Alberta’s COVID death toll up by 17 since last week, with 137 more hospitalizations
Another 17 Albertans have died from COVID, according to the latest weekly data released by the provincial government. That brings the death toll for the current season to 420. The latest release also shows an additional 137 people were hospitalized for COVID,…
Most frostbite amputation hospital visits in Edmonton last year were for homeless patients
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…
New graphic health warnings on cigarette packs unveiled by Health Canada
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…
Federal dental care program will exclude 4.4M uninsured Canadians: report
Politics A new report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says millions of uninsured Canadians will be left out of the new federal dental program because their family income is too high. Enrolment began last month in new program,…
Aggressive, often deadly form of strep hits record-high case numbers in Canada
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…
In a Gaza hospital, a Canadian surgeon tended to children whose eyes were shattered in bomb blasts
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…
Quaker recalls granola bars, cereals over possible salmonella exposure
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…
Ontario man’s cross-Canada cycling trip helps researchers understand how exercise impacts Parkinson’s disease
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…
Delays, falls, errors led to deaths, worsening care for patients in Manitoba hospitals, report says
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…
How ‘exercise snacks’ can add more movement in less time in your day
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…
Alberta reviewing seniors’ lodge program as vacancies threaten future of some buildings
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…
Over-capacity ERs are dangerous choke points. But hospital challenges go far deeper
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…
Cramps and mood swings that end with a period: Tips for a less-awful menstrual cycle
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…
Spring vaccine dose suggested to protect seniors in Canada from severe COVID
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…
Landmark study finds prescribing opioids dramatically reduced deaths, overdoses for drug users in B.C.
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…
This man wants to stop drinking but is struggling to get into rehab without a fixed address
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…
My daughter’s cancer is a tragedy. But her bond with her adopted Nana is healing my heart
Julie Jewett was overwhelmed when her daughter Lily, pictured in this photo, was diagnosed with cancer. That’s when her neighbour, Debbie Page, also pictured came into her life with a simple offer to help. (Submitted by Julie Jewett) This First…
Federal health minister says he won’t allow Florida to ‘pillage’ the drug supply
Health Minister Mark Holland says Florida’s plan to import cheaper Canadian pharmaceuticals is a non-starter and the federal government will use its regulatory power to ensure the national drug supply does not face any shortages due to actions by a foreign state….
Ozempic not linked to increase in suicidal thoughts, U.S. study suggests
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….
This newborn waited 8 hours for a doctor. Experts say Ontario’s ER wait times have never been worse
When Joey Salmingo took his newborn to an Ontario emergency room in late December, he didn’t expect him to wait eight hours to be seen by a doctor. Salmingo says it took an hour for his son, who had a fever…
Fewer than one-quarter of N.S. health-care workers have their flu shots this year
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…
Health Canada approves RSV vaccine for maternal immunization
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…
Avian flu detected in polar bear in Alaska
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…
Proposed class-action lawsuit filed in Manitoba over cantaloupe tainted with salmonella
An Ontario woman who became ill after eating cantaloupe is the lead plaintiff in a second proposed class-action lawsuit filed over cantaloupe-linked salmonella infections across the country. A statement of claim filed in the Court of King’s Bench in Manitoba…
Health Canada approves Pfizer’s gene therapy for treatment of hemophilia
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…
These Windsorites run in the freezing cold. Here’s why they say you should too
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…
These B.C. neuroscientists hope to help people with mental health challenges — using patients’ own brainwaves
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…
Enfamil brand baby formula recalled in Canada over Cronobacter sakazakii risks
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…
Why more Canadians are delaying parenthood by freezing their eggs
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…
This Winnipeg scientist is using viruses to fight drug-resistant superbugs
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…
B.C. Supreme Court pauses legislation banning drug consumption in public spaces, citing ‘irreparable harm’
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….
Dentists, hygienists unsure how national free dental care plan will work
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…
These record-setting Toronto-area twins were never expected to survive. Now, they’re nearly 2
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….
More addiction treatment needed as B.C. drug decriminalization pilot enters 2nd year: doctors, advocates
A narrow, winding corridor at Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital leads to a clinic offering quick access to addiction treatment for people seeking help on their own or after a referral from an emergency room, a family doctor or social worker….
Wearable technology trend now includes healthy people tracking their blood glucose. Is it worth it?
