HotDog Recall - Incomplete Listeria Testing

Maple Leaf recalls wieners, citing incomplete listeria testing

Maple Leaf Foods has voluntarily recalled hundreds of cases of wieners that had not completed tests for the listeria bacteria species.

The affected products were shipped to Eastern Canada, mostly to Ontario, Maple Leaf spokeswoman Linda Smith told CBC News.

People who have purchased 450 gram packs of Shopsy's Deli Fresh All Beef Frankfurters (product code 20730 and UPC 6487520730, best before date of April 22 and 23) and Maple Leaf Hot Dogs (product code 22356 and UPC 6310022356, best before date of April 23) are advised not to consume them.

Smith said 1,100 cases of wieners were quarantined for a second round of testing at a plant in Hamilton, Ont., but they were mistakenly shipped out prematurely. Initial testing revealed a partial positive result for a listeria species, Smith said. Maple Leaf says it tests for all six listeria species, not just Listeria monocytogenes.

It is not known whether the recalled wieners have tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a species that can be fatal in humans and was blamed for last year's deadly listeriosis outbreak.

More listeria-related recalls likely: McCain

"Unlike other situations, this event occurred as a direct result of human error and did not uphold our stringent industry leading protocols," said Michael McCain, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods.

Smith said the recalled shipment is small — there are 12 packs of wieners in each case. She estimated that each pack contains between 10 and 12 wieners. Maple Leaf expects to have all the recalled wieners in its possession by tomorrow morning at the latest, she said.

The company said the wieners are being taken off shelves "immediately," and that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is overseeing the recall. Maple Leaf said no illnesses were reported as a result of consuming the wieners, and that "the risk to human health is extremely low."

"As we have seen with the wide range of food products which have been recalled to date in 2009, as enhanced surveillance becomes more pervasive in the food industry, positive listeria findings and related recalls will occur more frequently," said McCain.

"This should be regarded positively as it provides assurance that the industry and government are acting swiftly to protect public health."

According to the Canadian Food Directorate, one to 10 per cent of all prepared food contains listeria.

Maple Leaf is still dealing with fallout from the company's involvement in last year's listeriosis outbreak. The deaths of 17 people were linked to meat contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes produced at a Maple leaf plant in Toronto last summer.

Source: CBC.ca

SuperSize Toxicity - French Fries under Fire

French-fry chemical may go on toxic list

Worries that Canadians might be inadvertently ingesting too much cancer-causing acrylamide from French fries, potato chips and other processed foods has prompted Health Canada to recommend adding the chemical to the country's toxic substances list.

Acrylamide is an industrial chemical that isn't naturally found in foods, but is produced accidentally when sugars and other items in potatoes and grains are exposed to high cooking temperatures.

It has also been detected in breakfast cereals, pastries, cookies, breads, rolls, toast, cocoa products and coffee, although at levels far below those in fried potato products.

The decision to recommend placing acrylamide on the toxic list is being announced in today's Canada Gazette, and is part of an ongoing review by the federal government of nearly two hundred potentially harmful substances in widespread commercial use that have never been subject to extensive safety assessments.

The gazette notice on the chemical, which was posted on the Internet yesterday afternoon, said the toxic listing was based on the "carcinogenic potential" of acrylamide and the lack of an adequate safety margin at current exposures for causing reproductive and developmental harm during fetal and early life development.

The government didn't announce specific steps to control exposures to acrylamide in fries and chips, but said that it planned to use the Food and Drugs Act "to reduce the inadvertent production of acrylamide in certain processed foods intended for human consumption."

Acrylamide is also used to make polymers found in grout, cement, waste water treatment, pesticides, cosmetics, and diapers, among other products. The data posted by the government didn't give any indication that these non-food uses would be regulated.

The toxic announcement was greeted positively by environmentalists, who have been arguing that potentially dangerous chemicals in consumer goods need to be limited.

"We think it's particularly important to list the chemicals that are in common, everyday items," said Aaron Freeman, a spokesman for Environmental Defence, a Toronto-based advocacy group. He said the government should move quickly to introduce control measures.

Source: theGlobeandMail.com

Crib Recall - Health Canada

Health Canada recalls crib

Health Canada is asking parents to stop using a particular crib that was manufactured in Chile and imported to Canada by Bambino Reale Furniture, a company that's gone out of business.

