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Showing posts from October, 2023

Newfoundland and Labrador Brain Injury Association suspending programs and services

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The Newfoundland and Labrador Brain Injury Association says it is facing financial troubles following the pandemic and will no longer be able to offer its services. Directors of the association says that means big gaps will be left unfilled in the health-care system.

An old drug re-emerges in Nova Scotia overdose deaths

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Cocaine has quietly become implicated in a growing number of overdose deaths in Nova Scotia, with some experts warning that the public discussion around the dangers of drug use needs to broaden beyond the focus on potent opioids.

How 2 spine-chilling TV shows are bringing Indigenous ghost stories to life

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Married B.C. therapists face another lawsuit over actions in MDMA therapy trial

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A second participant in a clinical trial for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy conducted by two married B.C. therapists is taking them to court, alleging their actions during the study left him suicidal and cost him his marriage.

Province to lower age for regular breast cancer screenings in Ontario to 40

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Ontario is lowering the age for regular, publicly funded breast cancer screenings from 50 to 40, which Health Minister Sylvia Jones says will help with early detection.

Elderly Canadians remain at higher risk of serious COVID from first infections, study suggests

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New Canadian data reaffirms that while the vast majority of the population has likely caught the virus behind COVID-19 at least once, more than four in 10 elderly adults may have avoided infection so far — while remaining at the highest risk for hospitalization and death.

Wait times for dermatology appointments have patients lining up before dawn at this walk-in clinic

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Some patients are waiting months to years for a dermatology referral. Doctors say a range of factors, including pressures added by the pandemic, have increased the demand for care from a limited number of skin specialists. 

So, you have a cold. What are the best ways to find relief?

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It's cold and flu season in Canada, and doctors are sharing their best tips on how to treat symptoms like a runny nose and sore throat.

A hurricane destroyed our home and nearly killed us. 4 years later, I'm living with PTSD

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Tara Pyfrom and her family barely survived Hurricane Dorian when it hit their home in the Bahamas. That loud and violent experience fundamentally shifted how her brain processed sound and has left her with anxiety.

Dentists say they're being left in the dark about federal dental insurance plan

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Canadian dentists are demanding details of Ottawa's soon-to-be announced federal dental insurance plan and how the federal government plans to preserve existing provincial and private coverage.

'It's bad, it's really bad': Regina woman waits months for a breast biopsy amid backlog

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A 35-year-old Regina woman has been waiting months to find out if she has breast cancer. As recently as last week she was told her breast biopsy was delayed yet another month, and her fear and frustration build with each delay.

Woman's health 'sliding backwards' after drug coverage pulled

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For Janice Namiesniowski, living with asthma was like breathing "through a straw." An expensive drug called Xolair was starting to work wonders, but her coverage was suddenly cut off when Canada Life took over the Public Service Health Care Plan in July.

Toronto HIV advocate leaves behind legacy of empowerment

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Outspoken activist Ron Rosenes died Oct. 21. He is being remembered for his role in challenging stigma around HIV/AIDS and advocating for marginalized communities.

Watchdog finds 'significant wrongdoing' with inmates' medical care at Alberta jail

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A whistleblower's concerns prompted an investigation by Alberta’s Public Interest Commissioner that found “significant lapses” in the standard of medical care for inmates at an Edmonton jail. The lapses put patients’ lives, health and safety in danger.

Climate crisis could cause 'catastrophic harm' to human health, 200-plus medical journals warn

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More than 200 medical journals are calling on the World Health Organization to deem two overlapping environmental crises — climate change and biodiversity loss — as a global health emergency, while warning of the potential for “catastrophic harm” to human health.

Toronto family worries their son aging out of pediatric care will be like 'falling off a cliff'

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At 21, Jacob Trossman is no longer benefitting from SickKids' complex care program. His mom Marcy White is fighting for him to remain where he is. Listen now.

Working from home means moving less, study suggests

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A new survey suggests Canadians who work from home spend nearly twice as much time sitting than people who work at an office, which is shown to be bad for the long-term health of workers.

