coast Monday in the wake of the nuclear crisis in Japan....More

Caught in the crunch: Sandwich generation shoulders load of child and elder care

TORONTO - Within days of learning she was pregnant with her second child, Barb Brzezicki faced the unfolding of an unexpected and harrowing chapter in her family's life: her mother's diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease....More

Call today: Alberta Liberals launch toll-free line for health bully victims

EDMONTON - Alberta Liberals are launching an toll-free telephone line for doctors and patients who have stories about bullying in the health-care system....More

Tokyo water: Level of radioactive iodine in tap water 2 times limit for infants

TOKYO - Tap water in Tokyo tested two times above the limit for radioactive iodine considered safe for infants, officials said Wednesday amid burgeoning concerns about food and water safety as a nuclear plant in the northeast continued to leak radiation....More

B.C. scientist who specializes in rare diseases among Gairdner Award winners

TORONTO - Dr. Michael Hayden, a clinical scientist whose pioneering work in rare genetic diseases has led to predictive tests and treatments, is among the recipients of this year's Canada Gairdner Awards....More

More 'average guys' are turning to cosmetic surgeons for fountain of youth

TORONTO - More and more these days, the patient consulting a plastic surgeon for cosmetic enhancement is often a man — and not just for a little filler here and a bit of Botox there....More

Just in time for flood season: Manitoba secures air ambulance agreement

WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government says an ambulance-helicopter promised in last fall's throne speech will be in place in time for the flood season....More

Experts say risk from radiation in food in Japan low so far, but WHO urges caution

WASHINGTON - Radiation-tainted spinach from Japan's damaged nuclear reactors may sound scary, but here is a reality check: Even if any made it to stores there, you would have to eat an exorbitant amount to need to worry....More

Expert on suicide prevention: Don't be afraid to put questions to elderly parents

MONTREAL - Joan Seabrook felt "absolute devastation" when she first found out that her 68-year-old mother and 69-year-old father had died by suicide. "It was a suicide pact," Seabrook, who lives in London, Ont., said in a recent interview....More

Boston's Brigham and Women's hospital performs US's first full face transplant on Texas man

BOSTON - A Boston hospital has performed the United States' first full face transplant. A team of more than 30 doctors, nurses and other staff at Brigham and Women's Hospital under the leadership of Dr....More

Baby Joseph has tracheotomy in St Louis, after London, Ont., hospital said 'no'

WINDSOR, Ont. - A terminally ill baby has had a breathing tube inserted into his trachea at a hospital in St. Louis, after a London, Ont., hospital would not perform the procedure....More

Alberta opposition politicians promise 'doctor a day' until health inquiry called

EDMONTON - Alberta opposition politicians say another emergency debate about a health-care inquiry is needed as professionals continue to come forward with new complaints. "There's a doctor a day coming forward," Liberal Leader David Swann said Monday....More

Health Canada monitoring stations detect 'minuscule' increase in radiation

VANCOUVER - Health Canada monitoring stations detected a "minuscule" increase in radiation levels along the B.C. coast Monday in the wake of the nuclear crisis in Japan....More

Feds urged to make any changes they need to ensure new Ontario nukes are safe

TORONTO - Ottawa should make any "necessary changes" to ensure that the atomic crisis in Japan is considered in plans to build Canada's first new nuclear power station in decades, Ontario's energy minister said Friday....More

Dr. Mario? Nintendo 3DS could help kids with vision disorders, optometrists say

NEW YORK, N.Y. - U.S. eye specialists are welcoming the Nintendo 3DS game device, dismissing the manufacturer's warnings that its 3D screen shouldn't be used by children 6 or younger because it may harm their immature vision....More

Veteran Calgary college hockey coach says better helmets could prevent head injuries

CALGARY - A veteran college hockey coach thinks there might be a simple solution to dealing with the growing problem of headshots and serious injuries in hockey. Just build a better hockey helmet....More

Expanded military support centre to open next year in Halifax: defence minister

HALIFAX - Construction will soon begin on a $4.2-million military support centre at Canadian Forces Base Halifax, Defence Minister Peter MacKay announced Saturday....More

Cancer risk from midlevel dose of radiation can depend on age, genetic makeup

Thyroid cancer for sure. Leukemia, probably. Too much radiation can raise the risk of developing cancer years down the road, scientists agree, and the young are most vulnerable. But just how much or how long an exposure is risky is not clear....More

