Health News

Catherine Adamson

Families ask why B.C. surgeon still allowed to see patients after string of negligence claims

Bethany Lindsay | News/Canada/British Columbia | Thu, 30 Mar 2023 04:00:00 EDT

Two recent rulings against Dr. Tracy Hicks follow a long series of malpractice allegations made in court throughout the orthopedic surgeon's career. read more

Ozempic

What is Ozempic and why is B.C. cracking down on sales of the drug to Americans?

CBC News | News/Canada/British Columbia | Wed, 29 Mar 2023 16:52:41 EDT

Thousands of people in the U.S. have been getting the diabetes drug Ozempic from pharmacies in B.C. this year, prompting the province to announce a restriction on sales to avoid a local shortage. Here's how Americans are turning to pharmacies north of the border — and why. read more

Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé

CAQ unveils Santé Québec, the new agency in charge of fixing the province's health-care system

Antoni Nerestant | News/Canada/Montreal | Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:47:31 EDT

The Coalition Avenir Québec government has tabled bill aimed at making the health-care system more efficient and more accessible. If Bill 15 becomes law, Santé Québec will become the new agency that oversees the province's health-care system. read more

Alta-Election 20221209

Danielle Smith discussed COVID charges 'almost weekly' with justice officials, according to leaked call

Elise von Scheel,Meghan Grant,Jason Markusoff | News/Canada/Calgary | Wed, 29 Mar 2023 12:13:45 EDT

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith spoke to a pastor just weeks before his criminal trial on pandemic-related charges, promising she would again discuss his case with justice officials, beyond the pleas she had already made on COVID-related prosecutions. read more

FedBudget-Main 20230328

Budget 2023 offers billions for dental care, plus spending cuts and tax hikes to tame deficit

John Paul Tasker | News/Politics | Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:13:23 EDT

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled a federal budget Tuesday projecting a deficit about $10 billion higher than initially forecast — an increase driven by a worsening economy and new spending on initiatives like a national dental care program. read more

Ozempic Diabetes Weight Loss Drug

B.C. to restrict sales of diabetes drug Ozempic to non-Canadians as demand soars amid weight-loss claims

Rhianna Schmunk | News/Canada/British Columbia | Tue, 28 Mar 2023 11:06:38 EDT

The province of British Columbia says it's planning to restrict how much Ozempic can be sold to non-Canadian citizens as American demand for the diabetes drug surges, driven by celebrities and online influencers claiming it can help with weight loss. read more

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster

WHO recommends COVID-19 boosters for high-risk adults 6-12 months after last dose

Reuters | News/Health | Tue, 28 Mar 2023 13:12:10 EDT

The World Health Organization has tailored its COVID-19 vaccination recommendations for a new phase of the pandemic, suggesting that healthy children and adolescents may not necessarily need a shot but older, high-risk groups should get a booster between six-to-12 months after their last vaccine. read more

stethoscope

Alberta doctors sound alarm over low number of grads seeking residency in province

Janet French | News/Canada/Edmonton | Tue, 28 Mar 2023 08:00:00 EDT

The number of medical residencies in Alberta that go unfilled has grown during the last decade, especially in family medicine, data from the Canadian Resident Matching Service shows. read more

cbc pei leaders debate march 27

P.E.I. party leaders debate health care, housing ahead of provincial election

Cody MacKay | News/Canada/PEI | Mon, 27 Mar 2023 17:00:00 EDT

Health care took centre stage as the leaders of Prince Edward Island's four main political parties faced off in a televised debate ahead of the provincial election. read more

Ontario ends pandemic program that offered uninsured health care

Ontario ends pandemic program that offered uninsured health care

| News/Canada/Sudbury/Programs/Morning North | Tue, 28 Mar 2023 00:00:00 EDT

People in Ontario who don’t have health insurance will have to start paying for health services again soon. The province is ending a pandemic program that covered health care for patients without OHIP. Dr. Naheed Dosani explains why he thinks that’s the wrong move. read more

Ont-OHIP-Optometrists 20230327

Ontario minister defends covering fewer eye exams for seniors

The Canadian Press | News/Canada/Toronto | Mon, 27 Mar 2023 22:39:09 EDT

Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones is defending a move to reduce the frequency of eye exams for healthy seniors, saying Monday that changes to funding for optometry services involve "fine tuning" the coverage. read more

Dr. JJ Mracek

How an autism diagnosis helped this resident doctor find her place in medicine

Jason Vermes | Radio/White Coat, Black Art | Sun, 26 Mar 2023 04:00:00 EDT

Despite previous success in school, Dr. JJ Mráček struggled to find her footing in medicine. Then, just before she finished med school, Mráček got a diagnosis at age 32 that felt like a puzzle being finished: she is autistic. read more

Fragrance-Allergies 20230324

Cosmetic brands may have to disclose fragrance ingredients — a welcome change for Canadians with allergies

Camille Bains | News/Health | Fri, 24 Mar 2023 15:56:28 EDT

Proposed regulations from Health Canada will require the cosmetics industry to disclose 24 fragrance allergens on product labels. read more

Eye Exam

Ontario changes eye exam eligibility for seniors, those with cataracts, other conditions

Allison Jones | News/Canada/Toronto | Fri, 24 Mar 2023 14:43:10 EDT

Ontario has reached a funding agreement with optometrists that increases some payments to them and changes eligibility for some assessments, including less frequent general eye exams for seniors. read more

Maxidol & Aleve

Shoppers Drug Mart eliminates 'pink tax' on menstrual pain medication following CBC investigation

Jenny Cowley,Charlsie Agro | News/Business | Fri, 24 Mar 2023 04:00:00 EDT

Marketplace found two examples of menstrual pain medication costing more than their general pain relief counterparts at Shoppers Drug Mart, which said it will align the prices “within a week.” read more

toronto decriminalization

Toronto wants to expand drug decriminalization to cover all ages and substances

Jordan Omstead | News/Canada/Toronto | Fri, 24 Mar 2023 14:13:21 EDT

Toronto has updated its 14-month-old decriminalization request to the federal government, clarifying it wants a Health Canada exemption to cover all drugs for personal use, and that the exemption should extend to young people as well as adults.  read more

Shutterstock - medium file

N.B. surgeries down 13% compared to pre-pandemic levels, data shows

Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon | News/Canada/New Brunswick | Fri, 24 Mar 2023 05:00:00 EDT

About 20,500 fewer surgeries were performed in New Brunswick during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to pre-pandemic levels, new data shows. read more

Hospital at Home

This U.K. team brings hospital care into homes. Could more of these programs help Canada?

