New guidelines help doctors spot potentially deadly heart failure in children

TORONTO - A group of concerned pediatric cardiologists are trying their best to ensure that other children don't die the way Dan Miller did. Miller, who lived in Delaware, Ont....More

McDonald's workers can now wear red poppies to honour Canada's war veterans

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. - Employees at a McDonald's in southern Alberta say they're loving that they can now wear poppies for Remembrance Day. Last year, workers at the fast-food restaurant in Lethbridge complained that they couldn't wear the pins while working....More

Health Canada says a decision on pulled Novartis flu vaccine coming 'shortly'

TORONTO - Health Canada expects to make a decision "shortly" on what to do with a significant portion of the country's flu vaccine supply that has been in limbo since the end of last week....More

Growth of health care spending in Canada slowing down, report says

OTTAWA - Growth in health-care spending is forecast to continue to slow this year, largely because of a sluggish economy and budgetary deficits, says a newly released report....More

CDC: Cases of a rare fungal meningitis rise to 363; deaths at 28

An outbreak of fungal meningitis has been linked to steroid shots for back pain. The medication, made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts, has been recalled....More

Breakfast sandwiches: Your stomach may like them, but your arteries don't

TORONTO - You may love fast-food breakfast sandwiches. But new Canadian research suggests your arteries do not....More

Alberta NDP notes province hiked fees pharmacies can charge after Katz donation

EDMONTON - Alberta's NDP wants to know why the Tories doubled the amount pharmacies can charge taxpayers to give flu shots at around the same time the governing party took a large campaign contribution from pharmacy billionaire Daryl Katz....More

Health officials debate whether to scrap program that subsidizes malaria drugs for the poor

LONDON - The future of a pricey malaria program meant to provide cheap drugs for poor patients may be in jeopardy after health officials clashed over its effectiveness in two new reports....More

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall urges PEI Premier Robert Ghiz to pay up

REGINA - Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall is throwing down the gauntlet — or perhaps the razor — to Prince Edward Island Premier Robert Ghiz. Wall jokes that Ghiz, who is a friend, should pay up and make a donation to his Movember effort....More

Saskatchewan may have to get flu vaccine from other provinces after suspension

REGINA - Saskatchewan Health Minister Dustin Duncan says the province expects to know in a day or so when flu shot clinics can reopen....More

Medical podcasts cover wide range of topics - with heaping dose of humour

Medicine can be a pretty serious business, but one would never know that listening to the banter — much of it self-deprecating — between B.C. clinical pharmacist James McCormack and Alberta family doctor Mike Allan....More

Mammograms for women over 50 save lives, but for 1 life saved 3 are overtreated

LONDON - Breast cancer screening for women over 50 saves lives, an independent panel in Britain has concluded, confirming findings in U.S. and other studies....More

Hospitals should make flu shots mandatory for health-care workers, journal says

TORONTO - The Canadian Medical Association Journal has added its voice to calls for mandatory flu shots for health-care workers....More

CDC: Cases of a rare fungal meningitis rise to 354; Rhode Island in 19th state with a case

An outbreak of fungal meningitis has been linked to steroid shots for back pain. The medication, made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts, has been recalled....More

Sheep cheese recalled because of possible Listeria contamination

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced the recall of the Krinos brand of Mini Kashkaval Cheese because of possible Listeria contamination....More

New guidelines help doctors spot potentially deadly heart failure in children

TORONTO - A group of concerned pediatric cardiologists are trying their best to ensure that other children don't die the way Dan Miller did. Miller, who lived in Delaware, Ont....More

Canada suspends dispersal of Novartis flu shots following similar move in Europe

TORONTO - Canada is following the lead of several European countries and suspending distribution of flu vaccine made by the pharmaceutical firm Novartis....More

US says pharmacy tied to meningitis outbreak documented history of mould, bacteria problems

WASHINGTON - Staffers at a pharmacy linked to the deadly meningitis outbreak documented dozens of cases of mould and bacteria growing in rooms that were supposed to be sterile, according to federal health inspectors....More

Nova Scotia says province not affected by stop-use of Novartis flu shot

HALIFAX - The Nova Scotia government says the province's influenza vaccine is not affected by Ottawa's stop-use order of flu shots made by Novartis. Nova Scotia's chief public health officer Dr....More

Flu shot clinics continue in Alberta and Manitoba, but not Saskatchewan

EDMONTON - Clinics for influenza shots are continuing across much of the Prairies, even though they've been suspended in Saskatchewan due to a concern about vaccines made by Novartis....More

Crown Bitter Chocolate Coated Raisins may contain undeclared milk

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning that Crown brand Bitter Chocolate Coated Raisins may contain milk that is not declared on the label....More

B.C. suspends use of Novartis flu vaccine as precautionary measure

VICTORIA - B.C. is heeding a Health Canada recommendation to suspend the use of a flu vaccine made by the pharmaceutical firm Novartis. The B.C....More

B.C. flu clinics unlikely to see impact of precautionary vaccine suspension

VICTORIA - British Columbia's supply of flu vaccine has been reduced by 30 per cent just as the seasonal campaign to get a shot kicks off, but the province's top health officer doesn't expect flu clinics to be affected. Dr....More

Sudden death in young adults not caused by exercise, study suggests

TORONTO - The stories are always shocking: A young, often super fit teenager or young adult drops like a stone during an athletic event, dead before they hit the ground....More