"Obese" Mounties working to tighten belts

OTTAWA - Mounties are waging a battle of the bulge. Almost a quarter of RCMP officers — 23.8 per cent — are considered "obese," based on standard height and weight measurements....More

New advice: Rear-facing car seats safer for kids to age 2; booster seats for some until age 12

CHICAGO - Children should ride in rear-facing car seats longer, until they are 2 years old instead of 1, according to updated advice from a medical group and a federal agency....More

More 'average guys' are turning to cosmetic surgeons for fountain of youth

TORONTO - More and more these days, the patient consulting a plastic surgeon for cosmetic enhancement is often a man — and not just for a little filler here and a bit of Botox there....More

Report calls for new approach to help mentally ill youth in New Brunswick

FREDERICTON - A new report recommends that a centre for the treatment of mentally ill children and youth be established in the Moncton area, but with services available throughout New Brunswick....More

Mylan Pharmaceuticals recalls two drugs due to label mixup, could pose risk

TORONTO - Mylan Pharmaceuticals has started a voluntary recall of two drugs after a pharmacist noticed a prescription product containing the wrong medication....More

Leak of demineralized water from Pickering nuclear station no threat: officials

PICKERING, Ont. - A water leak at the Pickering nuclear power plant east of Toronto does not pose any significant threats to public health, officials said Wednesday....More

Health minister says N.S. to introduce drug price legislation this spring

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia's health minister says the province will introduce legislation this spring aimed at getting fairer drug prices....More

CFIA recalling dozens of whey protein products, may be tainted with salmonella

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has updated a recall of dozens of whey protein products because they may be contaminated with salmonella....More

CDC: Transplant patient got AIDS from new kidney; living donor was infected

ATLANTA - A transplant patient contracted AIDS from the kidney of a living donor, in the first documented case of its kind in the U.S. since screening for HIV began in the mid-1980s....More

Canada busing nationals away from damaged reactor in northern Japan

OTTAWA - Canada is chartering buses to get Canadians away from a possible nuclear meltdown in northern Japan. The Foreign Affairs Department says 16 Canadians were bused out of the region around the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant on Thursday....More

Alberta doctors say they would support public inquiry into health care

EDMONTON - The president of the Alberta Medical Association says his group would support a public inquiry into how doctors who criticize health care are treated....More

One lot of vaccine against Japanese encephalitis is subject of recall

OTTAWA - Health Canada says people who were vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis after December 23 should check to see if the vaccine was from a lot that has been recalled....More

New concerns in Alberta over doctor intimidation; calls for inquiry renewed

EDMONTON - Opposition politicians in Alberta have renewed their calls for a public inquiry into health care after more suggestions that doctors with concerns were bullied into silence....More

Greenpeace, Ontario nurses urge Liberals to rethink nuclear energy plans

TORONTO - Greenpeace joined forces with Ontario's nurses Wednesday to make an "urgent appeal" to the provincial government to delay indefinitely public hearings on building new nuclear reactors....More

Feds pledge $5 million to promote safety in youth sports

MONTREAL - The Conservative government is committing $5 million to prevent injuries in youth sports....More

European group offers to treat hundreds of Japanese nuclear plant workers exposed to radiation

LONDON - A European bone marrow transplant group on Wednesday offered to treat Japanese emergency workers who may be exposed to dangerous radiation from the crippled nuclear reactors....More

Canadiens fans rally, sign petition against hockey hits after Hab sidelined

MONTREAL - Montreal Canadiens fans chanted, ranted about NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and scribbled their names on petitions against hockey violence at a rally in the wake of a hit that sidelined one of their players....More

3 stem cell researchers to share $500K prize awarded in NY for medicine, biomedical research

ALBANY, N.Y. - Three stem cell researchers have been awarded the annual Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research for their pioneering work in human stem cells....More

Leak of demineralized water from Pickering nuclear station no threat: officials

PICKERING, Ont. - A water leak at the Pickering nuclear power plant east of Toronto does not pose any significant threats to public health, officials said Wednesday....More

Harper says Japan nuclear crisis poses no radiation risks for Canadians

SURREY, B.C. - The nuclear crisis unfolding in Japan following last week's massive earthquake and tsunami poses no risk to Canada, says Prime Minister Stephen Harper....More

