Category: Health Fitness

WARNING: This story discusses suicide.  Verna Strickland was preparing for a wedding just a week before she lost a young relative to suicide. “[He] and his friend were up the ladder, putting up balloons and having fun as if nothing was happening in their mind,” Strickland said.  The 13-year-old boy in Strickland’s family died by […]

Peter Johnson walks into his Canadian Blood Services donation centre in Saint John every week to give plasma.  ​As a child, Johnson suffered from idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, which leads to bruising and bleeding. He was treated with steroids, but today, one of the treatments is intravenous immunoglobulin, made from plasma.  That’s why he has been giving plasma ever since he was old […]

The CurrentHIV in Kenya is under control. Trump could change that Ibrahim Lwingi lost both of his parents due to HIV-related illnesses when he was 14. The Nairobi native describes himself as an orphan even today — he’s now 43.  The virus also took the lives of some of his uncles, and Lwingi, who is […]

Doctors are urging parents to make sure their kids are up to date on their shots as measles continues spreading in Manitoba. Measles has sent 13 people in the province to hospital this year, two needing intensive care, said Dr. Davinder Singh, a medical officer of health with Southern Health, which has expanded vaccine access […]

An organization that bills itself as Canada’s oldest HIV service agency says it will close next year, in part due to groundbreaking medical advances that have reduced the need for its services. AIDS Committee of Toronto says plummeting demand coincided with financial challenges and broader changes in the health-care system, leading to the decision to […]

Wastewater and other disease indicators for COVID-19 are beginning to increase in parts of Canada, infectious disease physicians say, as students and teachers return to school and people begin to congregate indoors more often. It’s an end-of-summer trend that’s been consistent for the past few years, with doctors recommending Canadians consider precautions like vaccination, hand hygiene […]

Read this story in Tagalog. / Basahin ang artikulo na ito sa Tagalog. As a registered nurse, Charlee Flores has always taken an interest in how her profession is portrayed on television. But when she started watching the HBO Max medical drama The Pitt and the NBC comedy series St. Denis Medical, she was heartened […]

Cost of LivingAre braces the new mid-life convertible? Remember when the ticket to recapturing your youth was buying a flashy set of wheels? Mid-life crisis car! Well, things have changed. As producer Danielle Nerman finds, more Canadians are marking middle-age with a trip to the orthodontist. At mid-life, Nathan Pylypuk never imagined he would enter […]

In her childhood home on the Capilano Reserve, across Burrard Inlet from Vancouver, Shanille Lewis-Winkles, a member of the Squamish Nation, gave birth to her sons. The first words her children heard were of the Squamish language spoken by her mother. The decision to give birth at her childhood home was one that Lewis-Winkles says allowed her […]

Cross Country CheckupHow is AI changing your life? For Andrew Tutty, driving on the open road meant freedom — the ability to get into a car, turn the key and go anywhere, at any time.  That all changed when he lost his eyesight as an adult, and his license to drive along with it. “That […]

Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government is committed to signing pharmacare deals with all provinces and territories, ending months of speculation about the program being cut short. The Liberals launched the first phase of the national pharmacare program last year, with the support of the NDP, to cover the cost of contraceptives and some […]

The federal government has launched a new strategy to reduce the number of animals used in regulatory laboratory testing across Canada — a strategy that some experts estimate could result in thousands fewer animals each year being subjected to painful or toxic tests. The strategy, published online in mid-July, calls for the government to identify […]

Horizon Health Network has reintroduced mandatory masking in all patient-facing clinical areas in all of its facilities, starting Wednesday, citing a rise in respiratory virus activity. All health-care workers, patients, social visitors, and designated support people will be required to wear a medical grade face mask, also known as a surgical or procedure mask, at all […]

A  family from Grande Prairie, Alta., has been awarded damages in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit over medical care of their infant daughter, who became a quadruple amputee after a bacterial infection was treated too late. The girl, now 15, is identified only by the initials KB in a pair of court decisions in the case. She […]

Air quality advisories are in effect across British Columbia as wildfire smoke continues to blanket the province. Metro Vancouver issued a new air quality warning Wednesday for the region, as well as the Fraser Valley, due to elevated fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke.  In a statement, the regional district said the haze is expected to […]

Doctors are calling for restrictions on sports betting ads, saying they are setting youth up for a future of problem gambling. “I have seen people’s lives fall apart at all ages, from all walks of life, whether it’s an accountant with a career behind him, or a kid who’s just looking to maximize his college […]

Doctors are calling for restrictions on sports betting ads, saying they are setting youth up for a future of problem gambling. An editorial published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Monday says the ads are everywhere during sports broadcasts and the legalization of online gambling has made every smartphone a potential betting platform. Editor […]

Ontario’s top doctor is calling for a national immunization schedule and registry to address gaps exposed by the resurgence of measles in Canada — but first, he says his own province needs a centralized digital vaccine system. Dr. Kieran Moore’s annual report, recently tabled with the provincial legislature, says a co-ordinated approach from all levels […]

Old Dutch Foods is recalling a flavour of its Ridgies chips over undeclared milk allergen. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) recall notice flags Ridgies Sour Cream, Green Onion & Bacon Flavour Potato Chips because milk allergen may be present but isn’t declared on the label. “Do not use, sell, serve or distribute the affected […]

The World Health Organization has added GLP-1 drugs to treat diabetes to its essential medicines list alongside treatments for cystic fibrosis and cancer, and said it hopes this will help improve global access to the costly drugs. The list, consisting of 523 medicines for adults and 374 for children, is a catalogue of the drugs […]

England is planning to ban the sale of highly caffeinated energy drinks to kids under 16. Some experts say they’d like to see Canada do the same — or ramp up other restrictions on the drinks. Dr. Olivier Drouin, a pediatrician at Montreal’s Sainte-Justine University Hospital Centre, says Canada should also restrict sales to those […]

Two Canadian patients with spinal cord injuries have received Neuralink brain implants that have allowed them to control a computer with their thoughts. They are part of the first clinical trial outside of the United States to test the safety and effectiveness of Elon Musk’s Neuralink wireless brain chip, which he introduced to the public […]

With its sunny weather, sandy beaches and amusement parks, Florida draws millions of visitors each year, including 3.4 million Canadians in 2024, according to the state’s last count.  But in light of its plan to end vaccine mandates, doctors say visitors should be vigilant about diseases like measles, whooping cough and polio before visiting the Sunshine […]

Congo’s health ministry on Thursday announced a new Ebola outbreak, the 16th in the Central African country, after a case was confirmed in southern Kasai province. “To date, the provisional report shows 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including 14 in Boulapé and one in Mweka, as well as four health-care workers,” said Samuel-Roger Kamba, Congo’s […]

