Tricky new superbug making inroads in Canada; Montreal hospital battled outbreak

TORONTO - A Montreal hospital has been battling for the last year to extinguish an outbreak with a worrisome and highly drug-resistant bacteria....More

Doubts raised for UN progress at disease summit

LONDON - Everyone knows what it would take to curb the global rise of chronic illnesses like heart disease, certain cancers and diabetes, but getting nations and their citizens to make the essential changes is more than daunting....More

Tricky new superbug making inroads in Canada; Montreal hospital battled outbreak

TORONTO - A Montreal hospital has been battling for the last year to extinguish an outbreak with a worrisome and highly drug-resistant bacteria....More

Child abuse rose during recession, suggests study of some U.S. counties

CHICAGO - An increase in child abuse, mostly in infants, is linked with the recent recession in new research that raises fresh concerns about the impact of economic woes in the United States....More

Manitoba Liberals prescribe urgent care hospital rooms to ease wait times

WINNIPEG - Manitoba Liberals say urgent care facilities beside every hospital emergency room would help reduce wait times....More

MADD Canada film targeting youth exposes human, legal impact of impaired driving

TORONTO - If Jesse could flash forward to a future in the courtroom, he would likely envision himself in robes on the bench — not facing the grim prospect of time behind bars....More

In China, smoking, salty food, inactivity accelerate chronic disease epidemic

BEIJING, China - During a recent weekday lunch, middle-aged Wu Zhixin had a plate of shredded pork noodles glistening with oil and washed it down with a paper cup of vodka-like alcohol. Then she lit a cigarette. "No smoking," a waitress called out....More

CDC: Less smoking in Western states drives further decline in US lung cancer rate

ATLANTA - The U.S. West is leading a national decline in the rate of new lung cancer cases, with states like California and Texas accounting for much of the improvement — particularly in women....More

Bubble tea contains milk not listed on label: CFIA

Some bubble tea drinks may say latte on their labels, but the ingredients don't list milk, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency warned allergy sufferers late Wednesday....More

Alberta Health in 'solid' financial shape; has $65M surplus for 1st quarter

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. - Alberta Health Services has released its first-quarter results for its 2011-12 fiscal year....More

16 appointed to Alberta advisory cancer council

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. - The board of Alberta Health Services has approved the appointment of 16 people to a new provincial advisory council on cancer. Eight members are experts in the field and eight are members of the public....More

Lock up medications: More young kids getting inadvertently poisoned: study

TORONTO - The number of young children being poisoned after inadvertently ingesting over-the-counter or prescription medications has risen dramatically in recent years, say U.S. researchers, and that trend is likely being mirrored in Canada....More

Professor says Iron-Man-like robots could become reality within 30 years

VANCOUVER - A University of Victoria neuroscientist says the Hollywood tale of "Iron Man" could become a reality within 30 years, with people being able to control such robots with their minds....More

New Brunswick government considers ending free flu shots to cut costs

FREDERICTON - The New Brunswick government may stop paying for seasonal flu shots as a way to save money, but the Opposition Liberals said Wednesday it would cost more in the long run....More

NDP promises Manitoba voters 200 more doctors over next four years

WINNIPEG - Premier Greg Selinger is promising 200 more doctors and 50 new physicians assistants over the next four years if his NDP government is re-elected Oct. 4. The positions would cost just over $77 million a year....More

From quiet cars to baby strollers, guide dogs deal with more distractions than ever

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Guide dogs and their handlers have always undergone intense training on dealing with distractions from squirrels to skateboarders....More

Alberta clients of tattoo operators urged to get tested for viruses

WETASKIWIN, Alta. - Alberta Health officials are urging people who got tattoos from unapproved tattoo operators in Wetaskiwin and Leduc to get tested for viruses....More

After years of fighting germs, UN to focus on new global killers: heart, lung disease; cancer

What's killing us? For decades, global health leaders have focused on diseases that can spread — AIDS, tuberculosis, new flu bugs....More

Accusations flung between parties in leaders' debate for Manitoba election

WINNIPEG - Manitoba's political leaders sharpened their verbal barbs in a televised leaders debate Wednesday night. NDP Premier Greg Selinger took the sharpest tone, accusing the former Tory government of dismantling the health-care system....More

In China, smoking, salty food, inactivity accelerate chronic disease epidemic

BEIJING, China - During a recent weekday lunch, middle-aged Wu Zhixin had a plate of shredded pork noodles glistening with oil and washed it down with a paper cup of vodka-like alcohol. Then she lit a cigarette. "No smoking," a waitress called out....More