Jonathan Ore | Radio/White Coat, Black Art | Fri, 24 Mar 2023 04:00:00 EDT

Health-care teams in the U.K. are providing hospital-quality care for people in their homes to help ease systems facing a shortage of hospital beds. And while versions of these programs exist in Canada, some experts say we need more of them. read more

Health-Care 20221212

Jagmeet Singh says Liberals must expand dental care program to maintain deal with NDP

CBC News | News/Politics | Thu, 23 Mar 2023 14:50:50 EDT

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says next week's federal budget must expand dental care in order to maintain the confidence-and-supply agreement his party has with the Liberals. He said he also wants to see some action on mental health, financial supports for the vulnerable and a response to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act. read more

Moss Park Overdose Prevention Site

'Tranq dope': Dangerous animal tranquillizer spreading in Canada's street drugs

Adam Miller,Alison Northcott | News/Health | Thu, 23 Mar 2023 04:00:00 EDT

Canada's highly toxic illicit drug supply is worsening with the emergence of xylazine, a dangerous and unpredictable animal tranquillizer that's putting drug users' lives at risk in alarming new ways. read more

Rare, flesh-eating bacteria on the rise in U.S. waters. Will it reach Canada?

Rare, flesh-eating bacteria on the rise in U.S. waters. Will it reach Canada?

Health/bacteria Vibrio vulnificus/Climate Change Canada | Wed, 29 Mar 2023 14:45:57 +0000

A rare and fatal flesh-eating bacteria is slowly creeping up the eastern U.S. coast, and experts warn that it could eventually find its way into Canada. read more

WHO now recommends high-risk people get COVID booster 12 months after last dose

WHO now recommends high-risk people get COVID booster 12 months after last dose

Health/COVID/COVID booster | Tue, 28 Mar 2023 14:58:39 +0000

The WHO on Tuesday changed its recommendations for COVID vaccines, suggesting that high-risk populations should receive an additional dose 12 months after their last booster. read more

Shoppers Drug Mart steps away from medical cannabis with business shift

Shoppers Drug Mart steps away from medical cannabis with business shift

Canada/Cannabis/Health | Tue, 28 Mar 2023 13:46:09 +0000

Shoppers Drug Mart is moving away from its medical cannabis distribution business and preparing to transfer patients to a platform run by biopharmaceutical company Avicanna Inc. read more

Baby formula shortage still hitting Canadian parents: ‘Buy whatever is on the shelf’

Baby formula shortage still hitting Canadian parents: ‘Buy whatever is on the shelf’

Canada/Health/baby formula | Tue, 28 Mar 2023 10:00:24 +0000

Infant formula shortages continue to leave many Canadian store shelves bare and experts say the problem for parents may continue for some time yet. read more

Bird flu’s momentum in Canada worries experts: ‘Potential to become a pandemic’

Bird flu’s momentum in Canada worries experts: ‘Potential to become a pandemic’

Canada/Health/avian bird flu | Sat, 25 Mar 2023 12:00:17 +0000

The bird flu is spreading across Canada, leaving some experts worried about its potential to become more transmissible among humans, and potentially sparking another pandemic. read more

Eye drops recalled in U.S. after reports of vision loss, deaths

Eye drops recalled in U.S. after reports of vision loss, deaths

Health/Trending/U.S. News | Fri, 24 Mar 2023 15:11:07 +0000

Three people in the U.S. are dead after a rare strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria was discovered in EzriCare and Delsam Pharma eye drops. read more

Changes in cosmetic labels could bring relief for Canadians with allergies

Changes in cosmetic labels could bring relief for Canadians with allergies

Canada/Health/allergies | Fri, 24 Mar 2023 11:36:08 +0000

Health Canada is currently doing an online consultation as part of a requirement that would have the cosmetic industry include 24 fragrance allergens on labels. read more

Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal workers blocked by U.S. appeals court

Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal workers blocked by U.S. appeals court

Health/U.S. News/Biden vaccine mandate | Fri, 24 Mar 2023 00:53:23 +0000

The court rejected arguments that Biden, as the nation's chief executive, has the same authority as the CEO of a private corporation to require that employees be vaccinated. read more

Halifax patient says medical records being held ‘hostage’ after losing family doctor

Halifax patient says medical records being held ‘hostage’ after losing family doctor

Health/Doctor Shortage/DOCUdavit Solutions | Thu, 23 Mar 2023 21:47:30 +0000

Cornelia Schneider estimates it will cost her family $350 to obtain their medical records. She said she is also concerned about her private information being held 'hostage.' read more

50% of Canadian cancer patients faced surgery delay last year amid ongoing COVID backlog

50% of Canadian cancer patients faced surgery delay last year amid ongoing COVID backlog

Health/canada cancer surgery/Canada News | Thu, 23 Mar 2023 19:40:18 +0000

The Canadian Institute for Health Information found that between April and September 2022, half of cancer patients waited one to three days longer for surgery than before COVID. read more

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