Health – Winnipeg Free Press

FILE - Dr. Tracy Beth Hoeg, with the FDA, listens during a meeting of the Advisory Committee in Immunization Practices at the CDC, June 25, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)

Top FDA drug official is trying to hire a friend who’s seeking a bold new warning on antidepressants

Matthew Perrone, The Associated Press 8 minute read 9:19 AM CDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration’s top drug regulator, Dr. Tracy Beth Hoeg, is working to hire a researcher and friend who wants the agency to add new warnings to antidepressants about unproven pregnancy risks, The Associated Press has learned.

Dr. Adam Urato, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and critic of antidepressant safety, is pressing the FDA to add a boxed warning to SSRIs, the drugs most commonly prescribed for depression. Urato’s petition says the medications can cause pregnancy complications, including miscarriages and fetal brain abnormalities that may lead to autism and other disorders in children.

That proposed labeling change has become a top priority for Hoeg, who regularly consults with Urato and is working to hire him at the FDA as a senior adviser, according to people familiar with the situation. They spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential FDA matters.

Within the agency, Hoeg’s close relationship with Urato is viewed as a clear conflict of interest that, under normal FDA standards, would result in her recusing herself from any work on the petition. But Hoeg is actively working to speed up the agency’s review of her friend's proposal, according to the people familiar with the situation.

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Overdose deaths down 10% in January as 150 die from toxic drugs, coroner says

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Overdose deaths down 10% in January as 150 die from toxic drugs, coroner says

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Yesterday at 6:41 PM CDT

VICTORIA - The BC Coroners Service says 150 people died from toxic drugs across the province in January, down 10 per cent from the same month last year.

A statement issued Thursday from the service and the Ministry of Public Safety says the decrease, based on preliminary data, still means nearly five British Columbians are dying from an overdose each day.

The coroner says 80 per cent of those who died were men, and almost three quarters were people between the ages of 30 and 59, statistics that have been similar in the almost 10 years since the province declared the overdose crisis.

It says fentanyl and similar drugs were present in a "significant majority," of deaths, with around eight in 10 tests returning positive results, and most people who died consumed their toxic drugs by smoking them.

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Yesterday at 6:41 PM CDT

Naloxone kits are pictured during a safe supply rally in Vancouver, on Monday, April 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

Alberta health agency makes 16 recommendations in wake of December ER death

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Alberta health agency makes 16 recommendations in wake of December ER death

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 8:06 PM CDT

EDMONTON - The Alberta agency in charge of hospitals has released a review making 16 recommendations to the government in the wake of the death of a man who waited hours for care in an Edmonton hospital.

In January, Premier Danielle Smith's government ordered a judge-led inquiry into the death of Prashant Sreekumar, a 44-year-old father of three.

He died at Edmonton’s Grey Nuns Community Hospital in December, and his family said he had been there for nearly eight hours with chest pains and increasing blood pressure.

Acute Care Alberta's review recommends increased staffing, expanded emergency department space, and ways to better move patients among different parts of the province to reduce pressure on the system.

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Updated: Yesterday at 8:06 PM CDT

A person walks past the emergency department of the Rockyview General Hospital in Calgary, Thursday, March 20, 2025.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Health Canada reviewing two deaths of plasma donors in Winnipeg, says no link so far

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Health Canada reviewing two deaths of plasma donors in Winnipeg, says no link so far

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 5:22 PM CDT

WINNIPEG - Health Canada is investigating the deaths of two people in recent months who donated plasma at private collection centres in Winnipeg.

It says the deaths happened in October and January following plasma donations at two locations run by Grifols, a company that pays donors.

The story was first reported by CBC, which said one of the donors died when her heart stopped while giving plasma.

Health Canada says the investigation is ongoing and no link has been established between the donation process and the two deaths.

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Updated: Yesterday at 5:22 PM CDT

In this Friday, June 12, 2020 file photo, a doctor holds a bag of blood plasma donated by a COVID-19 survivor at a blood bank in La Paz, Bolivia. (AP Photo/Juan Karita, FILE)

Smaller portions are a big restaurant trend as customers watch their budgets and waistlines

Dee-ann Durbin, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Smaller portions are a big restaurant trend as customers watch their budgets and waistlines

Dee-ann Durbin, The Associated Press 6 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 11:31 AM CDT

The biggest new restaurant trend is small.

