Study says 1/3 of Canadians might not get optimal heart attack treatment

CALGARY - Just over one-third of Canadians live too far away from a specialized hospital to get the best available treatment for a heart attack, suggests a new study....More

Premier Williams recovering from heart surgery done in United States

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Premier Danny Williams is recovering from heart surgery performed Thursday in the United States. Deputy premier Kathy Dunderdale says surgery on the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador went well....More

Police apologize for not looking into woman's complaint against gynecologist

CALGARY - Calgary police are apologizing for failing to investigate a woman's complaint about a gynecologist who has since closed his medical practice. An hour after Kelly Dunlop's first appointment with Dr. Lawrence Demco two years ago, she filed a complaint with police....More

Experts warn gene doping in sport 'inevitable' as science advances

TORONTO - Gene therapy, still considered high risk and experimental in the context of medicine, will likely be the new frontier for doping in sport, experts warned Thursday in a scientific journal....More

Coming clean on cleansers: NY legal case seeks details on what's in products

NEW YORK - It's the mystery under the kitchen sink. Exactly what's in floor cleaner? What's stain remover made of? And what effects, if any, might they have on human health or the environment? Environmental advocates want to know, and they asked a court Thursday to...More

WHO says doctors, nurses, midwives shouldn't perform female genital mutilation

GENEVA - The World Health Organization says doctors, nurses and midwives in African countries should stop performing female genital mutilation....More

More dairy managers arrested as China steps up crackdown on melamine-tainted milk

BEIJING - Three dairy plant managers and one milk powder dealer in central China have been arrested for allegedly selling milk products tainted with the industrial chemical melamine, shortly after the government launched a 10-day crackdown....More

Michelle Obama meets members of Congress, Cabinet in fight against child obesity

WASHINGTON - Who's that meeting with members of the U.S. Cabinet and Congress? It's Michelle Obama, revving up for her campaign against childhood obesity....More

Government funding will help keep Toronto Grace Hospital open, Salvation Army says

TORONTO - The Salvation Army says it has reached an agreement with the provincial government and will continue to operate the Toronto Grace Health Centre....More

Gerber toddler meal given 'Salt Lick' award for high sodium content

TORONTO - Gerber, one of the best-known names in baby food, has been named this year's recipient of the "Salt Lick Award" due to the high sodium content in one of its prepared meals for toddlers....More

Concerns expand as heavy metal cadmium found in adult jewelry in United States

LOS ANGELES - Concern about the heavy metal cadmium in jewelry grew this week as a California environmental group said new testing of adult necklaces and bracelets bought at three leading retailers, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Aeropostale, detected high levels of the toxic material - as...More

Brain scans reveal awareness in some vegetative brains, allow communication, study suggests

NEW YORK - Scientists have detected glimmers of awareness in some vegetative brain-injury patients and have even communicated with one of them - findings that push the boundaries of how to assess and care for such people....More

Tainted milk resurfaces in China, pointing to perennial food safety challenges: experts

BEIJING - The resurfacing of tainted milk products in China highlights the challenges of policing the food supply in a country where close ties between local authorities and companies hamper regulation while producers are undertrained, experts said Thursday....More

Police apologize for not looking into woman's complaint against gynecologist

CALGARY - Calgary police are apologizing for failing to investigate a woman's complaint about a gynecologist who has since closed his medical practice. An hour after Kelly Dunlop's first appointment with Dr. Lawrence Demco two years ago, she filed a complaint with police....More

Lancet retracts flawed autism study, but paper's legacy lingers, experts fear

TORONTO - A top British medical journal has retracted a discredited study that linked the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and fuelled anti-vaccination sentiments in Europe and North America....More

Ignatieff urges Harper not to exclude abortion, contraception from G8 health initiative

OTTAWA - Michael Ignatieff is urging Prime Minister Stephen Harper not to exclude abortion and contraception from his plan to become an international champion of women's and children's health....More

HEALTHBEAT: Drugs tested to improve learning in Fragile X syndrome, may give autism hints