Fears of health risks rise in Japan as radiation increases, residents warned to stay indoors

Fears about health risks rose dramatically in Japan Tuesday with news of a greater radiation release and renewed warnings to remaining residents within 30 kilometres (19 miles) to stay indoors....More

CFIA expands organic peppermint tea recall due to possible salmonella

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has expanded its recall of imported tea products due to possible contamination with salmonella....More

B.C. public reacts to nuclear radiation fears by stockpiling potassium iodide

VANCOUVER - British Columbians spooked by their westerly proximity to ongoing explosions at Japan's quake-damaged nuclear plants are making a run on pharmacies, hoping to boost immunity to any potential radiation drift....More

Alberta reaches tentative 3-year funding deal with doctors, but physicians angry

EDMONTON - Alberta is trying to make peace with angry doctors by shelving plans to cut nine physician support programs at the end of the month, but it's too soon to say whether the government's medicine is working....More

1,900 Halifax hospital workers vote in favour of strike while talks continue

HALIFAX - Health-care workers at Nova Scotia's largest hospital authority have voted in favour of strike action to back demands for a new contract....More

Ontario not backing down on new nukes in wake of atomic crisis in Japan

TORONTO - Canada's most populous province is showing no signs of backing down on plans to expand its fleet of nuclear reactors as an atomic crisis continues to unfold in tsunami-ravaged Japan....More

Canadiens fans rally, sign petition against hockey hits after Hab sidelined

MONTREAL - Montreal Canadiens fans chanted, ranted about NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and scribbled their names on petitions against hockey violence at a rally in the wake of a hit that sidelined one of their players....More

Cutting chemical from wastewater could cut into companies' bottom lines: study

OTTAWA - The prospect of plant closures with seemingly little environmental upside hasn't kept the federal government from trying to slap strict limits on the release of a controversial chemical....More

Consulting firm Deloitte selected to conduct review of N.S. special-care home

HALIFAX - The Nova Scotia government says a consulting firm will conduct an independent review into a recent incident of abuse at a residential home for the mentally disabled....More

Blood pressure - it's all in the numbers

Here are some facts on blood pressure from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada: WHAT IT IS: Blood pressure is a measure of the pressure or force of blood against the walls of the arteries, expressed as a ratio in millimetres of mercury, or mm Hg....More

B.C. officials try to ease fears of radiation from Japanese nuclear meltdown

VICTORIA - A top health official says B.C. shouldn't face any health risks from radiation leaked from Japanese nuclear reactors failing after last week's earthquakes. Provincial Health Officer Dr....More

Alberta premier says opposition call for health-care inquiry a political 'stunt'

EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the province's health-care system is not a political football....More

Montreal Canadiens fans to turn out in force against NHL inaction on Chara

MONTREAL - Montreal Canadiens fans are hitting back at the National Hockey League after it gave a pass to a Boston Bruins player who put a Hab in the hospital....More

Fears of health risks rise in Japan as radiation increases, residents warned to stay indoors

Fears about health risks rose dramatically in Japan Tuesday with news of a greater radiation release and renewed warnings to remaining residents within 30 kilometres (19 miles) to stay indoors....More

B.C. public reacts to nuclear radiation fears by stockpiling potassium iodide

VANCOUVER - British Columbians spooked by their westerly proximity to ongoing explosions at Japan's quake-damaged nuclear plants are making a run on pharmacies, hoping to boost immunity to any potential radiation drift....More

Alberta to hire pathologists after one quits, two others say they're leaving

EDMONTON - Alberta Justice says crime investigations will not be compromised by the loss of three of seven forensic pathologists in the province — all in Calgary. In January, Dr. Michael Belenky quit after two years as an assistant medical examiner....More

Alberta opposition parties unite to demand full inquiry into health system

EDMONTON - Alberta's four opposition party leaders and Independent health critic Raj Sherman have joined forces to demand a full inquiry into the hospital system....More

Alberta government to provide team to help troubled parents with their newborns

CALGARY - Alberta is launching a program to provide immediate supports and services to at-risk families with vulnerable infants....More

Unionized staff at Halifax seniors' care home may give strike notice next week

HALIFAX - Unionized staff at a Halifax seniors' complex are threatening to strike after rejecting the home's latest contract offer....More