The Public Health Agency of Canada is cutting roughly 10 per cent of its employees as it continues to shrink its workforce in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “As part of PHAC’s post-pandemic recalibration and ongoing efforts to adjust to new salary allocations, the agency must focus resources on government-funded priorities. This means re-prioritizing […]

Alberta’s measles surge appears to be slowing, but with children back in school this week health experts caution another rapid upswing could be around the corner. The magnitude of the province’s outbreaks has sparked widespread concern for months, eclipsing the total case counts for the entire United States in July. Alberta continues to report more cases, on […]

It took months of mapping cases, dozens of locations sampled and weeks of lab sequencing to determine the likely culprit behind a recent outbreak of legionnaires’ disease in London, Ont. — one that killed four people and infected about 100 others. It’s just the latest example of why it’s so difficult to pinpoint where the illness is spreading from.  […]

Health officials in northeast B.C. are warning the measles outbreak isn’t over, and could flare up again as schools reopen and students return to the classroom. Cases across the Northern Health region have nearly doubled over the past month, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.  Dr. Jong Kim, chief medical health officer for Northern Health, says […]

Mark Davison was assured he had the correct total: $53.36. That sum is the monthly payment he was approved to receive from the new Canada Disability Benefit, billed by the federal government at the outset as a tool to lift hundreds of thousands of Canadians with disabilities out of poverty. “Quite honestly, I thought that was […]

Newfoundland parent Scott Chandler jokes that September is usually a whirlwind he “kind of dreads,” between juggling the back-to-school season for his son Rhys and restarting a host of his extracurriculars, like hockey, karate and swimming lessons. This year, however, he’s looking forward to the normalcy of that busy schedule.  They’ve been caught in a different sort […]

The CurrentIs a weighted vest right for you? Fitness trainer Kalli Youngstrom thinks weighted vests can be a great tool for fitting exercise into your daily routine — as long as you don’t mind looking like a Navy SEAL on the school run. “It looks like a SWAT vest. It gets a lot of looks when […]

Montreal The agency announced that four separate items are being recalled due to possible contamination including products from the Montreal-based company Allo Simonne and two baklava pastries that were sold at a mall in Laval. Some of the affected products were sold between Aug. 9 and 16, says federal agency The Canadian Press · Posted: […]

Lindsey Coyle of Fort Frances agreed to give up her licence during a disciplinary hearing Thursday by Ontario’s governing body for nurses, three years after she pleaded guilty in the 2015 death of an elderly patient.  Coyle was a registered practical nurse at La Verendrye Hospital. She pleaded guilty in 2022 to criminal negligence causing […]

Billions in initial payments from tobacco companies are about to flow into provincial and territorial coffers on Friday as part of a $32.5 billion settlement, with Ontario and Quebec both set to receive over a billion dollars, and the other provinces millions more. And anti-smoking advocates are urging the provinces and territories to use money from the […]

As London, Ont., deals with the fallout from the latest legionnaires’ outbreak, there’s a call for stricter regulations to help prevent mass spread of the bacteria that cause the respiratory infection. On Tuesday, the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) said the likely source of a deadly outbreak this summer and one a year ago is the cooling tower at Sofina […]

About 780,000 pressure washers sold at retailers like Home Depot are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada, due to a projectile hazard that has resulted in fractures and other injuries among some consumers. According to a Thursday recall notice published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), TTI Outdoor Power Equipment is recalling […]

The likely source of a persistent outbreak of legionnaires’ disease that’s killed four people and sent nearly 90 people to hospital in London, Ont., has been determined. The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) said Tuesday that it has matched the bacterial subtype that can cause pneumonia-like symptoms in people to Sofina Foods Inc., a meat-processing plant that employs hundreds of […]

Warning: This story contains images of an open wound that some people may find disturbing. Just when you thought there was enough going on in the world to frazzle your nerves, along comes a flesh-eating parasite that has been spreading among livestock in Central America and has now infected a recent traveller from the United States […]

They look like small, pillowy cushions. They come in flavours like chocolate and blueberry, and they promise a zap of energy.  Caffeine pouches are all over social media platforms. Videos on TikTok show young people trying them out. Others point out they’re available to buy, even for underage people. Some mention they can be used if you’re struggling […]

Albertans who don’t qualify for free COVID-19 vaccinations in their home province can get one in British Columbia. B.C.’s Ministry of Health confirmed that detail in response to a query from CBC News. Canadian residents can get vaccinated due to a reciprocal agreement between all provinces and territories.  “Any publicly funded immunization in B.C. can be provided at no cost to any […]

When Rosanna Gallant, 32, was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome in April, she sighed with relief.  Polycystic ovary syndrome, known widely by its acronym PCOS, is “the most common endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age,” according to a 2016 study by the National Institutes of Health. It causes infertility, irregular menstrual bleeding, ovarian cysts, excessive […]

Heat warnings are in effect for some parts of British Columbia Monday, with high temperatures expected to last through the week.  In the Fraser Canyon and South Thompson regions, the mercury could climb up to 39 C in some areas, according to Environment Canada. Those regions can expect overnight lows of about 18 C over the […]

People trying to quit smoking should not reach for e-cigarettes or vapes as their first choice to butt out, a new Canadian guideline says. Instead, clinicians should stay updated on whether their patients smoke or not, and offer them options to quit that have been proven effective, including medications, nicotine replacements and counselling. Those interventions […]

Three years after Nova Scotia Health welcomed volunteers back to all of its hospitals, the number of people willing to give up their time in exchange for supporting patients remains well below where it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. The health authority’s efforts to recruit more volunteers come after a decline in volunteering at hospitals across Canada. According to Statistics […]

Two provinces have implemented pharmacare this year, two more jurisdictions are preparing to roll it out and the rest of the country doesn’t know if Ottawa still intends to subsidize some prescription drugs for them, too. National pharmacare may become a regional privilege afforded to only four of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories.  Health Minister Marjorie Michel raised suspicions […]

For the longest time, Stephanie McCabe and Andre Doucette accepted that their six-year-old son Emmett would die young.  The family learned Emmett had Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare genetic disease affecting the brain and nervous system — sometimes referred to as childhood Alzheimer’s because of similar symptoms— just as he was starting preschool. Children with Sanfilippo […]

An Ontario family is calling on the provincial government to introduce legislation that would set maximum emergency room wait times for children after their teenage son died following an eight-hour wait for a doctor in a hospital last year. GJ and Hazel van der Werken, of Burlington, Ont., said their 16-year-old son, Finlay, had a […]

If you want to get a vasectomy in B.C., you’re faced with two choices: sit on a waitlist for months, or pay $2,000 to go to a private clinic. Advocates with B.C. Family Doctors say the province should increase the amount doctors are able to charge to the Medical Services Plan (MSP) for the procedure […]