WASHINGTON - A pill to ease a type of mental retardation? An experiment is under way to develop one, aimed at a genetic disorder that might unravel some of the mysteries of autism along the way....More

Haste makes waste: cutting speed boosts drivers' life expectancy: study

TORONTO - Every hour spent behind the wheel represents a 20-minute loss in life expectancy because of the risk of being involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident, say researchers, who calculate that even a slight reduction in speed by the average driver could save lives....More

Girl's 20-month weight challenge gives a mirror into obesity epidemic among American teenagers

CHICAGO - Paris Woods is hardly a poster child for the obesity epidemic. Lining up dripping wet with kids on her swim team, she is a blend of girlish chunkiness and womanly curves....More

Fish oil pills show promise in preventing schizophrenia in young people, Austrian study finds

CHICAGO - Fish oil pills may be able to save some young people with signs of mental illness from descending into schizophrenia, according to a preliminary but first-of-its-kind study conducted in Austria....More

Dermatology association urges young women to learn facts about indoor tanning

TORONTO - The spot was very dark, almost black, barely the size of a pencil eraser, and would bleed when Jackie Connors shaved her legs. She initially chose to ignore it....More

Best-selling UK author calls for assisted suicide panel to permit Britons to kill themselves

LONDON - Best-selling British fantasy author Terry Pratchett says he believes an assisted suicide panel should be set up to help Britons who want to kill themselves. Pratchett, one of the U.K....More

Disabled groups say cuts already made, want money back from Alta. gov't

EDMONTON - Groups speaking on behalf of developmentally disabled adults are demanding the Alberta government give back money that some of them had already trimmed from their operating budgets....More

China launches emergency crackdown on tainted milk products after several found on sale

BEIJING - China has launched a 10-day emergency crackdown on tainted milk products after several were found creeping back onto the market despite a massive scandal that sickened hundreds of thousands of children in 2008....More

Matthews asks parties to give board time to plan to keep Grace hospital open

TORONTO - The provincial government says it wants Toronto's historic Grace Health Centre to remain in operation. The Salvation Army runs the hospital, which offers palliative and complex care, but says it wants to get out of the hospital business....More

Manitoba dentists offer program to get young children in chair earlier

WINNIPEG - Manitoba dentists are offering a program to encourage parents to have their children's teeth examined before they're three years old. The Manitoba Dental Association says as of April 1, a first dental examination for children under three will be free of charge. Dr....More

Harper should focus on Canada if he wants to better child health: Inuit leader

Northern leaders say Prime Minister Stephen Harper should look to the Arctic if he wants to improve the health of newborn children. "We're hopeful he'll tackle this issue in his own backyard," Pita Aatami, head of Makivik Corp....More

Gates: Foundation will give $10 billion to research, deliver vaccines for world’s poor

DAVOS, Switzerland - The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will donate $10 billion over the next decade to research new vaccines and bring them to the world's poorest countries, the Microsoft co-founder and his wife said Friday....More

'Princess and Frog' jewelry recalled due to high levels of toxic metal cadmium

Federal consumer safety regulators on Friday announced the recall of "The Princess and The Frog" pendants because of high levels of the toxic metal cadmium, an unprecedented action that reflects concerns of an emerging threat in children's products....More

Cdn health advocates nervously eye Obama reforms, fear another exodus of nurses

TORONTO - U.S. President Barack Obama's health-care package, although in political limbo, has nursing experts in Canada concerned about another exodus in their profession if provincial governments aren't vigilant in retaining nurses....More

Doctor's book profiles nursing home's furry angel of death

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The scientist in Dr. David Dosa was skeptical when first told that Oscar, an aloof cat kept by a nursing home, regularly predicted patients' deaths by snuggling alongside them in their final hours....More

Girl's 20-month weight challenge gives a mirror into obesity epidemic among American teenagers

CHICAGO - Paris Woods is hardly a poster child for the obesity epidemic. Lining up dripping wet with kids on her swim team, she is a blend of girlish chunkiness and womanly curves....More

Emergency care standards needed in wake of Ont. teen's death, say ER doctors

TORONTO - The death of an Ontario teen while being rushed to hospital should be a wake-up call for Canadians that emergency care standards are needed across the country, said a group representing ER doctors. Injured in a car crash, 18-year-old Reilly Anzovino died Dec....More