Quebec group mulls creation of breast milk bank as online sharing groups expand

MONTREAL - A Quebec group is mulling the creation of a breast milk bank — which would become the country's second — as more mothers unable to produce milk turn to the Internet to access it....More

Sad new dads prone to spanking kids in study showing the risks of postpartum depression in men

CHICAGO - Just like new moms, new fathers can be depressed, and a study found a surprising number of sad dads spanked their 1-year-olds....More

London hospital says Baby Joseph was flown to U.S. against medical advice

LONDON, Ont. - The Ontario hospital caring for a terminally ill baby says the infant was flown to the U.S. against their medical advice....More

Cutting chemical from wastewater could cut into companies' bottom lines: study

OTTAWA - The prospect of plant closures with seemingly little environmental upside hasn't kept the federal government from trying to slap strict limits on the release of a controversial chemical....More

Health Canada approves new capsule for relapsing-remitting form of disease

DORVAL, Que. - Health Canada has approved a new drug for multiple sclerosis patients who have the relapsing-remitting form of the disease. The drug maker Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc....More

Haute cuisine, hospital style; chefs break Jell-O mould for better patient food

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Haute cuisine is to hospital food as coq au vin is to mystery meat, right? Maybe once, but a number of hospitals are breaking the old Jell-O mould, blending feeling better with tasting better as they liven up patient menus with the likes...More

Doctor alleges Alberta gov't forced him out, smeared his reputation:CBC

EDMONTON - The CBC is reporting that a doctor sued the Edmonton health region authority and two senior managers in 2001 for allegedly smearing his reputation and forcing him out of his job....More

Clark's plans to tie health budget to economy stirs debate

VICTORIA - Christy Clark got a taste of what's in store for her new Liberal government on the health-care front at a Tim Hortons shop in New Westminster days after her election as B.C.'s new premier....More

CFIA recalls line of organic peppermint teas due to salmonella contamination

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to consume certain organic peppermint teas because the products may be contaminated with salmonella. The affected tea products, distributed by Metropolitan Tea Co....More

B.C. officials expand botulism warning involving jams and jellies

VANCOUVER - B.C. health officials are telling consumers to toss out all food products made by Jamnation Fine Foods because they might be contaminated with the potentially deadly botulism toxin. On Tuesday, the B.C....More

Alberta Health Services approves 5-year plan; posts surplus in 3rd quarter

RED DEER, Alta. - Alberta Health Services has posted a surplus in the third quarter of 2010-11....More

Alberta calls independent review of alleged substandard health care

EDMONTON - The Alberta government, bowing to pressure from doctors and political opponents, has ordered an independent review of health-care waiting lists to resolve allegations of dangerously substandard care and needless deaths....More

School tax reform, building health facilities issues at Saskatchewan convention

SASKATOON - Saskatchewan's finance minister says the final stage of school tax reform will be included in the next provincial budget....More

Manitoba promises faster, more accurate care with new electronic health records

WINNIPEG - Manitoba has joined other provinces with electronic health files, although the online records are being rolled out slowly and the final price tag is not yet known....More

Long-acting insulin provides glucose control when injected 3 times per week: study

TORONTO - A modified insulin that gets absorbed very slowly after being injected once a day works as well as an existing form of insulin to control blood sugar, with lower rates of hypoglycemia, a study indicates....More

Jack is back: Layton out of hospital after hip surgery, back in Parliament

OTTAWA - NDP Leader Jack Layton is back to work just hours after leaving hospital following hip surgery. Layton returned to Parliament Hill for a House of Commons vote today — five days after surgery to mend a broken hip....More

Hidden cigarettes, healthy citizens? UK health department bans England tobacco displays

LONDON - For smokers and ex-smokers alike in England, it's almost impossible not to see the cigarette packs piled into prominent displays behind store counters and supermarket checkouts....More

Health officials reviewing evidence used to deny woman breast cancer drug

TORONTO - Evidence that led experts to deny a young mother an expensive breast cancer drug is being reviewed, Ontario health officials said Wednesday as critics called for the government to show some compassion....More

From $10 to $1,500: How cheap drug that prevents preterm birth got expensive

ATLANTA - The price of preventing preterm labour is about to go through the roof. A drug for high-risk pregnant women has cost about $10 to $20 per injection....More

Alberta Premier deflects calls for health inquiry, calling it unnecessary

EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach resisted renewed opposition calls Wednesday for an independent inquiry into the health system, saying citizens are happy with what's going on....More

