Diagnostic test results sent to wrong doctors offices in Saskatchewan

REGINA - A Saskatchewan health agency says there are recent instances of diagnostic test results being sent to the wrong doctor offices....More

Critics laud progress, but say Nova Scotia's autism plan neglects adults

HALIFAX - Critics say while a year-old Nova Scotia government plan aimed at providing more services for people living with autism has improved support for young children, older kids and adults continue to be left behind....More

CP Exclusive: Nurses should order tests, diagnose common ailments: report

TORONTO - Ontario should allow nurses to perform more tasks, from diagnosing common ailments like throat and ear infections to managing and prescribing drugs, such as birth control pills, says a new report obtained by The Canadian Press....More

College athletes' deaths in workouts prompt recommendations for better oversight, prevention

CHICAGO - The most dangerous time for amateur athletes may not be during the heat of the game or even in rigorous practices....More

Audiologists, speech language pathologists vote to strike in Nova Scotia

HALIFAX - More than 100 health-care workers at hearing and speech centres across Nova Scotia have voted to strike to back their contract demands....More

Hand sanitizer meant to kill germs recalled due to bacterial contamination

TORONTO - A hand sanitizer meant to protect people from germs is being recalled because of bacterial contamination, Health Canada said Thursday....More

Deaths in the psychiatric ward: Montreal hospital under heavy scrutiny

MONTREAL - A Montreal hospital has come under intense scrutiny after two psychiatric patients were killed and a third patient was allegedly attacked in the course of several days....More

Ontario health minister says changes to refugee health care creates class system

TORONTO - Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews is urging the federal government to reverse its decision to ”significantly reduce” health coverage for refugee claimants....More

Governor General's guard falls during parade, stabs himself with bayonet

OTTAWA - Ottawa paramedics say a member of the Governor General's Foot Guards stabbed himself with his own bayonet after falling during the changing of the guard ceremony....More

First Nation to proceed with lawsuit against Nova Scotia government

PICTOU LANDING, N.S. - A First Nation in Nova Scotia is moving forward with a lawsuit against the provincial government and Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corp....More

Doctors start study to monitor effects of cuts to refugee health benefits

OTTAWA - Health care providers across the country are starting a research project to monitor what they say will be the adverse effects of federal government cuts to health-care benefits for refugees....More

Diagnostic test results sent to wrong doctors offices in Saskatchewan

REGINA - A Saskatchewan health agency says there are recent instances of diagnostic test results being sent to the wrong doctor offices....More

Critics laud progress, but say Nova Scotia's autism plan neglects adults

HALIFAX - Critics say while a year-old Nova Scotia government plan aimed at providing more services for people living with autism has improved support for young children, older kids and adults continue to be left behind....More

CP Exclusive: Nurses should order tests, diagnose common ailments: report

TORONTO - Ontario should allow nurses to perform more tasks, from diagnosing common ailments like throat and ear infections to managing and prescribing drugs, such as birth control pills, says a new report obtained by The Canadian Press....More

College athletes' deaths in workouts prompt recommendations for better oversight, prevention

CHICAGO - The most dangerous time for amateur athletes may not be during the heat of the game or even in rigorous practices....More

Audiologists, speech language pathologists vote to strike in Nova Scotia

HALIFAX - More than 100 health-care workers at hearing and speech centres across Nova Scotia have voted to strike to back their contract demands....More

Feds hike danger rating on ecstasy while health officers urge drug policy reform

VANCOUVER - Glowsticks, fuzzy pants and DJ Johnny Fiasco were the recipe for a Calgary rave back in the late-'90s when it was Kevin's job to supply the key ingredient: white powder-packed capsules that stoked touchy-feely-dance vibes in partiers until dawn....More

Smartphone app helps ovarian cancer surgeons and researchers in B.C.

VANCOUVER - Smartphone technology is now entering the operating room, allowing ovarian cancer surgeons in B.C. to use an application to store and track information in a database. The smartphone app was spearheaded by Dr....More

National dialogue on doctor-aided suicide needed to decide issue: CMAJ editorial

TORONTO - Canadians need to engage in a broad national dialogue on the issue of whether terminally ill patients should have the legal right to "therapeutic homicide," says an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal....More

Gluten-free goes mainstream, but expert cautions against adopting food fad on a whim

TORONTO - Clara Cohen may covet croissants and go bonkers for baguettes, but she's given them up in pursuit of good health....More

Calgary doctors and parents want Catholic school board to revisit HPV vaccine

CALGARY - Concerned parents and doctors are attempting to persuade the Calgary Catholic School Board and the city's Roman Catholic bishop to lift a ban that blocks students from being vaccinated against HPV....More