Calgary Catholic schools reviews policy against student HPV vaccinations

CALGARY - Calgary's Catholic school district is going to review its policy against allowing students to be vaccinated against the virus that causes cervical and other types of cancers....More

Calgary Catholic schools review policy against student HPV vaccinations

CALGARY - Calgary's Catholic school district will review its policy against allowing students to be vaccinated for the virus that causes cervical and other types of cancers....More

Arsenic prompts 'Pollen Allergy' product recall, Health Canada says

OTTAWA - Health Canada says a natural health product formerly named "Pollen Allergy" is being recalled because it contains unsafe arsenic levels. The product is now sold as "Tongqiao Biyan Pian" and it has the natural product number NPN 80035736....More

Allowing assisted suicide too risky, demeans value of life: federal government

VANCOUVER - Legalizing doctor-assisted suicide would demean the value of life and could lead vulnerable people to take drastic steps in "moments of weakness," the federal government argues in its appeal of a court decision that struck down the ban on the practice....More

Alberta premier says money diverted from police college to new hospital

GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. - Plans have been finalized for a new hospital in Grande Prairie, Alta. The cost has gone up, with the budget now set at $621.4 million, up from the previous estimate of $520 million....More

Addiction counsellors in Cape Breton being replaced by nurses, social worker

SYDNEY, N.S. - The Cape Breton District Health Authority says it is laying off six counsellor attendants who work in addiction and recovery programs....More

Ontario student leaders urge peers to 'stick it' to fast food with boycott

TORONTO - Student leaders in Ontario say it's time their peers took a stand against the food they face in cafeterias and in the fast food restaurants that often ring schools....More

Clef Des Champs products recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination

OTTAWA - A number of Clef Des Champs brand products have been recalled dur to possible Salmonella contamination....More

Panel urges all pregnant women to get whooping cough vaccination to protect babies

ATLANTA - An expert panel is urging every expecting mother to get a shot preventing whooping cough, preferably in the last three months of her pregnancy to help protect her baby. The advice follows a frightening resurgence of the dreaded childhood disease....More

Panel recommends that all pregnant women get whooping cough vaccination to protect infant

ATLANTA - Expert government advisers want every pregnant woman to get a whooping cough vaccination. It's only the second time a vaccine has been recommended during pregnancy. Flu shots are also recommended for pregnant women....More

OPP, government not acting on advice to help traumatized police officers: Marin

TORONTO - Badly needed changes that would help traumatized provincial police officers cope with operational stress injuries are getting the "bureaucratic brush-off" from the Ontario Provincial Police and the government, Ontario's ombudsman charged Wednesday....More

Ontario failing to help cops suffering from post-traumatic injuries: report

TORONTO - An Ontario watchdog says the government and Ontario Provincial Police are failing to help officers suffering from operational stress injuries — leading to tragic results....More

News Summary: Mass. officials find problems in pharmacy at centre of meningitis outbreak

DISTRESSING DISCOVERY: An investigation into a Massachusetts pharmacy at the centre of a deadly meningitis outbreak has found conditions including leaky boilers, dirty floor mats and drugs shipped out without sterility tests....More

Mexico declares end to bird flu outbreak that caused egg, chicken prices to soar

MEXICO CITY - Mexico says an outbreak of the H7N3 bird flu virus in western Mexico has been "totally controlled" after 68 days without any reports of new cases....More

Mass. pharmacy tied to meningitis outbreak dodged reprimand, which company said would harm it

BOSTON - Massachusetts regulators in 2004 proposed a formal reprimand for a company now linked to deadly meningitis outbreak, but they never delivered it after the company protested the reprimand could be "fatal to the business....More

Boost brain health with facts, recipes, lifestyle tips in e-cookbook 'Mindfull'

TORONTO - A team of experts has cooked up a new book that interweaves scientific facts about brain health with some tips on lifestyle choices in an effort to reduce users' likelihood of developing dementia....More

Mass. gov.: Unclean conditions at pharmacy tied to meningitis, officials move to void license

BOSTON - State officials said Tuesday they found unclean conditions including visible black specks of fungus in steroids and a leaking boiler near what was supposed to be a clean room at a pharmacy linked to a deadly outbreak of meningitis. Gov....More

Food safety watchdog restores operating licence for XL Foods plant

OTTAWA - Canada's food-safety watchdog restored the operating licence Tuesday for a southern Alberta meat-packing plant at the centre of a massive recall of tainted beef, and also launched a review of the E. coli crisis that sickened at least 16 people....More

European regulator starts infringement procedure against Roche for not reporting side effects

LONDON - Europe's top drug regulator announced Tuesday it is taking action against pharmaceutical giant Roche for allegedly failing to properly report the side effects of 19 drugs being used by U.S. patients....More

Documents detail problems found in 2006 by firm assessing Mass. company in meningitis outbreak

BOSTON - New state documents detail problems found in 2006 by an outside firm hired to do an assessment at the company at the centre of a deadly meningitis outbreak....More

Diamond Jubilee medal for repeat offender doesn't faze justice minister

OTTAWA - The tough-on-crime Conservative cabinet is taking a hands-off approach to a Diamond Jubilee medal being awarded to a repeat offender jailed for harassing women over abortion....More