Reported opioids deaths decreased nationally in Canada by 17 per cent last year, federal figures show, but the decreases aren’t happening uniformly across the country, according to a new report.  The Public Health Agency of Canada released the most recent data on opioid toxicity deaths showing in 2024, 20 people on average lost their lives […]

A B.C. ostrich farm has lost its case to save its birds from a cull order issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in January. The decision was released today by the Federal Court of Appeal. The case has attracted the attention of U.S. Secretary of Health, Robert Francis Kennedy, Jr., who has called on the […]

In a partial policy reversal, Alberta’s government said Tuesday it will cover the cost of COVID-19 vaccinations for health-care workers. Maddison McKee, spokesperson to Primary and Preventative Health Services Minister Adriana LaGrange, said in an email that COVID-19 vaccine coverage will be extended to all health-care workers this fall under the first phase of the […]

Dr. Alex Carignan posted this photo of the rash from a patient with Quebec’s first reported case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever on social media this week. (Dr. Alex Carignan/X) Quebec has reported a case of the potentially deadly tick-borne disease Rocky Mountain spotted fever that was likely acquired in Ontario or Quebec. The disease was reported in […]

The government of the Northwest Territories is introducing a different type of vending machine to communities in the territory. They are called Healthboxes and provide the public with health supplies for free.  HIV self-test kits, condoms, pregnancy tests, naloxone kits, toothbrushes and toothpaste are all items that can be found in these boxes, said Kami […]

Health Canada has approved Ozempic to reduce the risk of further kidney decline among patients with Type 2 diabetes. Between 30 and 50 per cent of people with Type 2 diabetes develop some form of chronic kidney disease. An international clinical trial, called FLOW, showed the risk of kidneys significantly deteriorating or failing was 24 […]

Girls and boys who were exclusively breastfed during their first four to six months showed a reduced risk of early puberty, according to a large new study from South Korea that Canadian doctors say could apply here.  The study, published in Monday’s issue of JAMA Network Open, looked back at the diets and development of more […]

Manitoba plans to update its RSV immunization program this fall, but the province is not committing to following several other provinces and territories in extending the preventative treatment to all newborns and young children. Respiratory syncytial virus mainly infects infants and young children and can cause coughing, runny nose, fever and loss of appetite, and can affect […]

More brands of TikTok-famous chocolates with pistachios have been recalled over salmonella concerns, with food scientists saying the nuts can be prime suspects for causing outbreaks of foodborne illness. On Thursday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said more types of Dubai pistachio and knafeh milk chocolate have been recalled, following earlier recalls of Habibi brand of […]

Health experts, advocates and unions are sounding the alarm over Alberta’s plan for paid COVID-19 shots, calling it concerning and confusing. On Monday, two months after the province announced it was adding a fee, it opened online pre-ordering for the vaccine. Albertans still need to book appointments for the shots, starting in October. Dr. James […]

The CurrentWhat’s it like to have dementia? This care centre can teach you What if you could truly feel what it’s like to grow old — as your body slows down, your senses fade, and the world becomes harder to navigate — years before your own time comes?  At a Toronto simulation centre, that understanding becomes visceral, […]

As It Happens2 1/2 years of civil war fuels cholera crisis in Sudan Two weeks ago, a human body was removed from a well in a refugee camp in Sudan, according to Doctors Without Borders. Two days later, people were drinking the water again. It’s a distressing illustration of the situation Sudan’s residents are facing […]

A daycare in Brantford, Ont., is closed for a public health inspection after a bat found at the centre tested positive for rabies.  Grand Erie Public Health (GEPH) said Friday that it confirmed a bat discovered Monday at Creative Minds Daycare tested positive on Wednesday for the virus, prompting concern from parents. The daycare told CBC […]

The scientific director and vice president of research at Lawson Research Institute has left the organization, a week after it emerged that clandestine cardiac tests were being performed on dogs at St. Joseph’s Hospital, prompting public outcry. In a brief email to senior staff on Thursday, Roy Butler, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health Care […]

Ashley Wilkinson has found racism is an ongoing challenge in health-care settings in Canada, which is why the PhD candidate at the University of Northern British Columbia is getting the first-hand accounts of Black and Indigenous people who say they’ve experienced it. For her doctoral work, Wilkinson, who’s also a research co-ordinator at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, […]

Several times a week, a man facing homelessness and mental health issues comes to the busy emergency department in downtown Toronto where Dr. Bernard Ho works, and doctors there treat him despite not being paid to do so. That’s because the man doesn’t have a valid health card — and he’s not the only one.  Ho said many […]

Joey Laguio remembers waking up every morning in high school with a sense of dread. “It felt like always being chased by something,” said Laguio, now 33 and living in Vancouver. After he enrolled in engineering at the University of British Columbia, his first major panic attack hit. Breathing was hard and he trembled, consumed with […]

CEO Pat Parfrey was one of four Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services officials who appeared at the House of Assembly’s public accounts committee on Tuesday afternoon. (Ted Dillon/CBC) Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services expects to soon have a comprehensive review done on payments made to a travel nursing agency cited in a recent bombshell report […]

It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. About CBC Accessibility Accessibility Feedback

Premier Doug Ford warned Ontario scientists who use cats and dogs in research experiments that he would be “hunting” them down to end such work. Ford said it was unacceptable for beagles to be used in cardiac testing that had been approved by London’s Lawson Research Institute and St. Joseph’s Health Care London, and promised to introduce legislation […]

Adam Davidson-Harden is admittedly a latecomer to appreciating William Shakespeare, but the Ontario high school teacher now likens studying the Bard to “lifting weights, for language.” He said he worries that mental muscles aren’t getting a workout these days if students lean on shortcuts like generative artificial intelligence for schoolwork. When Davidson-Harden queried a student about […]

A Manitoba health authority has admitted an Indigenous man, who died four months after a delayed confirmation his cancer had returned, was subject to racism while seeking treatment. Stephen Rockwell’s mother, Leona Massan, said hearing that from health officials in July provided a “tiny bit of peace,” but it doesn’t undo the pain of a health-care system that brushed her […]

Until this month, Nicole Rochon never thought about moving away from Témiscaming, Que.  She has a house, lives by the lake and chose the community of a few thousand people as her retirement spot. Despite her love for the town nestled along the Ottawa River and bordering Ontario, a new barrier to accessing health care might […]

The deadly wildfires that swept through Los Angeles this year likely contributed to hundreds more deaths, say researchers calling for better health tracking in the wake of natural disasters. As Canadian communities from B.C. to Newfoundland battle flames and drifting smoke, new research from JAMA medical journal published Wednesday draws attention to the long-term health […]

Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products. Recall warnings have been issued for some products from the brands Habibi, Al Mokhtar Food Centre and Dubai. The Public Health Agency of Canada says 52 cases of salmonella […]

