CBC Canada Health
COVID-19 boosters recommended for the fall, Canada's vaccine advisory body says
News/Health: People at high risk of severe disease from COVID-19 infection should be offered a booster shot this fall, regardless of how many boosters they've previously received, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization said on Wednesday.
B.C.-led lawsuit nets $150M proposed settlement with Purdue Pharma over opioid harms
News/Canada/British Columbia: A proposed $150-million settlement with Purdue Pharma Canada covering all provinces and territories has been reached for the recovery of health-care costs related to the sale and marketing of opioid-based pain medication.
WHO warns of monkeypox risk to kids, pregnant people if spread continues
News/Health: The World Health Organization says sustained transmission of monkeypox worldwide could see the virus move into high-risk groups, such as children and pregnant people, as it investigates reports of mild cases among kids in the U.K. and Europe.
FDA leaning toward new COVID-19 shots that target original strain, emerging Omicron variants
News/Health: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's vaccine committee has voted that the next wave of COVID booster shots should include a component that targets the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, in addition to the original strain. If all goes well, vaccine manufacturers could roll out these new versions in the U.S. in October.
Some Canadian med schools are running low on a precious resource — cadavers
News/Canada/London: Human cadavers are a key teaching tool for future doctors and dentists, but in some medical schools, donations have dropped since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials are now reminding people that body donations are important for research and education.
Canada's COVID-19 response better than many comparable countries, study finds
News/Health: Canada handled the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and weathered the ensuing upheaval better than several other nations with comparable health-care and economic infrastructure, a new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal suggests.
Deadly rabbit disease found in Ontario for the 1st time
News/Canada/Windsor: Two pet rabbits infected with a highly contagious virus that's newly detected in Ontario have died, causing concern among veterinarians and pet owners. The virus has previously been found in Alberta and B.C., according to the CFIA.
How provinces are trying to catch kids up on routine vaccines
News/Canada: After schools closed in March 2020 as a result of the pandemic, school-based immunization programs — which vaccinate kids against a host of preventable diseases — were suspended. Now, provinces are trying to bring those who fell through the cracks up to speed on their shots.
The U.S. wants to ban Juul. Where is Canada on regulating e-cigarettes?
News/Health: Regulators in the United States have ordered Juul to pull its vaping products from the market, a move already being challenged by the company. Here's a closer look at the FDA's decision and what's happening in Canada.
Juul ordered to halt sale of electronic cigarette products in U.S.
News/Health: U.S. federal health officials on Thursday ordered Juul to pull its electronic cigarettes from the U.S. market, the latest blow to the embattled company widely blamed for sparking a national surge in teen vaping.
Catching monkeypox can mean extreme pain, hospital trips — and weeks of isolation
News/Health: Peter Kelly is among more than 200 Canadians and counting who've caught monkeypox. He spent weeks isolating at home to keep others' safe, putting strain on his finances and mental health. Advocates now say more supports are needed — as this outbreak keeps growing.
Why the timing of your next COVID shot is so important
News/Health: The timing of your next COVID-19 vaccine may be more important than ever as highly contagious Omicron subvariants are on the rise in Canada and waning immunity from previous vaccination and infection threatens to fuel another surge.
CDC votes to recommend COVID-19 vaccines for kids in U.S. as young as 6 months
News/Health: A panel of advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday voted to recommend COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as six months, making it likely a nationwide rollout can start next week.