This father felt 'helpless' as his daughter succumbed to opioids. She died aged 14

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Kamilah Sword was just 14 when she died after a drug overdose last year. Her dad Greg Sword tells us about the obstacles he faced getting Kamilah the help she needed, and why he doesn’t want her death to be in vain

5 southwestern Ontario hospitals hit by cyberattack, patient appointments to be rescheduled

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Online services such as patient records and email have been down since Monday morning at five southwestern Ontario hospitals as a result of a cyberattack, according to the hospitals' IT provider. 

Nurse's 'discriminatory and derogatory' comments on transgender people at issue in B.C. hearing

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The B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives’ discipline committee is considering whether Amy Hamm’s public statements denying the gender identities of transgender people amount to unprofessional conduct.

The human side of Ottawa's fentanyl crisis

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A toxic drug supply. Increasing overdoses. A lack of support and housing. This is the human side of Ottawa's fentanyl crisis.

Indigenous students lead the way in new McGill course on Indigenous health care

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A new course at McGill University called "Indigenous Worldviews in Health Delivery and Research" is a deep dive into the realities of Indigenous health care, and Indigenous students are at the forefront.

A surgeon speaks frankly about delayed procedures and other tough calls during pandemic

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Dr. Paul Johnston shares what it was like to be a surgeon in the early days of the pandemic — when he had to watch most of his patients go without essential surgeries — and how that's affecting outcomes today.

There's growing opposition to making family doctor training longer

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The College of Family Physicians of Canada is being asked to "pause, hold and maybe stop" its plans to increase the time it takes to train a family doctor from two years to three — as medical students, family doctors and provincial health ministers express their opposition.

New research offers clues to what causes long COVID — fuelling hope for eventual treatments

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For several years, scientists have tried to untangle one of COVID-19's persistent puzzles: Why do some people, even after mild infections, go on to develop lasting health issues? Now, fresh clues are emerging.

What seniors need to know about vaccines this fall

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Four key vaccines are available for seniors this fall, including an updated COVID-19 shot and Canada’s first vaccine for RSV. CBC health reporter Lauren Pelley breaks down what seniors — and those who care for them — need to know.

Severe childbirth injuries from forceps, vacuum 'unacceptably high' in Canada, research shows

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Canadian mothers face high rates of severe, long-term injuries from the use of forceps or vacuum in childbirth, and urgent action is needed to reduce it, the authors of a new analysis paper say.

Doug Ford's government promised 1 inspector for every 2 long-term care homes. That hasn't happened

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Premier Doug Ford's government is falling short of its promises to conduct annual inspections of every long-term care home in Ontario and to boost the ratio of inspectors to homes, according to information obtained by CBC News.

Almost 200 N.L. cancer patients sent to Ontario for care because of radiation therapist shortage

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Almost a year after a local union sounded the alarm about a shortage of radiation therapists in Newfoundland and Labrador, cancer patients are still being sent to Ontario for care. Some patients aren't receiving prescribed treatments within a 28-day national standard.

Woman advertising 'traditional midwife' services in B.C. not qualified to practice as a midwife, college warns

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A public warning has been issued about a Vancouver Island woman advertising herself as a "traditional midwife" and offering her services at home births even though she's not qualified to work as a midwife.

Ontario NDP calls for provincial plan on endometriosis, saying some seeking care outside country

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The provincial NDP is calling on the Ontario government to create a strategy to increase funding, education and awareness around endometriosis, saying the gynecological disease is debilitating for thousands across the province who sometimes seek care outside the country due to health care delays. 

Toronto unveils winter homelessness strategy as shelter system already stretched beyond capacity

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After a summer and fall that saw refugee claimants with nowhere to go sleeping on downtown streets, Toronto officials say the demand for beds will increase this winter. Already, Canada's largest shelter system is turning people away. 

How this traditional soup is healing an Abenaki community 'one bean at a time'

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Jacques T. Watso wants Café Masko to be a cultural culinary experience in Odanak, an Abenaki community about 50 kilometres south of Trois-Rivières, Que. He opened the new café — a first in the community — earlier this month.

The U.K. and New Zealand want to ban the next generation from smoking at any age. Should Canada follow?