Special menus with petite, less expensive portions are popping up all over, from large chains like Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory to trendy urban eateries and farm-to-fork dining rooms.

Restaurants hope that offering smaller servings beyond the children's menu will meet many different diners’ needs. Some people want to spend less when they go out. Others are looking for healthier options or trying to lose weight. Younger consumers tend to snack more throughout the day and eat smaller meals, said Maeve Webster, the president of culinary consulting firm Menu Matters.

“These are really driven by, I think, changes in the way people are thinking about their relationship with food, the way they spend money on food, what is a good value and what’s not,” Webster said.

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Updated: Yesterday at 11:31 AM CDT

A ropa vieja dish from Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar's GLP-Wonderful menu is prepared for serving at the restaurant in Philadelphia, on Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau)

Young Cubans turn to church and state as cheap, synthetic drugs flood the streets

Andrea Rodríguez, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Young Cubans turn to church and state as cheap, synthetic drugs flood the streets

Andrea Rodríguez, The Associated Press 5 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

HAVANA (AP) — Several dozen people stood in circle in a room at a Havana psychiatric hospital, their hands held together as they chanted in unison, vowing to rid their bodies from “the toxins that enslave.” The collective plea to reclaim their freedom for just the next 24 hours was the first step of a 90-day detoxification before beginning rehabilitation.

Drug use was an almost-unknown phenomenon in Cuba until the beginning of this decade. However, a deepening economic crisis, shortages of basic goods and the emergence of low-cost synthetic drugs have combined to transform the landscape.

In Havana and other cities across the island, it is no longer unusual to see young people in public parks sleeping, walking with difficulty or lying unconscious.

According to authorities, the primary threat is the “químico,” (chemical) — a potent cocktail of synthetic cannabinoids and hazardous additives. Also known on the streets as “papelitos,” or "little papers,” the drug is absorbed into sheets of paper that are sliced into tiny doses and smoked. At roughly 250 Cuban pesos per hit (50 cents), it costs less than a basic loaf of bread or a can of soda.

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Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

People undergoing rehabilitation hug in a circle at a psychiatric hospital in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Manitoba government plans steps toward reducing nurse overtime, improving care

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Manitoba government plans steps toward reducing nurse overtime, improving care

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government is planning to set up two committees as part of its promise to improve health care.

A bill now before the legislature would set up one group to come up with appropriate nurse-to-patient ratios and recommend which areas of health care, such as intensive care units, would be subject to the numbers.

Another bill would allow the health minister to set staffing and other benchmarks for health providers, with the aim of ending mandatory overtime for nurses.

The bill would allow for a committee to advise the minister on how to proceed.

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Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

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Do you really need a water filter? Here’s what experts say

Kiki Sideris, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Do you really need a water filter? Here’s what experts say

Kiki Sideris, The Associated Press 6 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

U.S. tap water is generally safe and high quality. But that doesn’t mean every glass tastes the same, or that every building’s plumbing delivers identical water to the faucet.

That uncertainty has fueled a booming market for water filters, from simple pitcher models to multi-thousand-dollar reverse osmosis systems. Yet experts say most American households don’t need extensive treatment. The challenge is knowing how to decide whether you need a filter.

Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency sets health standards for more than 90 contaminants in public water systems, including chemicals and microbes. Utilities treat water with disinfectants like chlorine to kill harmful germs before it reaches homes. Most public utilities meet those standards and most Americans can safely drink from the tap.

“Unless you’re experiencing health impacts, you’ve got a notice from your water system or there’s a credible media story saying your water is unsafe, you shouldn’t feel the need to get a filter,” said Gregory Pierce, director of the University of California Los Angeles’ Human Right to Water Solutions Lab. “You’re still welcome to because it might make your water taste a little bit better, but it shouldn’t be considered necessary to have a water filter in 90-plus percent of the United States.”

