New study says school sports programs should monitor athletes with concussions

MONTREAL - Sports programs in secondary schools, colleges and universities should adopt strict protocols for monitoring student athletes who suffer concussions, a new study suggests....More

National shortage of injectable drugs has Saskatchewan looking elsewhere

REGINA - Saskatchewan's Health Ministry is monitoring the province's drug supply as a potential national shortage looms. The Quebec-based company that supplies half of Canada's injectable drugs is reducing production....More

FDA adds warnings about memory loss, elevated blood sugar to cholesterol drugs

WASHINGTON - U.S. health officials are adding new safety warnings about risks of memory loss and elevated blood sugar to statins, a widely prescribed group of cholesterol-lowering medications....More

Committees, reviews to address Alberta health-care problems

EDMONTON - Alberta is setting up two committees to address concerns of health mismanagement and doctor bullying. Health Minister Fred Horne says the government will also ask the Health Quality Council to review ambulance services....More

Alta govt changes course, won't probe doctor bullying in inquiry

EDMONTON - Four days after Alberta Premier Alison Redford promised a sweeping probe into doctor bullying and political meddling in the health system, her health minister ordered up a panel with a much narrower scope....More

Alberta Union of Public Employees slams contract imposed on province's doctors

EDMONTON - The president of the Alberta Union of Public Employees has slammed the provincial government for imposing a one-year contract on the province's doctors....More

Advocacy group pushes for calorie counts, sodium values on menus

TORONTO - Canada's restaurants are doing their patrons a grave disservice by keeping nutritional facts off their menus, an Ottawa-based advocacy group suggested Tuesday....More

New Brunswick establishes centre of excellence for fetal alcohol syndrome

MONCTON, N.B. - The New Brunswick government is establishing a new centre of excellence to deal with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder....More

New purpose for tattoos: warning about health conditions, end-of-life wishes

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Tattoos have long served as fashion statements, but a small number of Americans are now relying on them for a more practical, potentially lifesaving purpose: to warn first responders about important medical conditions....More

New - but very old - influenza strain isolated from Guatemalan bats

TORONTO - Scientists have found a new — though very old — subtype of influenza in an unlikely host: a species of bats from Guatemala....More

Investigation begins into chlorine gas leak at Williams Lake swimming pool

WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. - An independent health and safety consultant has arrived in the B.C. community of Williams Lake as officials try to determine what caused a chlorine gas leak that sickened 70 people....More

Health Canada reviewing MS drug Gilenya, linked to 11 deaths outside Canada

TORONTO - Health Canada is reviewing a new multiple sclerosis drug that has been linked to 11 deaths. There have been no reports of deaths in Canada of people taking the Novartis drug, which is sold under the brand name Gilenya....More

Boy, adult spend night in hospital after chlorine 'incident' at B.C. pool

WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. - The mother of an eight-year-old boy spent an anxious night worrying about her son after he was hospitalized following a chlorine "incident" that sent 70 people to hospital in British Columbia, most of them children gathered for a swim meet....More

B.C. deals with shortage of drugs, including morphine, from Quebec facility

VICTORIA - Health officials in B.C. are working to deal with a shortage of drugs, including the pain killer morphine, that's the result of problems at a Quebec pharmaceutical company....More

Application closes, selection starts in Saskatchewan for MS liberation trial

REGINA - The Saskatchewan government says 682 people have put their names forward for the clinical trial of a controversial multiple sclerosis treatment in New York....More

Advocacy group pushes for calorie counts, sodium values on menus

TORONTO - Canada's restaurants are doing their patrons a grave disservice by keeping nutritional facts off their menus, an Ottawa-based advocacy group suggested Tuesday....More

B.C. doctor to study heart health in people with spinal cord injuries

VANCOUVER - Marni Abbott-Peter has won three gold medals over years of playing basketball around the globe. It wasn't until she got out of the game that she realized keeping her heart in good shape would feel like jumping through hoops....More

Alberta premier promises inquiry to explore abuse, bullying of doctors

CALGARY - Alberta Premier Alison Redford is promising that complaints from doctors who say they have been ignored, abused, punished and even fired for speaking out on poor patient care will be part of an upcoming public inquiry....More

WHO removes India from list of countries plagued by polio

NEW DELHI - India marked a major success in its battle against polio Saturday by being removed from the World Health Organization's list of countries plagued by the crippling disease....More

Saskatchewan to close one of last remaining institutions for mentally disabled

MOOSE JAW, Sask. - The Saskatchewan government has announced it will close one of the few remaining large facilities in Canada for housing the mentally disabled....More

Outbreak of syphilis in New Brunswick could get worse, health official warns

FREDERICTON - An outbreak of syphilis in New Brunswick that has seen the number of cases rise tenfold in the last three years could get worse, a provincial health official warns....More

Study says women's ovaries harbour rare egg-producing stem cells, a step in fertility research

WASHINGTON - For 60 years, doctors have believed women were born with all the eggs they'll ever have. Now Harvard scientists are challenging that dogma, saying they've discovered the ovaries of young women harbour very rare stem cells capable of producing new eggs....More