Senior bureaucrat accused of developing amnesia about Ornge red flags

TORONTO - A senior health bureaucrat was accused Tuesday of developing "amnesia" about the numerous red flags that were raised over the years about the province's troubled air ambulance service....More

HEALTHBEAT: Doctors urged to screen adults for obesity, send the obese for high-intensity help

WASHINGTON - Chances are you know your blood pressure. What about your BMI? Body mass index signals if you're overweight, obese or just right considering your height. Some doctors have begun calling it a vital sign, as crucial to monitor as blood pressure....More

Free AIDS test at drugstores? Pharmacy employees will deliver the news in CDC pilot program

ATLANTA - Getting an AIDS test at the drugstore could become as common as a flu shot or blood pressure check, if a new pilot program takes off. The $1....More

Nova Scotia acute and long-term care nurses reach tentative agreement

HALIFAX - The union representing acute and long-term care nurses in Nova Scotia reached a tentative deal Friday....More

Manitoba diocese takes federal government to court over refugee health changes

WINNIPEG - The Anglican Diocese and a refugee sponsorship group in Winnipeg are taking the federal government to court over its plan to strip new refugees of medical benefits such as prescription medicine and prosthetics....More

Feds hike danger rating on ecstasy while health officers urge drug policy reform

VANCOUVER - Glowsticks, fuzzy pants and DJ Johnny Fiasco were the recipe for a Calgary rave back in the late-'90s when it was Kevin's job to supply the key ingredient: white powder-packed capsules that stoked touchy-feely-dance vibes in partiers until dawn....More

Smartphone app helps ovarian cancer surgeons and researchers in B.C.

VANCOUVER - Smartphone technology is now entering the operating room, allowing ovarian cancer surgeons in B.C. to use an application to store and track information in a database. The smartphone app was spearheaded by Dr....More

National dialogue on doctor-aided suicide needed to decide issue: CMAJ editorial

TORONTO - Canadians need to engage in a broad national dialogue on the issue of whether terminally ill patients should have the legal right to "therapeutic homicide," says an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal....More

Gluten-free goes mainstream, but expert cautions against adopting food fad on a whim

TORONTO - Clara Cohen may covet croissants and go bonkers for baguettes, but she's given them up in pursuit of good health....More

Calgary doctors and parents want Catholic school board to revisit HPV vaccine

CALGARY - Concerned parents and doctors are attempting to persuade the Calgary Catholic School Board and the city's Roman Catholic bishop to lift a ban that blocks students from being vaccinated against HPV....More

HEALTHBEAT: Doctors urged to screen adults for obesity, send the obese for high-intensity help

WASHINGTON - Chances are you know your blood pressure. What about your BMI? Body mass index signals if you're overweight, obese or just right considering your height. Some doctors have begun calling it a vital sign, as crucial to monitor as blood pressure....More

Ottawa puts $25 million towards practical aboriginal health solutions

OTTAWA - The federal government will reorient $25 million in research funding to test leading-edge ideas for confronting some of the most troubling areas in aboriginal health....More

Hospital births in Canada fall for first time in a decade: report

TORONTO - Hospitals have recorded a drop in the number of babies born across the country, reversing a 10-year trend of increasing birth rates, says a report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information....More

Controversial bird flu study published; show some viruses lack only 3 mutations

A controversial bird flu study, blocked from full publication for months because of biosecurity concerns, found that as few as five mutations might be enough to give H5N1 viruses the power to infect people and spread among them....More

B.C. women risk wrinkly wedgies to raise cash for breast cancer research

PEACHLAND, B.C. - It's hard enough to drop your inhibitions before climbing into a zipline harness. Now, imagine dropping your pants. An organizer in Peachland, B.C....More

Saskatchewan Cancer Agency workers reject final offer; union wants mediator

SASKATOON - Workers at the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency have rejected a final offer from the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations....More

Nova Scotia acute and long-term care nurses reach tentative agreement

HALIFAX - The union representing acute and long-term care nurses in Nova Scotia reached a tentative deal Friday....More

Manitoba diocese takes federal government to court over refugee health changes

WINNIPEG - The Anglican Diocese and a refugee sponsorship group in Winnipeg are taking the federal government to court over its plan to strip new refugees of medical benefits such as prescription medicine and prosthetics....More

Feds hike danger rating on ecstasy while health officers urge drug policy reform

VANCOUVER - Glowsticks, fuzzy pants and DJ Johnny Fiasco were the recipe for a Calgary rave back in the late-'90s when it was Kevin's job to supply the key ingredient: white powder-packed capsules that stoked touchy-feely-dance vibes in partiers until dawn....More

American Medical Association supports requiring obesity education for all public school kids

CHICAGO - The American Medical Association on Wednesday put its weight behind requiring yearly instruction aimed at preventing obesity for public schoolchildren and teens....More