Canada, Gates Foundation agree not to go ahead with planned HIV vaccine plant

TORONTO - Sources say the federal government and the Gates Foundation have agreed not to proceed with plans to fund construction in Canada of a facility to make pilot lots of experimental HIV vaccines....More

Canada gives WHO 5 M doses of H1N1 vaccine, mulling options for remaining excess

TORONTO - Canada has revealed what it will do with a portion of the country's large H1N1 vaccine surplus, announcing Thursday that it is giving five million doses to the World Health Organization....More

Canada donates 5 million doses of excess H1N1 vaccine to WHO for redistribution

TORONTO - Canada has revealed what it will do with a portion of the country's large H1N1 vaccine surplus, announcing Thursday that it is giving five million doses to the World Health Organization....More

Canada donates 5 million doses of excess H1N1 vaccine to WHO for redistribution

TORONTO - Canada has finally revealed what it will do with a portion of the country's large H1N1 vaccine surplus, announcing it will give five million doses to the World Health Organization....More

ATM-like kiosks to fill prescriptions in Ont. hospitals, remote areas

TORONTO - Large green and white kiosks that resemble bank machines but instead take prescriptions and dispense medicine 24 hours a day are coming to hospitals and remote communities in Ontario....More

Alberta lowers generic drug costs after talks with pharmacy chains

EDMONTON - Alberta is reducing the price of generic drugs after having to compromise on a new price structure in negotiations with pharmacies and drug makers....More

Bill Gates makes $10 billion pledge to develop vaccines for poorest countries

DAVOS, Switzerland - Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, say their foundation will donate $10 billion US over the next decade to research new vaccines and bring them to the world's poorest countries....More

Rebranding of cancer charities strengthens message, could bring in new donors

TORONTO - For decades, the enduring image of the Canadian Cancer Society has been the gently nodding spring flower, the daffodil. And while that bright yellow symbol of hope and renewal isn't being abandoned, the venerable charity is now taking a much bolder approach....More

Obama implores Congress to save health care overhaul, takes part of blame for near collapse

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is imploring lawmakers not to abandon his sweeping health care overhaul, and he's also taking part of the blame for its near collapse....More

Hospital budgets won't be frozen in the spring, says McGuinty

TORONTO - Ontario hospitals won't be facing a budget freeze in the spring budget, but they won't see a big cash injection either, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Wednesday....More

Government gets failing grade on food safety from union, consumers' group

OTTAWA - The government hasn't improved the food-safety system six months after the fatal listeriosis outbreak, food inspectors and a consumers group said Wednesday....More

Fees in hospital emergency rooms not in the cards for Albertans: health minister

EDMONTON - Alberta Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky says the government isn't planning to bring in fees for visits to hospital emergency rooms. The minister told a radio talk show Wednesday that Albertans should talk about the idea in discussions about health care....More

Congressional leaders slow down health overhaul push, searching for answers on how to proceed

WASHINGTON - Congressional leaders are taking health care legislation off the fast track as Democratic lawmakers, wary of unhappy voters ahead of November elections, look to President Barack Obama for guidance in his State of the Union address....More

Beating the odds: Cancer survivor gives back to fight back in ads, online videos

TORONTO - When Dom Sitas learned he had advanced colorectal cancer more than four years ago, life as he and his family had known it was irrevocably changed....More

Albertans want cheap drugs, long-term care:NDP

EDMONTON - Alberta's New Democrats say the public wants lower drug costs for seniors, more long-term care centres and better access to abortions....More

Inuit infant mortality three times Canadian average; children go hungry: Study

Inuit infants die at well over three times the rate of other Canadian babies, according to a massive new study published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal....More

China pulls more melamine-tainted milk products from store shelves in a southern province

BEIJING - Melamine-tainted dairy products were pulled from convenience store shelves in southern China more than a year after hundreds of thousands of children had been sickened in a massive milk safety scandal, a government spokeswoman said Monday....More

