Beyond the Headlines Into the Heart of the Matter
This First Person column is the experience of Abby Wilson, who lives in Nelson, B.C. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. My daughter climbed out of her crib one afternoon instead of going down for her nap. As my husband and I dismantled the…
RCMP in the northern B.C. city of Prince George spent 10 days last month mounting a surveillance operation on a woman who allegedly stood outside a downtown pharmacy each morning trading illicit drugs for safe supply medication. According to a search warrant obtained by CBC, police saw the 58-year-old suspect make dozens of…
Alberta Health Services is investigating after an undocumented woman says she was denied an emergency C-section at an Edmonton hospital last month. Perla Estrada, 35, said a doctor told her to go to the hospital on March 25 after an ultrasound revealed she had low amniotic fluid and needed a…
Family doctors in the province are urging the Quebec government to reverse course on proposed regulations which they say would further limit access to health care in the province. General practitioners fear that the regulation will prevent them from providing care to unregistered patients who come to their office using the walk-in service,…
A Canadian DNA laboratory knowingly delivered prenatal paternity test results that routinely identified the wrong biological fathers — ruling out the real dads — and left a trail of shattered lives around the globe, a CBC News investigation has found. Harvey Tenenbaum, the owner of Viaguard Accu-Metrics, told a CBC…
Over a thousand people will log on for what’s dubbed the country’s largest autism job fair on Monday — and while one organizer is happy at the turnout, his ultimate goal is to get run out of business. The Spectrum Works virtual job fair , which is in its 8th year, has helped bridge…
For Vancouver resident Farrell Eckman, having a long conversation or attending a workout class without breaking into coughs is a major accomplishment. The 50-year-old is one of many people who researchers say developed pulmonary fibrosis — a condition that thickens the tissue in lungs and can affect breathing — after experiencing a severe case of COVID-19. In January 2022, Eckman…
Amylyx Pharmaceuticals said Thursday it will withdraw its amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) drug from the market in Canada and the U.S. following its failure in a late-stage clinical trial. The ALS drug, branded Albrioza in Canada and Relyvrio in the U.S., was approved in both countries in 2022. ALS causes progressive paralysis…
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is set to start providing coverage next month — but it’s not clear that enough dentists will enrol to provide care to the 1.6 million seniors that have signed up already. Health Canada would not provide CBC News with a figure for how many oral…
This story is part of CBC Health’s Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. When the use of cannabis became legal in Canada more than five years ago, there was…
On the day of the total solar eclipse, Eric Seidlitz will not only experience the celestial event of a lifetime, but also a birthday he thought he’d never live to see. A former cancer researcher-turned-teaching professor at Hamilton’s McMaster University, Seidlitz, who turns 60 on Monday, said he received a grim diagnosis in…
Patients in all provinces are waiting longer for hip and knee replacements, cancer surgeries and other priority procedures than before the COVID-19 pandemic, national data shows. A report released Thursday by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) says that’s the case even though more people underwent those procedures between April…
The messaging from health officials has been consistent: Don’t look at the sun without proper eye protection, even during an eclipse. However, Dr. Enitan Sogbesan said he’s still expecting patients to come in with eye injuries following the total solar eclipse on Monday. “There are people who, no matter what you…
Confirmation that a dangerous form of bird flu is circulating among U.S. dairy cattle has raised questions among dairy producers — and consumers — on both sides of the border. Dairy and beef farmers are implementing biosecurity measures to keep H5N1 out of their herds, while Canadians are understandably concerned…
On March 25, American officials published an urgent announcement: Dairy cows in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico were falling sick. The cows had low appetites, and produced less milk than normal. Some farms also discovered wild bird carcasses on their grounds. Tests on a cow throat swab and raw milk samples…
When Jaffar Gebara found out that his eight-year-old daughter was being given medication for sleeping tuberculosis at her school, he was shocked. Even more shocking was that his daughter didn’t have tuberculosis. “I’m sad that I let my daughter down and I wasn’t told about this or given any consent,”…
An effort to place physician assistants with primary care practices around the province takes more work than assigning them to emergency departments, but Nova Scotia health officials believe the move could have far-reaching benefits. Since a call for interest last year, Nova Scotia Health has placed physician assistants with two…
The federal government says it will launch a national school food program, hoping to deliver meals to an additional 400,000 children per year. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland made the announcement during an event in Toronto on Monday, the latest in a series of public appearances by…
Claire Hafner’s chin is tucked in protectively behind her gloves. Just above them, her eyes are laser-focused, looking for an opening. Her arms shoot out like twin pistons, forcing the solid teen powerhouse she’s sparring with to retreat against the ropes. At 46, the Edmonton-based boxer is mulling over retirement…
A person in Texas has been diagnosed with bird flu, an infection tied to the recent discovery of the virus in dairy cows, health officials said Monday. The patient is being treated with an antiviral drug and their only reported symptom was eye redness, Texas health officials said. Health officials…
This First Person column is written by Sheila Willis, who lives in the northern Alberta hamlet of Smith. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. It was my granddaughter’s third birthday. There were bouncy castles, balloons, a cake. Kids playing, laughing, screaming. Hugs and kisses…
Canada will soon have a second laboratory capable of working with the most dangerous pathogens in the world — home to Canada’s Centre for Pandemic Research. It will be the only non-government Level 4 facility in the country, part of the University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO),…
Ontario is set to inject billions of new dollars into health care, the budget for the upcoming fiscal year shows. The province said it is investing $2 billion over three years in home care services, nearly $1-billion more for hospitals and hundreds of millions to expand primary care coverage. “Ontarians…
Manitoba’s health minister is examining why a staffing agency has little to show for itself after signing a contract to bring 150 family doctors to the province. Eight months after the province inked a two-year deal with Canadian Health Labs (CHL), the firm has yet to recruit a single doctor to the province,…
The Dose20:56What do I need to know about recreational nicotine products? Read transcribed audio. They come in brightly-coloured tins with flavours like tropic breeze and berry frost, and in most of the country, they’re sold at convenience stores. If you don’t look closely, you might mistake them for gum or…
Thea Turcotte believes her life was likely saved by an experimental treatment developed in Winnipeg for a chronic artificial joint infection. “Without this trial, I probably would not be here by now,” said the Ottawa-area resident, who is believed by her doctor to be the first person in Canada to be treated with phage…
Allergy causing pollen has been arriving earlier in many parts of Canada in recent years. Researchers say climate change is having an effect on allergy seasons, making them weeks longer and contributing to higher concentrations of pollen in the air.
