UN approves updated cholera vaccine that could help fight a surge in cases

The World Health Organization has approved a version of a widely used cholera vaccine that could help address a surge in cases that has depleted the global vaccine stockpile and left poorer countries scrambling to contain epidemics. WHO authorized the vaccine, made by EuBiologics, which also makes the formulation now used, last week. The new … Read more

Dentists can bill for federal dental plan patients without signing up for program, government says

The federal government announced Wednesday that oral health care providers who provide services to Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) clients can bill the insurance company directly without formally signing up for the program. In early April, provincial dental associations told CBC News that Ottawa was requiring dental care providers to sign contracts to join the … Read more

UK, EU face significant medicine shortages, study says

LONDON —  Patients in the U.K. and European Union are facing shortages of vital medicines such as antibiotics and epilepsy medication, research published Thursday found. The report by Britain’s Nuffield Trust think-tank found the situation had become a “new normal” in the U.K. and was “also having a serious impact in EU countries.” Mark Dayan, … Read more

Shopaholic author Sophie Kinsella reveals aggressive brain cancer diagnosis

Best-selling British author Sophie Kinsella announced Wednesday that she has glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. The 54-year-old author, whose real name is Madeleine Sophie Wickham, wrote in a statement posted to her social media accounts that she was diagnosed in 2022. She said she’d had surgery and is undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. “I’ve wanted for a long time to … Read more

Liberals pledge $9B in new money for Indigenous communities in 2024 budget

The Trudeau government is promising $9 billion in new cash for Indigenous communities over the next five years, a smaller spend than some past budgets but one the government says builds on past investments and maintains an upward trend. The plan sparked mixed reviews from Indigenous leaders, with some immediately panning it as a failure and others … Read more

Gov. Jared Polis signs bill barring most occupancy limits in cities

Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill into law Monday that officially eliminates most restrictions on how many unrelated roommates can live together in Colorado. House Bill 1007 prohibits local governments from enacting occupancy limits, which Polis and other critics of the policy have derided as discriminatory and outdated. Roughly two dozen Colorado cities have such … Read more

Rising complaints of unauthorized Obamacare plan-switching and sign-ups trigger concern – Boston Herald

Julie Appleby, KFF Health News | KFF Health News (TNS) Federal and state regulators aren’t doing enough to stop the growing problem of rogue health insurance brokers making unauthorized policy switches for Affordable Care Act policyholders, say consumers, agents, nonprofit enrollee assistance groups, and other insurance experts. “We think it’s urgent and it requires a … Read more

Quebec employers group worried ‘political’ immigration debate will hurt jobs

The latest spat between Quebec and Ottawa over immigration is based on politics and not the reality of the labour market, says the head of a major employers group. “In some ways, it’s deplorable,” said Karl Blackburn, president and CEO of the Conseil du patronat du Québec. His comments come as Quebec Premier François Legault … Read more

Pregnancy test kits: When to use, how they work, their accuracy and different types available

10. WHAT CAN CAUSE A FALSE POSITIVE RESULT ON A PREGNANCY TEST KIT?  If a pregnancy test is left for a few hours after taking it, it may show a false positive, which is why Dr Koh advises women to read the results within five to 10 minutes. False positives may also show up if … Read more