Chinese health officials are responding to an outbreak of a mosquito-borne virus that can cause severe pain. More than 7,000 cases of chikungunya have been reported in the Chinese province of Guangdong in recent weeks, with most in the southern city of Foshan.  Reports from the region say those who are infected are being quarantined in hospital until they […]

The measles outbreak in southwestern Ontario has put the spotlight on vaccine hesitancy in some of the province’s Mennonite communities in recent months.  Public health units were dealing with hundreds of sick people, primarily children, this past spring, with the number of cases only recently dropping off in July. Southwestern Public Health, which covers an […]

Quebec doctors are sounding the alarm over recent deepfake videos that have been appearing online, saying they can erode public trust in the medical system and put people’s health at risk. The AI-generated videos use the likeness of real doctors to give questionable health-care advice and falsely advertise or sell certain products.  “It is something […]

WARNING: This story contains details of abuse. Kendal Lee Campeau spent most of his life in and out of prison. The last time he went in, he never came out. He was serving a seven-year sentence for assault, escaping lawful custody and possession of illicit substances, among other charges. In 2021, less than two years […]

A report by the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC) confirms what many Indigenous communities have long known: the rate of death for house fires in Indigenous communities is higher than in non-Indigenous communities.  The report, commissioned by the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council (NIFSC) and published earlier this month, found the rate of death was around 5 […]

A new research project in Regina is using geo-data on discarded needles around the city and pop-up testing sites for sexually-transmitted infections to improve health-care access and reduce Saskatchewan’s high rates of HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis. The project is a partnership between AIDS Programs South Saskatchewan (APSS) and the University of Regina. The team […]

The spread of measles both within provinces and between one another is keeping doctors and health officials across much of Canada on their toes. The pace of the outbreak is accelerating in Alberta and more than 3,400 people have been confirmed with measles there and in Ontario so far this year. Measles hangs in the […]

Canadians’ electronic health records need more protections to prevent foreign entities from accessing patient data, according to commentary in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.  “Canadian privacy law is badly outdated,” said Michael Geist, law professor and Canada Research Chair in internet and e-commerce law at the University of Ottawa and co-author of the commentary. “We’re now […]

Katie Maracle’s nightmare has now come true. Her husband Murray Maracle is from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory near Belleville, Ont., and their only child, eight-year-old Ethan Maracle, is autistic, non-verbal and has epilepsy. He’s used the Jordan’s Principle initiative to access therapy and education since 2018-19. Jordan’s Principle exists to ensure First Nations youth can access essential health and social services […]

“I know it’s not stylish,” admits Nicholas Ogden, “but it actually does prevent the ticks.” He tucks his pants into his socks, then sprays insect repellant over both. The scientist is preparing to test a section of Mont-Saint Bruno, a hill in southern Quebec, for ticks — without catching the diseases they carry. Today, he’s […]

Wildfire smoke in Manitoba could be even more toxic than usual and more research needs to be done on the pollutants being released into the air, according to scientists.  The fires may be releasing pollution stored in the province’s soil for millennia, including toxic chemicals from more than a century of resource exploitation in the north, […]

Nora Nunn-Murphy doesn’t know how her Halifax-area family will come up with more than $85,000 for a rare hip surgery in the United States, but she knows she has to try. If not, her daughter may have little hope of walking as she gets older.  Nunn-Murphy’s seven-year-old daughter, Brenna Benoit, has cerebral palsy and a condition […]

There is a shortage of some commonly-prescribed painkillers in Canada, as companies that supply them deal with manufacturing disruptions and increased demand, according to a notice published on Health Canada’s website. The medications in question are acetaminophen with codeine (sometimes known as Tylenol 3) and acetaminophen with oxycodone (sometimes sold under the brand name Percocet). As a result of […]

Alberta Health Services says 18 people have tested positive for presumptive E. coli — three of whom also tested positive for a parasite that causes amoebiasis — in an outbreak at Saskatoon Farm. So far, 235 people have reported symptoms linked to the outbreak, officials said. Two people have been hospitalized, one of whom has been […]

Kendra Hebert had never seen a visibly disabled physician and has often questioned whether there was a place for her in medicine. (Meredyth Elisseou) This is a First Person column by Kendra Hebert, who lives in Garnett Settlement, N.B. For more information about First Person stories, see the FAQ. It was the first day of […]

Daytime parties are trending across Canada, with people trading alcohol and all-night clubbing for coffee and croissants. One such party is Croissound in Montreal, which is rethinking nightlife culture by gathering local DJs at cafés. So far, it’s presented four Canadian events this year, with thousands of attendees. Its most recent party was a free, ticketed […]

The new morgue, inside the Janeway Children’s Hospital, can store 96 bodies. (Elizabeth Whitten/CBC) Newfoundland and Labrador has vastly increased the number of bodies it can store in a new morgue facility in St. John’s, say health authority officials. Daniel Parsons, senior director of provincial capital planning and engineering with Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services, said this […]

The rate of serious liver disease among heavy drinkers has more than doubled over the last 20 years as the demographics around who is consuming more alcohol shift, a new study suggests. The research, published Wednesday in American medical journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, found that heavy alcohol use is up among women, older adults, lower-income individuals […]

Ava Haddad and Anna Gleig tell The National about the moment they rescued a foal from the fast rapids of the Kananaskis River in Alberta.

Overdoses at drop-in centres in Toronto have sharply increased since the provincial government shut down four supervised consumption sites in April, according to a coalition of community agencies.  Before the supervised consumption sites closed, there were typically less than 10 overdoses a month at drop-in sites — which include churches, food banks and neighbourhood centres — […]

The natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains has been like medicine for Melody Gaboury Scott. The Jasper woman said being outside in nature has helped her process last year’s devastating wildfire. Mental health is top of mind for many residents, officials and organizations, as the community marks the one-year anniversary of a wildfire that destroyed […]

19 hours ago News Duration 10:59 North American free trade is teetering on the edge of uncertainty as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs continue to complicate how goods come and go. Andrew Chang explores signs that free trade — as we’ve come to know it — is on its way out, and challenges that may […]

Provincial data obtained through a freedom-of-information request reveals that the number of patients in B.C. leaving emergency rooms without receiving care has spiked by 86 per cent — with the largest increases seen in the Fraser Health and Vancouver Island Health authorities.  The data reveals the number of unscheduled visits to emergency rooms across B.C.’s health authorities between […]

In the weeks leading up to her daughter’s second double lung transplant, Lisa Ali of Cole Harbour, N.S., said she was scared to answer the phone, unsure of who would be on the other end. For more than a year, she and her 20-year-old daughter, Tahlia Ali, had been living in Toronto waiting for the life-saving surgery […]

Police in Deux-Montagnes, Que., say one of the vehicles found in the Mille-Îles River by the group Exploring with a Mission belongs to Robert Saint-Louis, a Laval resident who has been missing since 1988.