Ontario nursing associations say the province should phase out health-care staffing agencies if it wants to prevent untrained people from working in places like long-term care homes. The Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) and the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario (WeRPN) told CBC Hamilton agencies bring a host of problems and have little…
New guidelines suggest certain high-risk groups could benefit from having another dose of a COVID-19 vaccine this spring — and more frequent shots in general — while the broader population could be entering once-a-year territory, much like an annual flu shot. Medical experts told CBC News that falling behind on the latest shots…
The Ontario College of Pharmacists says it’s working with a legal team to explore its options after thousands of pharmacy employees came forward to share “deeply troubling” stories about corporate pressure to perform billable services — sometimes at the expense of patient care. In a rare statement Monday, registrar Shenda…
Frontline workers and community members in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside say some pharmacies are paying its patients kickbacks for prescriptions despite the practice being banned more than a decade ago. CBC News has spoken to more than a dozen people in the community, including pharmacists, nurses, doctors and patients with first-hand…
White Coat Black Art26:30The rapper battling Stage 4 colon cancer A Hamilton, Ont., musician and actor who is fighting fourth-stage colon cancer is calling on his provincial government to lower the minimum age for colonoscopy screening from 50 to 30. Bishop Brigante, a rapper with hits like his 2017 single Hard…
A number of Nova Scotia psychologists and psychiatrists are sounding the alarm over a provincial program meant to help address the growing waitlist for autism and ADHD testing, saying the pilot could drive badly-needed public health professionals into the private sector. In September, the provincial government announced it would pay some…
Hospitals and long-term care homes spent nearly $1 billion last year to fill shifts with nurses and personal support workers from private staffing agencies, a Ministry of Health document estimates. A November 2023 staffing agency update obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom of information request shows that agency…
CBC Saskatchewan’s Creator Network is a place where young digital storytellers from diverse backgrounds can produce original video content to air on CBC and tell stories through their own lens. Get in touch or pitch your own story here. The school day was dragging on as I watched the clock…
The federal government is spending nearly $3 million to help get a temporary nursing station up and running in Cat Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario following a fire earlier this month. The Margaret Gray Nursing Station burned down the night of March 2, leaving the remote Ojibway community of roughly…
It’s early December and Barb Butler is handing out photocopied, handwritten notes to the group seated in a circle around her with the date and time of the holiday pizza party — “for those of you who have trouble with memory, which is all of you.” Humour is a constant presence at…
6:39Scientists try to unravel the case of 1,300 mysteriously preserved human brains Oxford University’s Alexandra Morton-Hayward spends her days surrounded by brains — literally. The undertaker-turned-scientist is trying to unravel why some human brains remain remarkably well-preserved after death, sometimes for thousands of years, even when all other soft tissue…
This story is part of CBC Health’s Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. In Canada, measles was once a disease of the past. But it’s increasingly becoming a health…
Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has revealed that she is receiving a preventative course of chemotherapy for an unspecified type of cancer. In a video statement issued on Friday, Catherine said that when she underwent major abdominal surgery in January, “it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous” but that “tests…
One long-term care home in Hamilton that hired a fake nurse didn’t properly check her credentials and two other care homes in Ontario didn’t check them at all, according to provincial inspection reports. The agency the purported nurse belonged to also didn’t properly check her records, the reports say. Without that check, they didn’t…
A family doctor who helped create an anti-Black racism course for health professionals says she hopes participants will “unlearn” long-standing discriminatory practices that contribute to inequitable care for a vulnerable group. Dr. Onye Nnorom, co-founder of the Black Health Education Collaborative based at the University of Toronto and Halifax’s Dalhousie University,…
Tracey Crosson says she ate healthier, slept better and had more energy when she was receiving basic income payments from the Ontario government. Now, she’s left with $22 every month after paying rent and relies on Meals on Wheels. Crosson is just one of the thousands of people impacted after the province scrapped the basic income pilot…
A Prince Rupert woman says emergency room closures plaguing the British Columbia port city forced her to make an “impossible” choice when her husband had a severe epileptic seizure early Monday morning. Tish Losier says she awoke around 6 a.m. to her husband, Joe Budniksy, shaking in bed and called 911.…
Health officials are warning of a surge in suspected overdose deaths in Toronto as two powerful synthetic opioids were recently found in the unregulated drug supply. Toronto Public Health (TPH) said Monday that paramedics responded to six fatal suspected overdoses between March 14 and 17, about triple the average over…
An ongoing outbreak of salmonella infections in eight provinces is linked to snakes and rodents used to feed them, the Public Health Agency of Canada says. As of March 19, there are 70 confirmed cases of Salmonella I and Salmonella typhimurium illness reported in this outbreak in: British Columbia (3). Alberta…
Employees of the health services offshoot of Telus Communications are only reimbursed for certain drug prescriptions if they fill them through the company’s own virtual pharmacy, CBC News has learned. CBC News spoke with three employees of Telus Health who shared screenshots showing details of the new policy, which took effect March…
An array of advanced tests found no brain injuries or degeneration among U.S. diplomats and other government employees who suffer mysterious health problems once dubbed “Havana syndrome,” researchers reported Monday. The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) nearly five-year study offers no explanation for symptoms including headaches, balance problems and difficulties…
The Dose24:36What’s the connection between stress and my health and well-being? Read transcribed audio It could be a morning traffic jam. A deadline at work. A conflict with a family member. Taking care of kids and aging parents. Stressful situations are all around us, and experts say how we manage…
This First Person column is written by Devon Flynn, who lives in Prince George, B.C. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. I’m hunched over an examination table, wearing a hospital gown and nothing else. Behind me is a young man who has donned a…
This story is part of CBC Health’s Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. As measles cases keep appearing in more parts of the country, new projections suggest there’s a…
White Coat Black Art26:30Manicures by med students The seniors at a Waterloo, Ont., retirement residence are feeling great — and looking it, too — thanks to a group of medical students who provide a monthly pampering. “They still really value getting their nails done or their makeup done. And you…