Alberta government MLAs to take pulse of communities on better health care

EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Alison Redford and her MLAs plan to fan out across the province this summer to take the pulse of what citizens want to see in team-based health care....More

Wheels on Manitoba's health-care bus have yet to go round and round

WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government is facing more delays in fulfilling a promise to have a health-care bus visit remote communities....More

Thousands of British doctors staging job action in dispute over pensions

LONDON - Thousands of British doctors are taking job action for the first time in 37 years to protest changes to their pensions....More

Ottawa puts $25 million towards practical aboriginal health solutions

OTTAWA - The federal government will reorient $25 million in research funding to test leading-edge ideas for confronting some of the most troubling areas in aboriginal health....More

Hospital births in Canada fall for first time in a decade: report

TORONTO - Hospitals have recorded a drop in the number of babies born across the country, reversing a 10-year trend of increasing birth rates, says a report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information....More

Controversial bird flu study published; show some viruses lack only 3 mutations

A controversial bird flu study, blocked from full publication for months because of biosecurity concerns, found that as few as five mutations might be enough to give H5N1 viruses the power to infect people and spread among them....More

B.C. women risk wrinkly wedgies to raise cash for breast cancer research

PEACHLAND, B.C. - It's hard enough to drop your inhibitions before climbing into a zipline harness. Now, imagine dropping your pants. An organizer in Peachland, B.C....More

Ottawa to fund practical aboriginal health solutions: sources

OTTAWA - The federal government is expected to announce a "significant" reorientation of research funding on Thursday to pay for test-driving leading-edge ideas to confront some of the most problematic areas in aboriginal health....More

No birth certificate means kids ripe for exploitation in poor countries: expert

OTTAWA - Standing on a New Delhi rail platform, veteran Canadian aid worker Rosemary McCarney watched what looked like a scene from Slumdog Millionaire....More

Flesh-eating victim living life to the fullest despite loss of limbs

ALLISTON, Ont. - Imagine brushing your teeth, jumping into bed to sleep as usual, then waking up the next morning without arms or legs....More

Experts question science behind decision to open 9-11 health fund to cancer patients

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Call it compassionate, even political. But ... scientific? Several experts say there's no hard evidence to support the federal government's declaration this month that 50 kinds of cancer could be caused by exposure to World Trade Center dust....More

Blueprint provides national strategy for boosting organ donations, transplants

TORONTO - Canada must do better to help its citizens receive life-saving and life-enhancing transplants, says Canadian Blood Services, which released a blueprint Wednesday for boosting organ and tissue donations across the country....More

American Medical Association supports requiring obesity education for all public school kids

CHICAGO - The American Medical Association on Wednesday put its weight behind requiring yearly instruction aimed at preventing obesity for public schoolchildren and teens....More

Alberta government MLAs to take pulse of communities on better health care

EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Alison Redford and her MLAs plan to fan out across the province this summer to take the pulse of what citizens want to see in team-based health care....More

Thousands of British doctors staging job action in dispute over pensions

LONDON - Thousands of British doctors are taking job action for the first time in 37 years to protest changes to their pensions....More

Torch of Life tour ends with lung recipient leading dance at Ontario legislature

TORONTO - A Torch of Life walk through 71 communities to raise awareness of the need for transplant organs ended Tuesday at the Ontario legislature with a rally and a plea for people to sign donor cards....More

Tobacco products must carry graphic new anti-smoking messages as of today

OTTAWA - Smokers who get their fix from Canadian tobacco retailers can no longer avoid Ottawa's latest in-your-face effort to convince them to quit....More

School speaks about hypnotism act that went awry

SHERBROOKE, Que. - A private girls' school has learned a lesson of its own — don't hypnotize your students....More

Report shows some provinces reversing recent improvements in medical wait times

OTTAWA - After several years of progress, it appears some provinces are slipping in their quest to reduce the time it takes to receive a number of benchmark medical treatments....More

Parkinson's care guidelines for health providers also a resource for patients

TORONTO - Canada now has a set of national guidelines aimed at establishing a consistent standard for diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's disease across the country....More

Ornge scandal could have been prevented if oversight granted: ombudsman

TORONTO - The scandal at Ornge might have been prevented if the governing Liberals had allowed Ontario's ombudsman to scrutinize the troubled air ambulance service, watchdog Andre Marin said Tuesday....More

Health officials say 3.1M young adults in US gain insurance coverage with Affordable Care Act

ATLANTA - U.S. health officials say the number of young adults with medical coverage grew by more than 3 million since the new health care overhaul took effect....More

Flesh-eating victim living life to the fullest despite loss of limbs

ALLISTON, Ont. - Imagine brushing your teeth, jumping into bed to sleep as usual, then waking up the next morning without arms or legs....More