CDC: Cases of a rare fungal illnesses rise to 308 in 17 states

An outbreak of fungal meningitis has been linked to steroid shots for back pain. The medication, made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts, has been recalled....More

Canadian quality of life hammered by recession, despite growth of GDP: index

OTTAWA - Canada's economy may well be muddling through, but on a more personal level, Canadians generally are not, a new study of well-being suggests....More

State officials find problems at Mass. pharmacy linked to meningitis outbreak

BOSTON - Water from a leaking boiler collected just outside a room that was supposed to be sterile. Floor mats used by technicians were filled with dirt and debris. Drugs were shipped out before the company even confirmed they were sterile....More

FDA releases lists of clinics that got products from pharmacy tied to meningitis outbreak

ATLANTA - The government has released a customer list for the specialty pharmacy at the centre of a national fungal meningitis outbreak....More

FDA probes 5 reported deaths linked to Monster Energy Drinks; wrongful death suit filed in CA

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it's investigating reports of five deaths and a non-fatal heart attack linked to highly caffeinated Monster Energy Drinks....More

Ex-vets board member says former soldiers being driven over the edge by system

OTTAWA - A former member of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board began a stinging critique of the agency Monday by laying his service medals on a table in front of members of Parliament and declaring the condescending treatment of ex-soldiers precluded him from wearing the...More

Congressional committee seeks records related to Mass. company in meningitis outbreak

BOSTON - A congressional committee on Monday sought a decade's worth of records from a company at the centre of a deadly meningitis outbreak as new state documents detailed problems an outside firm hired to do an assessment found there in 2006....More

CDC: Cases of a rare fungal meningitis rise to 297; deaths remain at 23

An outbreak of fungal meningitis has been linked to steroid shots for back pain. The medication, made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts, has been recalled....More

Activist planning own report in response to New Brunswick shale gas study

FREDERICTON - A social scientist in New Brunswick is preparing a report in response to a study released last week that said a moratorium on shale gas development would not be in the province's best interests....More

Documents detail problems found in 2006 by firm assessing Mass. company in meningitis outbreak

BOSTON - New state documents detail problems found in 2006 by an outside firm hired to do an assessment at the company at the centre of a deadly meningitis outbreak....More

Canadian quality of life hammered by recession, despite growth of GDP: index

OTTAWA - Canada's economy may well be muddling through, but on a more personal level, Canadians generally are not, a new study of well-being suggests....More

Kidney trouble hinders recovery of double-lung recipient Helene Campbell

OTTAWA - Double-lung transplant recipient Helene Campbell says she her recovery is going "fairly well" except for a problem with blood circulation....More

E. Donnall Thomas, who blazed new path for treatment of leukemia, dead at 92

E. Donnall Thomas, a physician who pioneered the use of bone marrow transplants in leukemia patients and later won the 1990 Nobel Prize in medicine, has died in Seattle at age 92. The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center announced the death Saturday....More

Dorgel and Farmboy products recall expanded

FORT ERIE, Ont. - A recall of Dorgel and Farmboy products containing Almonds that are not declared on the label has been expanded....More

CDC: Illnesses linked to tainted steroid shots reach 284; deaths rise to 23

An outbreak of fungal meningitis has been linked to steroid shots for back pain. The medication, made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts, has been recalled....More

Boys, birds & bees: Have that talk sooner, says study that found early puberty hits boys, too

CHICAGO - When it comes to the birds and the bees, some parents may want to have that talk with their boys a little sooner than they expected....More

Abortion may be legal, but very difficult in many states; in past 2 years, 41 set new limits

CHICAGO - It's legal to get an abortion in America, but in many places it is hard and getting harder....More

Veteran who says privacy was violated dropped from review board amid shakeup

OTTAWA - An outspoken member of a veterans appeal board, who said his privacy was violated and that the federal agency treats ex-soldiers with disrespect, won't be reappointed....More

Activist planning own report in response to New Brunswick shale gas study

FREDERICTON - A social scientist in New Brunswick is preparing a report in response to a study released last week that said a moratorium on shale gas development would not be in the province's best interests....More

1 in 7 couples in Canada seek help to conceive, mostly when woman older: report

TORONTO - Almost one in seven Canadian couples trying to have a child seeks medical help to conceive, including using assisted reproductive techniques like in vitro fertilization, says a Statistics Canada report released Wednesday....More

Same fungus from meningitis outbreak found in steroid shots; confirms link to Mass. pharmacy

NEW YORK, N.Y. - The fungus found in tainted steroid shots matches the one behind the national meningitis outbreak that has killed 20 people, federal health officials said Thursday....More

Recall expanded for foaming hand soap due to bacterial contamination

OTTAWA - A Quebec company has expanded the recall of its Antimicrobial Foaming Hand Soap to include 19 additional lots of the product, Health Canada said Thursday. On Monday, Avmor Ltd....More

Product used to thicken baby formula, breast milk could pose risk: Health Canada

TORONTO - Health Canada says parents and caregivers should consult with a health professional before using a thickening product for breast milk or formula fed to infants....More

Ontario woman who gave birth on prison cell floor released to be with her baby

OTTAWA - One day after protesters called for her release, a woman who gave birth on the floor of an Ottawa jail cell is out from behind bars. Julie Bilotta has been granted bail and released from the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre....More

