Health

Boston researchers working on blood test for autism

Getting a diagnosis for autism is not easy, with many children having to wait to see specially trained doctors and specialists who spend hours observing the child’s behaviour before rendering a verdict. But U.S. doctors are working on an experimental blood test they believe might help detect the disorder – even before symptoms begin.

In a late-stage trial, children who used the weight loss drug 'liraglutide' lost significantly more weight than children on a placebo.

Weight loss drug liraglutide shows promise for younger children with obesity, study finds

Children who used the weight loss drug liraglutide in a late-stage trial lost significantly more weight than children who got a placebo, according to a new study.

Certain brain regions may shrink in size during pregnancy yet improve in connectivity, according to a new study of one woman. (Oscar Wong / Moment RF)

Pregnancy changes the brain more than previously known, study finds

Researchers have created one of the first comprehensive maps of how the brain changes throughout pregnancy, substantially improving upon understanding of an understudied field.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks during a press conference at a Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy in Etobicoke, Ont., on Jan. 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin

Ontario considers further expanding pharmacists' scope

Ontario is proposing to further expand pharmacists' scope of practice by adding to the list of minor ailments they can assess, allowing them to administer more vaccines and order some lab tests.

More Ontarians will be flagged for iron deficiency after doctors advocate for change to guidelines

Ontario could soon see more residents receiving treatment for iron deficiency thanks to new guidelines lowering the threshold for abnormal iron levels in the blood.

Here's what an Ottawa expert says about acupuncture

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese technique that has been used for hundreds of years to treat a wide variety of conditions, according to an Ottawa expert.

Specimens to be tested for COVID-19 are seen at LifeLabs after being logged upon receipt at the company's lab, in Surrey, B.C., Thursday, March 26, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

'We're at a high degree of spread': What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ontario

As we head into another respiratory illness season, here’s a look at where Ontario stands when it comes to COVID-19 and what you need to know.

Robyn Penniall, right, with her mother Aussa Penniall. (Photo provided by Aussa Penniall)

'I couldn't form the words': 23-year-old Ont. woman highlights need for rural health care after stroke

The experience of 23-year-old Muskoka, Ont., resident Robyn Penniall, who recently had a stroke, comes as concerns are being raised about the future of health care in her community.

Soda cans are seen in this undated photograph. (Pexels)

Canadian health regulators ban this common food additive. Here's what you need to know

In a move to safeguard public heath, Health Canada has officially banned the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) as a food additive. Here's what you need to know.