Psychiatric assessment given more time by judge in Halifax murder case

HALIFAX - The psychiatric assessment of a man charged with second-degree murder in the beating death of a prominent activist in Halifax's gay community has been extended until mid-August....More

Obesity surgery linked with alcohol abuse; shrinking stomach could be more sensitive to booze

CHICAGO - The most common type of obesity surgery may increase patients' chances for alcohol abuse, according to the largest study to demonstrate a potential link....More

New chief medical health officer named in Alberta

EDMONTON - Alberta has named a new chief medical health officer. Dr. James Talbot takes over from Dr. Andre Corriveau (KOHR'-ih-voh)....More

ER reopens at flood-damaged hospital, high school expected to reopen in the fall

PERTH-ANDOVER, N.B. - The emergency department at a northern New Brunswick hospital has reopened after a devastating flood in March damaged the facility....More

Donating loved one's organs can bring solace amidst grief of loss, families say

On one side, there is joy: up to eight people and their families whose prayers for a life-saving or life-altering transplant have been answered. On the other is sorrow: a family grieving the loss of a loved one who made all those miracles possible....More

David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief public health officer, recovering from stroke

TORONTO - Canada's chief public health officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones, is recovering from a stroke. The Public Health Agency of Canada said Monday that Butler-Jones experienced the stroke in early May and has since returned to work....More

Common form of bariatric surgery may boost risk of alcohol abuse: study

TORONTO - Adults who undergo gastric bypass surgery to lose weight have a significantly higher risk of developing alcohol abuse problems in the second year following their operations, a large study suggests....More

"Canada is way better than this": doctors protest over cuts to refugee health

OTTAWA - Doctors threw on their white coats Monday and rushed to Parliament Hill, which they say is the scene for the start of a national medical emergency: deteriorating refugee health....More

Doctors make new vein using patient's own stem cells for transplant into 10-year-old girl

LONDON - For the first time doctors have successfully transplanted a vein grown with a patient's own stem cells, another example of scientists producing human body parts in the lab....More

CDC: Deaths and costs to society are lower in states with toughest motorcycle helmet laws

ATLANTA - Fewer motorcyclists die in states that require helmets, and the costs to society are lower too, according to a new federal study released Thursday....More

B.C. Supreme Court to rule on doctor-assisted suicide for ill patients

VANCOUVER - A group challenging Canada's laws against doctor-assisted suicide is expected to get an answer Friday from the B.C. Supreme Court. The B.C....More

Sport injury Centre in Calgary gets nod from International Olympic Committee

CALGARY - The Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre at the University of Calgary has been selected as one of four facilities to do research for the International Olympic Committee....More

Sanofi recalls TB vaccine over quality issues; Canada scrambles for new supply

TORONTO - The sole supplier of tuberculosis vaccine in Canada has recalled all doses because of concerns the product may have been contaminated....More

Rural BC woman dies waiting for ambulance despite efforts of part-time paramedic

HUDSON'S HOPE, B.C. - The B.C. Ambulance Service says a woman who died in a rural area while waiting for an ambulance passed away despite the efforts of a local part-time paramedic who was on the scene in less than a half hour....More

Lack of ambulance, doctor, blamed for death of woman in northeastern B.C.

HUDSON'S HOPE, B.C. - A woman in rural British Columbia has died while waiting for an ambulance, prompting calls for immediate changes to B.C.'s health care system....More

Four PTSD claims made up most of the money paid out in riot compensation

VANCOUVER - Damage done to the psyche of those unwillingly caught up in last year's Stanley Cup riot was the most expensive part of workers compensation claims related to the mayhem....More

Pure ecstasy can be 'safe' if consumed responsibly: B.C. health officer

VANCOUVER - B.C.'s top health official says taking pure ecstasy can be "safe" when consumed responsibly by adults, despite warnings by police in Alberta and British Columbia about the dangers of the street drug after a rash of deaths. Dr....More

Manitoba government softens plan to start taxing some insurance policies

WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government has backed down on part of its plan to start charging sales tax on insurance policies....More

Inquest into baby's death will look at medical care in northern Manitoba

WINNIPEG - A provincial inquest into the death of a baby girl will examine health care in many remote Manitoba communities....More

FDA urges removal of SKorean shellfish from market because of possible norovirus contamination

WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration is urging food distributors, retailers and food service vendors to remove from the market oysters, clams, mussels and scallops imported from South Korea because of possible contamination with human waste and norovirus....More

Doctors make new vein using patient's own stem cells for transplant into 10-year-old girl

LONDON - For the first time doctors have successfully transplanted a vein grown with a patient's own stem cells, another example of scientists producing human body parts in the lab....More