There is a potential for a serious fall-related injury, although to date Health Canada says it hasn't received any reports of injuries related to these cribs.

The model number is 612C19CH.

Because the company, a subsidiary of Quebec-based Ragazzi Furniture, has gone out of business, Health Canada hasn't been able to determine how many of the cribs were sold in Canada, or when they were sold.

The warning was issued following a complaint by a consumer in Alberta and a determination that the cribs don't meet labelling and minimum side height requirements for cribs.

Health Canada says the cribs don't provide an adequate barrier to prevent infants and young children from falling out or climbing out.

The cribs should be disassembled and disposed of in a way that they won't be used again.

Source: theGlobeandMail.com

Cancer Risk Elevated with Alcohol Intake for Women

Just a little alcohol a day boosts cancer risk for women

The old motto may be everything in moderation, but middle-aged women who enjoy a daily glass of alcohol should try on a new mantra if they want to lower their cancer risk, new research suggests.

In a study of nearly 1.2 million women, British researchers found that even low to moderate alcohol consumption can boost a woman's risk of developing cancers of the breast, liver, rectum and, in smokers, the mouth and throat, by as much as 13 per cent combined.

These cancers have already been linked to alcohol consumption but in much higher doses, according to the study published yesterday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute's online edition.

Most previous studies linking alcohol use and cancer risk have focused on men who drank to excess, says Naomi Allen, lead study author and cancer epidemiologist with the University of Oxford. But this discovery sheds a disturbing light on how even a small amount of alcohol consumed on a regular basis raises the risk of cancer, specifically in females, she says.

“What's novel about this study is even though it's low level of drinking – about one or two alcoholic drinks regularly consumed each day – it increases a woman's risk not just of developing breast cancer, which has been well established already, but also cancer of the liver, cancer of the rectum and in smokers cancer of the mouth and throat,” she says. “These are cancers that were commonly believed to be associated with high alcohol consumption.”

Dr. Allen and her research team analyzed data from the Million Women Study, which included more than a million middle-aged British women surveyed at breast cancer screenings between 1996 and 2001. These women, with an average age of 55, were routinely tracked for incidence of cancer. Of the women who reported drinking, the average alcohol intake was 10 grams, or one drink a day. In the study, moderate drinking for women was defined as less than 21 drinks a week or three a day. Researchers controlled for smoking status, and whether the women had undergone hormone replacement therapy and considered the women's ages, socioeconomic background and place of residence among many other factors.

In all cases, the more a woman drank the higher her risk rate climbed, Dr. Allen says.

The study also found that the type of alcohol consumed made no difference. A glass of red wine – widely acknowledged for reducing the risk of heart disease – and a glass of spirits increased risk the same way, Dr. Allen says.

These findings may call into question the recommended daily glass of red wine, she acknowledges. It's a confusing mixed message, but she views her study as just one more thing for women to discuss with their doctors.

“Only [after] you've examined heart disease in the same populations would we be in a position to comment on the overall risks and benefits of moderate alcohol drinking in women,” she says. It will then be the responsibility of expert committees and governmental health organizations to create guidelines for the public. “I think women have to be as well informed as possible and only then can they take responsible action over how much alcohol they drink.”

Cardiologists actually don't recommend non-drinkers start sipping wine daily says Michael Lauer, the director of the Division of Prevention and Population Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, MD.

“There is this lore that a drink a day is good for you, but if you look at the message, it's more nuanced,” he says. “The message is it may be a reduced risk, but this is something you need to discuss with your doctor.”

In an editorial also published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute , Dr. Lauer said the Oxford team's research offered “fascinating findings that should give us pause.”

Dr. Allen says she plans to test for heart disease incidence and morality rates among participants in the Million Women Study so that clearer recommendations can be made. She also wants to track what impact drinking patterns have on increased cancer risk.

Source: theGlobeandMail.ca

Listeria Food Recall

Listeria concerns prompt recalls

A health warning has been issued for two products the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says may be contaminated with the Listeria bacteria.

One is egg salad manufactured by Plaisirs Gastronomique Inc. of Boisbriand, Que., and included in some Ziggy brand egg salad sandwiches. These Ziggy's brand products bear a best-before date up to and including Feb. 17 and are distributed in Ontario and Quebec.