Assessing injuries after a fall: Is it broken? In doubt, have it checked

TORONTO - Sticks and stones may break your bones - and the same can often be said for taking a tumble from playground equipment, wiping out at the hockey rink or spectacular crashes on a ski slope....More

'Perfect storm' of heart disease looming with boomers and young adults at risk

TORONTO - Canada faces a "perfect storm" of cardiovascular disease, with younger adults at increased risk of earlier onset of heart disease and with the huge baby boom generation approaching their senior years, the Heart and Stroke Foundation warned Monday....More

Metro recalling Selection brand Iced Chocolatey Donuts sold in Ont. and Que.: CFIA

OTTAWA - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Metro Inc. are warning people with allergies to milk or egg not to consume Selection brand Iced Chocolatey Donuts. The affected product contains milk and egg which are not declared on the label....More

Group of Canadian volunteers in Haiti struggles to save one life at a time

LEOGANE, Haiti - Imagine trying to save the life of a seven-year-old boy. To do that, you need to amputate his mangled, infected leg. You explain to his parents that without this operation, the boy will almost certainly die....More

FDA announces recall of 2 million defective needles

WASHINGTON - Federal health officials are announcing a recall of two million needles because of a risk they can push bits of silicone into patients' bodies. The Food and Drug Administration said Miami-based Nipro Medical Corp....More

Canada pledge to poor country health care at G8 meeting could cost $2B: UNICEF

OTTAWA - The Conservative government's G8 commitment to maternal and child health in poor countries could cost up to $2 billion, says the United Nations children's fund....More

Weight training improves seniors' cognitive abilities: research

TORONTO - We're not talking about bulking up like a champion weightlifter, but research shows resistance training can be good for seniors, slowing cognitive decline while improving their strength and mobility....More

Study will put to test growing evidence linking high blood pressure to dementia

WASHINGTON - If the cardiologist's warnings don't scare you, consider this: Controlling blood pressure just might be the best protection yet known against dementia....More

Rising number of Canadians young and old at risk for heart disease: report

TORONTO - Canada faces a "perfect storm" of heart disease, with younger adults at increased risk of earlier onset of heart disease and the huge baby boom generation approaching their senior years, the Heart and Stroke Foundation warned Monday....More

Parents choose fewer calories for kids' meals when calories listed: study

Parents who choose fast-food meals from a menu that also lists calories tend to order food with fewer calories, a new study indicates....More

Inuit infant mortality three times Canadian average; children go hungry: Study

Inuit infants die at well over three times the rate of other Canadian babies, according to a massive new study published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal....More

China pulls more melamine-tainted milk products from store shelves in a southern province

BEIJING - Melamine-tainted dairy products were pulled from convenience store shelves in southern China more than a year after hundreds of thousands of children had been sickened in a massive milk safety scandal, a government spokeswoman said Monday....More

Assessing injuries after a fall: Is it broken? In doubt, have it checked

TORONTO - Sticks and stones may break your bones - and the same can often be said for taking a tumble from playground equipment, wiping out at the hockey rink or spectacular crashes on a ski slope....More

'Perfect storm' of heart disease looming with boomers and young adults at risk

TORONTO - Canada faces a "perfect storm" of cardiovascular disease, with younger adults at increased risk of earlier onset of heart disease and with the huge baby boom generation approaching their senior years, the Heart and Stroke Foundation warned Monday....More

Democrats ponder health-care options after losing Kennedy's crucial Senate seat

WASHINGTON - Shortly before his death last summer, Ted Kennedy described his efforts to reform the U.S. health-care system as "the cause of my life....More

Verdict expected today for Ontario raw milk advocate Michael Schmidt

NEWMARKET, Ont. - Michael Schmidt should find out today whether he is permitted to continue operating his raw milk co-op. The Durham, Ont., farmer defended himself last year against 20 charges for dispensing milk straight from the cow....More

Study: Smokers with early lung cancer could double survival chances if they quit

LONDON - People with early lung cancer who quit smoking could double their chances of surviving, a new study says. Until now, there has been little proof that quitting smoking after developing lung cancer makes any difference to survival....More