CDC: Deaths and costs to society are lower in states with toughest motorcycle helmet laws

ATLANTA - Fewer motorcyclists die in states that require helmets, and the costs to society are lower too, according to a new federal study released Thursday....More

B.C. Supreme Court to rule on doctor-assisted suicide for ill patients

VANCOUVER - A group challenging Canada's laws against doctor-assisted suicide is expected to get an answer Friday from the B.C. Supreme Court. The B.C....More

Four PTSD claims made up most of the money paid out in riot compensation

VANCOUVER - Damage done to the psyche of those unwillingly caught up in last year's Stanley Cup riot was the most expensive part of workers compensation claims related to the mayhem....More

Nurses, Saskatchewan government & health region sign partnership to improve care

REGINA - Saskatchewan nurses, the government and health regions have signed a deal they say will improve health care. The two-year agreement is aimed at retaining and recruiting nurses, especially in rural and northern communities....More

Nova Scotia spends $200,000 to provide helmets for 15,000 kids in need

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia is spending $200,000 to put helmets on about 15,000 kids in need. The initiative announced today is a joint effort between injury-prevention organizations, paramedics and police....More

New Brunswick health minister to conduct consultations for new health plan

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's health minister hits the road next week to begin gathering input for a new provincial health plan. Madeleine Dube will hold public meetings in nine communities, starting Monday....More

Manitoba government to train more family doctors to ease ER pressures

WINNIPEG - Manitoba will add more family doctors every year — starting this fall — in one of a series of measures designed to ease pressure on clogged hospital emergency rooms over the next five years....More

Hitchhiking cold virus holds promise as cancer therapy, homes in on tumour: study

Researchers have shown that a cold virus known to destroy cancer cells can be delivered to a tumour through the bloodstream without falling prey to killer antibodies on the way....More

Fee fight between doctors and Ontario government heads for courts

TORONTO - The fee fight between Ontario's Liberal government and the province's doctors is headed for the courts....More

Pure ecstasy can be 'safe' if consumed responsible: B.C. health officer

VANCOUVER - B.C.'s top health official says taking pure ecstasy can be "safe" when consumed responsibly by adults, despite warnings by police in Alberta and British Columbia about the dangers of the street drug after a rash of deaths. Dr....More

Doctors make new vein using patient's own stem cells for transplant into 10-year-old girl

LONDON - For the first time doctors have successfully transplanted a vein grown with a patient's own stem cells, another example of scientists producing human body parts in the lab....More

UK experts: Research methods to make embryos from 2 women, 1 man should be allowed if safe

LONDON - An influential British bioethics group says that couples who face the risk of having a baby with certain genetic diseases should be allowed to use eggs from two women to produce the embryo....More

Saskatchewan health minister says no to $21 million for Regina health region

REGINA - Saskatchewan's health minister says the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region is not going to get an extra $21 million for surgeries. Dustin Duncan says the region will have to tighten its budget belt and look for efficiencies to save money....More

P.E.I. proclaims legislation that will allow it to sue the tobacco industry

CHARLOTTETOWN - The P.E.I. government has proclaimed legislation that will allow the province to take legal action against manufacturers and promoters of tobacco products in a bid to recover health-care costs....More

OMA takes Liberal government to court to roll back fee cuts for doctors

TORONTO - The fee dispute between the Liberals and the province's doctors was headed for court Tuesday after the Ontario Medical Association charged the government with bargaining in bad faith....More

Nova Scotia hospital asks patients to have blood retested after lab malfunction

TRURO, N.S. - Medical staff in Nova Scotia are encouraging more than 350 people to have their blood retested after lab equipment malfunctioned last week at a hospital in Truro....More

New vision and dental plan for children of low-income families in New Brunswick

FREDERICTON - The New Brunswick government has introduced an eye-care and dental program for children of low-income families....More

3-year-old South African burn survivor receives cloned skin in complex transplant

JOHANNESBURG - A 3-year-old South African girl who suffered severe burns over 80 per cent of her body after an accident at a family barbecue has successfully undergone a rare surgery in Africa that gave her a new layer of cloned skin, her surgeon said....More

Fee fight between doctors and Ontario government heads for courts

TORONTO - The fee fight between Ontario's Liberal government and the province's doctors is headed for the courts....More

UK experts: Research methods to make embryos from 2 women, 1 man should be allowed if safe

LONDON - An influential British bioethics group says that couples who face the risk of having a baby with certain genetic diseases should be allowed to use eggs from two women to produce the embryo....More

Study: Cutting isn't just a teen thing - even some 7-year-olds self-injure to cope with stress

CHICAGO - Even children as young as 7 sometimes cut themselves on purpose, according to a small study believed to be the first to examine self-injury at such early ages....More