When varsity rower Ruth McDonald competes, she’s thinking about pushing herself hard and winning the race. The potential of suffering a medical emergency — while always possible — is the last thing on her mind.  “Every sport, you have to be comfortable with pain and comfortable with getting uncomfortable,” she said. “So something like injury […]

Students from the Flin Flon, Man., high school’s graduating class tell The National what it was like to collect their diplomas at home nearly a month after a wildfire evacuation.

On a recent July day at the Digby General Hospital’s emergency department, visitors would have been greeted by a sign no one wants to encounter as they reach the front door: the site was closed. It’s a sign that’s been getting a lot of use lately. Digby, like many rural health-care facilities around Nova Scotia and […]

Twenty years after same-sex marriage became legal in Canada, couples who fought for that right and other advocates are celebrating the milestone while also acknowledging that there’s a long way to go before reaching full equality.

Natasha Ngindi says learning to listen to her body’s cues about hunger and fullness helped her eat better and feel better. (Submitted by Natasha Ngindi) This First Person article is the experience of Natasha Ngindi, who lives in Saskatoon. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. For most of my […]

1 day ago News Duration 4:40 Photos of U.S. President Donald Trump’s bruised hand and swollen ankles have led to speculation about his health. The White House confirmed Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency — a common condition associated with age. Andrew Chang talks to experts to understand the impacts of the vein […]

The DoseHow does poor air quality affect my health? Ask Dr. Chris Carlsten about the clear booth in his University of British Columbia (UBC) laboratory, and he’ll reassure you that it’s perfectly safe — even if volunteers spend multiple sessions in the chamber breathing in polluted air. “The duration varies, but the standard is two […]

Toronto Public Health has confirmed some mosquitos in the city have tested positive for West Nile virus, but say the risk of infection is low if precautions are taken. The findings mark the first positive cases this year after results came back on three batches of mosquitos collected in the city, the public health agency said […]

In the fight to better help people with severe and persistent mental illness in Ontario — which can sometimes result in costly detention in jails and hospitals — two opposing camps are lobbying the Ministry of Health in very different directions. On one side are those who think unwell patients are given too much freedom to […]

Eight healthy babies were born in Britain with the help of an experimental technique that uses DNA from three people to help mothers avoid passing devastating rare diseases to their children, researchers report. Most DNA is found in the nucleus of our cells, and it’s that genetic material — some inherited from mom, some from […]

Hospitalizations related to injuries from scooters and e-scooters have risen, according to new Canadian data, as emergency physicians warn the two-wheeled vehicles aren’t toys. The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) said Thursday that nearly 1,000 people were hospitalized for scooter-related injuries during the 12-month period starting April 1, 2023. That’s up from 810 during […]

First-generation Sask. rancher Kole Norman says he went through some dark times dealing with the stresses of the job and had trouble finding help. “I was definitely very suicidal.… I just felt really helpless,” he said. “I’d held off on reaching out. I didn’t want to seem weak or fragile. When I did end up […]

As Alberta’s measles outbreaks grow, researchers are now watching the province’s wastewater for the highly contagious virus and hoping to determine if the technology could eventually serve as an early detection tool. The magnitude of Alberta’s outbreaks and the speed at which cases are climbing has sparked widespread concern. As of midday Tuesday, 1,323 cases had been […]

Officials are pulling another brand of salami off the shelves due to an ongoing salmonella outbreak: Rea brand Soppressata Salami Sweet, according to an update from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Other products include Rea brand Genoa Salami Sweet, Rea brand Genoa Salami Hot and Bona brand Mild Genova Salami.  Consumers can subscribe for updates on recalled […]

The Federal Court of Appeal will hear arguments from a B.C. ostrich farm Tuesday as it seeks to protect its herd from a cull ordered due to the avian flu, in a case that has sparked accusations of government overreach from critics in Canada and the U.S. Universal Ostrich in Edgewood, B.C., was ordered to cull […]

Cutting billions of dollars from the Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) budget could worsen the quality of essential programs and may spark lawsuits that would cost Ottawa more money in the long term, some Indigenous advocates say. The warning comes in response to an internal government email sent last week confirming Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal government has […]

The senior lead physician of a Saskatchewan Medical Association program that provides help for rural doctors is speaking out on the challenges they face, after a number of temporary rural emergency room closures forced by a shortage of medical professionals in the province.  “We tend to get the feeling that from an emergency perspective … the […]

This First Person article is the experience of Joana Valamootoo, who’s originally from Mauritius and now lives in Regina. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. This story is part of Welcome to Canada, a CBC News series about immigration told through the eyes of the people who have experienced it. There was […]

Day 65:26Social media is full of videos about syncing your workout regime to your menstrual cycle. Does it work? Cycle syncing helps Simone Saunders feel prepared.  The practice of tracking each phase of the menstrual cycle is being promoted online as a way to optimize personal exercise and lifestyle regimes. Saunders, a registered social worker, uses […]

A pocket of unvaccinated children in northeast B.C. allowed cases of measles in the region to spread “like wildfire,” says B.C.’s deputy provincial health officer, Dr. Martin Lavoie. He made the remarks during a provincial update on the disease that has seen multiple exposures reported in and around Fort St. John, including at an elementary school, […]

This First Person column is written by Keerthy Vinukonda, who lives in Toronto. For more information about First Person stories, see the FAQ. I rushed to the bus stop just after midnight after a busy shift at a pizza shop supervising the staff and making sure the orders were prepared correctly. It wasn’t my ideal […]

For nine weeks, the residents of Dawson Creek, B.C., have been without a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology.  The most recent obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn) left the small northern community this spring, and although there are some alternatives, anyone with high-risk needs now has to drive one hour north to Fort St. John. The Northern Health Authority […]

Last year, researchers said they had identified a link between wildfire smoke and increased risk of dementia.  Now, they’re retracting the study, published last November in the journal JAMA Neurology, after discovering a mistake in how they coded the data.  “It was a very small error. We had a single ‘or’ symbol, where we should […]

Winnie Byanyima is trying to hold onto hope in the face of what she calls unbelievable cruelty.  She is the director of UNAIDS, the United Nations agency that, until recently, was on track to meet its target of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.  But now, as President Donald Trump’s second administration […]

Human-caused climate change is responsible for killing about 1,500 people in last week’s European heat wave, a first-of-its-kind rapid study estimates. Those 1,500 people “have only died because of climate change, so they would not have died if it would not have been for our burning of oil, coal and gas in the last century,” […]

This is a First Person column by Matthew Heneghan, who lives in Falkland, B.C. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. Sitting on my back patio, I can see a man every morning settle into his backyard chair, sipping tea beneath the elegance of a rising sun. Steam rises from […]