An Edmonton family is frustrated and upset after a 62-year-old man who had been in hospital with care needs was sent to stay at a hotel. Blair Canniff had been a patient at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for roughly six months when he said a social worker told him he was…
Kaelan Shawana’s family feared the worst after the 24-year-old left his Manitowaning home on Monday in northern Ontario and was nowhere to be found. The non-verbal autistic man from Wikwemikong First Nation is a big guy at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds but functions at the level of a seven-year-old, according to his father, Robbie Shawana. “He…
Class action lawsuits against six of Ontario’s largest for-profit long-term care (LTC) home providers, claiming gross negligence that led to illnesses and deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, have been allowed to proceed. In a ruling last week, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice certified class action suits against Sienna, Revera,…
Over the course of her life, Marliese Dawson, now 51, has seen five family members get diagnosed with breast cancer. So since her mid-30s, Dawson has been diligent about undergoing breast cancer screening. Because she has dense breasts, which puts her at heightened risk, she undergoes alternating diagnostic mammograms and screening ultrasounds…
In January, a Shoppers Drug Mart district manager in Ontario wrote to store owners in his area to express “deep disappointment” in their performance during the first week of 2024. “Despite clear plans and expectations, it is evident that we fell significantly short of our targets,” reads the email obtained…
Children in England will no longer be prescribed puberty blockers at gender identity clinics, according to the country’s National Health Service (NHS). In a policy document released Tuesday, the NHS said that following a review of published research, “we have concluded that there is not enough evidence to support the…
Tom Somerville’s decision to stop medical treatment for his end-stage cancer was a personal one. Somerville, 62, was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2021 that later spread to his liver. He had six months of chemotherapy to slow down the cancer, which he said also left him exhausted with nausea. The Kingston, Ont., resident…
Tegan Rose’s job involves going into the community to support people aged 14 to 35 who have been in a state of psychosis for what’s believed to be the first time — and getting them help as early as possible. The registered nurse and support worker is in the early…
As the number of people across Ontario without a family doctor reaches a record high, Premier Doug Ford’s government is facing a fresh push to make family practice more attractive to physicians by improving compensation. The contract that covers how doctors are paid in this province, known as the physician…
It’s been a little more than a month since the Alberta government announced a planned fall rollout of legislation focused around top and bottom surgeries, puberty blockers, hormone therapies and other elements of what’s referred to as gender-affirming care. Canadian doctors, nurses and medical groups have pushed back against the move,…
When Lynda Lau Liebrecht was first diagnosed with breast cancer, everything she read was telling her about the importance of urgency. She wanted to know more about her diagnosis and what the treatment options were, right away, but she didn’t know how to get those answers. She remembers one frustrating…
Montreal researchers have developed a virtual reality “emergency room,” that can be used to train doctors in Canada and around the world in saving the lives of children who have been badly injured. According to the World Health Organization, traumas from accidents like car crashes, falls, and fires are the…
The group that represents Nova Scotia’s midwives say demand for their services has been on the rise for years, but that hasn’t been reflected in provincial funding. The province currently funds 16 midwife positions at three sites in Nova Scotia — in Halifax, Lunenburg and Antigonish. But Jessica Thorpe, president…
A northern Manitoba First Nation declared a state of emergency Friday afternoon, owing to a nursing shortage officials in the community described as a crisis. Pimicikamak Cree Nation — also known as Cross Lake — is supposed to have at least 13 nurses working in its nursing station, but as of Friday,…
The Dose18:33What do I need to know about cardiac arrest? Read transcribed audio A cardiac arrest can happen at any time to almost anyone, and experts say the actions of a bystander can mean the difference between life and death. There are roughly 60,000 cardiac arrests outside hospitals in Canada…
A Canadian class-action lawsuit accusing a popular fertility tracking app of sending users’ intimate health information — including details about their periods, sex lives and pregnancies — to companies like Facebook without their knowledge has been allowed to go ahead. The claim, certified in B.C. Supreme Court on Thursday, said Flo Health…
Can you put a price on protecting your children from a potentially deadly meningitis-causing bacterial infection? Right now, it’s about $320 per child, unless you happen to have private insurance, for a two-dose vaccine recommended by public health officials in Kingston, Ont. — one of a handful of regions in Canada seeing a spike in local cases of…
Every four weeks, 45-year-old Christina Watts visits her retinal specialist to receive an eye injection, a treatment she says has helped slow her vision loss. But now she’s worried a funding dispute could put the treatment out of reach — potentially putting her out of a job. The Prince George, B.C., artist and art…
The NDP is calling on the federal government to announce a national school lunch program in the upcoming federal budget, to be released on April 16. The party says a national program would help children learn by providing them with healthy meals every day, while offering some relief to parents…
These freezer containers, holding about 28 bodies at last count, sit in an alley between the Janeway children’s hospital and Memorial University’s school of medicine. (Danny Arsenault/CBC) A smattering of nondescript storage containers sit nestled on a concrete slab in a back alley in St. John’s, taking up a couple of hundred…
The federal government has posted updated information online on who is eligible for Canada’s national dental care plan. The additional details come after seniors raised concerns about whether their existing private dental insurance plans disqualified them from the public plan. A spokesperson for Health Canada told CBC News that people who purchased private dental insurance…
Quebec is expanding its breast cancer screening program, which offers free mammograms without a doctor’s referral, to those between the ages of 70 and 74. Until now, the Québec Breast Cancer Screening Program was only available to those between the ages of 50 and 69. The tests are done every…
Quebec’s public health director is asking Quebecers to make sure they and their children are properly vaccinated against the measles, as cases of the virus are on the rise in the province, especially in Montreal. Dr. Luc Boileau said health officials have so far counted 10 measles cases in Quebec. At least…
A Conservative MP is accusing the Liberals of shutting down debate on how two scientists studying deadly viruses at a special lab in Winnipeg were able to work closely and covertly with China — and how the federal government responded to the national security scandal. Conservative MPs on the standing committee…