Human ovarian stem cells may hold promise for treating infertility: study

In research that could have far-reaching implications for female fertility, U.S. scientists have isolated stem cells from human ovarian tissue that give rise to what appear to be normal egg cells....More

Boy, adult spend night in hospital after chlorine 'incident' at B.C. pool

WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. - The mother of an eight-year-old boy spent an anxious night worrying about her son after he was hospitalized following a chlorine "incident" that sent 70 people to hospital in British Columbia, most of them children gathered for a swim meet....More

Bead of Courage program helps sick children cope with anxiety of disease

SASKATOON - Dealing with a chronic or life-threatening illness can be tough for anyone, but especially for children. To help, a new program called Bead of Courage has been launched in Saskatchewan aimed at easing the anxiety....More

All older adults added to vaccine advice for whooping cough by US advisory panel

ATLANTA - A federal advisory panel wants all U.S. adults to get vaccinated against whooping cough. The panel voted Wednesday to expand its recommendation to include all those 65 and older who haven't had a whooping cough shot as an adult....More

Alberta to push ahead with health inquiry despite panel's finding

EDMONTON - Bureaucratic mismanagement and bullying of doctors have knocked Alberta's health system off the rails and brought much patient suffering, a government panel reported Wednesday. Dr....More

Timing matters for spinal cord injury; surgery sooner improves outcome: study

TORONTO - Timing appears to be everything when it comes to surgery to help people who have suffered an upper spinal cord injury that can lead to quadriplegia, researchers say. A Canadian-U.S....More

Spread of whooping cough in Fraser Valley spurs call for vaccinations

SURREY, B.C. - Health officials in B.C.'s Fraser Valley are urging people to get vaccinations for whooping cough as the disease continues to spread in the region....More

No pay raise for doctors as Ontario tries to balance the books: McGuinty

TORONTO - Premier Dalton McGuinty is sending a strong message to Ontario's doctors that they aren't getting a pay increase as his government struggles to eliminate the deficit....More

Grant to study decades of effluent on First Nation 'empowering': women's group

PICTOU LANDING, N.S. - They know what the lagoon looks like after decades as a dumping site for pulp mill effluent — brown and frothy, an unpalatable root beer float in Nova Scotia's Pictou County....More

Critics demand ministers be fired over Alberta Health Quality Council report

EDMONTON - The Alberta government held an emergency debate on health care Thursday, a day after a damning report said system mismanagement and maltreatment of doctors had led to unnecessary patient suffering....More

Sask. joins Atlantic provinces and Ontario in stopping funding for OxyContin

TORONTO - Saskatchewan has joined Ontario and the Atlantic provinces in taking steps to stop funding the painkiller OxyContin, and a new version of the drug, OxyNeo. The changes coincide with plans by the manufacturer, Purdue Pharma Canada of Pickering, Ont....More

Patients dread colonoscopy but study shows it can cut risk of colon cancer death

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Millions of people have endured a colonoscopy, believing the dreaded exam may help keep them from dying of colon cancer. For the first time, a major study offers clear evidence that it does....More

Panel says Alta docs bullied by bosses but no provincial inquiry needed

EDMONTON - An Alberta panel investigating doctors being bullied by their bosses for speaking out on poor patient care says the intimidation exits, but a full-scale inquiry is not needed....More

Newfoundland and Labrador plans to reduce wait times at emergency departments

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - The Newfoundland and Labrador government plans to spend $3.6 million to reduce emergency department wait times. The provincial government issue a statement today saying the investment will be announced in its spring budget....More

Bead of Courage program helps sick children cope with anxiety of disease

SASKATOON - Dealing with a chronic or life-threatening illness can be tough for anyone, but especially for children. To help, a new program called Bead of Courage has been launched in Saskatchewan aimed at easing the anxiety....More

All older adults added to vaccine advice for whooping cough by US advisory panel

ATLANTA - A federal advisory panel wants all U.S. adults to get vaccinated against whooping cough. The panel voted Wednesday to expand its recommendation to include all those 65 and older who haven't had a whooping cough shot as an adult....More

Alberta to push ahead with health inquiry despite panel's finding

EDMONTON - Bureaucratic mismanagement and bullying of doctors have knocked Alberta's health system off the rails and brought much patient suffering, a government panel reported Wednesday. Dr....More

Alberta to push ahead with health inquiry despite panel's finding

EDMONTON - Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne says a public inquiry into problems with the health system will go ahead even though an expert panel says it has done the work....More

Nova Scotia says Atlantic provinces are cutting funding for painkiller OxyContin

HALIFAX - The Nova Scotia government is taking steps to stop funding the painkiller OxyContin and a new version of the drug under its prescription drug plan....More

Health region defends process to evict Saskatchewan seniors from care home

HUMBOLDT, Sask. - The Saskatoon Health Region is defending its plan to kick out 10 residents from a seniors home in a process that residents' relatives call bullying. Residents in enriched housing, a form of assisted living, at St....More

