Can mindfulness help anxiety? Study suggests meditation works as well as drugs – National | Globalnews.ca

Mindfulness meditation worked as well as a standard drug for treating anxiety in the first head-to-head comparison. The study tested a widely used mindfulness program that includes 2 1/2 hours of classes weekly and 45 minutes of daily practice at home. Participants were randomly assigned to the program or daily use of a generic drug sold under the … Read more

Some antibiotic products containing amoxicillin in short supply, Health Canada says – National | Globalnews.ca

Some products containing a commonly used antibiotic are in short supply, according to Health Canada. The regulator told Global News on Friday that four companies — Sanis Health Inc., Apotex Inc., GlaxoSmithKline Inc. and Teva Canada Limited — are reporting shortages of drug products containing amoxicillin. There are still eight other companies that market amoxicillin … Read more

U.S. flu hospitalizations spike to highest level in a decade: health officials – National | Globalnews.ca

An early fall spike in influenza cases has pushed U.S. hospitalization rates for the illness to the highest in a decade for this time of year, U.S.health officials said on Friday, noting that vaccination rates are down. The rising flu cases come alongside pressure on hospitals from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID cases, officials … Read more

Canadian governments must fix health-care crisis, workers and advocates urge – National | Globalnews.ca

By Staff The Canadian Press Posted November 4, 2022 9:52 am Descrease article font size Increase article font size Associations representing Canada’s doctors, nurses and health organizations are calling on governments to work together to solve the health-care crisis that is affecting people across the country. The Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Nurses Association and … Read more

Updated Pfizer COVID-19 booster enhances protection, company says – National | Globalnews.ca

Pfizer’s updated COVID-19 booster significantly revved up adults’ virus-fighting antibodies, the company said Friday, releasing early findings from a rigorous study of the new shots. Booster doses tweaked to target the most common Omicron strain rolled out in early September, and the Food and Drug Administration said the latest data should spur more Americans to … Read more

As U.S. abortion bans take midterm centre stage, a clinic helping Canadians faces a crunch – National | Globalnews.ca

Dr. Warren Hern has clear memories from the years before Roe v. Wade granted women the right to an abortion. He and his medical school classmates would stay up all night caring for sick women. At first, he said he didn’t understand why they were so ill. Then he learned the women had all tried … Read more

Rapid response needed to address spike in heart disease cases linked to COVID-19: expert – National | Globalnews.ca

A Canadian heart researcher says a rapid response is needed to address the surge in cardiovascular cases linked to COVID-19 following recent studies that show the virus can increase a person’s risk of developing heart problems. “This is not new…. We’ve known about it for a long time that the risk is there … and … Read more

Health Canada approves Moderna’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine – National | Globalnews.ca

Health Canada has authorized Moderna’s bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine for those 18 years old and older after approving Pfizer’s in October. Moderna’s booster will also target the Omicron BA.4 and BA.4 subvariants of COVID-19. Health Canada deemed the “Spikevax” booster “safe and effective” after a “thorough and independent scientific review of the evidence.” “Clinical trial … Read more

Canada health-care spending growth expected to stall after COVID surge: report – National | Globalnews.ca

The growth in health spending seen during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic will slow dramatically in 2022, predicts a report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information. The total health spending in Canada is still expected to rise by 0.8 per cent this year, however that’s much lower than the 7.6 per … Read more

Analysis of Recent National Trends in Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment

This data note looks at national and state-by-state Medicaid and CHIP enrollment data through July 2022. After declines in enrollment from 2017 through 2019, preliminary data for July 2022 show that total Medicaid/CHIP enrollment grew to 90.0 million, an increase of 18.7 million from enrollment in February 2020 (26.3%), right before the pandemic and when … Read more