The Dose26:47How can I protect myself and my kids from measles? Measles cases are on the rise around the world — including countries with ready access to vaccines. Here in Canada, several cases have been reported, with public health officials encouraging residents to get vaccinated if they aren’t already. Infectious…
This column is an opinion by John Loeppky, a disabled artist and freelance writer/editor in Saskatoon. It’s part of a series called Taking a Sitting Stand about disability issues. You can see more of the series here. For more information about CBC’s Opinion section, please see the FAQ. As a child,…
A high-security lab. Ebola. A mysterious package. The Chinese military. The release earlier this week of hundreds of documents related to the dismissal of two scientists — Dr. Xiangguo Qiu and her husband Keding Cheng — has pulled back the curtain on an explosive national security probe at the Winnipeg-based National Microbiology Lab, part of…
Raman Kumar says a federal plan to cover diabetes medications and supplies would be “phenomenal” because she’ll finally stop worrying about how to pay for her care. “It’s so expensive,” she said of replacing a $100 sensor for her continuous glucose monitor every 10 days. “My extended health coverage through my husband’s work doesn’t even…
There are early signals that measles — one of the world’s most contagious viruses — may be quietly spreading within parts of Canada as health officials brace for more imported infections during the March Break travel season. The country now has at least nine confirmed infections for 2024, according to…
When Kyle Truong needed medical attention for a respiratory infection last year, he said there weren’t many convenient options for accessing timely care. Truong, who lives in Toronto, hasn’t had a family doctor for about four years. But then he discovered a private clinic where he could quickly get an appointment…
York Region Public Health (YRPH) is investigating a confirmed case of measles where the source of infection is “unknown.” In a news release Thursday evening, the public health agency says it has confirmed measles in a man in his 30s who has not travelled recently or been in contact with anyone ill. The…
Health Minister Mark Holland released the long-awaited details of the federal government’s pharmacare plan on Thursday, with a commitment to cover some diabetes treatments and contraception. If the bill, C-64, passes Parliament, Holland will begin negotiating with the provinces and territories on a funding commitment that would cover the cost of…
One of the scientists who was fired from Canada’s top infectious disease laboratory “intentionally” shared scientific information with China — potentially putting people’s health in jeopardy — says an assessment by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). The intelligence assessment was released late Wednesday afternoon by the federal government, along with hundreds of other documents about the mysterious dismissal of…
A growing number of Canadian parents say they are opposed to vaccinating their children, according to a new poll, amid a resurgence in potentially deadly diseases such as measles. The opinion poll, released Wednesday by the Angus Reid Institute, comes as public health officials try to catch up on routine…
Nurses rally at the steps of the Confederation Building on Tuesday, demanding an investigation by the auditor general into spending on private agency nurses. (Arlette Lazarenko/CBC) About 60 nurses rallied at Confederation Building in St. John’s on Tuesday, demanding the auditor general investigate the provincial government’s spending on private nursing…
When she begins a yoga class at her north-end Halifax studio, Tori Jarvis Grant still sets up a camera so students can follow along at home with those attending in person. It’s a holdover from the pandemic, when classes Zoomed online helped her studio survive lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions that…
All of Canada’s top diplomats have taken the extraordinary step of writing a joint letter to their superiors warning of an “untenable” situation as their health insurance provider fails to process claims for Canadian staff working abroad. The letter, obtained by CBC News, is written on behalf of all Canada’s…
Brenda and Richard Gaunt’s first child, Stephen, was an active and inquisitive toddler, prone to follow his curiosity quite literally wherever it led him. “He’d run out the door and I’d have to chase him down in my underwear,” his father recalled, with a chuckle. Stephen was born in Calgary and…
The Dose23:42What happens to my memory as I age? Bill VanGorder likes to keep his brain busy. The 81-year-old chief policy and education officer for the Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) in Halifax also holds volunteer board positions with a number of other groups, all while helping his wife’s…
Read this story in Hindi. इस कहानी को हिंदी में पढ़ें.Read this story in Arabic. اقرأ القصة باللغة العربية Within 17 days of arriving in Canada, Ali was introduced to methamphetamine. “I was lonely and was thinking of suicide,” said the international student from Turkey. Ali said he has been using…
Health P.E.I. staff and patients are calling Prince Edward Island’s new mental health and addictions emergency department, thought to be the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada, a game-changer, monumental, and a long time coming. The new emergency department is in the same building as Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s ER in…
This story is part of CBC Health’s Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. Just a decade ago, syphilis infections among infants were nearly eradicated in Canada. Yet there were…
Ottawa’s planned shutdown of a portal to mental health and substance use care is an affront to Canadians in need of already-chronically underfunded services, advocates say. The federal government introduced the Wellness Together Canada (WTC) site and its companion PocketWell app during the pandemic, providing virtual mental health and substance use support from…
Canada’s top doctor is calling on people to check that they’re fully immunized with two doses of the measles vaccine before heading out of the country. Global health authorities are reporting a significant increase in measles in 2023 that continues, due in part to a decline in measles vaccinations during the pandemic. “As…
A decision by the Alabama Supreme Court that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law has some reproductive rights advocates and fertility law experts in Canada concerned about a potential ripple effect. The worry isn’t necessarily that a decision like the one in Alabama, that was issued in…
Smartwatches and rings that claim to measure blood sugar levels for medical purposes without piercing the skin could be dangerous and should be avoided, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned. Wednesday’s caution applies to any watch or ring, regardless of brand, that claims to measure blood glucose levels in…
The mayor of Belleville, Ont., says the province is dragging its heels on granting funds to help build a hub for mental health and addictions services — so he wants the city to look at funding the project itself amid an overdose crisis. Mayor Neil Ellis had hoped those requests would be fast-tracked, but said…
As Ontario prepares to expand the number of private clinics that perform publicly funded cataract surgeries, documents show those procedures form one of the most common complaints the province receives from patients about unfair billing practices. The Canadian Press submitted a freedom-of-information request for copies of complaints made under the…
