A peer-reviewed study by New York University Langone Health analyzing over 6,600 pregnancies found that exposure to DINCH, a plasticizer marketed as a safe alternative to phthalates, is associated with lower birth weights and an increased risk of babies being small for gestational age.
The increasing presence of medetomidine, a veterinary sedative, in Canada's illicit fentanyl supply is causing severe complications that naloxone cannot reverse. The resulting strain on emergency departments has prompted discussions about supervised consumption sites and housing programs.
A 77-page internal review by Canada Health Infoway recommends the federally funded non-profit stop delivering digital health services directly and instead focus on national standards, following the collapse of its nearly $300-million PrescribeIT program. The self-assessment precedes independent government-ordered reviews amid frozen funding and significant leadership turnover.
Health Canada has warned consumers against using unauthorized peptides sold online after laboratory testing found three harmful bacteria in products seized from Shanghai ERP Peptide Biotechnology Co. Ltd. and two associated retailers. The agency seized more than 11,400 vials of drugs and is working with the Canada Border Services Agency to halt shipments.
Health Canada and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have recalled the Baby Brezza SuperFast Sterilizer Dryer (model BRZ0083) due to overheating risks that can cause fires and burns. Consumers are urged to stop using the product immediately and contact EI Brand Management Inc. for a free replacement.
Canada has become the first country to approve both of Moderna's mRNA influenza vaccine and its combination flu and COVID-19 vaccine for adults aged 50 and older. However, neither product will be available in Canadian pharmacies for the current respiratory virus season or the 2026-2027 immunization season.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization now recommends that all infants in Canada receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth or at their two-month immunization appointment, aiming to close gaps between provincial schedules and protect children during their most vulnerable period.
A nursing employee at South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater accessed personal health information without a valid reason in August 2025, prompting Nova Scotia Health to notify 54 affected individuals.
Halifax Regional Police charged three people following the largest fentanyl and GHB seizure in Atlantic Canada's history. Community leaders say the bust highlights the ongoing risk of fentanyl contamination in illicit drugs and the importance of supervised consumption services at ReFix.
The new Mountain Lea Lodge long-term care home, featuring 96 single rooms with private washrooms, celebrated its grand opening on November 5, 2026, in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia. It is the ninth facility to open under a provincial plan to build and improve 5,700 long-term care rooms by 2032.
The Canadian Paediatric Society released new guidance on Thursday calling on health-care providers to screen children and teens for dating violence, noting that one in three young people in Canada have experienced it. Experts cite social media exposure, poverty, and prior trauma as key risk factors, while some question the effectiveness of screening without adequate community support.
Dr. Dilan Dissanayake, a 45-year-old pediatric rheumatologist at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, was charged in July 2025 with possessing and accessing child sexual abuse material. Police began investigating in January after receiving a tip about files uploaded to his personal Dropbox account from an IP address geolocated to the hospital.
Experts from the Menopause Foundation of Canada told a House of Commons committee that unmanaged menopause symptoms cost the economy $3.5 billion each year and result in 540,000 lost workdays. The foundation is calling for mandatory medical training, national care standards, and workplace action plans modeled on upcoming UK legislation.
A new report calls on Canadian governments to speed up dementia diagnosis and treatment access as two newly approved Alzheimer’s therapies, lecanemab and donanemab, await public reimbursement. Current diagnostic delays of 18 to 24 months or longer could render patients ineligible for the drugs, which are only effective in the very early stages of the disease.
Nova Scotia Health has reinstated a mandatory masking policy at all healthcare facilities approximately one month earlier than last year, driven by the highest number of lab-confirmed influenza cases reported by late October in four years.
Cheryl Langille, a 72-year-old from Truro, Nova Scotia, is largely bedridden due to severe chronic pain from multiple spinal injuries. Referred to the QEII Health Sciences Centre in July, she faces an estimated two-year waitlist while her family criticizes the healthcare system's delays.
A CBC News investigation reveals that at least 220 problem gamblers in Canada have died by suicide over the last decade, with gambling-related suicides in Ontario tripling since 2022. Despite these figures, no Canadian coroner has ever held an inquest into a gambling-related death, contrasting sharply with Australia and the UK, where such inquiries have prompted industry accountability and reform.
Nova Scotia RCMP are warning residents to inspect children's Halloween treats after a parent discovered an uncapped used syringe in a candy bag in Beaver Bank on Halloween evening. No injuries were reported, and police believe the item originated from O'Leary Drive.
China's National Influenza Center reports that the 2026-2027 flu season has started earlier than usual, with Influenza A (H3N2) and Influenza B (Victoria lineage) co-circulating since July. Health experts urge vaccination throughout the season and warn high-risk groups to monitor for severe symptoms.
Ontario's suspension of OSAP payments at private post-secondary institutions, triggered by a KPMG audit, has left students facing financial hardship and raised concerns about worsening shortages of paramedics and personal support workers across the province.
A report by Auditor General Karen Hogan reveals the Canadian Dental Care Plan exceeded its budget by $1.1 billion during its first two fiscal years due to higher-than-expected claim payments. While the program has reduced out-of-pocket costs for members, it faces a projected $1.2 billion shortfall by 2032 and significant regional disparities in uptake.
A Sandoz Group report estimates that more than 300 drugs will lose patent protection in Canada over the next decade. Prompt approval of generic versions could save insurance plans $94 billion, but a doubled backlog at Health Canada is delaying market access.
A report published in The Lancet reveals that deaths associated with wildfire smoke in Canada have risen by approximately 275% since the early 2000s, reaching an annual average of 4,000 between 2021 and 2025. Public health experts attribute the increase to climate change and are calling for sustained funding as current Health Canada adaptation support is set to expire in 2027-28.
Dexcom announced that its G7 15 Day Continuous Glucose Monitoring System, authorized by Health Canada for adults 18 and older, will launch in Canada in November with broad public reimbursement and private health plan coverage.
A new report published in The Lancet reveals that deaths linked to wildfire smoke in Canada have risen by approximately 275% since the early 2000s, alongside significant increases in tree cover loss and dangerous heat exposure driven by climate change.
More than eight years after the Stephen McNeil Liberal government announced a new health-care complex for New Waterford, N.S., construction has not begun. Local physicians and community members are urging the Tim Houston government for concrete updates, citing deteriorating conditions at the 1963 hospital that hinder recruitment and patient care.
A growing number of people are using GLP-1 medications like tirzepatide and semaglutide off-label to lose weight quickly for events such as weddings. Researchers warn that cycling on and off these drugs may reduce their effectiveness, cause rapid weight regain, and lead to health deterioration.
The Canadian federal government introduced Bill C-41 on October 27, 2026, permanently excluding individuals whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness from medical assistance in dying. The legislation also allows adults with incurable illnesses expected to cause loss of decision-making capacity to make advance requests for MAID.
A report in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology identifies a potential link between hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (hATTR) and descendants of Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia, prompted by the case of James Henry Brothers. His daughter has since founded a nonprofit to improve genetic testing and awareness for the African Nova Scotian community.
Flu cases in Nova Scotia are higher than last year amid an early start to Canada's flu season. The province launched its vaccination campaign on Oct. 8, with more than 150,000 appointments already booked for influenza and COVID-19 vaccines.