Manitoba judge calls for defibrillators following death in holding cell

WINNIPEG - A Manitoba judge is calling for defibrillator machines in all police stations and anywhere else police keep people in custody....More

Health officials report that the same fungus in meningitis outbreak found in steroid vials

NEW YORK, N.Y. - The fungus found in tainted steroid shots matches the one blamed in the national meningitis outbreak that has killed 20 people, federal health officials said Thursday....More

Toronto committee to look at licensing hookah establishments

TORONTO - Health concerns about non-tobacco water pipe smoking in Toronto's hookah establishments have led city licensing staff to pursue regulations....More

Ontario to spend $15 million to expand treatment for narcotics addiction

TORONTO - Betty-Lou Kristy couldn't put into words the pain she felt watching her 25-year-old son Pete suffer from the ravages of opioid addiction. As a recovering addict herself, she thought she'd be aware of everything he could get into, Kristy said....More

Older women less able to control high blood pressure than men, study finds

TORONTO - Older women in Canada are less successful than older men at controlling high blood pressure, even when they take their medication, a new study suggests....More

Multivitamins modestly lowered the risk of cancer in middle-aged and older men, study finds

America's favourite dietary supplements, multivitamins, modestly lowered the risk for cancer in healthy male doctors who took them for more than a decade, the first large study to test these pills has found....More

McGill researcher cleared in asbestos probe

MONTREAL - McGill University says it has found no evidence to suggest that old research was unduly influenced by the asbestos industry....More

Julie Bilotta prison birth 'tip of the iceberg,' say protesting mothers

OTTAWA - The mother who gave birth last month on the floor of an Ottawa jail cell offers just one example of the harsh conditions women must endure behind bars in Ontario, protesters said Wednesday as they demanded better treatment for female prisoners....More

Julie Bilotta prison birth "tip of the iceberg," say protesting mothers

OTTAWA - A group of mothers is demanding a full inquiry into what they say is the systemic inhumane treatment of women in the prison system....More

CDC: Deaths in fungal meningitis outbreak rise to 19; total illnesses are now up to 247

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Four more people have died in the national meningitis outbreak, bringing the death toll to 19, health officials said Wednesday. The deaths are among the 247 people in 15 states sickened in the outbreak....More

1 in 7 couples in Canada seek help to conceive, mostly when woman older: report

TORONTO - Almost one in seven Canadian couples trying to have a child seeks medical help to conceive, including using assisted reproductive techniques like in vitro fertilization, says a Statistics Canada report released Wednesday....More

Videotaping shows most falls among elderly due to incorrect weight-shifting: study

TORONTO - Falls among seniors are a major cause of disability and death, but knowing what led to a split-second fall can often be difficult to figure out after a person is found sprawled on the ground....More

Russia's Prime Minister Medvedev calls for ban of tobacco ads

MOSCOW - Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday called for a ban on all tobacco ads, as the government prepares a bill that would also phase out smoking in public....More

New Brunswick premier says reports will help decide future of shale gas industry

FREDERICTON - The premier of New Brunswick says two reports released this week on the shale gas industry will help ensure that if the industry develops in the province, it will be safe....More

New Brunswick health officer says measures needed before shale gas development

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health says strong measures to protect public health must be put in place before further development of a shale gas industry is allowed. Dr....More

Experts say the story behind meningitis outbreak may be one of dirty shoes or high volume

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Was it some mouldy ceiling tiles? The dusty shoes of a careless employee? Or did the contamination ride in on one of the ingredients? There are lots of ways fungus could have gotten inside the Massachusetts compounding pharmacy whose steroid...More

Drop routine Type 2 diabetes screening for low, moderate risk adults: task force

TORONTO - Canadian doctors have new guidelines on who to screen for Type 2 diabetes and how often they should be checked for the disease....More

CDC: Cases of a rare fungal meningitis rise to 231; number of deaths remain at 15

An outbreak of fungal meningitis has been linked to steroid shots for back pain. The medication, made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts, has been recalled....More

Albertan faces criminal charges, 34 counts under health information act

CALGARY - Government officials say 34 charges have been laid under Alberta's health information act against one person in the province. The same person has been charged with six counts under the Criminal Code....More

Helmets can prevent fatal head injuries in cyclists, Ontario study shows

TORONTO - Cyclists who die of a head injury are much less likely to be wearing a helmet than bike riders who die of other injuries, a study has found, underscoring what researchers say is the need for mandatory helmet use for Canadians of all ages....More

Health Canada announces recall of foaming soap due to bacterial contamination

TORONTO - A Quebec company is voluntarily recalling one lot of its antimicrobial foaming hand soap because the product has been found to be contaminated with bacteria. A spokesperson for Avmor Ltd....More

Head of Canada's national lab opts for 'natural orifice' surgery for cancer

TORONTO - Earlier this year, Dr. Frank Plummer found out he had cancer. Plummer is the scientific director of Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory....More

FDA: Docs should check on patients who got other drugs made by pharmacy in meningitis outbreak

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Two more drugs from a specialty pharmacy linked to a meningitis outbreak are now being investigated, U.S. health officials said, as they urged doctors to contact patients who got any kind of injection from the company....More

CDC: Cases of a rare fungal meningitis or infection rise to 215; now 15 states involved

An outbreak of fungal meningitis has been linked to steroid shots for back pain. The medication, made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts, has been recalled....More

At CDC, scientists fight fungus blamed for meningitis outbreak linked to steroid injections