Manitoba Tory leader ready to bolster health-care front lines

WINNIPEG - Manitoba Conservative Leader Hugh McFadyen (mick-FAH'-din) is promising more front-line health-care workers if his party wins the Oct. 4 election....More

Hundreds more nurses, money for nurses' training, promised by Manitoba NDP

WINNIPEG - New Democrats in Manitoba are promising to hire 2,000 more nurses over the next four years....More

From quiet cars to baby strollers, guide dogs deal with distractions

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Guide dogs and their handlers have always undergone intense training on dealing with distractions from squirrels to skateboarders....More

Fish oil may inhibit chemotherapy: Study

QMI Agency Some types of fish oil can hinder chemotherapy from attacking tumours, a new study says....More

Experts say there are 366 million people with diabetes, disease kills 1 person every 7 seconds

LONDON - An estimated 366 million people worldwide now suffer from diabetes and the global epidemic is getting worse, health officials said Tuesday....More

Drug-resistant tuberculosis spreading fast across Europe; WHO issues plan

LONDON - When Anna Watterson lost more than 20 pounds and developed a cough she couldn't shake, she was afraid she'd caught some mysterious disease....More

Alzheimer report calls for earlier diagnosis

NEW YORK, N.Y. - A new report is calling on every country to create a national dementia strategy to promote the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease....More

After years of fighting germs, UN to focus on new global killers: heart, lung disease; cancer

What's killing us? For decades, global health leaders have focused on diseases that can spread — AIDS, tuberculosis, new flu bugs....More

Alberta Liberal leader Raj Sherman may put doc job on hold while rebuilds party

EDMONTON - Alberta's new official Opposition leader, who formally joined the caucus Monday, says he may hang up his stethoscope while he helps resuscitate the party from the grassroots up....More

Alberta has highest rate of diabetes but doesn't fund insulin pumps

EDMONTON - The Canadian Diabetes Association says Alberta has the fastest-growing rate of the illness in the country but doesn't have a publicly funded program to pay for insulin pumps. The association says 217,000 people, or 5....More

Alberta focuses on prevention in new 5-year mental health-care plan

EDMONTON - Albertans who have mental health or substance-abuse problems will have their illness identified earlier and get treatment closer to home under a new five-year plan announced Monday....More

'Degrassi' star's photo-posting project on social media aims to help smokers quit

TORONTO - Former "Degrassi" star Rebecca Haines-Saah was used to being in front of the cameras, but now she's taking a turn behind them in a way — trying to figure out why some young adults smoke and how researchers can help them to butt out for good....More

Tories' doctor-turned-MP must oppose asbestos or hand in medical licence: letter

MONTREAL - Asbestos victims' relatives are asking a doctor-turned-Tory MP to hand in her medical licence if she won't take a stand against her party's support for the controversial industry....More

The problems of aging ears less evident among musicians, study suggests

TORONTO - Aging musicians appear to have a significant advantage over their non-musical peers. A new study suggests that years of playing and practising music may protect musicians' ability to process what they hear as they get older....More

Experts say there are 366 million people with diabetes, disease kills 1 person every 7 seconds

LONDON - An estimated 366 million people worldwide now suffer from diabetes and the global epidemic is getting worse, health officials said Tuesday....More

Alzheimer report calls for earlier diagnosis

NEW YORK, N.Y. - A new report is calling on every country to create a national dementia strategy to promote the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease....More

U.K. announces partial lifting of blood donation ban on gay men - is Canada next?

TORONTO - British authorities opened the door Thursday by allowing some gay men to donate blood, a move Canada's two blood collection agencies hope to follow....More

Tumbling tots spark warning to Calgary parents about open windows

CALGARY - A physician in Calgary is urging parents to be vigilant after what he calls an alarming and unusual number of accidents in the city this summer involving children falling from windows. Dr....More

Jean says security, terrorism risks obliged her to take govt jets on vacation

MONTREAL - Michaelle Jean is defending her use of government jets for vacations while she was Canada's military commander-in-chief, stressing she had little choice due to security risks — including terrorism....More

Tory promise to slash health care 'bureaucracy' has rivals predicting cuts

HAMILTON - Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak reaffirmed his promise to pump billions into Ontario's health-care system Sunday, but his critics say he can't be trusted not to impose sweeping cuts similar to those made by former Tory premier Mike Harris....More

Tories promise to tie hospital performance, wait times to CEO wages

HAMILTON - Ontario's Progressive Conservatives say they'll dock the salaries of hospital executives whose facilities aren't up to par....More