Pounding head in the hotter months? Changes in weather could bring on headaches, trigger migraine attacks

TORONTO - Valerie South is no fan of summer storms. While most people just have to worry about getting caught in the rain, for South, the rumbling of thunder can herald the onset of a crippling migraine attack....More

Hospitals need Rx for quiet, as study tracks clamour that most disrupts sleep

WASHINGTON - Anyone who's had a hospital stay knows the beeping monitors, the pagers and phones, the hallway chatter, the roommate, even the squeaky laundry carts all make for a not-so-restful place to heal....More

Heart disease, cancer risk no higher with long-term insulin use: study suggests

TORONTO - Long-term use of daily insulin injections does not appear to increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and cancer in people with Type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes, a major Canadian-led international study concludes....More

First Nations, low income kids in Alta. turn to ERs for mental health care

TORONTO - Children and teens from First Nations communities and families on welfare were more likely to use hospital emergency departments for mental health crises than other kids their age, a new study reports....More

Experimental diabetes drugs offer patients hope of fewer problems, future billions for makers

TRENTON, N.J. - Some experimental diabetes treatments in late testing offer patients hope of better controlling their blood sugar and weight and preventing dangerously low blood sugar, all big challenges for millions of diabetics....More

Alberta researchers say they've made breakthrough in supplying medical isotopes

EDMONTON - Researchers in Alberta are proclaiming that they've made a breakthrough in finding an alternative to medical isotopes produced by Ontario's problem plagued Chalk River nuclear reactor....More

Manitoba mom says school waited weeks to tell her about HIV and hepatitis tests

WINNIPEG - The mother of a teenaged girl who is among 80 aboriginal students being tested for hepatitis and HIV says weeks passed before she was informed about the need for the tests....More

Rookie MP moonlights as pediatric surgeon to maintain medical credentials

OTTAWA - "What do I want to be when I grow up?" Dr. Kellie Leitch repeats the cheeky question aloud, laughing easily as she buys time for a response....More

Is ur #MD 2 square? Some doctors defy 'technophobe' image, tweeting and texting with patients

CHICAGO - Is your doctor a technophobe? Increasingly, the answer may be no. There's a stereotype that says doctors shun technology that might threaten patients' privacy and their own pocketbooks....More

Environment Canada issues smog advisory for much of southern Ontario

TORONTO - A good portion of southern Ontario is under a smog advisory. People with asthma or lung issues may find it harder to breath today....More

Who's afraid of the dark? Phobia may be cause of insomnia for some sufferers

TORONTO - For some people with insomnia, the source of their sleeplessness may be an unexpected one. New Canadian research suggests fear of the dark may be behind the sleepless nights that some insomniacs experience....More

Study: Cutting isn't just a teen thing - even some 7-year-olds self-injure to cope with stress

CHICAGO - Even children as young as 7 sometimes cut themselves on purpose, according to a small study believed to be the first to examine self-injury at such early ages....More

Experimental diabetes drugs offer patients hope of fewer problems, future billions for makers

TRENTON, N.J. - Some experimental diabetes treatments in late testing offer patients hope of better controlling their blood sugar and weight and preventing dangerously low blood sugar, all big challenges for millions of diabetics....More

Alberta researchers say they've made breakthrough in supplying medical isotopes

EDMONTON - Researchers in Alberta are proclaiming that they've made a breakthrough in finding an alternative to medical isotopes produced by Ontario's problem plagued Chalk River nuclear reactor....More

Newfoundland and Labrador brings legislation to ban tanning for teens under 19

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - A bill that puts the heat on tanning bed operators who serve teens in Newfoundland and Labrador has been introduced in the provincial legislature....More

More US high school students now smoke marijuana than cigarettes, CDC survey says

ATLANTA - A government survey shows more teens are now smoking pot than cigarettes....More

High school staff and students undergoing HIV tests after faulty diabetes procedure

WINNIPEG - Dozens of students and staff at a First Nations high school are being tested for HIV and hepatitis after undergoing a faulty diabetes screening....More

First federal survey on texting while driving: More than half of high school seniors do it

ATLANTA - Think your teen would never text while driving? More than half of high school seniors admitted in a government survey that they've done just that....More

Critics says Nova Scotia plan to battle childhood obesity lacks action

HALIFAX - A $2-million plan intended to reduce childhood obesity in Nova Scotia offers vague commitments and flies in the face of government cuts to education, the province's opposition parties and a teachers' union said Thursday....More

Computer glitch delays getting test results to doctors in Saskatchewan

REGINA - Health officials in Saskatchewan say they have fixed a computer glitch that delayed some test results being passed onto doctors. The error affected diagnostic imaging exams of 102 patients taken over four weeks, beginning April 30....More

