Health

A reader questioned whether bringing a service dog to a loud, crowded concert is fair to the animal; columnist Lisi Tesher noted Ontario recognizes three categories—service dogs, emotional support animals and therapy dogs—and said appearance alone does not prove someone's need.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reduced the routine childhood vaccine schedule from protections against 17 diseases to 11, and reporting links that policy change and related U.S. actions to possible cross‑border effects; Canada has continued measles cases and two‑dose MMR coverage near 79 percent.

People in Canada who use service dogs report repeated ride denials by Uber drivers, sometimes captured on video, while Uber says it has mandatory driver education, new app features and is investigating complaints.

An emergency physician warned that Canada's hospitals, already operating near capacity, could face added demand during World Cup games; Public Health Ontario identified measles, COVID-19 and food and water‑borne illnesses as likely risks.

A sewage pump failure led to sewage entering Kashechewan’s drinking water plant, prompting a 'Do Not Consume' advisory on Jan. 5 and the evacuation of roughly half the community.

The Manitoba Nurses Union and Prairie Mountain Health say the Swan River emergency department has about a 50% nurse vacancy rate; the province recently limited contracted private nursing agencies to four and is expanding a provincial travel nurse team.

Erica Wheeler said she lost her mother to cervical cancer and is using her platform with Hologic’s The Ultimate Defense to raise awareness about Pap and HPV screening.

Quebec reported 516 tuberculosis cases in 2025, with Montreal (210) and Nunavik (117) accounting for the largest counts; health officials say they are monitoring high-rate areas and convening provincial and local working groups.

Chronic stress can keep the nervous system in a persistent fight-or-flight state that undermines breathing, movement and recovery. The article describes breathwork, mobility work, sleep hygiene, naps and brief nervous-system resets as strategies reported to signal safety and support better training responses.

cadootz! introduces lunchbox-safe cheese crackers made with USDA-certified organic ingredients; each serving contains five grams of protein and the crackers contain no gluten or seed oils.

Brands are partnering with public figures such as Atkins and Heather Gay to help normalize GLP-1 medication use; Atkins highlights low‑carb products like High Protein Strong Shakes and High Protein Soft Baked Bars that it says help meet protein and fiber needs.

A new systematic review and meta-analysis in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women's Health found no evidence that acetaminophen use in pregnancy increases risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disability; experts say the paper counters recent public claims that suggested a link.

Manitoba health officials reported 11 new confirmed measles cases and one probable case during the first full week of January, bringing totals since February 2025 to 333 confirmed and 30 probable cases.

Health Minister Josie Osborne announced the province will end its drug decriminalization trial on Jan. 31, and clinical psychologist Julian Somers says the government ordered data from his two-decade addiction study destroyed and ignored its findings.

The Weather Network reports a new flu subvariant (reported as subclade K) is linked to rising cases across Canada and the United States, and experts say this season's vaccine was not a close match but still appears to provide some protection.

The Manitoba government will provide $290,000 in ongoing annual funding to support the Prairie Mountain Health–Brandon Police Service Collaborative Crisis Response Unit, which pairs a police officer with a mental health clinician to respond to on-scene mental health calls.

Indoor air can hold more pollutants than outdoor air, and hidden mold, moisture and chemical residues can persist in homes; a remediation company describes advanced testing and treatments and works with clinicians to relate environmental data to health findings.

B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne announced the province will not renew the three-year exemption that allowed limited drug decriminalization, and First Nations health and justice groups say they were not consulted on the decision.

B.C. announced it will not seek renewal of its three-year drug decriminalization pilot, which began in January 2023, and the province said the trial did not deliver the expected results. Opposition parties and members of the public reacted with differing critiques.

Alberta Health Services confirmed that 21 of 42 family medicine beds at the University of Alberta Hospital will be relocated to Leduc, and the provincial government has ordered a public fatality inquiry into a recent emergency department death.

The chart compares life expectancy at birth across the 30 largest economies, showing that the United States averages about 80 years while people in Japan live roughly five years longer on average.

FaceGym's Lightwear LED Face Mask lets users customize treatments across four facial zones and pairs with an app to select red, blue and near-infrared light settings for concerns such as fine lines or blemishes.

An off‑duty Kelowna paramedic stopped to assess a man on a downtown sidewalk who appeared to be overdosing and was reported as stable. Emergency Health Services recorded 165 toxic drug poisoning calls in Kelowna in December 2025, a 34 per cent increase from the same month a year earlier.

Virtual healthcare has expanded in recent years and is increasingly used for both physical and mental health services because it can improve access, convenience, privacy, and lower costs. The article reports research finding little to no difference in patient outcomes between online and in-person therapy.

Winnipeg police will assign more specially trained officers to conduct random traffic stops as part of an annual drug-impaired-driving campaign running until March 1; last year 97 drivers tested positive for cannabis during that campaign.

NIMA has launched a new portable gluten sensor with upgraded detection technology, enhanced LED illumination, and improved battery life. The device tests a pea-sized food sample and returns results in about three minutes.

Alberta health officials and the hospitals minister will give an update Thursday on hospital capacity and a recent death in an Edmonton emergency department; hundreds of physicians have called for system-wide fixes amid recent provincial health restructuring.

Mount Sinai is reported as the first provider in metro New York to offer an incision-free, MRI-guided prostate treatment using TULSA-PRO. The announcement also notes that Profound commercializes Sonalleve, a therapeutic platform with several regulatory clearances.

Mattel announced a new autistic Barbie developed with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network after more than 18 months of collaboration, and the doll includes accessories such as a tablet with symbol-based AAC apps, noise‑cancelling headphones and a fidget spinner. The design reflects community guidance on features like a slightly averted gaze and a loose-fitting dress.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., revised its childhood immunization schedule, reducing the number of vaccines listed as routine from 17 to 11 and moving six to optional status. Ontario's childhood immunization coverage is reported at about 75 percent for seven‑year‑olds, and Canada has lost its measles elimination status.