Study shows U.S. birth weights inching down, but researchers can't say why

WASHINGTON - U.S. newborns are arriving a little smaller, says puzzling new Harvard research that can't explain why. Fatter mothers tend to produce heavier babies, and obesity is soaring....More

New genetic analyzing tool helps trace superbug MRSA's origins: study

TORONTO - Researchers have used a "revolutionary" genetic profiling tool to distinguish between closely related strains of the potentially deadly superbug MRSA and even pinpoint when and where in the world the mutated bacteria first arose....More

Study: Combat injuries not the leading reason US soldiers are medically evacuated from wars

LONDON - American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan were more likely to be medically evacuated for health problems such as a bad back than for combat injuries, a new study says....More

WHO says critics who claim swine flu is fake pandemic are 'irresponsible'

GENEVA - The World Health Organization has rejected as "irresponsible" allegations that swine flu is a fake pandemic. WHO also dismissed claims it colluded with drug companies to bring economic benefit to the industry by playing up the danger of the new H1N1 influenza strain....More

China pulls more melamine-tainted milk products from store shelves in a southern province

BEIJING - Melamine-tainted dairy products were pulled from convenience store shelves in southern China more than a year after hundreds of thousands of children had been sickened in a massive milk safety scandal, a government spokeswoman said Monday....More

Fingertip amputations prompt Graco stroller recall

WASHINGTON - About 1.5 million Graco strollers sold at Wal-Mart, Target and other major retailers are being recalled after some children's fingertips were amputated by hinges on the products. The recall by Graco Children's Products Inc....More

Experts warn that too much sitting could be deadly - even for people who exercise

LONDON - Here's a new warning from health experts: Sitting is deadly. Scientists are increasingly warning that sitting for prolonged periods - even if you also exercise regularly - could be bad for your health....More

Democrats ponder health-care options after losing Kennedy's crucial Senate seat

WASHINGTON - Shortly before his death last summer, Ted Kennedy described his efforts to reform the U.S. health-care system as "the cause of my life....More

Verdict expected today for Ontario raw milk advocate Michael Schmidt

NEWMARKET, Ont. - Michael Schmidt should find out today whether he is permitted to continue operating his raw milk co-op. The Durham, Ont., farmer defended himself last year against 20 charges for dispensing milk straight from the cow....More

Study: Smokers with early lung cancer could double survival chances if they quit

LONDON - People with early lung cancer who quit smoking could double their chances of surviving, a new study says. Until now, there has been little proof that quitting smoking after developing lung cancer makes any difference to survival....More

Study shows U.S. birth weights inching down, but researchers can't say why

WASHINGTON - U.S. newborns are arriving a little smaller, says puzzling new Harvard research that can't explain why. Fatter mothers tend to produce heavier babies, and obesity is soaring....More

New genetic analyzing tool helps trace superbug MRSA's origins: study

TORONTO - Researchers have used a "revolutionary" genetic profiling tool to distinguish between closely related strains of the potentially deadly superbug MRSA and even pinpoint when and where in the world the mutated bacteria first arose....More

Study: Combat injuries not the leading reason US soldiers are medically evacuated from wars

LONDON - American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan were more likely to be medically evacuated for health problems such as a bad back than for combat injuries, a new study says....More

U.S. maker issues safety warning for strollers with hinged canopies

TORONTO - The manufacturer of several children's strollers is warning that hinges on the products' canopies pose a danger of injury to children's fingers, including cuts, bruises and even amputation. Graco Children's Products Inc....More

New treatment for potentially deadly C. difficile shows promise: researchers

TORONTO - A new, double-barrelled approach to treating C. difficile appears to dramatically reduce recurrence of the debilitating and potentially deadly infection, preliminary testing suggests....More

New health minister halts hospital bed closures in Edmonton and Calgary

EDMONTON - Alberta's new health minister has ordered a halt to hospital bed closures in Edmonton and Calgary while he reviews whether this was a wise move. A public outcry erupted in September when Alberta Health Services announced a three-year plan to close 300 acute care beds....More