Alberta reinstates cash for gender reassignment surgery after delisted in 2009

EDMONTON - Alberta will reinstate funding for gender reassignment surgeries June 15, more than two years after delisting the operation as a cost saving measure....More

Hospital ward in Sri Lanka evacuated after 4 staffers infected with swine flu

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Sri Lankan health officials have evacuated a ward at a government-run hospital near the capital after four staffers were infected with swine flu. Dr....More

WHO warns of growing drug resistance in sexually transmitted gonorrhea

GENEVA - A potentially dangerous sexually transmitted disease that infects millions of people each year is growing resistant to drugs and could soon become untreatable, the World Health Organization said Wednesday....More

Tablet computers help sedate young cancer patients during radiation treatments

CALGARY - Radiation therapists with Alberta Health Services are successfully using tablet computers to help keep kids calm during treatments....More

Physical inactivity costs health care system more than $6.8 billion: Study

TORONTO - The more Canadians settle into a life of physical inactivity, the more they exact a toll on the country's health care system, a new study from Queen's University suggested....More

Ornge paramedic tells committee he quit in disgust after patient died

TORONTO - The opposition parties say the governing Liberals are trying to intimidate Ornge whistleblowers at a legislative committee that's probing the troubled air ambulance service....More

Former Ornge lawyer denies involvement in controversial marketing agreement

TORONTO - Ornge's in-house lawyer denied Wednesday that she was involved in coming up with a controversial marketing services agreement that is alleged to have been part of a kickback scheme....More

Committee looks to protect N.B. hospital after flood shuts down services

PERTH-ANDOVER, N.B. - A committee is looking at ways to protect a hospital in northwestern New Brunswick that was forced to close in March after a devastating flood....More

Bieber fever more infectious than measles, Canadian researchers say

TORONTO - Bieber fever is more infectious than measles, capable of spreading effortlessly to children in far flung parts of the globe, a new study suggests....More

AMA's incoming president predicts no chaos if Supreme Court rejects all or part of health law

CHICAGO - The incoming president of the American Medical Association says not to expect chaos if the U.S. Supreme Court rejects all or part of the sweeping federal health care law. Dr. Jeremy Lazarus takes over as AMA president later this month....More

McGuinty stands by minister amid revelation of patient deaths involving Ornge

TORONTO - The Progressive Conservatives are questioning why Ontario's chief coroner hasn't yet called an inquest into more than two dozen patient deaths involving Ornge, the province's troubled air ambulance service....More

Glenn Close wows mental health experts with campaign against stigma

OTTAWA - It's been 25 years since Glenn Close starred in "Fatal Attraction," but the film still poses a dilemma for the star who was in Ottawa on Monday to campaign against stigma in mental health....More

Some facts about the "bath salts" drug Ottawa wants to ban by fall

OTTAWA - The federal government moved Tuesday to ban the key ingredient in the street drug known as "bath salts" by this fall....More

Plans for new health facility in Regina across from where hospital once stood

REGINA - More than a decade after one of its hospitals was shut down, there are plans for a new health facility in the Saskatchewan capital....More

NFB short web docs capture results of Canada's At Home/Chez Soi study

TORONTO - Toronto nurse and case manager Bouchra Arbach visits the apartment of a frail and aging man who, after being homeless for some 30 years, is trying to adjust to his new life indoors....More

Conservatives seek ban on 'bath salts' drug after grisly U.S. face-eating attack

OTTAWA - The key ingredient in a controversial street drug linked to a Florida attacker who chewed off a man's face should be illegal in Canada by this fall, the federal government says....More

Better oversight needed for Nova Scotia addiction recovery facilities: officials

HALIFAX - Officials with the Community Services Department say the recent closure of a Cape Breton addiction recovery centre has highlighted the need for better oversight of Nova Scotia's recovery facilities....More

WHO warns of growing drug resistance in sexually transmitted gonorrhea

GENEVA - A potentially dangerous sexually transmitted disease that infects millions of people each year is growing resistant to drugs and could soon become untreatable, the World Health Organization said Wednesday....More

Cancer treatments grow more high-tech: 'Smart bomb' drugs, immune boosters are seeing success

CHICAGO - New research shows a sharp escalation in the weapons race against cancer, with several high-tech approaches long dreamed of but not possible or successful until now....More

Will warm winter lead to more insect carried diseases this summer? Maybe

Winter haters in some parts of Canada got a major break this year, with one of the mildest seasons in memory. But as we head towards summer, there may be a price to pay for the lack of the frigid temperatures a few months back....More