Health region defends process to evict Saskatchewan seniors from care home

HUMBOLDT, Sask. - The Saskatoon Health Region is defending its plan to kick out 10 residents from a seniors home in a process that residents' relatives call bullying. Residents in enriched housing, a form of assisted living, at St....More

FDA OKs new suppliers to temporarily solve critical shortages of 2 cancer drugs

TRENTON, N.J. - Federal regulators said Tuesday that they've approved new suppliers for two crucial cancer drugs, easing critical shortages — at least for the time being — that have patients worried about missing life-saving treatments....More

Canadian doctors issue policy statement on female genital cutting/mutilation

TORONTO - The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada says information about treating patients who have had female genital cutting or mutilation should be integrated into the curriculum of medical schools....More

Booze in movies might sway young teens' drinking habits, study suggests

Movies with scenes in which alcohol is featured inspire twice as many young teens to begin drinking compared to their peers who don't watch such films, researchers suggest....More

Alberta senior says life in long-term care is abuse, misery and broken elevators

EDMONTON - An Alberta senior has gone public with allegations of misery, physical abuse and substandard living conditions at a long-term care centre....More

Sask. joins Atlantic provinces and Ontario is stopping funding for OxyContin

TORONTO - Saskatchewan has joined Ontario and the Atlantic provinces in taking steps to stop funding the painkiller OxyContin, and a new version of the drug, OxyNeo. The changes coincide with plans by the manufacturer, Purdue Pharma Canada of Pickering, Ont....More

Health and safety at risk in environmental assessment changes: critics

OTTAWA - A group of environmental lawyers, doctors and academics says the federal government will endanger health and safety if it curtails the environmental assessment process in a "haphazard" way....More

Fusion among Canadian scientists equals medical isotopes without nuclear reactor

VANCOUVER - Thousands of patients with life-threatening illnesses were told they'd just have to sit tight when crucial medical tests were delayed over 2009 as Canada suddenly found itself amidst a severe shortage of medical isotopes....More

Fish farm concerns arise after suspected salmon virus reported in Nova Scotia

HALIFAX - A suspected outbreak of a virus at a Nova Scotia fish farm highlights the risks involved in allowing wide-scale expansion of the aquaculture industry, a conservation group said Monday....More

Ferret study suggests new swine flu virus may have pandemic potential

TORONTO - A new study says flu viruses of swine origin that caused a dozen infections in the United States in the second half of last year appear to have pandemic potential. And the work, by scientists at the U.S....More

Experts call for national strategy to fight prescription drug addiction

TORONTO - Addiction experts are applauding Ontario's new restrictions on OxyContin and the drug replacing it, but say the country needs a national strategy to tackle widespread abuse of prescription painkillers....More

Docs urge Franco-Americans to get checked for dangerous French-Canadian disease

MONTREAL - Some U.S. doctors are urging patients to get tested for a potentially deadly genetic disease they say was passed down from French-Canadian forefathers....More

Canadian researchers find a better way to make and supply medical isotopes

VANCOUVER - Canadian researchers may have a solution to the world's shortage of radioactive isotopes, essential in thousands of medical imaging procedures. Researchers in B.C....More

Canadian Cancer Society says minors should be banned from tanning salons

QUEBEC - The Canadian Cancer Society says minors should be banned from tanning salons. The organization sounded the alarm Monday at a Quebec legislature committee in the face of a rise in the number of cases of skin cancer among youths....More

Cape Breton special care home with troubled past appoints new CEO

SYDNEY, N.S. - A Cape Breton special care home that had its licence revoked last year after a review found an autistic man was confined to a room for two weeks has appointed a new CEO. Mildred Colbourne will take over the position at Braemore Home Corp....More

As WHO meeting tries to solve flu studies dispute, journal says it will publish

The editor of the journal Science is suggesting he may publish in full a controversial bird flu study the U.S. government has asked him to put out in abbreviated fashion only. Dr....More

Overcrowding, lax screening and too few homes: foster care crisis deepens

Some children are placed in foster care without full safety checks while others wind up in supervised apartments or overcrowded homes, say child advocates who warn of a deepening crisis across the country....More

National data lacking on numbers, services for foster kids in Canada

MONTREAL - Anyone seeking a national snapshot of the average child in foster care in Canada, especially how their experiences helped shape their adult life, is flat out of luck....More

Foster mom made all the difference for a scared girl who hopes to help others

Jessica Reid went from foster care to drug addiction to having her son cared for by others before finding a happy ending that she traces back to one loving soul. Her name was Joan and she was a respite worker who took Reid into her home in Gimli, Man....More

APNewsBreak: FDA to probe safety of inhalable caffeine, which is sold as a dietary supplement

BOSTON - U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials plan to investigate whether inhalable caffeine sold in lipstick-sized canisters is safe for consumers and if its manufacturer was right to brand it as a dietary supplement....More

Transgender kids get puberty-blocking drugs, sex-changing hormones; MDs say numbers are rising

