Palliative care patients, doctors, caregivers in Quebec desperate for more home-care services
(Anne Leclair/ Global News) — A fight is brewing between Quebec’s general practitioners and their union, leaving palliative care patients stuck in the middle. The Federation des médecins omnipraticiens du Quebec (FMOQ) and the province signed an agreement in March to create 68 palliative home care units in the province. But nine months later, there […]
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New remote robotic brain surgery could revolutionize aneurysm, stroke treatment
(Nick Boisvert/ CBC News) — Doctors at a Toronto hospital have performed what they’re calling the world’s first neurovascular surgery using robotics, a procedure that could open the door to heightened levels of precision and improved care for patients in remote communities. The procedure was performed on Nov. 1 at Toronto Western Hospital to treat […]
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3D printed heart gets closer to reality with breakthrough bioprinting method
(Lucy Ingham/ The Verdict) — A 3D printed heart that can be custom created for those needing a transplant has been a goal for some time, but recreating the highly complex organ has remained a dream so far. However, a new bioprinting technique could prove a key step on the road to making it a […]
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Are viruses the best weapon for fighting superbugs?
(David Pride/ The Conversation) — Antibiotics won the battle against resistant bacteria, but they may not win the war. You probably know that antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as superbugs, have hampered physicians’ ability to treat infections. You may also be aware that there has been a steep decline in the number of new antibiotics coming […]
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The million-dollar drug
How a Canadian medical breakthrough that was 30 years in the making became the world’s most expensive drug — and then quickly disappeared (Kelly Crowe/ CBC) — It is one of this country’s great scientific achievements. The first drug ever approved that can fix a faulty gene. It’s called Glybera, and it can treat a painful […]
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Superbugs kill 33,000 in Europe every year
(Lianne Kolirin, CNN) — Superbugs are killing about 33,000 people in Europe every year, according to a new report. The “burden of infection” — measured in the number of cases, attributable deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) — of these superbugs is equivalent to that of flu, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined, according to the European Centre […]
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It’s not just the EpiPen. Canada had 25 new drug shortages this week alone
(Kelly Crowe/ CBC News) — It’s not just the EpiPen. Drug shortages have quietly become a chronic problem for Canada’s health-care system. This week alone, 25 new drugs were listed on Canada’s drug shortage website. They include treatments for migraines, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, depression, hepatitis B, genital herpes, hypertension, and even generic Viagra. They’re the latest […]
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Why these patients, retailers and researchers say Canada shouldn’t drop medical cannabis post-legalization
(Aidan Geary/ CBC News) — Some researchers, patient advocates and industry professionals say Canada needs to maintain a distinct medicinal cannabis system following legalization of marijuana for recreational use, despite the Canadian Medical Association’s position that doctors should no longer be gatekeepers. “It is simply a reality now that cannabis is part of the medical landscape,” […]
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Study: adults use medications that lead to depression and suicide
(Alexa Lardieri/ US News and World Report) — More than one-third of adults in the United States are using prescription medications that could potentially cause depression or increase the risk of suicide. Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago found that people may be using medications with these potential risks, but because they are […]
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What causes abdominal bloating?
(Zawn Villines/ Medical News Today) — There are many possible causes of abdominal bloating, including fluid retention, irritable bowel syndrome, and infection. However, for most people, the cause of bloating will be fairly harmless, and it can be treated at home. Abdominal bloating can be alarming, particularly when it is very painful. Some people notice that […]
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