ATLANTA - Scattered across the carefully landscaped main campus of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are the staff on the front lines fighting a rare outbreak of fungal meningitis: A scientist in a white lab coat peers through a microscope at fungi on a glass slide....More

Alberta hearing into health queue jumping won't be witch hunt: inquiry head

EDMONTON - A retired judge promised Monday that his inquiry into health-care queue jumping in Alberta will be wide-ranging, but it won't be a witch hunt....More

Russia's Prime Minister Medvedev calls for ban of tobacco ads

MOSCOW - Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday called for a ban on all tobacco ads, as the government prepares a bill that would also phase out smoking in public....More

Fast-track compensation coming for severely disabled veterans who lost benefits

OTTAWA - Federal lawyers have agreed to a fast-track formula that will see roughly 900 of the country's most severely injured veterans compensated for a clawback of their disability pensions....More

CFIA recalls imported salad due to salmonella concerns

OTTAWA - The public is being warned not to eat certain Fresh Express brand Hearts of Romaine salad because it may be contaminated with salmonella bacteria....More

CDC: Cases of a rare fungal meningitis rise to 184; Texas joins list of states with illnesses

An outbreak of fungal meningitis has been linked to steroid shots for back pain. The medication, made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts, has been recalled....More

Alberta XL Foods beef plant now linked to 13 E. coli cases, latest in Quebec

OTTAWA - Another person has become ill from a strain of E. coli linked to tainted beef from an Alberta meat packer. The Public Health Agency of Canada says the latest case involves a person from Quebec. It brings the total number of E....More

Meningitis outbreak toll reaches 205 cases in 14 states; death toll at 15

WASHINGTON - Federal health officials are reporting the number of cases of fungal meningitis has risen to 205. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the number of deaths stands at 15....More

At CDC, scientists fight fungus blamed for meningitis outbreak linked to steroid injections

ATLANTA - Scattered across the carefully landscaped main campus of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are the staff on the front lines fighting a rare outbreak of fungal meningitis: A scientist in a white lab coat peers through a microscope at fungi on a glass slide....More

Vaccine for cancer-causing sexually transmitted disease doesn't make girls promiscuous: Study

CHICAGO - Shots that protect against cervical cancer do not make girls promiscuous, according to the first study to compare medical records for vaccinated and unvaccinated girls....More

At CDC, scientists fight fungus blamed for meningitis outbreak linked to steroid injections

ATLANTA - Scattered across the carefully landscaped main campus of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are the staff on the front lines fighting a rare outbreak of fungal meningitis: A scientist in a white lab coat peers through a microscope at fungi on a glass slide....More

Got breast milk? Edmonton hospital opens depot for moms who want to donate

EDMONTON - Audrey Inouye pumps her breast milk at home twice each day, setting some aside for tiny, premature babies in hospitals who aren't able to get it from their own mothers....More

Environment ministers announce agreement to reduce smog, improve air quality

LAKE LOUISE, Alta. - Canada's environment ministers have announced an agreement they say will reduce smog and improve air quality across the country....More

CDC updates toll from fungal meningitis outbreak: 170 people sickened in 11 states, and 14 die

WASHINGTON - The government says 170 people now have been sickened in the meningitis outbreak linked to tainted steroid shots, and 14 of them have died. Idaho becomes the 11th state to report at least one illness....More

CDC tracks down most people at risk from tainted steroid shots; outbreak kills at least 14

WASHINGTON - Federal health officials have tracked down 12,000 of the roughly 14,000 people who may have received contaminated steroid shots in the nation's growing meningitis outbreak, warning Thursday that patients will need to keep watch for symptoms of the deadly infection...More

Advocates call for inquiry after woman gives birth to baby in Ottawa jail cell

OTTAWA - An internal investigation has begun and a public inquiry is being demanded after a woman gave birth in an Ottawa jail cell without a doctor....More

Aboriginal health-benefits plan allegations draw ire of health minister

OTTAWA - Canada's normally reserved minister of health isn't mincing any words when it comes to pharmacies and others who allegedly fleeced the aboriginal health-benefits plan....More

99-year-old woman sexually assaulted at hospital

GATINEAU, Que. - An employee at a Quebec hospital is facing criminal charges after a 99-year-old patient was sexually assaulted. Yves Laplante has been charged with sexual assault and sexual exploitation....More

CFIA recalls imported salad due to salmonella concerns

OTTAWA - The public is being warned not to eat certain Fresh Express brand Hearts of Romaine salad because it may be contaminated with salmonella bacteria....More

Majority of people with mental illness not treated, Ontario report says

TORONTO - A new report says the majority of people with mental illnesses or addictions in Ontario are not being treated for their conditions....More

Friend describes deadly buttocks-enlargement surgery at US hotel; judge upholds murder charge

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia woman known as "the Black Madam" performed deadly cosmetic surgery on a London dancer in an airport hotel room, then used Crazy Glue to close the wounds and fled when the client went into respiratory distress, witnesses testified Wednesday....More

CDC: Cases of a rare fungal meningitis rise to 137; additional death makes 12

An outbreak of fungal meningitis has been linked to steroid shots for back pain. The medication, made by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts, has been recalled....More

'Bad news' stories appear to boost reactivity to stressors in women, not men

TORONTO - It's said that no news is good news. But what's the effect of bad news presented by the media? For women, exposure to negative news stories may make them more reactive to subsequent stressful situations, according to a study published Wednesday in...More