Certain lots of Audrina 28 birth control pills contain day-of-the-week stickers that have a misprint that could lead to confusion around when to take the medication, Health Canada says. Audrina 28 is a prescription drug used to prevent pregnancy and treat moderate acne in those menstruating aged 14 years of…
Drug company Apotex is recalling two lots of a prescription nasal spray because of possible bacterial contamination. APO-Mometasone nasal spray is prescribed for allergy symptoms in children, for sinusitis in patients aged 12 and older and for nasal polyps in adults. Health Canada says the recalled lots may be contaminated with…
Ontario will see a spike in demand for home-care workers over the next few years as its population of seniors increases sharply, according to a new report by health economists. The report, to be released Monday, includes demographic projections that suggest both the over-65 and over-75 populations will rise at notably faster…
British Columbia has more family doctors per capita than it did 40 years ago, according to a new report, but its lead author says trying to find one or get an appointment can still feel as difficult as competing for tickets to Taylor Swift’s highly sought-after Eras Tour. B.C. has…
White Coat Black Art26:30The toll of cannabis-induced psychosis When Kalpit Sharma started smoking cannabis, he thought it was just part of “living his life” as a university student. After all, he had been told that the drug was relatively harmless. That all changed in the summer of 2021, when he started…
A recall has been issued for certain eggs possibly contaminated with salmonella in Saskatchewan. On Saturday, the federal government revealed the egg recall was triggered by test results. Brands affected include: Compliments, Harman, Star Egg and no name — but only products with certain lot codes on the egg packaging are affected. The specific lot…
An infant in Toronto has been hospitalized with a case of measles linked to travel, the city’s public health agency says. Toronto Public Health confirmed the case in a news release on Friday, adding the virus is highly contagious and can spread through the air and close contact. Officials are following up…
On the 10th anniversary of her husband’s death, Joan Fisher opened her mailbox to find a special letter from a man she’s never met. When her husband John died suddenly 10 years ago, several of his organs were donated including his liver, kidneys, eyes and lungs. This most recent letter marks the third…
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh confirmed for the first time Friday that New Democrats are pushing the federal government to fund contraception coverage. The NDP leader was in British Columbia, where the province’s NDP government already funds birth control and other forms of contraception through a single-payer model. The Manitoba NDP,…
For Carly and Ben Seligman, banking their two children’s umbilical cord blood felt like investing in medical insurance. The Calgary couple no longer trust that the potentially life-saving stem cells they have spent thousands of dollars to preserve remain viable or safe. “Collecting and banking the cord blood felt like this…
Kit Sparrow was faced with two options when he sought out gender-affirming care: wait months for a specialist appointment, or pay out of pocket for a privately run, virtual service. The Ontario-based accessibility-technology engineer had spent years trying to understand his gender identity. Last March, he decided to visit his…
Rex Stoddard knew his community needed something. Ever since a doctor who provided part-time service to Clark’s Harbour retired about 10 years ago, Stoddard, the town’s mayor, said efforts have been underway to bring some kind of health-care services back to this small fishing community on Nova Scotia’s southwest tip.…
The federal government is considering covering the costs of birth control and diabetes medication as part of a national pharmacare plan currently being negotiated between the NDP and the governing Liberals. CBC News spoke to sources with direct knowledge of the talks who aren’t authorized to speak publicly. The details…
For nine years, Alaska health officials have been aware of an unusual virus causing rare, relatively mild illnesses in the Fairbanks area. But a recent case in another part of the state — this one resulting in a man’s death — has brought new attention to the Alaskapox virus. Here’s some…
A new report from Vancouver Coastal Health says what everyone already knows: climate change is bad for the health of the 1.25 million people living in the region. “People in VCH can expect to experience more extreme heat, poorer air quality from wildfire smoke, more storms and flooding, longer periods…
In a bid to increase the number of doctors and nurses practising in rural and remote areas, the federal government said Tuesday it’s increasing forgivable loans for some students. Canada is experiencing a severe doctor shortage — and it’s only expected to get worse as the population grows and physicians retire en masse.…
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added more salad kits to a recall that began last week due to possible listeria contamination. The latest products to be recalled include Southwest salad kits made by Dole and President’s Choice, as well as Dole’s Chop!Chop Avocado Ranch salad kit. All three are distributed…
A niggling, nagging cough. They’re unpleasant, aggravating and — unfortunately — all too common after various viral infections. Research suggests “post-infectious cough,” referring to symptoms lasting between three and eight weeks, impacts up to a quarter of adults after an initial respiratory infection like a cold, flu or COVID. So how do…
This First Person column is written by Kelley Korbin, who lives in West Vancouver, B.C. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. My father’s death was something I’d worried about for decades — probably since I learned that smoking kills. But years of pre-emptive angst…
With one of the most rapidly expanding senior populations in the country, seniors’ advocate Susan Walsh says structural change is needed to address loneliness in Newfoundland and Labrador. (Ted Dillon/CBC) Lending a helping hand and looking out for one another, even through the toughest times. These traits are interwoven in…
This First Person column is the experience of Isobel Cunningham, who lives in Montreal. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. When I opened the door of my small condo building to head to the gym, I saw tree branches coated with ice and the…
This story is part of CBC Health’s Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. If you visit a doctor virtually through a commercial app, the information you submit in the…
The federal NDP has warned its Parliament Hill staff to prepare themselves for the possible sudden termination of the party’s supply-and-confidence deal with the Liberals — a bipartisan cooperation agreement which may be holding off an early election. A senior NDP source who was not authorized to speak publicly told CBC News the party…
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford signed an agreement on Friday that details how the province must spend $3.1 billion in federal funding earmarked for health care. As part of the deal, the provincial government must create new primary health-care teams, open another 700 spots in medical education…
B.C. has ordered that flavoured nicotine pouches be moved behind pharmacy counters instead of being sold openly in an effort to prevent youth from becoming addicted. The order, signed by Health Minister Adrian Dix, means buyers of the pouches will have to consult a pharmacist first. “By limiting access to these products and ensuring they…
