Latest from Amina Zafar
Second Opinion
Salmonella-tainted cantaloupe is killing Canadians. How scientists track the outbreak
When an outbreak like this happens, food inspectors race to track down the culprit. In the case of the contaminated cantaloupe, they were able to trace the salmonella back to produce from a few specific companies by checking invoices from Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.
Melatonin commonly taken by kids not a magic bullet, pediatricians say
New research says it's becoming "exceedingly common" for children and teens in the U.S. to take melatonin supplements for sleep, a trend some Canadian pediatricians are watching with caution in this country.
Health Canada approves updated Novavax vaccine to protect against COVID-19
Health Canada has authorized an adapted vaccine from Novavax for people age 12 and older to target a variant of COVID-19.
988 suicide crisis helpline launches across Canada
Canada's 988 hotline, which gives people access to suicide prevention services via call or text, is now available in all provinces and territories, 24/7 and free of charge. Its goal is to prevent suicide.
Social media gets teens hooked while feeding aggression and impulsivity, and researchers think they know why
Both regulation and more parental involvement needed to rein in social media experiment, psychiatrists and scientists say.
Canada gets low marks for opioid deaths, access to health care in OECD report
Canada performs better than average on three-quarters of health status indicators, including life expectancy and preventable deaths from lung cancer, heart attacks and strokes, according to a new report comparing 38 high-income countries.
Virtual urgent care didn't divert Ontario patients from ER visits during pandemic, study suggests
Virtual urgent care didn't make a dent in diverting patients with less severe health problems from going to emergency departments during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, according to researchers in a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Alberta's medical lab mayhem during privatization shows importance of oversight on errors, doctors say
The ever-shifting landscape of private, for-profit and public delivery of medical lab services in Alberta offers lessons for other provinces and territories.
Second Opinion
Rabies hitched a ride to Canada in dogs flown from Iran. Scientists caught the spread just in time
Epidemiologists say two recent cases of rabies found in dogs brought to Canada from overseas underscore the importance of surveillance for new strains of viruses and bacteria that could be transmitted from animals to humans, a subject highlighted in a review paper published in Science Translational Medicine last week.
Severe childbirth injuries from forceps, vacuum 'unacceptably high' in Canada, research shows
Canadian mothers face high rates of severe, long-term injuries from the use of forceps or vacuum in childbirth, and urgent action is needed to reduce it, the authors of a new analysis paper say.