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Government officials in the U.K. are proposing a smoke free generation law, following in the footsteps of New Zealand. Canadian experts say a generational ban could help.

Advocates call for easier access to STI testing in Montreal as cases continue to rise

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Usually capable of testing more than 100 patients per day, one Montreal clinic's capacity has been halved by the CHUM's laboratory limitations. Other clinics are straining to offer regular access in the midst of a nursing staff shortage.

Ontario autism program now funding over 8,000 kids for core therapy

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The number of children with autism receiving publicly funded, needs-based core therapy in Ontario appears to have only now returned to the level it was at five years ago, before changes by the Progressive Conservative government upended the system, new figures suggest.

AI will be critical for the future of rural health care in Canada, experts say

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Dr. Drone and RN Robot? Probably not, but less dramatic forms of artificial intelligence are evolving quickly. As the technology becomes more mainstream, experts say rural Canadians desperate for health care may have the most to gain.

Menopause costs Canada's economy billions: report

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Millions of Canadian women are coping with menopause, and advocates say they don't have the support they need. A new report by the Menopause Foundation of Canada suggests missed work days, lower productivity and lost income cost $3.5B a year.

Canada gets new guidelines on diagnosing and treating high-risk drinking

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High-risk drinking often goes unrecognized and untreated in Canada, according to a new paper. What's more, certain kinds of antidepressants can drive people to drink more.

Pharmacare ultimatum: NDP gives Jagmeet Singh permission to kill deal if Liberals don't deliver

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New Democrats have unanimously urged their party to stand firm on negotiating pharmacare, even if it means ending their political agreement with the Liberals.

As a paramedic, I was put on the front line of strangers' tragedy — and I felt it all

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Kyle Meyer was always proud of the work he did as a paramedic in Nova Scotia. But the job also took a toll on his mental health.

Too many non-acute patients are stuck in hospitals. A converted hotel aims to change that

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The Hamilton Health Sciences Satellite Health Facility is designated for patients with an alternate level of care — that is, those who do not require acute care in hospital, but are unable to return home for any number of reasons.

Parent calls Sask. government's new bill a 'smokescreen' over mental health, addictions crisis

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Sarah Mackenzie lost her non-binary child to suicide earlier this year. As the province works to implement a new policy dictating how schools deal with gender-diverse students, she’s calling on the government to focus on bettering mental health and addictions supports instead.

Ottawa pinpoints 5 'concrete' priorities after health ministers meet on P.E.I.

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Health ministers from across the country wrapped up two days of meetings in Charlottetown Thursday, and the federal side is taking home what it calls five 'concrete' priorities as a result of it.

Pharmacare would cost governments billions more per year but save economy money: PBO

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The parliamentary budget officer says a single-payer universal drug plan would cost federal and provincial governments $11.2 billion in the first year, and $13.4 billion in five years.

Gene-edited pig kidney keeps monkey alive for 2 years. Could it one day help transplants patients?

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Genetically engineered pig organs now show long-term survival in monkeys, a scientific advance that could some day help people waiting for a transplant.

Sask. woman can't access dialysis treatment close to home because clinic is just across Man. border

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Maureen McBratney has to stay in Saskatoon, six hours away from home, because she needs dialysis treatment every other day and she's not allowed to be a regular patient at the dialysis unit 20 minutes from her home.

B.C. becomes first province to sign individual health deal with feds

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British Columbia is the first province to sign a tailored funding agreement with the federal government as part of the $196-billion health accord the prime minister offered provinces earlier this year, Health Minister Mark Holland announced Tuesday.

5 years of legal cannabis: fewer charges, many hospitalizations and more than a few questions

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At the five-year mark after legalization of cannabis, a look at what research tells us about the upsides and downsides for public health.

Canadians are travelling to Mexico for Lyme disease treatments. That worries health experts

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Medical tourism has drawn foreigners to Mexico for decades, but the attraction is no longer limited to breast augmentations, porcelain veneers and rhinoplasties. Clinics are now specializing in alternative treatments for chronic and life-altering diseases, including Lyme disease.