Steve Anthony: True Canadian Pharmacy

Hundreds of natural health products could disappear from store shelves next spring because of a Health Canada backlog in approving licences, warns the Canadian Health Food Association.
We’re at a critical stage, said Carl Carter, director of regulatory affairs and policy development for the CHFA.
The biggest concern we have at this point is the standards of evidence Health Canada has been requesting for products’ efficacy, he told CBC News.
!–more– Firms that make and sell natural health products are not opposed to being regulated. In fact, they welcome the Health Canada stamp of approval, said Carter. However, he said the pendulum has swung too far in terms of proving that a drug works.

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John’s. In a commentary that appears in the same issue, Louise Baur, who specializes in children’s health at the University of Sydney in Australia, said reversing trends in child obesity requires a broader, long-term approach that includes:
Healthier school meals. The studies had some limitations, since the researchers didn’t measure how much activity the children got, and there is disagreement over whether BMI is the best way to measure obesity. (more…)

“The decision was really, really difficult to take and after the recommendation of specialists, the parents finally decided okay, we’ll do it,” Serge Laurendeau said. But the hospital ethics committee said the “child could not be considered a dying child” and that withholding food would be unethical. “It is totally unacceptable. The hospital would not comment but has said the parents agreed to let the baby be fed and be taken home. The case centres (more…)

‘In our focus groups we’ve had — repeatedly — people tell us that having your licence removed is worse than having a cancer diagnosis. The project was launched during the Canada Safety Council’s National Safe Driving Week. A recent paper by the Canadian Automobile Association recommended improvements to intersections, signage and lane-change markers to benefit all drivers, including seniors. Boost flexibility to turn and see behind them. Driving-related (more…)

Three-year-old Sam and Emily the pony go for a ride at their home in Caledon. Sam’s mother Antonia fought a town ruling that the pony had to go. The town overturned its decision.
A Caledon, Ont., family is celebrating after the town ruled it can keep a miniature pony purchased for their son, who has cerebral palsy.
The Spiteri family gained worldwide attention after a neighbour complained it was violating a town bylaw by having the pony, Emily.
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