Some products containing peanut butter recalled due to possible Salmonella

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to eat some products containing peanut butter because they may be contaminated with Salmonella....More

President's bioethics panel urges new privacy protection to ensure benefits from DNA decoding

WASHINGTON - It sounds like a scene from a TV show: Someone sends a discarded coffee cup to a laboratory where the unwitting drinker's DNA is decoded, predicting what diseases lurk in his or her future....More

Lawsuit: Man died from tainted 2002 shot from company now blamed in meningitis outbreak

Long before the current rash of fungal meningitis, the compounding pharmacy suspected in the outbreak settled a lawsuit alleging it produced a tainted shot that caused a man's death in 2004....More

Aboriginal health-benefits plan allegations draw ire of health minister

OTTAWA - Canada's normally reserved minister of health isn't mincing any words when it comes to pharmacies and others who allegedly fleeced the aboriginal health-benefits plan....More

WHO says parasite known as 'brain-eating amoeba' has killed 10 people in southern Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - A Pakistani official with the World Health Organization says a waterborne parasite commonly known as a "brain-eating amoeba" has killed 10 people in the country's largest city, Karachi....More

Stroke drug looks promising in human trial; bigger study next, docs say

TORONTO - A Canadian effort to develop a drug to limit the brain damage caused by strokes has made an important step forward....More

Rise in demand for service dogs for US vets, lack of standards, creates tension

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Stories like Jim Stanek's are common and quickly multiplying: An Iraqi war veteran with posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, he says his life was saved by a dog that gave him the confidence to do seemingly simple things, like go out to...More

Pharmacists in Ontario can give flu shots and renew non-narcotic prescriptions

TORONTO - The Ontario government cleared the way Tuesday for pharmacists to renew most prescriptions and offer some services previously provided only by doctors, but there's no agreement on how they will be paid for their increased role in health-care delivery....More

E. coli infection can have long-term effects, annual testing advised: doctor

TORONTO - Canadians sickened by tainted beef from XL Foods should be tested annually over the next few years for lingering health problems that can be caused by E. coli, says a researcher who studied the long-term effects of infection in residents of Walkerton, Ont....More

Children's high chairs recalled after injuries reported due to loose seats

WASHINGTON - Authorities in Canada and the United States are warning against the use of a brand of children's high chairs due to a risk that the seats may come loose or detach. Health Canada and the U.S....More

'Sleeping Beauty' syndrome steals chunks of young people's lives says teen

TORONTO - There was nothing sweet about Kaitlyn Terrana's 16th birthday. And she has virtually no recollection of her last birthday, her 17th, either. She slept through both of them....More

CDC: Cases of a rare fungal meningitis rise to 119; New Jersey latest state to report illness

NEW YORK, N.Y. - The number of people sickened by a deadly meningitis outbreak has now reached 119 cases, including 11 deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated the count on Tuesday....More

Paper trail shows environment officials just doing their job, despite Harper jab

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper sharply rebuked Environment Canada bureaucrats last year for overstepping their authority, but internal documents suggest they were just doing their jobs....More

Meningitis outbreak: Up to 13,000 got shots of recalled steroid but how many at risk unclear

NEW YORK, N.Y. - As many as 13,000 people received steroid shots suspected in a national meningitis outbreak, health officials said Monday. But it's not clear how many are in danger....More

Meningitis outbreak: 13,000 got shots of recalled steroid but how many at risk unclear

NEW YORK, N.Y. - As many as 13,000 people received steroid shots suspected in a national meningitis outbreak, health officials said Monday. But it's not clear how many are in danger....More

Experimental Lilly drug may help slow mental decline in people with mild Alzheimer's disease

BOSTON - Combined results from two studies of an experimental Alzheimer's drug suggest it might modestly slow mental decline, especially in patients with mild disease. Taken separately, the studies on the drug — Eli Lilly & Co....More

CFIA to conduct detailed assessment of Alberta plant at the centre of recall

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency will be conducting a detailed assessment on Tuesday of the Alberta processing plant at the heart of a massive tainted beef recall. The review follows a written request from XL Foods Inc....More

Aboriginal health-benefit claims came under scrutiny, audits show

OTTAWA - A number of pharmacies have come under close scrutiny from the company that handles claims made to the aboriginal health-benefits plan, newly released documents show....More

'Sleeping Beauty' syndrome steals chunks of young people's lives says teen

TORONTO - There was nothing sweet about Kaitlyn Terrana's 16th birthday. And she has virtually no recollection of her last birthday, her 17th, either. She slept through both of them....More

WHO says parasite known as 'brain-eating amoeba' has killed 10 people in southern Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - A Pakistani official with the World Health Organization says a waterborne parasite commonly known as a "brain-eating amoeba" has killed 10 people in the country's largest city, Karachi....More

Coyotes in cities may be start of parade of carnivores, wildlife ecologist warns

First it was foxes, skunks and raccoons. Now coyotes are setting up shop in increasing numbers within urban settings in North America....More

CDC: Cases of a rare fungal meningitis rise to 47; clinics who got suspect steroid identified

NEW YORK, N.Y. - As the tally from a deadly meningitis outbreak rose Friday, health officials identified the medical clinics across the country that received steroid shots for back pain now linked to the illnesses....More