Two Ontario First Nations still plagued by mercury poisoning: report

TORONTO - Two First Nations communities devastated by mercury poisoning nearly 50 years ago are still feeling the impacts from the metal toxins in one of their key water supplies, a world-renowned expert suggested....More

Study finds breast cancer risk in women treated with radiation as kids, even at lower doses

CHICAGO - Women treated with chest radiation for cancer when they were girls have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than previously thought, doctors warn....More

Report card on provincial health systems notes spotty progress for home care

OTTAWA - The latest report card on provincial health policy shows some improvement in offering home care and mental health services, but progress is spotty across the country....More

Operating rooms generating huge amounts of unnecessary waste: study

TORONTO - They may be the source of life-saving medical interventions, but hospital operating rooms in Canada generate enormous amounts of unnecessary and expensive-to-process waste....More

McGuinty stands by minister amid revelation of patient deaths involving Ornge

TORONTO - The Progressive Conservatives are questioning why Ontario's chief coroner hasn't yet called an inquest into more than two dozen patient deaths involving Ornge, the province's troubled air ambulance service....More

Glenn Close wows mental health experts with campaign against stigma

OTTAWA - It's been 25 years since Glenn Close starred in "Fatal Attraction," but the film still poses a dilemma for the star who was in Ottawa on Monday to campaign against stigma in mental health....More

Saskatchewan man says schizophrenia led to his attacks on two women

SASKATOON - A Battlefords-area man struggling with schizophrenia has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to two attacks in Saskatoon this month....More

Health ministry investigated 26 deaths involving Ornge since 2007

TORONTO - The Ontario government investigated 26 deaths involving its troubled air ambulance service over the past six years, secret government documents show....More

Global cancer cases to rise 75 pct by 2030 as developing countries adopt bad habits from West

LONDON - Global cancer cases are projected to rise 75 per cent by 2030, in part because many other diseases are being stamped out and more developing countries are adopting Western lifestyles linked to cancer, international health experts reported....More

Alberta band downstream of oilsands releases pictures of deformed fish

FORT CHIPEWYAN, Alta. - Natives downstream from the oilsands in northern Alberta say they have caught more deformed fish in Lake Athabasca and will be sending them away for testing....More

Study: Hormone pill slows prostate cancer's growth, may help more men with advanced disease

CHICAGO - A hormone-blocking pill approved last year for some men with advanced prostate cancer now also seems to help a wider group of men who were given it sooner in the course of treating their disease....More

Doctors use 'smart bomb' drug to attack breast cancer; women live longer with disease in check

CHICAGO - Doctors have successfully dropped the first "smart bomb" on breast cancer, using a drug to deliver a toxic payload to tumour cells while leaving healthy ones alone....More

Cancer treatments grow more high-tech: 'Smart bomb' drugs, immune boosters are seeing success

CHICAGO - New research shows a sharp escalation in the weapons race against cancer, with several high-tech approaches long dreamed of but not possible or successful until now....More

Report card on provincial health systems notes spotty progress for home care

OTTAWA - The latest report card on provincial health policy shows some improvement in offering home care and mental health services, but progress is spotty across the country....More

NYC's mayor wants to ban super-sized sodas at restaurants; soft-drink industry is furious

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Want to super-size that soda? Sorry, but in New York City you could be out of luck....More

Manitoba passes legislation to allow lawsuit against tobacco companies

WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government has cleared the way for it to sue big tobacco companies for health-care costs. A law put forward by the NDP government that paves the way for litigation is now in effect....More

Diabetes drug increases risk of bladder cancer, Canadian study suggests

TORONTO - A new study adds further weight to the argument that people who use the diabetes drug Actos are at higher risk of developing bladder cancer....More

Cycling for charity: Harnett, McBean ready to pedal for a good cause

TORONTO - Curt Harnett always likes a good bike ride. But the former Olympic cycling medallist has a special reason for getting his bike out Sunday....More

CDC: 93 illnesses in another salmonella outbreak linked to baby chicks from Ohio hatchery

ATLANTA - A new salmonella outbreak that sickened nearly 100 people has been traced to mail-order chicks from Ohio, health officials said Thursday....More

Calgary family doctor suspended for improperly prescribing drugs

EDMONTON - A Calgary family doctor has been suspended for improperly prescribing drugs to patients. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta says Oswald Wachtler's permit will be taken away for six months....More

Are teens becoming abstainers? Study charts declines in smoking, drinking, drugs

TORONTO - Are teens becoming more abstemious? A new survey shows dropping rates of drinking, drug use and smoking among Canadian teens. For instance, the percentage of teens who have ever tried smoking cigarettes dropped to 15....More

Alberta health officials confirm resident in rural community has hantavirus

EDMONTON - Health officials are confirming that a resident of a rural community north of Edmonton has been infected with hantavirus....More