Mike Juby was outside Bridge Street United Church in Belleville, Ont., on Tuesday afternoon when people suddenly started dropping to the sidewalk all around him. There were “ambulances left, right and centre” as paramedics loaded people onto stretchers and rushed them to hospital, he recalled. “It was ugly,” Juby said. “They’re all my…
Montreal public health officials say a case of measles has been reported in Montreal. The case was confirmed and signalled to Montreal Public Health on Tuesday. In a news release on Thursday, the department said the person affected probably caught the virus during a trip to Africa. While that person was likely…
The province says it’s considering a community proposal for an Indigenous-led supervised consumption site in downtown Winnipeg. The coalition behind the idea, led by Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre, includes community partners Sunshine House, Ka Ni Kanichihk, Manitoba Harm Reduction Network, Main Street Project and Substance Consulting. For more than…
3 hours ago News Duration 5:07 After an explosion of measles cases in Europe, medical experts say it’s just a ‘question of time’ before outbreaks happen in Canada, thanks to high rates of global travel and low rates of vaccination. Dr. Samir Gupta discusses the outbreak and what it could…
This First Person column is written by Victoria Cassidy, a mother of three who lives in Saskatoon. For more information about First Person stories, see the FAQ. I stand in front of a mirror, trying to make myself look as feminine as possible. I’m drawing on my eyebrows like I do every…
Every day of the year, on average, a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse is injured on the job in Newfoundland and Labrador. According to data from WorkplaceNL, this has been happening for at least the last seven years. “These numbers are staggering,” said Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland and Labrador President Yvette…
There were an estimated 20 million cancer cases and 9.7 million cancer deaths in 2022, the World Health Organization’s cancer research agency said on Thursday, a growing burden that masks what it calls “striking inequity” among rich and poor countries. Around one in five people develop cancer in their lifetimes,…
A new report from Dr. Bonnie Henry has called on the B.C. government to broaden the availability and types of drugs that can be prescribed under the province’s controversial safer-supply program. But the provincial health officer also acknowledged Thursday that the pioneering program carries some societal risks, and urged B.C.…
The Current27:10At 99, swimmer Betty Brussel just smashed 3 world records Betty Brussel has a lot to celebrate this year. The competitive swimmer just broke three world records in the pool — and is turning 100 years old in July. But when she gets in the water, all of those…
Sweeping changes to gender-affirming care, announced by the Alberta government this week, are sparking widespread backlash and condemnation from doctors, nurses and medical organizations — and calls are mounting for the province to reverse its decision. Touting it as a move to protect children, Premier Danielle Smith positioned Alberta as the most restrictive…
This story is part of CBC Health’s Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. After an explosion of measles cases in Europe, medical experts say it’s just a “question of…
People who are homeless have high rates of COVID-19 reinfection, putting the health of an already vulnerable population at further risk, a study published Friday in the BMC Infectious Diseases journal says. Homeless people in Toronto who had COVID-19 were more than twice as likely to get it again…
Canada is experiencing a record number of cases of dangerous, fast-moving strep infections. Invasive group A strep, or iGAS, is a bacterial infection that can lead to serious, life-threatening complications. Provinces have also reported dozens of deaths in just the last few months, including at least 10 children across Ontario and…
As It Happens6:20After 5 miscarriages and a stillbirth, Quebec MNA draws attention to perinatal loss Every Oct. 15, Désirée McGraw and her family visit the grave of her stillborn daughter, Catherine. But this year, the Liberal member of Quebec’s National Assembly will make her annual journey with the knowledge that her colleagues of all…
Seniors aged 72 and older are eligible as of today to register for Canada’s national dental care plan, but dentists still can’t sign up for the program — even though they’re supposed to start taking patients in just a few months. “I know there’ll be a lot of questions around providers. Those details are…
Canada’s total fertility rate dropped to its lowest point in more than a century of data-keeping in 2022, hitting just 1.33 children per woman, Statistics Canada said Wednesday. The 7.4 per cent decline in the rate from 2021 to 2022, the agency said, was the steepest drop since the 7.6…
Advocates are heightening calls for the Alberta government to regulate counsellors after a former family doctor in northern Alberta, who was barred from practising in the province, is now taking appointments as an addictions counsellor. Dr. Brianne Hudson had her medical practice permit cancelled in December 2023 by the College…
Manulife says its coverage of certain specialty prescription drugs will only apply at Loblaw-owned pharmacies, raising questions over the relationship between insurance providers and major pharmacy retailers. For independent pharmacists like Kyro Maseh, who owns Lawlor Pharmasave in Toronto, the deal signals another shift away from personalized care for patients who have a…
Canadian insurance company Manulife announced that its coverage of certain specialty prescription drugs will only apply at Loblaw-owned pharmacies, a deal that pharmacare policy experts say raises concerns about competition and patient access to much-needed medication. These kinds of exclusivity deals, known as preferred pharmacy network arrangements, are common in the U.S. and are gaining traction in Canada, said…
The federal government has announced it is seeking another pause on medical assistance in dying (MAID) provisions that would cover those suffering solely from mental illnesses. This is the second time the government has sought to delay the expansion of MAID since the Superior Court of Quebec struck down the…
Noah Freedman has recently been reviewing the forest firefighter training manual to prepare himself ahead of his ninth fire season. He is vice-president of Local 703 of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and a forest fire crew leader with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNR). “I’m astounded and…
The Dose24:29How can I manage chronic back pain? Millions of people around the world suffer from chronic back pain everyday, often not knowing if they’ll ever recover. Pain specialist Dr. Brenda Lau offers advice on how you can manage chronic back pain, as well as some of the newer treatment…
A special parliamentary committee is set to release a report this week that could shape the federal government’s decision on whether to allow those suffering solely from a mental illness to obtain medically assisted deaths. Conservative and NDP members of the joint committee on medical assistance in dying (MAID) say…
The Current24:35Are full-body MRIs worth the money? After a bout of prostate cancer, Don Garnier wanted to take a more proactive approach to his health. That’s why he went out of his way to pay $2,500 for a full-body MRI scan at a private Vancouver clinic called Prenuvo. “We live in a…
This First Person column is written by Leisha Toory, who lives in Ottawa. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. I was around 11 when my grandmother told me I couldn’t enter our family temple in Mauritius when girls were unclean. “Unclean” was her word…