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…
BlendJet recall of millions of blenders over fire hazard, breaking blades includes 117,000 in Canada
BlendJet is recalling millions of portable blenders over laceration and fire hazards after receiving dozens of reports of injuries, U.S. regulators said Thursday. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says the recall covers about 4.8 million blenders in the U.S. and…
Want to cut back on your drinking? Here’s some expert advice
The Dose25:32What should I know about how drinking can affect my health? It’s a tradition to raise a glass to toast the new year. And for most Canadians, that glass usually contains alcohol. But some people may be rethinking that…
Mumbai doctors blame pigeons for spike in lung disease
At his clinic in a northern suburb of Mumbai, Dr. Pralhad Prabhudesai stared at an X-ray, flipped through a chart and quickly fired a string of questions at the patient standing before him. “Are you around pigeons often? What else are…
Just 15% of Canadians got updated COVID vaccines this fall, new figures show
Canadians raced to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in the first years of the pandemic, but data suggests there’s far less of a rush to get the latest shots available this fall. Federal figures show only 15 per cent of the…
‘A remarkable era’: Groundbreaking innovations in treating spinal cord injury offer new hope for patients
Gert-Jan Oskam could no longer walk after a cycling accident 12 years ago in China. He suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury, so while he had some sensation in his lower body, he used a wheelchair after he returned home to the…
Manitoba’s health minister, top doctor plead for heath-care workers to pick up shifts over holidays
Manitoba’s health minister and chief provincial public health officer made a plea to health-care workers to consider picking up shifts over the holidays, with intensive care units already stretched and an increase in respiratory illnesses expected over the holidays. During a…
Canada’s first South Asian physician, Dr. Gurdev Singh Gill, dies at 92
Canada’s first-ever South Asian physician died at 92 in New Westminster, B.C., last Sunday. Dr. Gurdev Singh Gill made history in 1958 when he became the first Indo-Canadian physician, according to the B.C. government. Gill moved to Canada from India in 1949 at a…
25 years later, the story of a Halifax hospital and a U.K. organ-hoarding scandal
On Jan. 18, 1998, Kent Dooley sat across from a brilliant pediatric pathologist with a devoted following at Halifax’s IWK Grace children’s and maternity hospital and told him he was fired. The move by Dooley, the head of pathology and laboratory…
Therapists at Hamilton mental health clinic describe exodus of staff, tears at office, ‘oppressive’ meetings
This is Part 2 of an in-depth look at changes to a leading child and youth mental health clinic in Hamilton, and the impact they’ve had on families and mental health practitioners. Read Part 1 here. When registered psychotherapist Louise…
All I want for Christmas is to eat solid food: A throat cancer patient’s wish
This First Person column is written by Glenn Deir, a retired journalist who lives in St. John’s. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. I was a six-pack-a-day man for five months. Not beer —…
The federal government increased her disability payment. Then Nova Scotia reduced it by the same amount
When Trudy Goold received a cost-of-living increase to her Canada Pension Plan disability payments earlier this year, she felt a sense of relief. But it didn’t last long. The increase of $66 per month was then deducted from her provincial…
Death toll rises to 7 from cantaloupe salmonella outbreak in Canada
The Public Health Agency of Canada is reporting another death from a salmonella outbreak involving cantaloupes, bringing the total to seven. The agency says there have so far been 164 lab-confirmed cases of salmonella in eight provinces linked to Malichita and…
A mysterious respiratory illness is affecting dogs, but tests show no new pathogens: U.S. officials
Testing of the mysterious respiratory illness affecting dogs across the United States has not yet revealed any new pathogens or any common cause for the wave of infections that have alarmed pet owners, the agriculture department said. Instead, common causes…
2 doctors told him he had a fatal disease and wouldn’t live until Christmas. They were wrong
A Winnipeg man who was misdiagnosed with a fatal disease by two different doctors says anybody believed to have a life-threatening condition should be sent to a specialist in the field for final determination. A neurologist at Sunnybrook Hospital agrees. Fredrik Bergstrom,…
Teens cut off from longtime therapists amid changes at Hamilton mental health clinic: ex-staff
This is Part 1 of an in-depth look at changes to a leading child and youth mental health clinic in Hamilton, and the impact they’ve had on families and mental health practitioners. Warning: This story mentions suicidal ideation. A Hamilton…
Is everyone getting sick for the holidays? Health officials urge public to get flu, COVID vaccines
If you or someone you know is battling a cold, the flu or COVID-19, you’re not alone. It’s that time of year when more people are feeling sick and health officials are stressing the importance of preventing the spread of…