Legionnaires’ disease is in the headlines this week after public health officials in southwestern Ontario declared an outbreak of the severe respiratory illness. What is legionnaires’ disease? Legionnaires’ disease is a respiratory infection caused by the Legionella bacteria. Early symptoms include fever, chills and a dry cough. It can lead to a serious chest infection or pneumonia, with symptoms […]

Michael Sellick has built an online community by sharing his passion for crochet. Now the founder of the Crochet Crowd says he’s going a step further with Everyday Stitch, a new website set to launch later this year dedicated to the therapeutic benefits of crochet for those struggling with mental health challenges. Working from the home near […]

Saskatchewan women age 45 and older can now self-refer for screening mammograms without a doctor’s requisition as part of a phased strategy to gradually lower the age for screening to 40 by June 2026. The latest age drop went into effect on June 30.  Experts, advocates and survivors have been waiting for this change, but they are […]

Two charities that help organ transplant patients in Edmonton and Toronto say it’s time that provincial governments rethink the way they offer housing support for patients who must temporarily move to access treatment. Their comments come after some Nova Scotia lung transplant patients started campaigning for more funding, saying people are selling their homes in […]

Researchers working on treatments and cures for long COVID are closely watching newly signed Winnipeg Jets forward Jonathan Toews’s healing journey — and his return to the NHL after two years away. “I am thrilled that he is making a return and a comeback,” said Dr. Kieran Quinn, an internal medicine and palliative care physician […]

This First Person article is the experience of Lynn Paulin, who was born and raised in P.E.I. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. On Aug. 22, 2024, I received a text message from my mom. She had decided to go to the emergency room. The back pain she had […]

Canada should do more to strengthen its health surveillance systems as cuts to U.S. health institutions threaten access to crucial monitoring data, experts say in an editorial published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) this week.  The editorial says cuts within the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the National Institutes of Health and […]

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. The novels Book Boyfriend, Atmosphere and Can’t Get Enough might be in your stack of beach reads, but are they […]

The mayor of a small B.C. town on the Alaska border says her media campaign to advocate for backfill paramedics to staff her community’s ambulance service this month has been successful. Angela Brand Danuser, the mayor of Stewart, B.C., a district of about 500 people, about 515 kilometres northwest of Prince George, says travelling paramedics […]

For the past 10 months, Toronto student Danial Young rose at 6 a.m. on weekdays to attend a program vastly different from what he’d known, leaving friends and familiar teachers behind as he ventured into new spaces and was challenged to develop new skills.  Yet on a sweltering day in late June, as the 20-year-old turned the page […]

Toronto Public Health Ontario has logged a total of 2,223 measles cases since outbreak began last October. Public Health Ontario has logged a total of 2,223 measles cases since outbreak began last October Nicole Ireland · The Canadian Press · Posted: Jul 03, 2025 1:19 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 hours ago A photo […]

Janice MacMillan recalls driving home from work trying to breathe through a flare-up of excruciating chest pain, all while contemplating this heavy question: “What’s the point of living if this is my life?” MacMillan has suffered from chronic pain for more than 45 years. She once felt hopeless, alone and invalidated — until she found […]

The World Health Organization is pushing countries to raise the prices of sugary drinks, alcohol and tobacco by 50 per cent over the next 10 years through taxation, its strongest backing yet for taxes to help tackle chronic public health problems. The United Nations health agency said the move would help cut consumption of the products, which contribute to diseases like diabetes […]

Health Canada’s new front-of-package nutrition warning labels are beginning to appear on store shelves six months ahead of the food industry’s deadline. First announced in 2022, the black-and-white labels alert shoppers if a product is high in sugar, sodium and/or saturated fat, which the federal department says can lead to increased health risks like stroke, obesity, heart disease, […]

April Aleman tracks the Uber she ordered for her 82-year-old client as it makes its way to a public health building on a quiet street tucked away from the bustle of downtown Toronto. When the vehicle arrives, Aleman unpacks a walker from the trunk and greets the woman with a warm familiarity. She slows her […]

Leaning into a small microphone in a Quebec City studio, Dr. Alec Cooper takes a breath and reads out part of the often-quoted “To be, or not to be” soliloquy from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. “It’s pretty dramatic,” said Cooper, backing away from the microphone and letting out a laugh. “I just realized, my God, it really […]

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon has announced 83 appointments to the Order of Canada — a list that includes doctors, diplomats, athletes and authors. Simon’s office announced two new companions — the highest level of the Order of Canada — 19 officers and 62 members, the introductory honour level in the order. One appointment is a promotion […]

Western Canada glaciers melting twice as fast as in previous decade, research says; Nigerian judge convicts man of sextorting B.C. teen who died by suicide; Overdose deaths tick up to 165 in April: B.C. Coroners Service; Her husband died after a lung transplant. Now she has to sell her home to pay the bills; Gaza health […]

It was just a weird little mole.  Jake MacDonald of Penticton, B.C., hadn’t thought much of it, but when his grandmother noticed a mole on his left leg, she suggested he get it checked.  “One of my moles was just a little bit weird in diameter,” he told CBC’s Radio West host Sarah Penton.  “The borders […]

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Health Minister Krista Lynn Howell spoke to reporters on Friday, saying a plan was imminent to satisfy the demands of a group of internal medicine doctors who submitted a joint resignation letter. (Ryan Cooke/CBC) Newfoundland and Labrador’s health minister said she wasn’t fond of the approach, but she expects a deal is […]

A new research review out of the University of British Columbia (UBC) has found that Indigenous people experience better health outcomes when they speak their traditional languages. Researchers analyzed 262 academic and community-based studies from Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and determined 78 per cent of them connected Indigenous language vitality with improved health.  Studies found […]

An expert group charged by the World Health Organization to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic started released its final report on Friday, reaching an unsatisfying conclusion: Scientists still aren’t sure how the worst health emergency in a century began. At a news briefing, Marietjie Venter, the group’s chair, said that most scientific data supports the […]

The Trump administration’s new vaccine advisers on Thursday endorsed this fall’s flu vaccinations for just about every American — but only if they use certain shots free of a preservative that has been safely used in vaccines for decades.    What is normally a routine step in preparing for the upcoming flu season drew intense scrutiny […]

When Kathy Meyers heard she could get money back from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) through the disability tax credit, she was excited — but the prospect of filling out forms alongside her doctor felt like another burden to her already demanding days.  Meyers, a Port Coquitlam, B.C., resident, has Crohn’s disease. Her condition is severe […]

Seventy-two people have fallen ill after eating salami recalled due to possible salmonella contamination. The Public Health Agency of Canada released an updated notice on an outbreak of salmonella infections linked to Rea brand Genoa Salami Sweet, Rea brand Genoa Salami Hot and Bona brand Mild Genova Salami. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled the […]