Padma Ranjan used to pass a blood donation centre on her bus ride to work in Vancouver and wish she could donate. Her family had been regular blood donors when she was growing up in Malaysia. She moved to the U.K. in the late 1970s and came to Canada about…
The governments of Manitoba and Saskatchewan say they are concerned about the potential risks of allowing Canadians to seek medical assistance in dying solely on the basis of a mental illness. Provinces have expressed fears that the country may not yet be ready for the change to take effect in…
B.C.’s attorney general is appealing a court decision that put the brakes on the province’s plans to crack down on drug use in public spaces. B.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson issued an injunction staying the implementation of the Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Services Act after an application from the Harm…
The B.C. Coroners Service says there were more than 2,500 suspected illicit drug deaths in the province last year, the highest annual number recorded. In announcing the grim number, B.C.’s chief coroner Lisa Lapointe renewed her plea for an expansion of safer supply and a “systems change” that treats substance use as a health issue,…
The president of the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) says a recent survey of family doctors suggests primary care in the province is in critical condition and needs immediate attention. Dr. Paul Parks shared the results of the online survey, taken between Jan. 16 and 19, on the health of family…
As president of an Ontario teachers’ union, Karen Brown is no stranger to public addresses. Now she’s started a new campaign to ask for something more personal: a kidney. “I’m at the point where it is crucial,” Brown, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, told CBC News. Brown, 55, says…
A Quebec judge has given the green light to a class-action lawsuit that alleges the Quebec government made a series of mistakes when the pandemic began that contributed to large outbreaks and thousands of deaths. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of all residents of public long-term care homes (or CHSLDs…
Sitting by the warmth of a wood stove, Shawn Robicheau is quietly working away at a mosaic-style art piece. In vivid purple and green, he’s creating a welcome mat that says “home.” For the first time in years, Robicheau has a modest home to call his own. He’s one of the first…
Politics Health Minister Mark Holland says some of his provincial counterparts have concerns about whether Canada is ready to extend medical assistance in dying to people with severe mental illnesses. Parliamentary committee has been looking at whether health-care system is ready for assisted-dying expansion The Canadian Press · Posted: Jan…
Canada is going through an unprecedented growth spurt, having added well over a million people last year after a similarly historic intake in 2022. Some economists have argued this record-setting surge could be a boon to an economy heavily dependent on immigration. A recent Desjardins report cautioned the federal government against slamming the door…
As Whitehorse students pluck water bottles and food containers from their lunch bags, something unfamiliar to most Canadian schools emerges: a small tin of mixed nuts. This month, École Émilie Tremblay unveiled a new policy to allow peanuts and tree nuts, which came after consultations with both staff and families —…
What’s up with 10-year-old kids in Sephora? That’s the question dividing parents, dermatologists, retailers and social media as more and more children buy into expensive, elaborate skin-care and beauty products. But while millions of people watch and share videos condemning “Sephora kids” (often blaming the parents for allowing their children to purchase products meant for…
The Dose23:52How do I know if I have undiagnosed adult ADHD? Edmonton resident Nikki Houde was 41 when she was formally diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In November 2021, the middle school success coach was working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, often finding her concentration drifting during video meetings,…
This story is part of CBC Health’s Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. If you catch the virus behind COVID-19 and you’re at a high risk of serious illness, there’s…
Long COVID sufferers from all across Canada are struggling for words, breath and answers after some specialized clinics have shut down. About 2.1 million adults in Canada, or roughly 7 per cent of the adult population, live with long COVID symptoms, according to a Statistics Canada survey released last month. Common…
Anyone who watches sports is used to seeing betting ads during games, but a collaboration between CBC’s Marketplace and British researchers at the University of Bristol found gambling messages fill up to 21 per cent of each broadcast, on average, based on an analysis that looked at seven games. Marketplace…
Edmonton’s unhoused population is disproportionately affected by amputations due to frostbite, accounting for more than half of such visits last fiscal year according to data collected by Alberta Health Services. The data was obtained through a freedom of information request filed by Chris Wiebe, a lawyer representing the Coalition for…
Health A bulging lump on someone’s tongue and a big toe that has turned greenish-black from gangrene among 14 new graphic health warnings on cigarette packages starting to appear on store shelves. Goal to slash smoking rates from about 10 per cent to less than five per cent by 2035…
Millions of uninsured Canadians will be left out of the new federal dental program because their family income is too high, says a report released Wednesday by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Enrolment began last month for a new federal benefits program, which was developed as a condition of…
Canada is seeing a record number of cases of invasive Group A strep, a bacterial infection that kills roughly one in 10 people who contract it, according to data obtained by CBC News. More than 4,600 cases were confirmed in 2023 at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg, an increase of…
Warning: This story contains graphic descriptions and images. The Current19:15What a Canadian doctor saw in Gaza A Canadian eye surgeon has described removing shrapnel from children’s shattered eyeballs during a recent medical mission to Gaza, where he saw the civilian toll of Israel’s offensive against Hamas. “I took about ten…
Quaker Canada is voluntary recalling 38 varieties of granola bars and Harvest Crunch cereals due to the potential exposure to salmonella. The company said the recall was a direct result of one initiated Thursday in the United States by the Quaker Oats Company. “This action is being taken in Canada out of…
After he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Steve Iseman set out on an 8,000-kilometre trip across Canada to raise money and awareness about the disorder. But what he experienced when it came to his symptoms during that trip piqued the interest of researchers at the University of Guelph. Iseman, 57, who lives…
Health professionals are growing increasingly concerned that health-care delays are leading to more patient deaths as wait times in Winnipeg emergency rooms continue to soar. On Friday, Manitoba Health released its latest report on critical incidents from the last three months of 2022, which shows delays in care, medication errors and falls are…
The Dose22:42What’s the least amount of exercise I can do to get the benefits? Most people know they need to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives in order to maintain their overall health. Unfortunately, it’s easy to use busy lives as an excuse to skip workouts even as research shows consistent physical…