Rock stars have a challenging time keeping healthy while on the road

TORONTO - A few years ago, Canadian rock legends Fred Turner and Randy Bachman decided they would hit the road for another tour together, but Turner had a problem....More

Recall of hazelnuts from U.S. expanded, product may contain E. coli: CFIA

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says a recall of assorted nuts imported from the U.S. that may be contaminated with E. coli has been expanded to include an additional product....More

Mental health experts urge Saskatchewan to replace decrepit century-old hospital

REGINA - Mental health experts are calling on the Saskatchewan government to replace a century-old psychiatric hospital, saying it can't meet modern needs for care....More

Kaspar the friendly robot: autistic kids in Britain learn emotions from robot

Eden Sawczenko used to recoil when other little girls held her hand and turned stiff when they hugged her. This year, the four-year-old autistic girl began playing with a robot that teaches about emotions and physical contact — and now she hugs everyone....More

Groups hope 'Very Hungry Caterpillar' will take bite out of childhood obesity

CHICAGO - Two health groups are hoping a hungry caterpillar will take a bite out of childhood obesity. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle tells about a caterpillar who munches his way through a variety of foods....More

Flooding, bad roads, no doctors key issues for Saskatchewan's rural politicians

SASKATOON - The threat of spring flooding is expected to dominate talks at the annual convention of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities this week in Saskatoon....More

Alberta psych patient kills self just days before ward's grand opening

EDMONTON - Just days before the grand ribbon-cutting of a new Edmonton psychiatric ward, a patient hanged himself on a coat hook, Alberta's opposition NDP revealed Tuesday....More

Hidden cigarettes, healthy citizens? UK health department bans England tobacco displays

LONDON - For smokers and ex-smokers alike in England, it's almost impossible not to see the cigarette packs piled into prominent displays behind store counters and supermarket checkouts....More

Eating disorders affect more than half million US teens and most don't get help, study says

CHICAGO - More than half a million U.S. teens have had an eating disorder but few have sought treatment for the problem, government research shows. The study is billed as the largest and most comprehensive analysis of eating disorders....More

Doctors seek options so that surviving child cancer does not mean a life of infertility

WASHINGTON - The treatment beating back 9-year-old Dylan Hanlon's cancer may also be destroying his chances of fathering his own children when he grows up....More

Canada's health ministers join forces to help kids battle the bulge

TORONTO - Canada's health ministers are joining forces to fight childhood obesity. Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq says unhealthy weight is a significant public health concern....More

Campaign that includes iPhone app, video aimed at helping youth quit smoking

TORONTO - While nobody claims that quitting smoking is easy, the Ontario Lung Association hopes a campaign that includes a new iPhone app will help young adults in the province butt out for good....More

Avoid risks to kids' health during energy renovations and retrofits, report urges

TORONTO - Home energy renovations and retrofits may help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut costs, but a new report urges greater education and care to avoid the release of toxic substances during the process....More

Almost 650 calls have flooded Agent Orange hotlines, Ontario government says

TORONTO - Close to 650 calls have flooded provincial hotlines in the wake of recent revelations that Agent Orange was used in Ontario for more than three decades....More

Alberta officials say government plan to reduce hospital wait times is working

EDMONTON - Alberta health officials say the government's plan to reduce long wait times in hospital emergency rooms is working in some ways, but in others, not so much....More

Alberta health critic Raj Sherman fails to deliver promised proof of health woes

EDMONTON - An Alberta politician facing demands to back up his sensational accusations of conspiracy, fraud, coercion and bribery in the province's health system, tabled his long-promised supporting documents Monday — but the paperwork had nothing to do with what he...More

More than a third of US adults get fewer than 7 hours sleep: CDC report

ATLANTA - More than a third of U.S. adults sleep less than seven hours a night, and many of them report troubles concentrating, remembering and even driving....More

US agency says mothers who take epilepsy drug Topamax risk birth defects

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning women of child-bearing age that the epilepsy drug Topamax can increase the risk of birth defects....More

Jack Layton recovering after surgery to fix hairline hip fracture

OTTAWA - NDP Leader Jack Layton's prognosis for recovery from hip surgery was described as "excellent" by the hospital where he underwent the procedure on Friday....More