CDC: Cases of a rare fungal meningitis rise to 47 in 7 states ; outbreak tied to steroid shots

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Healthofficialshave identified about 75 medical clinics across the country to help track down patients who got steroid shots linked to a deadly meningitis outbreak....More

Case of E. coli illness recorded in Newfoundland, same strain as XL Foods

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Newfoundland and Labrador's Health Department says a person in the eastern part of the province has been infected by a specific strain of E. coli that's being investigated at XL Foods Inc. It says the person who became ill has recovered....More

Beef plant, government have mishandled communications on E. coli issue: experts

OTTAWA - There was a time when budding young public relations students were given two case studies as the best and worst communications in modern corporate history: the Tylenol recall of 1982 (best), and the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989 (worst)....More

B.C.'s practical nurses join nurses' union after 69 per cent vote

VANCOUVER - British Columbia's licensed practical nurses have voted to ditch their union and join the B.C. Nurses Union....More

Eyewear store focus of probe into phoney health claim allegations: report

OTTAWA - A defunct Ontario eyewear store linked to a businessman who was jailed for a year and fined millions of dollars for contempt is facing allegations it fleeced the aboriginal health-benefits plan, a newly released document shows....More

Courage in the face of anxiety disorder: NBA rookie confronts his fear of flying

HOUSTON - Royce White couldn't wait any longer. Last weekend, just before the Houston Rockets opened training camp, he called his agent and told him he had a problem....More

Alberta premier wonders how beef testing could be improved

EDMONTON - Premier Alison Redford wants answers over some aspects of testing as concerns over E. coli in beef from a southern Alberta meat-packing plant continue to grow....More

150,000 B.C. smokers aiming to kick habit access free drugs, nicotine patch, gum

VICTORIA - About 150,000 British Columbians with an urge to quit smoking have taken advantage of a government program that provides free drugs or a supply of nicotine replacement gum or patches....More

U.S. government names SARS a select agent, restricting labs that work on virus

The Centers for Disease Control has added SARS to the list of select agents in the United States, a move designed to try to ensure the virus stays within the confines of highly regulated laboratories....More

Supreme Court set to rule on duty to disclose HIV to sex partners

OTTAWA - The Supreme Court of Canada will issue a ruling today on whether it is a crime for people with extremely low levels of HIV to withhold that fact from their sex partners....More

Lisa Genova goes inside the mind of autistic boy with third novel 'Love Anthony"

TORONTO - Lisa Genova has what she describes as a "beautiful" home office overlooking a salt-water river in Cape Cod, a tranquil setting that almost any author would kill to call their own....More

HEALTHBEAT: Study finds that free birth control means fewer abortions and fewer teen births

WASHINGTON - Free birth control led to dramatically lower rates of abortions and teen births, a large study concludes. The findings were eagerly anticipated and come as a bitterly contested Obama administration policy is poised to offer similar coverage....More

Health providers rush to notify patients in 23 states of meningitis-tainted steroid injections

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Health providers are scrambling to notify patients in nearly two dozen states that the routine steroid injections they received for back pain in recent months may have been contaminated with a deadly fungal meningitis....More

Deadly meningitis outbreak puts spotlight on custom-mixed drugs from 'compounding pharmacies'

Two people blinded in Washington, D.C., in 2005. Three dead in Virginia in 2006 and three more in Oregon the following year. Twenty-one dead polo horses in Florida in 2009. Earlier this year, 33 people in seven states with fungal eye infections....More

Mass. company linked to meningitis outbreak says it has voluntarily suspended operations

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - A Massachusetts specialty pharmacy suspected as the source of a steroid that has been linked to an outbreak of a deadly form of meningitis says it has voluntarily suspended operations....More

Health authority in Cape Breton says hospital hygiene improved after report

SYDNEY, N.S. - A progress report issued by the Cape Breton District Health Authority says its hospitals have so far complied with 11 of 20 recommendations made on infection control....More

Food inspectors union calls government claim of 700 hires 'totally misleading'

OTTAWA - A beef recall billed as one of the largest in Canadian history has sparked a heated war of words — and numbers — in the House of Commons. Since a shipment of E. coli-contaminated Canadian beef from Alberta-based XL Foods Inc....More

Federal government streamlining access in Canada to so-called 'orphan drugs'

OTTAWA - Canadians suffering from rare disorders will soon have speedier access to so-called "orphan drugs" under regulations introduced by the federal government....More

Expert teams are in Saudi Arabia looking for source of new coronavirus

A couple of teams of disease experts have converged on Saudi Arabia, hoping to find the source of a new virus from the SARS family....More

Agriculture minister to speak to reporters at food inspection agency in Calgary

CALGARY - Canada's agriculture minister is holding a news conference this morning at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Calgary laboratory. It's expected that Gerry Ritz will address a massive beef recall from X-L Foods Inc....More

List of recalled beef products expanded again as political fallout builds

OTTAWA - The list of beef products being recalled from Alberta's XL Foods due to possible E. coli contamination grew again early today....More

Health officials warn of more cases of rare fungal meningitis; over 2 dozen sick, 4 dead

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Health officials are expecting to find more cases of a rare and deadly form of meningitis that has sickened more than two dozen people in five states. Four have died....More