This story is part of CBC Health’s Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here. A newborn with a fever waited five hours to be seen by an emergency physician near…
The Dose25:03How do I manage my mental and physical well-being during the menstrual cycle? Read Transcribed Audio You may have learned about it in health class at school, or gotten “the talk” from your mother. But for many people who menstruate, their education didn’t include much about the myriad ways…
People 65 years of age and older may receive another dose of updated vaccine to protect against severe illness from COVID-19, Canada’s advisory body on immunizations said Friday. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) released guidance on offering an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccines in the spring for people at…
Seven years ago, Stanley Much left his one-bedroom apartment on a busy Edmonton street to move into a seniors’ lodge in the village of Holden, about 100 kilometres southeast of the city. He liked that the town was safe and peaceful, that meals were all provided, but most of all…
A study conducted by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control has found that prescribing medical-grade opioids dramatically reduced the rates of deaths and overdoses for drug users living in B.C. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, is described as “the first known instance of a North American province…
Davy Short is afraid he’s going to die, either from the alcohol or the elements, or some combination of both. The St. John’s man, homeless since September, says alcoholism is ruining his life. But while drinking has made it difficult to maintain housing, his lack of housing has made it…
Health officials say Influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are both on the rise in B.C., and hospitals in the province are treating a record number of patients as the respiratory illness season nears its peak. Speaking at her first public briefing of the new year, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie…
As the illicit drugs that have devastated Western and Central Canada become more prevalent in Nova Scotia, a Halifax physician is renewing calls to expand access to “safer opioid supply” treatment to prevent overdoses and deaths. Opioids sold and consumed in Nova Scotia are increasingly unpredictable and often contaminated, Dr.…
People taking the popular diabetes and obesity drugs Ozempic and Wegovy had a lower risk of suicidal thoughts than those taking other medications to treat the same conditions, a new U.S. federal study finds. The research, funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, was published Friday and comes as…
A third child has died in British Columbia due to complications linked to influenza, cases of which continue to rise in the province. The latest update from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control says it received three reports of influenza-related deaths in children under the age of 10 during the…
A growing number of health-care workers in Nova Scotia are not getting their annual flu shots, according to figures released by their employer, Nova Scotia Health. In response to a request by CBC News, authority spokesperson Jennifer Lewandowski wrote: “As of December 14, 2023, 7,231 (22.5%) employees have had the flu…
Wildlife officials in Alaska have confirmed the first known case of a polar bear that died from avian flu — highlighting growing concerns about the H5N1 strain’s potential spread among northern mammals. Dr. Robert Gerlach, Alaska’s state veterinarian, said the young bear’s carcass was recently found by a biologist working in…
Health Canada has approved a new vaccine geared toward protecting two groups most severely affected by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): newborns, who would receive antibodies through maternal immunization, and Canadians over 60. Pfizer Canada’s bivalent vaccine, called Abrysvo, aims to prevent lower respiratory tract disease caused by the virus. It is the…
An accomplished Windsor, Ont., track and field coach is encouraging people to take up winter running as a way to get fitter in the new year. Kurt Downes, a PhD candidate in kinesiology at the University of Windsor, co-authored an article on the topic with associate professor Kevin Milne that…
Pfizer said on Wednesday that Canada’s health regulator approved its gene therapy for the treatment of a rare inherited bleeding disorder called hemophilia B ahead of a U.S. decision. The approval was based on late-stage trials that showed a single dose of the therapy, to be sold under the brand…
10 hours ago News Duration 5:14 Dr. Laura Sang, a Montreal family doctor, says a vulnerable person’s condition can evolve quickly and some may take time to fully present. Sang says she does not want people to get discouraged from going to the ER if ‘something feels off.’
Inside the lab at Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver, hundreds of unfertilized human eggs are nesting in round tanks full of cold liquid nitrogen. For some, the frozen eggs could fulfil dreams of parenthood in years to come. “Honestly, I’m so grateful for science,” said Natalie Grunberg-Ferreira, 47, who conceived two sons from…
Health Health Canada announced a recall of certain Enfamil brand baby formula products on Monday, citing contamination of Cronobacter sakazakii. Consumers advised to dispose of Nutramigen A+ LGG Hypoallergenic products CBC News · Posted: Jan 01, 2024 8:03 PM EST | Last Updated: 4 hours ago The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says…
A growing number of psychiatrists and psychologists in B.C. say they’re successfully treating patients by harnessing the power of patients’ own brain waves. Neurofeedback treatment has been studied for several decades but remains controversial among scholars. “This debate has been going on for a long time,” said Simon Fraser University neuroscientist Randy…
Steven Theriault is convinced he has the solution to an urgent global public health threat — antibiotic resistance. But he can’t get his bacteria-killing viruses approved through what he calls Canada’s rigid and outdated regulatory system. “The next big focus in science is actually genetics and live organisms. … I…
A British Columbia Supreme Court Justice has granted a temporary injunction against the B.C. NDP government’s legislation banning all drug use in a wide range of public spaces, pausing the law three days before it was set to come into force. The B.C. Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act passed in early November…
Letters have started to arrive in the mailboxes of Canadian seniors inviting them to sign up for free dental care, but those who provide the services say they’re concerned whether the program will be administratively and financially viable for them to take part. “If our questions aren’t answered and our concerns…
The rising value of gold worldwide has amplified illegal mining in the Amazon, where liquid mercury is being dumped in the Amazon River, and causing scientists to warn that Indigenous communities and the environment could pay a far greater price. Three weeks ago, Colombia, Brazil and the United States partnered…
Health Technology originally designed to help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels has joined the wearables trend. Data likely won’t improve health of people who don’t have diabetes or pre-diabetes: experts A woman testing glucose level with a Continuous Glucose Monitor. The devices were developed for people with…
Toronto The twins were born in March 2022 in Toronto, at a combined weight of 750 grams, or 1.65 pounds. They now hold a Guinness World Record, but more importantly, they’re alive — and will soon celebrate their second birthday. The Nadarajah twins were born in March 2022, weighing a…