CHICAGO - A small but growing number of teens and even younger children who think they were born the wrong sex are getting support from parents and from doctors who give them sex-changing treatments, according to reports in the medical journal Pediatrics....More

Experts call for national strategy to fight prescription drug addiction

TORONTO - Addiction experts are applauding new provincial restrictions on OxyContin and the drug replacing it, but say Canada needs a national strategy to tackle widespread abuse of prescription painkillers....More

NDP want business tax hike, Tories a speedy budget in wake of Drummond report

TORONTO - Now that economist Don Drummond has revealed his austerity plan for Ontario, the opposition parties are offering some advice of their own....More

Health crisis looming for First Nations due to OxyContin addictions, chiefs warn

TORONTO - First Nations leaders say a health crisis is about to be unleashed on northern Ontario reserves because thousands of residents addicted to OxyContin will soon be cut off from the prescription opiate....More

Concerns over youth obesity spur interest in bariatric surgery for teens

TORONTO - For months, Nicholas Menecola accompanied his mother to see doctors, dietitians and counsellors as she prepared for weight-loss surgery. He was by her side when she went under the knife for a gastric bypass on Oct....More

Commonly used antacid drugs may raise C. difficile risk: Health Canada

TORONTO - Health Canada is warning Canadians that people who take prescription antacid drugs known as proton pump inhibitors may be at increased risk of developing C. difficile. The statement comes a week after the U.S....More

Chip implant oozes out daily medication dose via remote control: study

WASHINGTON - Medication via remote-control instead of a shot? Scientists implanted microchips in seven women that did just that, oozing out the right dose of a bone-strengthening drug once a day without them even noticing....More

Canadian celeb trainer Harley Pasternak brings workout wisdom to 'The Revolution'

TORONTO - Harley Pasternak works behind the scenes helping to transform the physiques of Hollywood A-listers, but the Canadian fitness guru was initially reluctant to step in front of the cameras to share his expertise....More

Alberta resolves illegal hospital workers' strike with binding arbitration

EDMONTON - A one-day illegal strike by hospital workers that led to confusion, delays, and about 70 cancelled surgeries across Alberta was resolved late Thursday afternoon....More

Health crisis looming for First Nations due to OxyContin addictions, chiefs warn

TORONTO - First Nations leaders say a health crisis is about to be unleashed on northern Ontario reserves because thousands of residents addicted to OxyContin will soon be cut off from the prescription opiate....More

Proposed birth-weight charts could ease stress for immigrants' 'small' newborns

TORONTO - It's one of the first questions people ask new parents after finding out whether their newborn is a boy or a girl: how much does the baby weigh? For immigrant parents who have come to Canada from certain parts of the world, that question —...More

Polls suggest Republicans losing birth control battle, even among Catholics

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama's opponents claim he's "declared war on religion" with his efforts to require employers to provide birth control coverage for their workers....More

Health Canada warns insecticide chalk contains highly toxic substance

OTTAWA - An unregistered pesticide product being imported from China and sold in various retail outlets as "insecticide chalk" is highly toxic, and Health Canada says it is taking action to have it removed from store shelves....More

Health Canada says sodium chlorite product MMS linked to 3 adverse reactions

TORONTO - Health Canada is warning consumers about a product sold online called MMS, saying it has been linked to three adverse reactions in Canada — including one that was life-threatening....More

Half of Canadian adults say they were bullied as a child or teen: survey

TORONTO - A new survey finds that half of Canadian adults polled say they were bullied as a child or teenager....More

E. coli from chicken may be causing human infections, study suggests

TORONTO - Chicken meat may be a source of E. coli bacteria that is making its way into people and causing infections, a new study suggests. The study compared strains of E....More

Drummond says Ontario can't afford to pay for prescription drugs for all seniors

TORONTO - Ontario can no longer afford to pay for all prescription drugs for everyone aged 65 and older, economist Don Drummond told the government Wednesday in a special report on reducing costs to rein in a $16-billion deficit....More

'Profoundly gloomy' road map to balance in Ontario includes utility hikes

TORONTO - Don Drummond's "profoundly gloomy" vision for austerity in Ontario includes bigger class sizes, higher electricity and water bills and new parking fees at GO Transit stations....More

McGuinty hints at pay freeze for Ontario public sector executives

TORONTO - Premier Dalton McGuinty says he wants executives in Ontario's broader public sector to "lead by example" when it comes to their high salaries....More

Insufficient evidence leads Crown to stay charges in care-home lawsuit

WINNIPEG - The Crown has stayed two criminal negligence charges in a private prosecution launched after the death of a 93-year-old Winnipeg care-home resident....More

Harper's OAS reforms move in step with public opinion, government polling shows

OTTAWA - Federal polls and focus-group testing show that Canadians were concerned about the problems of an aging population even before the prime minister began musing about an overhaul of the pension system....More

Cameco's Cigar Lake Saskatchewan mine dealing with outbreak of nasty norovirus

SASKATOON - A northern Saskatchewan mine is dealing with an outbreak of norovirus. At least three workers at Cameco's Cigar Lake mine are confirmed to have the virus and another 100 workers are showing symptoms....More