Health Canada recalls 4 kids products, IKEA coffee-tea maker, due to hazards

TORONTO - Health Canada issued recalls Friday affecting several products, including children's items that could cause injury. The Parents Busy Time Activity Center, manufactured for Manhattan Group LLC of Minneapolis, Minn....More

Big drop in kids' ear infections, smoking decline may be a reason: researchers

ATLANTA - Ear infections, a scourge that has left countless tots screaming through the night, have fallen dramatically in number, and some researchers suggest a decline in smoking by parents might be part of the reason. U.S....More

Alberta doctors advised how to treat MS liberation patients

EDMONTON - Alberta doctors are being told there isn't a lot of information on how to provide followup care for multiple sclerosis patients who have undergone an unproven procedure outside the country....More

Hazelnuts recalled in Canada after E.coli outbreak in the U.S.

OTTAWA - An outbreak of E.coli in the U.S. linked to eating unshelled hazelnuts, also known as filberts, has prompted a recall in Canada....More

Blood test for pregnant women can detect Down syndrome in fetus, preliminary study suggests

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Scientists in Europe report they were able to diagnose Down syndrome prenatally by giving a simple blood test to pregnant women, an approach that might one day help them avoid the more extensive procedure used now to detect the condition....More

Statscan says one in four Canadian adults obese; in U.S., it's one in three

TORONTO - One in four Canadian adults is clinically obese, compared with one in three in the United States, suggests a new study that experts describe as a grim depiction of the state of public health on both sides of the border....More

Sophisticated MRI may help pinpoint source of seizures in type of epilepsy

LONDON, Ont. - The University of Western Ontario has begun testing patients with temporal lobe epilepsy with a new-generation MRI scanner to see whether the device can better pinpoint where their seizures originate....More

Saskatchewan prepared to reimburse some costs to living organ donors

REGINA - Living organ donors in Saskatchewan are now eligible to have some of their expenses reimbursed. The government says it will provide up to $5,500 each to individuals who wish to donate a kidney but face travel and other expenses....More

Residents urged to boil water after water main break in Moncton, N.B.

MONCTON, N.B. - Thousands of homes and businesses in Moncton, N.B., remain under a boil-water order after a major water main ruptured Wednesday....More

Ontario Divisional Court dismisses challenge to giant wind turbines

TORONTO - A court challenge to the Liberal government's controversial wind energy program was dismissed Thursday by the Ontario Divisional Court, but the applicants said they're not discouraged....More

Nova Scotia health districts told not to expect budget increase this year

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia's nine district health authorities and the IWK Health Centre in Halifax will have to make do without any funding increases this year, Health Minister Maureen MacDonald said Thursday....More

New Democrat Leader Jack Layton to undergo hip surgery on Friday

OTTAWA - NDP Leader Jack Layton is to undergo hip surgery on Friday his communications director confirmed, but he is not expected to be sidelined for very long....More

More than a third of US adults get fewer than 7 hours sleep: CDC report

ATLANTA - More than a third of U.S. adults sleep less than seven hours a night, and many of them report troubles concentrating, remembering and even driving....More

Nova Scotia doctors vote in favour of contract change to limit fee increase

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia's doctors have voted 82 per cent in favour of amending their contract with the province, a move that will limit their fee increases to one per cent in each of the next two years....More

Much higher proportion of Americans are obese compared to Canada, new head-to-head study shows

ATLANTA - American adults have a significantly higher rate of obesity than their neighbours to the north, a new study says. About 24 per cent of Canadians are obese compared to more than 34 per cent of Americans, according to the U.S....More

Manitoba opens 10 new treatment beds for women suffering with addictions

SELKIRK, Man. - The Manitoba government is funding ten new beds for women with addictions at the Behavioural Health Foundation centre in Selkirk....More

Man charged in mental health worker's death found unfit to stand trial

EDMONTON - A forensic assessment has found that a 25-year-old charged in the death of a mental health worker in central Alberta is not fit to stand trial. Terrence Wade Saddleback was charged with manslaughter last week....More

Lower percentage of Canadians are fat than Americans, study finds

OTTAWA - A new study says the prevalence of adult obesity is lower in Canada than it is in the United States. Statistics Canada reports 24.1 per cent of adults in Canada were obese between 2007 and 2009, while in the United States the figure was 34....More

Former Duke scientist withdraws lung cancer paper in major journal; resigned amid school probe

NEW YORK, N.Y. - A Duke University cancer researcher who resigned in November amid questions about his work has retracted a study in the New England Journal of Medicine....More

Statscan says one in four Canadian adults obese; in U.S., it's one in three

TORONTO - One in four Canadian adults is clinically obese, compared with one in three in the United States, suggests a new study that experts describe as a grim depiction of the state of public health on both sides of the border....More

Residents urged to boil water after water main break in Moncton, N.B.