Passenger in wheelchair says he was left with septic injury after being removed from flight on food trolley
Warning: This story contains graphic images of an injury. A passenger who landed at Vancouver International Airport says he almost lost his foot to a septic injury after he was left stranded on a British Airways flight for hours — and was…
Social networks are key to good health. That has some doctors seeking strategies to cure loneliness
At one point, Elaine Dawe’s sense of loneliness enveloped her life. “I was sad all the time. I was lonely. I didn’t want to get dressed. I went for a week in my nightgown, didn’t wash my hair sometimes for…
‘Stuck in a cycle’: Providers say disjointed mental health care failing to meet needs of Black youth
As a young Black person, the more mental health help you need, the harder a time you seem to have getting it. At least, that’s what Mary, a mental health clinician, told researchers with the Black Health Alliance (BHA), whose…
Explicit drug-use brochures yanked from high school wellness expo after pushback
A harm reduction non-profit group is on the defensive after brochures it supplied to a high school wellness expo caused some jaws to drop. Handouts with titles like “How to Prepare Your Crack Pipe” and “Safer Crystal Meth Smoking” were…
New Brunswick’s rapid journey from 1st to worst in preventing COVID deaths comes with few explanations
A year after New Brunswick residents set a dubious Canadian record for COVID-19 deaths, provincial health officials remain reluctant to speak about what went wrong in the province, or even acknowledge that things did go wrong. According to data released by Statistics Canada…
These are the ways rural Canadians are more vulnerable to climate change
Compared to urban dwellers, rural Canadians are more vulnerable to climate change in many ways and face extra challenges to adaptation, says a new federal government report. The “Canada in a Changing Climate” synthesis report, released late last week, found among its…
Mistreatment of Dalhousie medical residents is common and underreported, study says
A newly published peer-reviewed study found that mistreatment of medical residents in the Maritimes remains common and underreported. From October to November 2021, all 645 medical residents associated with Dalhousie University were invited to answer questions about their experiences on the job…
Low uptake of new COVID-19 vaccine among New Brunswickers
Only about 14 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers have received the new COVID-19 vaccine designed to target the Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant, figures from the Department of Health show. Meanwhile, more than a third of those aged 65 and older, who are considered at…
Toxic drugs. Climate change. A health-care crisis. Here are the health stories we’re watching in 2024
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. Four years — yes, four whole…
Public Health Agency of Canada confirms 6th death from cantaloupe salmonella outbreak
The Public Health Agency of Canada on Friday confirmed a sixth death tied to a salmonella outbreak caused by the consumption of contaminated cantaloupes. PHAC said in a statement that 53 people have been hospitalized and there have been 153…
LifeLabs customers can now apply for up to $150 in compensation for data breach
Canadian residents whose personal data was compromised in a 2019 LifeLabs data breach can now apply for up to $150 in compensation from a multi-million dollar class action settlement approved in October. The private medical diagnostics company and its subsidiaries were the target…
Health Canada warns of unauthorized injectable drugs sold online by Canlab Research
Health Canada is warning people not to buy unauthorized injectable drugs sold online by Canlab Research. The advisory said the products “may pose serious health risks.” The injectable products are promoted as peptides and are sold online through Canlab Research…
Seniors spend thousands on dental work, suffer in pain or wind up in ERs. Will Canada’s plan help?
Debilitating toothaches. Tens of thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket dental bills. Trips to the emergency room — and even stays in intensive care to treat life-threatening infections. Those are among the impacts Canadian seniors face when they lack access to…
As Canadians bid farewell to Reader’s Digest, one woman says the magazine changed her life
The Current7:22How Reader’s Digest changed this Canadian’s life When Elisabeth Baugh opened a Reader’s Digest in 1982, she didn’t know it would change her life. Baugh was born with an arteriovenous malformation, a rare vascular defect that caused changes to the…
‘No longer any doubt,’ says Soleiman Faqiri’s family as inquest deems Ontario jail death a homicide
Soleiman Faqiri’s deadly restraint by Ontario jail guards in 2016 has been deemed a homicide — words his family has waited to hear for nearly seven years since he died shackled, pepper sprayed and covered with a spit hood face down…
National pharmacare plan is in limbo as health minister calls pending deadline ‘arbitrary’
Health Minister Mark Holland signalled Tuesday the government is unlikely to meet the end-of-the-year deadline imposed by the NDP for passing pharmacare legislation — a condition of the supply-and-confidence agreement that was struck to keep the Liberals in power until…
Canada’s new dental-care plan could impact nearly 9 million Canadians — are you one of them?