B.C. to announce seniors action plan after long-awaited study

VICTORIA - Health Minister Mike de Jong has announced a B.C. seniors care action plan in response to a sweeping report by Ombudsperson Kim Carter that makes 176 recommendations....More

B.C. argues in appeal that sperm donor information should stay shielded

VANCOUVER - Adoption laws don't apply to people who were born using donated sperm or eggs and want to learn the identity of a biological parent, says a British Columbia government lawyer attempting to overturn a judge's decision....More

Austerity report for Ontario will be 'sweeping' and 'controversial': Duncan

TORONTO - A long-awaited report that's expected to provide a road map to austerity for deficit-plagued Ontario will contain some controversial recommendations on health care, Finance Minister Dwight Duncan said Tuesday....More

Proposed birth-weight charts could ease stress for immigrants' 'small' newborns

TORONTO - It's one of the first questions people ask new parents after finding out whether their newborn is a boy or a girl: how much does the baby weigh? For immigrant parents who have come to Canada from certain parts of the world, that question —...More

Trimming super-size with psychology, from half-order sides to colour of plates

WASHINGTON - Call it the alter-ego of super-sizing. Researchers infiltrated a fast-food Chinese restaurant and found up to a third of diners jumped at the offer of a half-size of the usual heaping pile of rice or noodles — even when the smaller amount...More

RX on the way: Alberta pharmacists able to renew prescriptions starting July 1

EDMONTON - Albertans will be able to get their prescriptions renewed at a pharmacy without having to go see a doctor first. Health Minister Fred Horne says the changes will kick in July 1 at more than 1,000-plus pharmacies across the province....More

Rate of organ donations in Canada remains about the same from 2006 to 2010

TORONTO - The need for organs for transplant still outpaces the supply in Canada, says a new report on organ donation....More

Rally planned in Sudbury over bed cuts at Memorial Hospital

SUDBURY, Ont. - A rally is planned today outside the Sudbury riding office of Liberal MPP Rick Bartolucci to protest the looming closure of 30 beds at Memorial Hospital. CUPE Local 1623, which is sponsoring the 11 a.m....More

Italian court convicts 2 in asbestos-related deaths near Turin

ROME - An Italian court Monday convicted two men of negligence in some 2,000 asbestos-related deaths blamed on contamination from a construction company, sentencing each of them to 16 years in prison and ordering them to pay millions in what officials called a historic case....More

Former Canadian soccer player, coach details years of secret drug addiction

TORONTO - Hall of Fame player. World Cup veteran. Former NCAA, university, club and Canadian under-20 coach. TV and newspaper analyst. Paul James's soccer pedigree is long and distinguished....More

Sperm donor identity case heads back to court with B.C. government appeal

VANCOUVER - A woman who scored a major victory last year against laws to protect sperm donors' anonymity is heading to the Appeal Court of British Columbia today to fight the government's stance against the case....More

B.C. to announce seniors' action plan after long-awaited study

VICTORIA - Health Minister Mike de Jong is scheduled to unveil the government's long-awaited plan to support the province's elderly citizens when the B.C. legislature sits today....More

Study shows 1 in 20 Americans over 50 has artificial knee; injuries can hamper active boomers

CHICAGO - When it comes to athletics, even the fittest baby boomers are finding aging bodies aren't as nimble as young ones, and they're more prone to minor damage that can turn serious if ignored....More

Physicians, academics want independent review of McGill asbestos research

MONTREAL - A group of 30 physicians and academics wants McGill University to conduct an independent investigation into allegations that a researcher skewed study results on behalf of the asbestos industry....More

Man who lost wife to cancer fights Veterans Affairs for Agent Orange payment

HALIFAX - Relatives of a woman who died of a cancer linked to Agent Orange exposure in the 1960s say Ottawa is denying them compensation because she was diagnosed with the lethal disease 12 days after a federal deadline....More

Man who lost wife to cancer fights Veterans Affairs for Agent Orange payment

HALIFAX - Relatives of a woman who died of a cancer linked to Agent Orange exposure in the 1960s say Ottawa is denying them compensation because she was diagnosed with the lethal disease 12 days after a federal deadline....More

First Nations confront Ottawa over discrimination, child welfare funding

OTTAWA - After months of playing soft ball with the federal government in the hopes of improving conditions on reserves, First Nations are now switching to a hard-ball approach....More

Rally planned in Sudbury over bed cuts at Memorial Hospital

SUDBURY, Ont. - A rally is planned today outside the Sudbury riding office of Liberal MPP Rick Bartolucci to protest the looming closure of 30 beds at Memorial Hospital. CUPE Local 1623, which is sponsoring the 11 a.m....More

Italian court convicts 2 in deaths linked to asbestos factory near Turin

ROME - An Italian court has convicted two European men of negligence in hundreds of asbestos-related deaths and sentenced each of them to 16 years in prison....More