To help the poor, experts invent solar-powered hearing aids, motorcycle ambulances

LONDON - A bit of creativity never hurts, especially when it comes to solving health problems in developing countries....More

SpongeBob in hot water after study shows tots have short attention span afterwards

CHICAGO - The cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants is in hot water from a study suggesting that watching just nine minutes of that program can cause short-term attention and learning problems in four-year-olds....More

Lasker medical prize honours discovery of modern anti-malaria drug in ancient Chinese texts

NEW YORK, N.Y. - A scientist who discovered a powerful malaria drug and two others who illuminated how proteins fold within cells have won prestigious medical awards....More

A B.C. judge approves class-action lawsuit over device used in hip surgery

VANCOUVER - Just a few months after Susan Wilkinson had hip-replacement surgery, the pain came back and she began hearing a clicking sound from her left hip, which felt like it would pop out. The 51-year-old Osoyoos, B.C....More

When someone is suicidal: warning signs and how to help

The possibility that suicide could claim the life of a loved one cannot be ignored, says the Canadian Mental Health Association. "By paying attention to warning signs and talking about the 'unthinkable,' you may be able to prevent a death....More

Removing public cloak of silence best way to deter suicide, prevention experts say

TORONTO - It's one of the last truly taboo topics, the shameful secret that few want to talk about — and that silence can inadvertently lead to people taking their own lives....More

I'll 'enforce the law' on illegal user fees for health care: Hudak

OTTAWA - Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak says he will "enforce the law" when it comes to doctors who charge illegal user fees....More

Canadians can't get complacent despite lower smoking rates, Canadian Cancer Society

TORONTO - Smokers now comprise less than a fifth of Canada's population as rates of tobacco consumption hit an all-time low last year, Statistics Canada said Wednesday....More

Alberta government focuses on obesity; opposition parties talk education cuts

EDMONTON - Education and obesity were on the minds of the Alberta government and its opposition parties on Wednesday. Alberta Health Services launched an initiative aimed at helping Albertans maintain a healthy weight....More

1 in 4 risk of getting lung disease COPD for those age 35 and up: Ontario study

TORONTO - One out of every four adults age 35 and over is likely to get the serious lung disease COPD by the age of 80, say researchers who provided the estimate after poring over 14 years' worth of Ontario health-care data....More

U.K. announces partial lifting of blood donation ban on gay men - is Canada next?

TORONTO - British authorities opened the door Thursday by allowing some gay men to donate blood, a move Canada's two blood collection agencies hope to follow....More

Spring flings may explain peak in teen pregnancies: Ontario study

KINGSTON, Ont. - Parents may want to recap discussions of the birds and the bees with their high school students prior to spring break in light of new study results on teen pregnancies. Researchers who conducted the study in the Kingston, Ont....More

Smaller percentage of Canadians than ever smoking tobacco, StatsCan reports

OTTAWA - A new study reports a smaller percentage of Canadians than ever is smoking tobacco....More

Hudak won't say whether he'd crack down on doctors charging illegal user fees

TORONTO - Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak insists he's committed to a publicly funded and universal health-care system, but refused to say Wednesday whether he'd crack down on illegal user fees if elected Ontario's premier....More

Calgary researchers want to discover best treatment for those hooked on pot

CALGARY - Researchers at the University of Calgary are looking for some laid-back individuals who may once have had a bad case of the munchies. Clinical psychologists are doing a study to develop treatment for people addicted to marijuana....More

C. difficile outbreak declared over at Greater Niagara General Hospital

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. - The Niagara Health System has declared the C.difficile outbreak at the Greater Niagara General Hospital over. During the outbreak, there were four deaths at the hospital related to the illness....More

A B.C. judge approves class-action lawsuit over device used in hip surgery

VANCOUVER - Just a few months after Susan Wilkinson had hip-replacement surgery, the pain came back and she began hearing a clicking sound from her left hip, which felt like it would pop out. The 51-year-old Osoyoos, B.C....More

Canadians can't get complacent despite lower smoking rates, Canadian Cancer Society

TORONTO - Smokers now comprise less than a fifth of Canada's population as rates of tobacco consumption hit an all-time low last year, Statistics Canada said Wednesday....More

Alberta government focuses on obesity; opposition parties talk education cuts

EDMONTON - Education and obesity were on the minds of the Alberta government and its opposition parties on Wednesday. Alberta Health Services launched an initiative aimed at helping Albertans maintain a healthy weight....More

Study: About 38 per cent of Europeans have a mental disorder such as anxiety, depression