The federal government unveiled details about its highly anticipated Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) earlier on Monday. The CDCP is a $13-billion insurance program that will start covering most basic dentistry costs next year for uninsured Canadians with a household income…
Ottawa launches $13B dental-care program with kids and seniors first up for coverage
The federal government unveiled its new dental-care plan on Monday — a $13-billion insurance program that will start covering routine dentistry costs next year for people who meet a certain income threshold. Ottawa will cover kids under 18 and some seniors first…
Federal dental insurance program to be phased in starting May 2024, government officials say
The new federal dental insurance plan will be phased in gradually throughout 2024, with the first claims likely to be processed in May, government officials said ahead of a formal announcement scheduled for Monday morning. The officials provided a briefing to The…
How to access the new RSV vaccine, and how much will it cost? Your questions answered
This story idea came from audience members, like you, who asked about the RSV vaccine. Email us your questions. We are listening: [email protected]. It’s that time of year, respiratory illnesses are going around — including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Typically, mild…
Many Canadians experience hearing loss and don’t know it. Here’s how to prevent and treat it
The Dose25:41How can I prevent and treat hearing loss? Martha Perusse still remembers the day two decades ago when she wore hearing aids for the first time, at the age of 48. “I picked them up and went right back to…
Does microdosing magic mushrooms help people with mental health issues? Science is trying to find out
WARNING: This story contains mentions of suicide “Microdosing saved my life,” says Andrina Stan. Stan, 35, works as an integrated therapist in Toronto and has struggled with her mental health at times. Stan says she believes it was psilocybin, the…
Salmonella-tainted cantaloupe is killing Canadians. How scientists track the outbreak
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. At least five people in Canada…
1 in 9 Canadian adults have experienced long-term COVID symptoms, StatsCan says
About one in nine Canadian adults have experienced long-term symptoms from COVID-19 infection, according to a Statistics Canada report issued Friday. That amounts to 3.5 million Canadians, it said. Almost 80 per cent of those people with long-term symptoms have…
Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation declares state of emergency over opioid crisis
The Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation has declared a state of emergency over the opioid crisis as overdoses and deaths continue to devastate the community. “The community has become very concerned and have decided that enough is enough,” Chief Greg Sarazin…
Amid diabetes drug shortage, Health Canada advises against most new prescriptions of Ozempic
Health Canada is recommending that prescribers not start new patients on diabetes drugs such as Ozempic because of a worldwide shortage, except under certain conditions. The federal department said Wednesday it is working with manufacturers to monitor supplies. Global demand for Ozempic…
Province preparing audit plan for medical clinics charging membership fees
Alberta’s government is preparing an audit plan to investigate potential health policy breaches by medical clinics charging membership fees for services. Medically necessary care is guaranteed as part of the Canada Health Act. Provincial health insurance covers hospital visits and…
Montreal doctors urge parents to keep kids away from crowded ERs if they can
If your child is sick — but doesn’t require immediate care — avoid going to the emergency room this holiday season, staff at two Montreal pediatric hospitals said on Wednesday. A cocktail of respiratory viruses has been sickening adults and…
Melatonin commonly taken by kids not a magic bullet, pediatricians say
New research says it’s becoming “exceedingly common” for children and teens in the U.S. to take melatonin supplements for sleep, a trend some Canadian pediatricians are watching with caution in this country. Researchers behind a University of Colorado Boulder letter published in the…
Health Canada approves updated Novavax vaccine to protect against COVID-19
Health Canada has authorized an adapted vaccine from Novavax to prevent COVID-19 in people age 12 and older. Novavax’s product — Nuvaxovid XBB.1.5 Omicron subvariant COVID-19 vaccine — uses a more traditional approach to defend the body against severe infection, hospitalization and death….
They found a family doctor, but say nobody told them
More people have come forward with concerns about a lack of communication from the Appletree chain of clinics in Ottawa when patients became attached to family doctors with little notice or no follow-up. CBC News recently published a story about…
B.C. doctor fired for refusing COVID-19 shot loses bid to get hospital privileges back
A B.C. doctor who was fired after refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 has lost her bid to get her hospital privileges back. The Hospital Appeal Board has found that Dr. Theresa Szezepaniak’s refusal of the shot in 2021 amounted…
Canada-made fentanyl being sold overseas, RCMP says
A senior RCMP officer says Canada has become both a producer and exporter of illegal fentanyl and it’s a ‘significant problem.’
Dubai climate talks focus on health as Canadian doctors warn patients already seeing impacts
A group of Canadian doctors are in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, this week at COP28 to raise awareness about the impacts climate change is having on the health of patients and the overall health-care system. The closure of the Yellowknife,…
In the bleak midwinter: Lightening your mood when dark days bring on seasonal depression
The Dose24:45How can I take care of my mental health through the dark months? Read Transcribed Audio As winter sets in and daylight fades earlier, you may be starting to notice some familiar patterns. Perhaps you’re having a hard time…
As temperatures rise, dengue fever infections keep surging around the world
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 Bangladesh, roughly 300,000 people have…
Doctor will repay $100K loan provided as incentive to work in northern Manitoba town
A family doctor who committed to work for a decade in a northern Manitoba community — and then left within two years — says she has agreed to repay a $100,000 interest-free loan provided as a recruitment incentive. Dr. Andrea…