Former Canadian soccer player, coach details years of secret drug addiction

TORONTO - Hall of Fame player. World Cup veteran. Former NCAA, university, club and Canadian under-20 coach. TV and newspaper analyst. Paul James's soccer pedigree is long and distinguished....More

Pregnant women with cancer can often be treated normally; chemo not always harmful

LONDON - Researchers have encouraging news for women who find themselves in a very frightening situation: having cancer while pregnant. Studies suggest that these women can be treated almost the same as other cancer patients are, with minimal risk to the fetus....More

People who use marijuana before driving twice as likely to cause car crash: study

LONDON - People who use marijuana before driving are nearly twice as likely to cause a car crash as those not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to a Canadian analysis of previous studies....More

McGill University says it will review asbestos reseach after media report

MONTREAL - McGill University says it is reviewing the findings of a major research project into the asbestos industry and cancer caused by exposure to the fibrous material....More

Feds looking to put Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd's nuclear labs on the block

OTTAWA - The Conservative government is testing the waters for the sale of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.'s nuclear research labs. Ottawa is now seeking companies to "participate in, invest in and/or manage the laboratories....More

Doctors are increasingly telling their patients to get some exercise: CDC

ATLANTA - More and more U.S. adults are being told by their doctor to get out and exercise, according to a government survey released Thursday. Nearly 33 per cent of adults who saw a doctor in the previous year said they were told to exercise....More

Christie Brinkley wears red again at Fashion Week in name of heart-health cause

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Red is Christie Brinkley's colour. The veteran supermodel returned to the runway Wednesday night for the Red Dress Collection fashion show, an annual New York Fashion Week kickoff event that aims to draw attention to women's heart health by...More

C. difficile outbreak ends at Niagara Falls hospital; declared in December

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. - An outbreak of C. difficile at the Niagara Health System has been declared over. The outbreak was declared at the Niagara Falls hospital Dec. 7 and three patients with hospital-associated C. difficile have died since then....More

Health group sounds alarm over anticipated Drummond report

TORONTO - A public health advocacy group is sounding the alarm that billions of dollars in health-care cuts are coming after the highly anticipated Drummond report....More

Some doctors not always honest with patients, shading prognosis: study

WASHINGTON - Trust your doctor? A U.S. survey finds that some doctors aren't always completely honest with their patients. More than half admitted describing someone's prognosis in a way they knew was too rosy....More

Slow movements of tai chi helped with balance, reduced falls in Parkinson's disease study

NEW YORK, N.Y. - The ancient Chinese exercise of tai chi improved balance and lowered the risk of falls in a study of people with Parkinson's disease....More

Quick energy boost a breath away with inhalable caffeine; critics say fast fix has risks

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Move over, coffee and Red Bull. A Harvard professor thinks the next big thing will be people inhaling their caffeine from a lipstick-sized tube. Critics say the novel product is not without its risks....More

Mother in central China gives birth to 15 pound baby, possibly nation's largest ever

BEIJING, China - A mother in central China has given birth to a 15.52 pound (7.04 kilogram) baby, possibly the largest newborn on record since the country's founding in 1949....More

Most food-poisoning cases originate in restaurants, according to study

OTTAWA - A new food safety report released by the Conference Board of Canada says half or more of all cases of food-borne illnesses in Canada are picked up in restaurants or from other food service providers....More

Immigration dominates population growth as Canadian families keep shrinking

TORONTO - When Ryan and Ann Solomon got married, they knew they wanted to keep their family small. Ten years and two children later, the couple knows they made the right decision, given their situation....More

Fitness guru Richard Simmons keen to help those in need outside the spotlight

TORONTO - With his high-wattage personality and bedazzled exercise attire, Richard Simmons brings a touch of the theatrical, whether leading a workout or generating laughs in countless TV appearances....More

Better balance: tai chi reduces falls in Parkinson's patients, study finds

TORONTO - Tai chi, the Chinese exercise regimen based on slow, rhythmic body movements, can improve balance and reduce falls in people with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease, researchers say....More

Blood clot guidelines challenge 'economy class syndrome'; sitting is culprit: MDs

CHICAGO - Good news for budget-minded travellers: There's no proof that flying economy-class increases your chances of dangerous blood clots, according to new guidelines from medical specialists....More

BC Cancer Agency reviewing faulty genetic files; one employee removed

VANCOUVER - The BC Cancer Agency is reviewing the files of almost 200 patients because their genetic profiles were not properly documented....More

Author hopes book will help support fellow moms faced with high-risk pregnancies

TORONTO - The devastation of losing her premature son followed by another high-risk pregnancy led Kelly Whitehead on a search for answers....More

Alberta judge calls for better treatment of people in custody with mental issues

EDMONTON - A judge says Alberta Health Services and the RCMP should do a better job of protecting people in custody with mental health problems....More

Alberta government throne speech promises smarter spending, more jobs

EDMONTON - The final sitting of the Alberta legislature began Tuesday with Premier Alison Redford promising to review tax rates — and opponents pouncing to say that means taxes are going up....More

Supreme Court set to hear arguments on obligations of people with HIV

WINNIPEG - The Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments today concerning the obligations of those infected with the virus that causes AIDS....More