The wife of a lung transplant recipient who died in May says her family’s attempt to save her husband’s life has cost her their family home in Springhill, N.S. Donald Goguen, a Canadian navy veteran, died in May of complications from two lung transplants last year. Not only is Verbena Brenton-Goguen grieving her husband, but she’s grappling with […]

National health data released Wednesday shows overdose deaths in Canada dropped in 2024 but the toll still remained much higher than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. A joint statement from the country’s chief medical officers of health, chief coroners and chief medical examiners said 7,146 people died of opioid-related overdoses between January and December 2024. That’s […]

The number of measles cases in British Columbia as a whole continues to grow, with the Interior Health Authority announcing the region’s first confirmed case of the year. The confirmed case in Kamloops, was announced by the authority on Tuesday. Dr. Sanaz Vaseghi, a medical officer with Interior Health, said it’s not clear how the person was […]

A Nova Scotia mother says her son was denied his right to an education when he was told to stay home from school for two weeks due to behavioural challenges related to his autism spectrum disorder. Sara Mullins is a working mom of three. Her youngest son is Nash Daye, a Grade 3 student at Millwood […]

Itchy eyes, runny nose, congestion, and sneezing are all common symptoms of seasonal allergies.  Dr. Angeliki Barlas, an allergist based in Port Moody, B.C., says that climate change is a contributing factor to worsening symptoms and longer allergy seasons.  “People will often tell me I feel like I’m suffering almost year-round because pollen season is […]

This First Person column is the experience of Natasha Chiam, who lives in Edmonton. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ. In the picture I don’t even remember taking, my husband is standing at the entrance to a pediatric ICU patient room, his head resting on his arm as he leans against […]

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. Anorexia is a life-threatening eating disorder that can manifest as an intense preoccupation on weight loss. It’s classified as a […]

Matthew Fox says he has two words for customers wanting to try Marvin’s Premium Candy Co. Cherry edibles. “Good luck.” Fox works behind the counter at the Realeaf Cannabis trailer on Highway 11, just north of Saskatoon. The business is owned by the Saulteaux First Nation. Under the federal Cannabis Act, retailers selling edible cannabis gummies […]

As Shirley Pien-Bérubé walks through the halls of the Indigenous Health Centre of Tio’tia:ke, she pauses to point out all the ways the Montreal-based clinic has grown since it opened in 2023. “Our services have expanded so much,” she said. “We have a diabetic foot-care clinic, we have an optometry clinic, physiotherapy, mental health, clinical […]

Alberta’s measles outbreaks have now eclipsed the 1,000-case mark and infectious disease specialists are warning the virus is “impossible to contain,” given the current level of transmission. The province reported another 24 cases on Friday, including 14 in the north zone, nine in the south and one in the Edmonton zone. This brings the total confirmed […]

Insect-borne diseases are becoming increasingly common in southern parts of the province, with climate change playing a part.

As the province’s measles case count approaches 1,000, health experts are raising the alarm about Alberta babies who are being born already infected with the virus. The provincial government has confirmed cases of congenital measles, which can lead to severe complications, including death, have already occurred as a result of this year’s outbreaks. Pregnant Albertans are also testing positive. […]

An advocate for New Brunswick patients suffering from unusual neurological symptoms is calling for the retraction of a recent scientific report that found no evidence of a mystery brain disease in the province. Katherine Lanteigne, the former executive director of BloodWatch, is alleging research bias and privacy breaches in the study published last month in the […]

The Alberta premier’s announcement of her intent to restore local decision making to public health facilities is highlighting a philosophical divide in how to best manage the province’s stretched health budget. Premier Danielle Smith published a video online Tuesday, saying decisions about hiring health-care workers or replacing hospital furniture belong with individual health centres, not Alberta Health Services […]

The U.S. has approved the world’s only twice-a-year shot to prevent HIV, its maker Gilead Sciences announced Wednesday. It’s the first step in an anticipated global rollout that could protect millions — although it’s unclear how many in the U.S. and abroad will get access to the powerful new option. While a vaccine to prevent […]

If you’ve recently witnessed a 10-year-old smear their face with an $80 anti-wrinkle cream — either in real life or in any number of “Get Ready With Me” TikTok videos — you’re probably already aware of the “Sephora kids” skin-care trend that has young people clamouring for anti-aging products thanks in part to what they see on social media. […]

The Alberta government is facing fierce and mounting opposition to plans that will reduce access to publicly funded COVID-19 vaccines in the province The province announced late on Friday that it will limit funding of the COVID-19 shots to very specific high risk groups, including Albertans living in care homes and group settings, those receiving […]

WARNING: This article references sexual abuse and may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​sexual violence or know someone impacted by it. In the depths of her addiction, Crystal Pickering thrived on chaos.    She started using drugs as a teenager to cope with childhood physical and sexual abuse. Growing up in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., she says […]

The coroner’s inquest into the deaths of seven men from drug overdoses while they were in custody at Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton, Ont., began Monday with emotional statements from the families being read to the jury. The men died either at Maplehurst or after transfer to Halton Healthcare between June 2017 and October 2019. The inquest, being held […]

Doctors and scientists worry Alberta’s measles outbreaks could signal the start of a new era when other dangerous infectious diseases of the past could re-emerge and pose new health threats. The province is battling its worst wave of measles cases in nearly half a century and there is no end in sight. The virus was declared eliminated […]

Advocates and researchers say Ontario is far behind when it comes to protecting the growing number of drug users in the province who are choosing to inhale opioids rather than inject them.  “We know what we need to help support people who smoke their drugs — and we’ve been really, really behind the curve on […]

The Dose25:38How do cosmetics affect my skin health? Read the label on the average cosmetics product in your local drug store, and you’ll come across a variety of promises.  A foundation brand may claim to be able to cover up any and all blemishes, while some skin creams go so far as to suggest they […]

Alberta’s measles surge is so dramatic, the last time case counts were higher Calgary did not have an NHL team, O Canada was not yet the official national anthem and gasoline would set you back 24 cents a litre. The province reported 29 more cases on Thursday, bringing the total since the outbreaks began in March to 868. That pushes […]

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam is leaving her position at the end of next week. Tam has been in the role since June 2017, but became a household name in the last five years as she led the country’s public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tam says her term ends on […]

About 44 per cent of men living in Canada die prematurely, according to a new report from the Movember Institute of Men’s Health. The report defines premature mortality as deaths in men before age 75. The deaths from cancer, coronary heart disease, accidents, suicide and the opioid crisis include some causes that might have been […]

Seven people have been hospitalized after eating salami recalled due to possible salmonella contamination. The Public Health Agency of Canada released a notice Wednesday stating that 57 people — 44 in Alberta and 13 in Ontario — got sick after eating Rea brand Genoa Salami Sweet, Rea brand Genoa Salami Hot and Bona brand Mild Genova Salami. […]