LONDON - Some 38 per cent of Europeans, or 165 million people, suffer from mental illness or neurological disorders on a broad spectrum ranging from anxiety to dementia, a new study published Tuesday says....More

Ontario campaign toward Oct. 6 provincial vote officially kicks off Wednesday

TORONTO - Prime Minister Stephen Harper isn't the only one dreaming of a political hat trick when Ontario voters head to the polls Oct. 6....More

Military police commission to hold inquiry into soldier's suicide

EDMONTON - Canada's military justice watchdog has decided that questions raised by the suicide of a soldier are so serious that a public hearing is needed to untangle them....More

Med schools teach little about health needs of gay, transgender patients

CHICAGO - Future doctors aren't learning much about the unique health needs of gays and lesbians, a survey of medical school deans suggests....More

Higher risk of miscarriage linked to women using NSAIDs for pain relief: study

TORONTO - A Quebec study has found an association between certain anti-inflammatory medications taken early in pregnancy and miscarriage. The study published Tuesday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal finds the risk of miscarriage is 2....More

Former B.C. health official is third person sentenced in health care scam

VICTORIA - A former B.C. bureaucrat with the Fraser Health Authority has been handed a one-year conditional sentence that includes house arrest, probation and a $2,000 fine after pleading guilty in a government-connected corruption scandal....More

Fewer US adults are smoking, government report shows but overall 5-year trend is mostly flat

CHICAGO - Fewer U.S. adults are smoking and those who do light up are smoking fewer cigarettes each day, but the trend is weaker than the government had hoped. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Tuesday, 19....More

Chickenpox vaccine: doctors' group says Canadian kids should get 2 shots

TORONTO - Two shots are better than one to ward off chickenpox, the Canadian Paediatric Society said Tuesday as it recommended a new regimen for protecting the population from the highly contagious disease....More

CFIA Alert: undeclared milk in Possmei brand tea flavour mix powders

OTTAWA - People with milk allergies are being warned not to consume various Possmei brand tea flavour mix powder products. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the products contain milk that is not declared on the label....More

Some details of the leaked Ontario Liberal election platform for the Oct. 6 vote

TORONTO - Some details of the Ontario Liberal election platform leaked Sunday to The Canadian Press: — Create a new tax credit to hire newcomers, worth up to $10,000....More

McGuinty promises tax credit for renovations that allow seniors to stay home

TORONTO - With a trip down the campaign trail just days away, Premier Dalton McGuinty promised Sunday that a Liberal government would establish a new tax credit for Ontario seniors who need renovations to live independently at home....More

McDonald's begins showing calorie count on menu boards in its British restaurants

LONDON - More than 1,000 McDonald's restaurants in Britain will begin displaying the calorie count of each fast food item on their menus, as part of a government-led program to fight obesity....More

No doctor means ER in small B.C. community closes doors for 24 hours

PRINCETON, B.C. - The emergency room in the south Okanagan town of Princeton will remain closed until Tuesday morning....More

Canadian medical students in U.S. to learn hands-on medical tradition

Medical student Chris Jacob will soon learn to place his hands on patients and subtly manipulate bone and muscle in hope of relieving pain and hastening their recovery....More

Study: About 38 per cent of Europeans have a mental disorder such as anxiety, depression

LONDON - A new study estimates that about 38 per cent of Europeans, or 165 million people, have some type of mental illness and that most are going untreated....More

Chickenpox vaccine: doctors' group says Canadian kids should get 2 shots

TORONTO - Two shots are better than one to ward off chickenpox, the Canadian Paediatric Society said Tuesday as it recommended a new regimen for protecting the population from the highly contagious disease....More

Anti-booze messages won't take with college kids: Study

QMI Agency You can, in fact, convince college freshmen to lay off the booze â€" just not for long. When National Institutes of Health researchers launched a trial of an alcohol misuse prevention course at 30 public and private U.S....More

50 years after the diet that made her rich, Weight Watchers founder remains slim

PARKLAND, Fla. - Jean Nidetch ambles down the hallway of the senior community where she lives, two cups of Coca-Cola teetering on her walker. In her one-bedroom apartment, there are Klondike bars in the freezer and, in the fridge, Baileys Irish Cream beside Chinese takeout....More

2 kids sickened by novel swine flu in Indiana, Pa.; strain has gene from '09 epidemic

Health officials say a novel strain of swine flu has sickened two children in Pennsylvania and Indiana. One had contact with pigs....More

Researchers develop new way to predict heart transplant survival

Researchers say they have developed a formula to predict which heart transplant patients are at greatest risk of death in the year following their surgeries. "Donor hearts are a limited resource," says John V....More