Mother in central China gives birth to 15 pound baby, possibly nation's largest ever

BEIJING, China - A mother in central China has given birth to a 15.52 pound (7.04 kilogram) baby, possibly the largest newborn on record since the country's founding in 1949....More

Immigration dominates population growth as Canadian families keep shrinking

TORONTO - When Ryan and Ann Solomon got married, they knew they wanted to keep their family small. Ten years and two children later, the couple knows they made the right decision, given their situation....More

Experts work to identify best screenings for detecting risk of dementia

Detecting early warning signs of dementia can be difficult, but there are several types of cognitive screenings — quick, simple tests of memory and thinking skills — that can help a doctor decide if it's time to recommend a more in-depth exam....More

Drug that prevents breast cancer in some women hard on bones: study

TORONTO - A drug shown to be highly effective in preventing breast cancer in postmenopausal women at high risk for the disease appears to worsen age-related bone loss, despite regular ingestion of calcium and vitamin D, researchers have discovered....More

Desperate C. diff patients overcome 'ick factor' to embrace unusual therapy

TORONTO - The way Susan Dunn sees it, there is no ick factor involved in the unconventional treatment that cured her of C. difficile, an infection that had made her life a living hell for nine months....More

B.C. government unveils app to find ER's, hospitals and walk-in clinics

COQUITLAM, B.C. - B.C. residents looking for the nearest hospital or walk-in health clinic can now just check their mobile device, as long as it's an Apple product....More

1912? Or 2012? Access to birth control bitter topic of debate in America

WASHINGTON - Anyone waking up from under a rock for the past few years might be understandably stunned to see the latest bitter debate that's dividing the United States of America, decades after the sexual revolution was fought and won by millions of bra-burning women....More

$30M donation to McMaster aimed at moving stem cell discoveries to bedside

TORONTO - A family foundation is donating $30 million to McMaster University to accelerate innovations in health research, education and patient care....More

Obama administration proposes raise for Alzheimer's research, some now and some next year

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration wants to spend just over half a billion dollars on Alzheimer's research next year, hoping to battle back against what could become the defining disease of the aging baby-boom generation....More

Blood clot guidelines challenge 'economy class syndrome'; sitting is culprit: MDs

CHICAGO - Good news for budget-minded travellers: There's no proof that flying economy-class increases your chances of dangerous blood clots, according to new guidelines from medical specialists....More

Canada says any research on lab-made bird flu must be done in top biosecurity

TORONTO - If Canadian scientists want to conduct research on H5N1 flu viruses modified to enhance their ability to spread, the work will have to be done in laboratories with the top level of biosecurity, the Public Health Agency of Canada says....More

After fight to Supreme Court, U.S. company agrees to lower price of thalidomide

TORONTO - A U.S. company that sells a thalidomide-based drug into Canada has agreed to lower the price of the medication....More

9-year-old Maine girl bouncing back after 6 organs are replaced in groundbreaking surgery

HOLLIS, Maine - A 9-year-old Maine girl is home after undergoing a transplant of six organs to remove a tumour that was spreading throughout her abdomen....More

On World Cancer Day, the focus is on prevention of the disease

TORONTO - Today is World Cancer Day and this year's theme is "Together it is possible....More

Milford Bay Trout Farm recalls Smoked Trout Fillet because of Listeria scare

OTTAWA - Milford Bay Trout Farm Inc. is recalling its Smoked Trout Fillet because the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes....More

Do people with HIV have to tell their sex partners? Supreme Court to decide

WINNIPEG - Canada's highest court is set to hear arguments over whether it's a crime for people with HIV to keep their condition from their sexual partners if the risk of transmission is low....More

US study: Too many kids exposed to secondhand smoke in cars; more restrictions needed

CHICAGO - Texting while driving, speeding and back-seat action aren't all that parents need to worry about when their kids are in cars: Add secondhand smoke to the list. In the first national estimate of its kind, a report from U.S....More

$30M donation to McMaster aimed at moving stem cell discoveries to bedside

TORONTO - A family foundation is donating $30 million to McMaster University to accelerate innovations in health research, education and patient care....More

Highest levels of drug-resistant TB found in Russia, Moldova; more data needed: WHO

LONDON - The World Health Organization says the highest levels ever of drug-resistant tuberculosis have been found in Russia and Moldova. But the agency didn't have data from most of Africa and India, where tuberculosis rates are much higher....More

High-paid Ornge CEO Chris Mazza formally removed from air ambulance service

TORONTO - Two top officials have been formally removed from their positions at Ontario's air ambulance service....More

Gordie Howe looks to raise awareness of dementia while feeling its effects

At 83, Mr. Hockey is still in demand and on the move. Gordie Howe is about to embark on another series of fundraisers for research into dementia. It's a personal cause. The disease killed his wife Colleen in 2009 and is beginning to affect him....More