New data shows more people are filing complaints about obstetrical and gynecological care in Ontario, with insensitivity, poor communication and lack of trauma awareness among the most common grievances. Ontario’s Patient Ombudsman Craig Thompson says his office received 168 complaints between April 2024 and March 2025, compared to 130 over the same period the previous year — […]

Quebec’s health minister says the province’s public health service is “closely monitoring” the number of tuberculosis cases in Nunavik, in the wake of a letter from the mayors of the region’s 14 Inuit communities calling for the declaration of a public health emergency. “We take this situation very seriously,” Health Minister Christian Dubé’s office told CBC News. […]

Diana Moser has, to the best of her knowledge, not contracted Lyme disease, a welcome status quo that might be credited to the tick-repellant clothing she wears in the yard of her East LaHave, N.S., home, or to the insect spray she squirts on herself, or to just plain-old luck. Or, it’s possible the good fortune is […]

Shahzeb Khan had never been to Cambridge, Ont., before. But after a week of touring private gardens, visiting various entertainment venues and shadowing family doctors and specialists, the University of Ottawa medical student is considering moving to the community after he graduates. “I definitely have a much better impression of this city than before,” he said, […]

Smoke from wildfires burning across Alberta has blanketed much of the province, including the Edmonton region. Edmontonians woke up to worsening air quality — the distinct smell of burning wood and morning skies cloaked in an orange haze.  Environment Canada has issued special air quality statements for the city and surrounding regions, while air quality […]

WARNING: This article references sexual assault, and may affect those who have experienced​ them or know someone affected by them. Kaitlyn Braun was sentenced to three years in prison in a Hamilton court room Monday after she faked being pregnant and conned two women into providing her with doula support while she was on house arrest for similar […]

Ontario’s chief medical officer of health says six infants have been born with congenital measles since an outbreak began last fall, adding they were infected in the womb through mothers who were not vaccinated. Dr. Kieran Moore says these infants recovered, but their infections could have been prevented if their mothers had been vaccinated and […]

21 hours ago News Duration 9:17 An anonymous hotline has fielded over 20,000 calls from people across Canada who want support when using drugs alone, and as CBC’s Jennifer La Grassa uncovers, the callers who rely on the National Overdose Response Service (NORS) are not who you might think they are.

9 hours ago News Duration 9:17 An anonymous hotline has fielded over 20,000 calls from people across Canada who want support when using drugs alone, and as CBC’s Jennifer La Grassa uncovers, the callers who rely on the National Overdose Response Service (NORS) are not who you might think they are.

Researchers at the University of Toronto have found GLP-1 weight loss and diabetes drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro double the risk of a severe form of vision loss among diabetics, affecting daily activities such as reading and driving.

Health Canada issued a recall notice on Friday for some Seasonique birth control products due to some packages containing the correct blue-green pills coming with extraneous yellow tablets. The agency says the recall is for the 0.01-milligram ethinyl estradiol, 0.03-milligram ethiny lestradiol and 0.15-milligram levonorgestrel Seasonique pills made by Teva Canada. Health Canada said those who find the yellow pills should not […]

Among the dozens of people who testified at a coroner’s inquiry into the death of Normand Meunier, Claude Labelle may be the only one who really understands what he went through.  Meunier, a 66-year-old quadriplegic Quebec man, requested medical assistance in dying after developing a severe bedsore during a four-day stay in the ER at Saint-Jérôme Hospital last year. The inquiry has heard […]

Ottawa has paid Nova Scotia several million dollars in health transfers that were previously withheld because of people paying out of pocket for private MRIs and ultrasounds. According to the federal government, no one in Canada should pay for medically necessary diagnostic imaging services, and it’s been clawing back money from Nova Scotia and other […]

The death of an Ontario infant born prematurely and infected with measles through the mother is raising questions about how the virus is transmitted during pregnancy. On Thursday, Ontario health officials announced the death of a baby who was infected with the virus while in the womb. It was the first fatality in the provincial outbreak […]

Marc Garneau died this week after being diagnosed with two types of cancer earlier this year, his former staffer says. The first Canadian to travel to space and former cabinet minister died on Wednesday. He was 76. Marc Roy, Garneau’s former chief of staff, told CBC’s Power & Politics that the former minister had been diagnosed […]

England will soon begin administering a vaccine to high-risk individuals that may reduce their chances of contracting gonorrhea, but a similar program is not yet in the cards for Canada. According to studies cited by England’s National Health Service, the 4CMenB vaccine, which is presently used in Canada for immunization against meningitis B, has an effectiveness of 32.7 to […]

Marie-Louise Fitrion says she was asleep in a hospital bed when she woke up to an obstetrician’s hand in her vagina. It was Oct. 25, 2018, the morning of giving birth to her second child, and she says it triggered the memory of being sexually assaulted as a child. Fitrion is sharing her experience dealing […]

WARNING: This article references sexual assault and may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​sexual violence or know someone impacted by it. Some rape crisis centres are reporting a big jump in calls since the start of the high-profile trial of five former world junior hockey players accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a London, Ont., […]

As the Canadian Dental Care Plan expands this week to include all eligible age groups, 35 per cent of Canadians report they’ve skipped or reduced dental visits, a new survey suggests. Dental care was the most commonly delayed health service, according to the survey released Tuesday. The Canadian digital insurance company PolicyMe carried out the online survey […]

Price Carter is planning to die this summer. The 68-year-old has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He knows it will take his life eventually; before it does, he intends to die on his own terms with his family at his side. “I was told at the outset, ‘This is palliative care, there is no cure […]

Humber River Health is suing the consortium contracted to build and maintain its Toronto hospital for $100 million, alleging that negligent design and construction is creating health and safety problems for patients and staff. The lawsuit, filed in early April, alleges that a “sizable portion” of the hospital’s floors are not level or flat and that […]

Edgewood, B.C. isn’t usually the sort of place that would be on the radar of high-ranking White House officials.  On the west shore of Lower Arrow Lake and surrounded by the Monashee Mountains, it’s a roughly 200-kilometre drive from Kelowna, B.C., on a winding road. An unincorporated community, the latest census put it at a population […]

James Smith woke up from a colonoscopy to be told devastating news. At 59, he was diagnosed with colon cancer. Doctors found a mass so large it completely blocked their view of the rest of his colon. Smith said he was shocked. “It was hard, it was a hard diagnosis,” he said. “It was hard […]

Doctors in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) are warning that the maternity ward is on the verge of collapse amid a shortage of family physicians.  A joint statement from all nine members of the department issued Thursday said that “without immediate action from health authorities and government decision-makers, the safety of patients […]

Diabetes Canada says it’s received a surge in reports from people who’ve seen ads for or bought products that use the charity’s logos without authorization. Since January, Diabetes Canada says it’s had over 300 calls to its 1-800 line and emails from people reporting misleading advertisements for diabetes products that have the charity’s logo. Diabetes […]