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Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

An under sink water filter operates Monday, March 9, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Lower colorectal cancer screening age to 45 from 50, Canadian Cancer Society urges

Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Lower colorectal cancer screening age to 45 from 50, Canadian Cancer Society urges

Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

TORONTO - Michael Groves thought he had appendicitis.

In January 2021, he went to the emergency department with abdominal pains, but after testing, medical staff ruled it out and he went home.

A couple of days later, Groves, who lives in Ottawa, saw blood in his stool, so he told his family doctor.

Both the pain and bleeding stopped, but his doctor decided to schedule the 49-year-old for a colonoscopy for that April to be on the safe side.

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Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

Michael Groves rings the bell at The Ottawa Hospital cancer centre after finishing his final round of chemotherapy for colorectal cancer in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Michael Groves (Mandatory Credit)

Toronto Public Health confirms Ontario’s first cases of another mpox variant

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Toronto Public Health confirms Ontario’s first cases of another mpox variant

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2026

TORONTO - Public health officials in Toronto say two travel-related cases of another type of mpox have been confirmed for the first time in the city and the province.

Toronto Public Health says the variant known as clade Ib has been associated with mpox outbreaks in parts of Central and Eastern Africa and was found in a small number of travel-related cases in Europe and elsewhere.

It says that since 2022, mpox cases in Toronto have only involved the IIb strain of the virus.

Public health says both mpox variants can cause painful skin lesions, fever and other flu-like symptoms.

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Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2026

FILE - Family nurse practitioner Carol Ramsubhag-Carela prepares a syringe with the Mpox vaccine before inoculating a patient at a vaccinations site on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Africa's public health body said Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023 it hopes Mpox vaccines will finally arrive on the continent

16 people treated for smoke injuires in fire in Mission, B.C., seniors home

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

16 people treated for smoke injuires in fire in Mission, B.C., seniors home

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2026

MISSION, BRITISH COLUMBIA - The chief of the fire department in Mission, B.C., says air conditioning units were falling through the ceiling behind his crew members as they were trying to evacuate people from a burning seniors' home.

Chief Mark Goddard says 16 of the 142 residents who were inside the three-story Chartwells Carrington House and a connected building needed to be treated for smoke inhalation, although no one was seriously hurt.

He said he couldn't "say enough about the courage of his crews" during the evacuation process, and that it was one of the most complex fires - for its scope and number of people - that the department has had to face.

He said firefighters put their lives at risk to evacuate residents on the third flood as the fire burned right above them.

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Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2026

An RCMP epaulette is seen in Edmonton, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Human waste backing up in basements is a gut-churning sign of US infrastructure problems

Michael Phillis And M.k. Wildeman, The Associated Press 7 minute read Preview

Human waste backing up in basements is a gut-churning sign of US infrastructure problems

Michael Phillis And M.k. Wildeman, The Associated Press 7 minute read Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — The January collapse of a pipe as wide as a car dumped so much sewage into the Potomac River that officials tracked a spike of gut-wrenching bacteria drifting slowly past Washington for weeks, prompting an emergency declaration and federal assistance.

It was a disaster of historic scale — 244 million gallons (924 million liters) spilled — spotlighting the severe consequences of old, failing infrastructure. But smaller sewer overflows that draw far less notice are common. Tens of thousands occur every year across the U.S., contaminating rivers, flooding streets and sometimes causing backups into homes that threaten human health.

“It’s really one of those out of sight, out of mind problems that doesn’t rise to the top until it becomes a crisis,” said Alice Volpitta, the Baltimore Harbor waterkeeper with the nonprofit Blue Water Baltimore.

At least 18.7 million people are served by one of roughly 1,000 utilities that are in serious violation of pollution limits. At least 2.7 million live with a system that violated federal clean water rules continually over the last three years, according to an Associated Press analysis of federal data.

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Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2026

People walk around Baltimore's Inner Harbor on March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Phillis)

FDA finds little evidence that a drug touted by Trump can help people with autism

Matthew Perrone, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

FDA finds little evidence that a drug touted by Trump can help people with autism

Matthew Perrone, The Associated Press 5 minute read Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a generic medication for a rare brain disorder, while walking back statements by President Donald Trump and other administration officials that the drug showed great promise for people with autism.