New Brunswick not releasing shale gas study recommendations from health officer

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health has issued recommendations on how the provincial government can track the health effects of the shale gas industry. But the government says it is not making those recommendations public and Dr....More

Former CF surgeon general fought against 'profound' health cuts: documents

OTTAWA - The former head of the Canadian Forces health group had to fight tooth and nail last spring to prevent the service from being carved up by "profound" cuts in the Harper government's deficit reduction drive, newly released documents show....More

Crying over needles? Fall flu shot available for kids in nasal spray

EDMONTON - Alberta health officials say for the first time children will be able to get a seasonal flu vaccine through nasal spray instead of needles....More

Course teaches residents in remote northern community emergency response skills

TORONTO - Imagine living in a remote Canadian community where the nearest hospital is hundreds of kilometres away, reachable only by plane after at least four hours in the air. Now imagine a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident while out hunting....More

BC nurses contract includes 3 per cent wage hike; adds 2,100 more nurses

VANCOUVER - B.C. nurses will get a three per cent wage hike but will work slightly longer hours to allow the hiring of more staff under the terms of a tentative contract with the provincial government. The B.C....More

US births down for 4th year; big drop among Hispanics; lagging economy seen as reason

NEW YORK, N.Y. - U.S. births fell for the fourth year in a row, the government reported Wednesday, with experts calling it more proof that the weak economy has continued to dampen enthusiasm for having children....More

Ont. women unclear about when they should start getting mammograms: poll

TORONTO - A new poll suggests women in Ontario are unclear about the age at which they should start undergoing regular breast cancer screening....More

New study sees benefit in low-dose hormones in women closer to menopause; cancer risk unknown

A new study may reassure some women considering short-term use of hormones to relieve hot flashes and other menopause symptoms. Starting low-dose treatment early in menopause made women feel better and did not seem to raise heart risks during the four-year study....More

Bats, camels or goats? Animals under suspicion in hunt for source of new virus related to SARS

LONDON - Britain's Health Protection Agency has published an early genetic sequence of the new respiratory virus related to SARS that shows it is most closely linked to bat viruses, and scientists say camels, sheep or goats might end up being implicated too....More

4,000 German children sickened in outbreak of suspected food-borne vomiting virus

BERLIN - German health authorities say at least 4,000 children have fallen ill with vomiting and diarrhea after eating food from school canteens and daycare centres....More

Government takes aim at two more pharmacies over phoney-claim allegations

OTTAWA - The federal government has set its sights on a pair of pharmacies in Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan over allegations they submitted phoney claims to the aboriginal health-benefits plan, The Canadian Press has learned....More

Confusion, compromised care after Ottawa changes health coverage rules: critics

TORONTO - The call came 35 weeks into her pregnancy, right around the time her abdominal cramps began....More

Where's the beef? Babies at 6 months need iron-rich foods like meat: guidelines

TORONTO - When Carli Sussman's son Oliver was five months old, she and her husband started giving him cooked meat to suck on as an adjunct to the breast milk he was getting as his primary diet....More

Vets get more online access to benefits information and eligibility

OTTAWA - Canada's veterans are getting more access to customized, online services and will be better be able to track benefits following a series of changes announced Monday....More

Saudi Arabia says new virus related to SARS does not pose threat to pilgrims on Islam's Hajj

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia's health minister says a new respiratory virus related to SARS that has infected two people does not pose a threat to the more than 1 million Muslims set to embark on the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the kingdom....More

Drinking may increase the risk of arrhythmia in people with heart disease

TORONTO - Even moderate alcohol consumption may put older adults with heart disease or diabetes at risk of developing a common form of arrhythmia, a new study says....More

Patient trial of proposed MS treatment announced, headed by BC researcher

TORONTO - A long-awaited national trial of a controversial experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis has been given the go-ahead and will soon begin recruiting patients, federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced Friday....More

Ontario family donates $10 million to IWK Health Centre in Halifax

HALIFAX - A Halifax children's hospital says it has received a $10 million donation from a family in Ontario. The IWK Health Centre says the donation from Myron and Berna Garron is the largest in its history....More

Canadian doctors to combat Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo

WINNIPEG - A group of antiviral specialists will soon be en route to the Democratic Republic of Congo to help combat a deadly Ebola outbreak, the Public Health Agency of Canada said Friday....More

Calgary symposium says stronger community support key to preventing suicide

CALGARY - It's the dark side of Alberta's booming economy. In the land of oil and money, unemployment and tax rates are low, the economy is strong and the population continues to grow....More

Bats, camels or goats? Animals under suspicion in hunt for source of new virus related to SARS

LONDON - Britain's Health Protection Agency has published an early genetic sequence of the new respiratory virus related to SARS that shows it is most closely linked to bat viruses, and scientists say camels, sheep or goats might end up being implicated too....More

4,000 German children sickened in outbreak of suspected food-borne vomiting virus

BERLIN - German health authorities say at least 4,000 children have fallen ill with vomiting and diarrhea after eating food from school canteens and daycare centres....More

Government takes aim at two more pharmacies over phoney-claim allegations

OTTAWA - The federal government has set its sights on a pair of pharmacies in Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan over allegations they submitted phoney claims to the aboriginal health-benefits plan, The Canadian Press has learned....More

Confusion, compromised care after Ottawa changes health coverage rules: critics

TORONTO - The call came 35 weeks into her pregnancy, right around the time her abdominal cramps began....More