Category Archives: Health

Flu vaccination rates not high enough, doctors say, as pediatric hospitals fill up

TORONTO – Despite the ongoing crush of sick children straining Canadian hospitals — many of them suffering from the flu — not enough people are getting vaccinated against the virus, doctors say. The Canadian Press asked health ministries and departments in every province and territory to provide their most up-to-date flu vaccine uptake numbers. Among […]

Organic livestock farmers, hit by rising prices, seek help

WHITINGHAM, Vt. (AP) — Organic dairy and other livestock farmers are seeking emergency federal aid as they grapple with skyrocketing organic feed costs, steep fuel and utility expenses as well as the consequences of drought in many parts of the country. Two dozen U.S. senators and representatives wrote to U.S. Agriculture Department Secretary Tom Vilsack […]

Explainer: What flu strain is circulating now and why so many kids are getting sick

TORONTO – The flu has returned with a vengeance after being absent for a couple of years during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s hitting children especially hard. Here’s what doctors say is happening, and why. What flu strains are we seeing this flu season? Based on predictions from the World Health Organization on what strains would […]

Children’s medicine shortage hits U.S. as flu season picks up

Caring for sick children has become extra stressful recently for many U.S. parents due to shortages of Children’s Tylenol and other medicines. Doctors and other experts say the problem could persist through the winter cold-and-flu season but should not last as long as other recent shortages of baby formula or prescription drugs. They also say […]

What fertility treatment coverage is offered by Canada’s provinces and territories

Seven provinces provide various forms of financial help for people needing treatment for infertility — Ontario funds one IVF cycle for women up to age 42. There is no limit on age or the number of treatment cycles for intrauterine insemination (IUI). The province does not cover medications, which it says are about $5,000 per […]

Ontario to allow pharmacies to prescribe medication for 13 minor illnesses next week

Pharmacies across Ontario will soon be allowed to prescribe medication for several minor illnesses, the Ontario government said Wednesday. The province announced starting on Jan. 1, 2023, pharmacists will be able to prescribe medication for 13 different ailments without the need to visit a doctor’s office. The move will ease the burden on doctors and […]

Doctors worry more kids may be getting sick with invasive strep A. Here are the facts

TORONTO – Some Canadian officials are reporting an uptick in invasive Group A streptococcus infections, echoing the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S., which are both investigating cases in children. In Canada, Public Health Ontario confirmed to The Canadian Press in an email […]

University of Calgary researchers say reindeer could hold key to scar-free healing

CALGARY – Reindeer could hold the key to regenerative healing in humans and animals, says research led by the faculty of veterinary medicine at the University of Calgary. The study, published earlier this month in the journal Cell, explains how reindeer — also known as caribou — can help to better understand tissue regeneration and […]