The agency said it approved leucovorin for children and adults with a genetic condition that limits delivery of folate, a form of vitamin B, to the brain. FDA officials estimate the ultrarare condition impacts fewer than 1 in a million people in the U.S.

It's a major step back from comments made at a White House news conference in September, when Trump and FDA commissioner Marty Makary announced the drug was under review to benefit patients with autism, some of whom have a form of the vitamin brain deficiency.

“It might be 20, 40, 50% of kids with autism,” Makary said at the news conference.

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Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2026

FILE - President Donald Trump listens as Dr. Marty Makary, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, file)

Taking to social media to complain about hot subway rides? You’re not alone, study says

Alexa St. John, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Taking to social media to complain about hot subway rides? You’re not alone, study says

Alexa St. John, The Associated Press 4 minute read Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2026

Commuters, residents and tourists who take to social media during warm months to complain about sweltering subway systems in New York, Boston and London should feel vindicated — new research says they aren't alone.

As temperatures rise aboveground, the number of subway riders reporting uncomfortable heat belowground increases, according to a new study in the journal Nature Cities on Tuesday. This could worsen as climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, makes for a hotter planet.

Northwestern University researchers analyzed more than 85,000 crowdsourced social posts on the social platform X and Google Maps reviews from 2008 to 2024 in those three major cities’ subway systems. They searched for keywords related to being too hot — or what they called “thermal discomfort” — in those metropolises, which are some of the world’s oldest and busiest. The experts looked for terms such as “hot” and “warm” while filtering out results that did not seem to relate to temperature, such as “hot dog.”

The study’s authors said subway riders may expect temperatures to be naturally cooler underground. They found that a 1-degree Fahrenheit (0.56-degree Celsius) increase in outdoor temperature led to a 10% increase in complaints in Boston, 12% in New York and 27% in London. Earth’s average temperature warmed 1 degree F (0.56 degrees C) from 2008 to 2024, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2026

FILE - Passengers wait for the train on a subway platform during a heat wave on June 24, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Olga Fedorova, File)

Registration of U.S. nurses in B.C. soars amid recruitment push

Marissa Birnie, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Registration of U.S. nurses in B.C. soars amid recruitment push

Marissa Birnie, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2026

This summer, Alex Alvarez will pack her belongings and make the 3,500-kilometre trek with her husband, young son and Boston Terrier from Anchorage, Alaska, to Nanaimo, B.C. — a city she's never visited — to work as a registered nurse.

Alvarez is among hundreds of American health-care workers the province says are relocating to B.C. to escape "uncertainty and chaos" in the United States.

"We need to make this move for our future," Alvarez said.

Last spring, the province made changes to fast-track the credential registration process for U.S. nurses.

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Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2026

Alex Alvarez, shown in this undated handout photo, is moving from Anchorage, Alaska, to Nanaimo, B.C., to work as a nurse. The Ministry of Health says around 174 American health care workers accepted an offer to work in the province between last May and September after B.C. ramped up its American recruitment efforts. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Alex Alvarez (Mandatory Credit)

Cuban doctors to leave Guyana as US applies pressure over island’s medical missions

Bert Wilkinson, The Associated Press 2 minute read Monday, Mar. 9, 2026

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — Cuban officials are preparing to withdraw the nation’s medical brigade from Guyana after it moved to provide full salaries to doctors and nurses from the island instead of sending most of the payments to the Cuban government.

Cuban doctors have worked in African, South American and Caribbean nations for decades under diplomatic agreements that earned the Cuban government money while providing medical care in places where it was otherwise scarce. But the Trump administration has sharply criticized it, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio describing it as forced labor.

Guyana Health Minister Frank Anthony told reporters Monday that Cuban authorities have chosen to end the program after nearly 50 years and recently asked their brigade of more than 200 doctors to prepare to leave the South American nation.

“We have been engaging the Cuban authorities and they chose to terminate or withdraw the Cuban doctors who were here,” Anthony said. He said that despite the fallout between both governments, Guyana is prepared to hire Cuban doctors who remain in the country through individual contracts.

March 13, 2026

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