MONCTON, N.B. - Thousands of homes and businesses in Moncton, N.B., remain under a boil-water order after a major water main ruptured Wednesday....More

Smoking elevates breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women, study suggests

TORONTO - Postmenopausal women who previously or currently smoke are at greater risk of developing breast cancer compared to their counterparts who never lit up, a new study suggests. U.S....More

Ontario looks at after-care for MS patients who get liberation therapy abroad

TORONTO - An expert panel will advise the Ontario government on how doctors can provide followup care for people with multiple sclerosis who undergo so-called liberation therapy in another country....More

New technology allows MRI scans for pacemaker patients without risk of harm

CALGARY - At age 37, Melanie Cruise doesn't fit the usual profile of a pacemaker patient. She had been suffering heart murmurs from birth and doctors had been unable to diagnose her condition....More

Family to discuss offer from London hospital to help Baby Joseph go home

LONDON, Ont. - The father of a terminally ill child says he has not seen an offer from a hospital to return the baby to his Windsor, Ont., home. Moe Maraachli says he first heard about the offer by the London Health Sciences Centre from the media Monday....More

Diabetes association, Loblaw urge Canadians to `Get Checked Now' for disease

TORONTO - The Canadian Diabetes Association is teaming with Loblaw Companies Ltd. for a program aimed at getting Canadians checked for the most common form of the disease....More

Alberta health minister wants former junior minister to back up allegations

EDMONTON - Alberta's health minister is telling a whistle-blowing critic to put up or shut up over damning allegations of corruption by Edmonton health officials....More

'Bad things' can still happen in medical research, experts tell US bioethics commission

ATLANTA - Experts say that the kind of unethical medical studies that occurred half a century ago could still happen again despite more than 1,000 rules and regulations that should prevent such abuses....More

Tim Horton's trauma centre: Coffee shop doubles as emergency ward

VANCOUVER - Forget the coffee and doughnut. Health care was being handed out at a Tim Hortons next to one of British Columbia's busiest emergency wards....More

Gene therapy work raises hope of future AIDS cure by making cells HIV-resistant

In a bold new approach ultimately aimed at trying to cure AIDS, scientists used genetic engineering in six patients to develop blood cells that are resistant to HIV, the virus that causes the disease....More

Fever in children not an illness, say doctors; urge parents to stop fretting and overtreating

CHICAGO - Fever phobia is rampant among parents of young children, according to a myth-busting American Academy of Pediatrics report that advises against treatment every time a kid's temperature inches up. "There's a lot of parental anxiety about fever....More

Dr. Google: Physicians warn of perils of self-diagnosing from Internet

OTTAWA - Is that tennis elbow or a tumour? If you're relying on the Internet to make the diagnosis, you may want to think again. Doctors warn that Internet self-diagnosis could have dangerous consequences....More

Doctors support laws barring minors from tanning salons to reduce cancer risk

CHICAGO - The American Academy of Pediatrics wants teenagers banned from tanning salons to reduce their risk of skin cancer. More than 30 states regulate indoor tanning by minors, with some banning children younger than 14 or requiring parental permission....More

Children's robes recalled due to possible flammability risk: Health Canada

OTTAWA - Health Canada says select children's robes have been recalled due to a possible flammability risk....More

Alberta politician alleges bribery, coercion, fraud in Edmonton cancer deaths

EDMONTON - Health administrators in Edmonton are being accused of fraud, bribery, coercion and coverup in the deaths of more than 200 people on a cancer waiting list....More

Agent Orange 'very widely used' in Ontario, maybe in other provinces: minister

TORONTO - It's clear that Agent Orange was "very widely used" in Ontario for more than three decades and may have been used in other provinces and territories, the Ontario government said Monday....More

Family rejects offer from London hospital to help baby Joseph go home

LONDON, Ont. - The parents of a terminally ill child have rejected an offer by the London Health Sciences Centre to help Joseph Maraachli return to his Windsor, Ont....More