Emotional upheaval linked to mass hysteria; rare but more often seen in girls

ATLANTA - Fifteen teenage girls report a mysterious outbreak of spasms, tics and seizures in upstate New York. But tests find nothing physically wrong. Scores of adults in northern California report crawling skin sensations and other bizarre symptoms....More

Cognitive impairment, dementia common in seniors, proper diagnosis key to treatment

TORONTO - Perhaps it begins with recurring forgetfulness, a struggle to find words or maybe needing repeated reminders about an upcoming event. Or it may be that some everyday tasks, performed over a lifetime with unthinking ease, suddenly seem overwhelming....More

After fight to Supreme Court, U.S. company agrees to lower price of thalidomide

TORONTO - A U.S. company that sells a thalidomide-based drug into Canada has agreed to lower the price of medication....More

A look at different types of dementia

Dementia is an umbrella term for a variety of degenerative brain disorders, which lead to loss of memory, judgment and reasoning, as well as changes in mood and behaviour....More

9-year-old Maine girl bouncing back after 6 organs are replaced in groundbreaking surgery

HOLLIS, Maine - A 9-year-old Maine girl is home after undergoing a transplant of six organs to remove a tumour that was spreading throughout her abdomen....More

Suicide rates in England, Wales dropped where prevention increased: study

LONDON - British researchers say parts of England and Wales with more suicide prevention programs had bigger drops in deaths than regions with fewer services....More

Smart-e-Pants could take pressure off patients confined to beds, wheelchairs

EDMONTON - Gem Hebert is not shy about bearing her backside for medical science. The 61-year-old woman is one of about two dozen Alberta patients confined to a bed or wheelchair who are helping test a new technology called Smart-e-Pants....More

N.B. government creates panel to study issues facing aging population

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick Premier David Alward says a new panel will help the province prepare for the shifting needs of today's aging population....More

Alberta health officials using schools, Twitter to warn about poison ecstasy

CALGARY - Alberta health experts will be going into classrooms and using Twitter to warn about a deadly drug similar to ecstasy that has been linked to a growing number of deaths in Western Canada. Police say warning people about PMMA — known as "Dr....More

Alberta health officials shut down unlicensed piercing operation; urge testing

CALGARY - Alberta health officials are urging anyone who received piercings from an unlicensed Calgary practitioner to get tested for hepatitis and HIV. The operation inside Avon Apna Jewellers in the city's northeast has been shut down....More

Gordie Howe looks to raise awareness of dementia while feeling its effects

At 83, Mr. Hockey is still in demand and on the move. Gordie Howe is about to embark on another series of fundraisers for research into dementia. It's a personal cause. The disease killed his wife Colleen in 2009 and is beginning to affect him....More

Cognitive impairment, dementia common in seniors, proper diagnosis key to treatment

TORONTO - Perhaps it begins with recurring forgetfulness, a struggle to find words or maybe needing repeated reminders about an upcoming event. Or it may be that some everyday tasks, performed over a lifetime with unthinking ease, suddenly seem overwhelming....More

A look at different types of dementia

Dementia is an umbrella term for a variety of degenerative brain disorders, which lead to loss of memory, judgment and reasoning, as well as changes in mood and behaviour....More

Health Canada seizes millions of flavoured smokes under new federal law

MONTREAL - Health Canada tobacco inspectors have raided three Quebec-based importers and seized millions of flavoured smokes popular with young people....More

Gastrointestinal illness spreads at Collingwood hospital, medical floor closed

COLINGWOOD, Ont. - An outbreak of a gastrointestinal illness on the medical floor at Collingwood General And Marine Hospital has spread, and the floor has been closed to visitors....More

Feds to fund research into 'personalized medicine' to tailor medical care

OTTAWA - The federal government will devote $67.5 million to research into tailoring medical treatments to fit individual patients by studying genetic markers and other disease indicators....More

Double take: Pink and Green Ribbon campaign ties breast health to environment

VANCOUVER - Julie Budgen turned pale when she first spotted the Pink Ribbon logo on packaging for chemical-laced household cleansers and candy spiked with artificial colours....More

Biosecurity advisers who barred bird flu studies publication outline reasons

Bird flu studies at the centre of a heated controversy pose a potential risk to public health of an "unusually high magnitude," the U.S. biosecurity experts who have advised against full publication of the studies said Tuesday. The U.S....More

As breast implant scandal hits Latin America, many in Venezuela are signing up for surgery

CARACAS, Venezuela - The office of plastic surgeon Ignacio Sousa is so packed that women are lined up outside the door. College students in their 20s, housewives in their 40s, middle-class office workers: nearly all are fearful that their breast implants may be leaking....More

Alberta health groups launch campaign to get youth to butt out

EDMONTON - Several health organizations in Alberta have launched a campaign aimed at butting out tobacco use among young people. The groups want a tax increase on tobacco to make it more expensive for youth....More

7th death linked to ecstasy tainted with PMMA in Calgary; 2 in hospital

CALGARY - A seventh person has died in the Calgary area from taking tainted ecstasy. Tests results released Monday reveal a young man found dead on the SAIT campus earlier this month had PMMA, a toxic additive, in his system....More