CFIA Alert: undeclared milk in Possmei brand tea flavour mix powders

OTTAWA - People with milk allergies are being warned not to consume various Possmei brand tea flavour mix powder products. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the products contain milk that is not declared on the label....More

Some details of the leaked Ontario Liberal election platform for the Oct. 6 vote

TORONTO - Some details of the Ontario Liberal election platform leaked Sunday to The Canadian Press: — Create a new tax credit to hire newcomers, worth up to $10,000....More

McGuinty promises tax credit for renovations that allow seniors to stay home

TORONTO - With a trip down the campaign trail just days away, Premier Dalton McGuinty promised Sunday that a Liberal government would establish a new tax credit for Ontario seniors who need renovations to live independently at home....More

McDonald's begins showing calorie count on menu boards in its British restaurants

LONDON - More than 1,000 McDonald's restaurants in Britain will begin displaying the calorie count of each fast food item on their menus, as part of a government-led program to fight obesity....More

Ottawa announces research grants into severe weather, teen suicide

WINNIPEG - In a year where weather in Canada and around the world made plenty of news, a federal fund is providing about $400,000 to the University of Manitoba to help develop a mobile atmospheric research system for severe weather study....More

Exercise helps the body make blood: Study

Exercise turns stem cells into bone, not fat, to improve the body's capacity to make blood, a new Canadian study has found. Researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont....More

Contraceptive pill could prevent blindness: Study

A component of a contraceptive mini pill could prevent blindness in patients who have a degenerative eye condition, a new study has found. Mini pills are a progesterone-only form of birth control....More

Chinese natural health product recalled due to excess mercury: Health Canada

OTTAWA - A natural health product is being voluntarily recalled after it was found to contain an excessive amount of mercury, Health Canada said Thursday....More

CDC finds drop in antibiotic prescriptions for kids but officials still see overuse

ATLANTA - The push to get pediatricians to stop prescribing antibiotics for the wrong illnesses is paying off a bit, a new government report found....More

Alberta meeting health targets, including 10,000 new surgeries: gov't

EDMONTON - The Alberta government has given itself high marks in meeting its goals for improving health care, including tripling its target for new surgeries and reducing the number of people stranded in emergency rooms....More

Aging eyes linked to insomnia: Study

A natural yellowing of the eye lens that absorbs blue light has been linked to sleep disorders, and as the discolouration gets worse with age, so do the sleepless nights, a new study has found....More

Wooden rattle being recalled in Canada and U.S. due to choking hazard

TORONTO - Canadian and U.S. health officials are advising consumers to stop allowing their children to use a brand of wooden rattle. It’s called the Twirlla Wooden Rattle and is manufactured in Minneapolis, Minn., by Manhattan Group....More

Review calls for better monitoring of prescription drug abuse in Nova Scotia

HALIFAX - A review into prescription drug abuse in Nova Scotia says there should be better research and monitoring of the problem. The province's Department of Health released a report today that issues nine recommendations....More

Province appoints supervisor for Niagara hospitals after C. difficile deaths

TORONTO - The Ontario government has appointed the head of St. Joseph's Healthcare in Hamilton as supervisor for the Niagara Health System. Dr....More

Ottawa researchers make advances in fight against cancer

OTTAWA â€" Other than an outright cure, the Holy Grail in the fight against cancer is finding a way to stop tumours from growing and spreading. Thanks to a scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and his home-grown virus, that goal is closer than ever....More

Leukemia drug Sprycel linked to potentially fatal side-effect: Health Canada

OTTAWA - Health Canada is warning patients and health-care professionals about a potentially fatal side-effect related to the drug Sprycel taken by patients with certain forms of leukemia....More

Half of Americans drink sugary beverages daily, and some have a lot: CDC study

ATLANTA - Half of Americans drink a soda or sugary beverage each day — and some are downing a lot....More

Genetic basis for antibiotic resistance found in ancient DNA from permafrost

TORONTO - The growing resistance of bacteria to many antibiotics has been blamed on decades of overuse of the infection-killing miracle drugs. But it turns out there's been a ticking genetic time bomb underlying that resistance — and it goes back at least 30,000 years....More

Doctors need to scrub their scrubs: Study

Chances are your doctor's lab coat is a breeding ground for bacteria, a new study shows....More

Coral can guard against UV rays: Study

British researchers are working on a way to take the UV ray-fighting properties of coral and produce a sunscreen for humans. Researchers at King's College London discovered coral produces natural sunscreen compounds to protect itself....More