Government-appointed review panel calling for patient charter in Alberta

EDMONTON - A government-appointed review panel is recommending a patient charter be created to guide Albertans on what to expect from the health system. The report says the patient charter should be developed in consultation with Albertans....More

Fingertip amputations prompt Graco stroller recall

WASHINGTON - About 1.5 million Graco strollers sold at Wal-Mart, Target and other major retailers are being recalled after some children's fingertips were amputated by hinges on the products. The recall by Graco Children's Products Inc....More

Experts warn that too much sitting could be deadly - even for people who exercise

LONDON - Here's a new warning from health experts: Sitting is deadly. Scientists are increasingly warning that sitting for prolonged periods - even if you also exercise regularly - could be bad for your health....More

Democrats ponder health-care options after losing Kennedy's crucial Senate seat

WASHINGTON - Shortly before his death last summer, Ted Kennedy described his efforts to reform the U.S. health-care system as "the cause of my life....More

Verdict expected today for Ontario raw milk advocate Michael Schmidt

NEWMARKET, Ont. - Michael Schmidt should find out today whether he is permitted to continue operating his raw milk co-op. The Durham, Ont., farmer defended himself last year against 20 charges for dispensing milk straight from the cow....More

Spring will bring US agency hearing on stronger warnings about cancer and tanning beds

WASHINGTON - The U.S Food and Drug Administration will debate how to toughen warnings that tanning bed sunlamps pose a cancer risk. Yes, sunburns are particularly dangerous. But there is increasing scientific consensus that there is no such thing as a safe tan, either....More

Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim gives $65M for genetic research on cancer, diabetes, kidney disease

MEXICO CITY - Telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim pledged $65 million Tuesday for genetic research on cancer, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease....More

Court adjourns case of Alta. couple fighting to keep infant on life support

EDMONTON - Little Isaiah May has been give more time to live so lawyers and medical experts can review whether he should remain hooked up to a hospital ventilator....More

Britain restricts drinking contests at boozy bars, but resists minimum pricing for alcohol

LONDON - Officials will ban drinking contests in bars and force pub owners to offer patrons tap water in a bid to help tackle Britain's boozy culture, the government said Tuesday....More

Brazil boy stuck by needles to be released from hospital after nearly a month

SAO PAULO, Brazil - A 2-year-old Brazilian boy stuck by his stepfather with dozens of sewing needles will be released from the hospital Friday with five needles still on his body....More

Alberta health committee recommends creating own health act, patient charter

EDMONTON - A government-appointed committee is recommending that Alberta create its own health act and a patient charter. The Canadian Press has learned that a key recommendation to be released Wednesday is the creation of an Alberta Health Act....More

7,600 Dorel Asia drop-side cribs recalled in Canada over concern the drop-side can detach

OTTAWA - More than 7,000 drop-side cribs distributed by Dorel are being voluntarily recalled in Canada over concerns the drop-side can detach, creating a space where a child can be trapped....More

Fingertip amputations prompt Graco stroller recall

WASHINGTON - About 1.5 million Graco strollers sold at Wal-Mart, Target and other major retailers are being recalled after some children's fingertips were amputated by hinges on the products. The recall by Graco Children's Products Inc....More

N.S., N.L. co-operate on program to track breast screening results and followup

HALIFAX, N.S. - The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation has created a new partnership between the breast screening programs of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador....More

Diabetes rates for aboriginals rising, especially among young women

TORONTO - Rates of diabetes among aboriginals have risen at an alarming rate over the last several decades, especially for women of child-bearing age, a long-term study has found....More

Conjoined Arizona girls who share heart preparing for separation surgery at Seattle hospital

MESA, Ariz. - Conjoined twins from Arizona have already defied medical expectations by living past their third birthdays. Now their parents hope the girls will become one of the first sets of twins sharing a heart to be successfully separated....More

Colorado surgery technician describes how she stole painkiller meant for patients

DENVER - A surgery technician who infected three dozen people with hepatitis C and may have exposed thousands of others by switching used syringes with ones filled with a powerful painkiller says she got careless while at two Colorado hospitals and doesn't expect to be forgiven....More