The warning also covers various products containing egg salad at some chain stores and other retailers and deli stores in Quebec and Ontario.

Consumers who bought the affected products between Feb. 2 and Feb. 17 are advised to check the retailer to see if they have the recalled products.

The agency has issued a similar warning for Kanata Smoke House brand Smoked Atlantic Salmon sold from Costco stores in Quebec. The product is sold in 500 gram packages (bearing UPC 8 19269 00350 5 and Product code 3001 Best Before 2009 FE
Source: theGlobeandMail.ca

Ontario Promotes New Health Info Site

Ontario touts new service to help Ontarians find an MD, neighbourhood clinics

Ontario has announced a program aimed easing the pressure on hospital emergency rooms by linking patients with family doctors and clinics close to home.

Emergency departments see more than five million patients every year, and about half of those visits are for non-urgent conditions.

Health Minister David Caplan says the new service will help people get the care faster and closer to home.

Health Care Connect is a hotline — 1-800-445-1822 — staffed by nurses that residents can call to help find a family health-care provider.

The province has also compiled health information on a website that contains details about health-care facilities.

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/ms/healthcareoptions/public/index.html

The site allows residents to type in a postal code and find the nearest walk-in and after-hours clinics, urgent care centres, family health teams, general practitioners and emergency rooms.

The government is also pledging to expand the site to offer information on all front-line health services in Ontario, including community care centres, laboratories and long-term care homes.

Source: CBC.ca

Atkins Granola Bar Warning - Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Granola bar may contain contaminated peanuts: CFIA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warned the public on Wednesday not to eat the Atkins Advantage Peanut Butter Granola Bar because it may be contaminated with salmonella.

The granola bar, manufactured in Canada, comes in 48-gram packages and carries best-before dates of June 6, 2009, and July 19, 2009.

The agency said the granola bar contains peanut products that have been recalled in the U.S. and Canada by the Peanut Corporation of America as a result of a salmonella outbreak that has made 600 people sick in the U.S. The outbreak may be linked to eight deaths.

Canadians were also warned not to consume chocolate-covered peanuts, including sugar-free ones, sold in unmarked, clear plastic, cone-shaped containers with gold foil tops, by Golden Chocolate in Lakeshore, Ont.

The chocolate-covered peanuts, manufactured in the U.S., come in 220-gram and 440-gram packages.

The warning also applies to Sunbird Snacks yogurt trail mix, health mix and chocolate peanut butter blast, all manufactured in the U.S. but which may have been available in Canada.

"This is an ongoing food safety investigation," the agency said in a news release Wednesday.

The agency said it is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to identify and remove all affected products imported into Canada from the U.S.

CFIA is also working with Canadian manufacturers to recall foods containing affected U.S. peanuts.

The salmonella outbreak has led to the recall of more than 1,800 products in the U.S. and more than 200 products in Canada.

Peanut Corp. is currently being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the U.S. Its corporate headquarters in Lynchburg, Va., were raided by the FBI on the weekend, and two of its plants, one in Georgia and the other in Texas, have been closed while the investigation continues.

It makes only about one per cent of U.S. peanut products, but its ingredients are used by dozens of other food companies.

Source: CBC.ca

Why Exercise is Good for the Brain

Source: Men's Health Feb 2009

First Genetically Altered Drug from Goats Approved by FDA

Drug from genetically altered goats approved by U.S. regulator

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration made history Friday as it approved the first drug made with materials from genetically engineered animals, clearing the way for a new class of medical therapies.

GTC Biotherapeutics said regulators cleared its drug ATryn, which is made using milk from goats that have been scientifically altered to produce extra antithrombin, a protein that acts as a natural blood thinner.

The drug's approval may be the first step toward new kinds of medications made not from chemicals, but from living organisms altered by scientists.

Similar drugs could be available in the next few years for a range of human ailments, including hemophilia.

The FDA cleared the drug to treat patients with a rare hereditary disorder that causes a deficiency of the protein, putting them at higher risk of deadly blood clots. The injectable treatment will be sold in the U.S. by Deerfield, Ill.-based Ovation Pharmaceuticals.

About one in 5,000 people don't produce enough antithrombin protein, according to Framingham, Mass.-based based GTC. As a result, their blood is more likely to stick together, occasionally causing clots that can travel to the lungs or brain, causing death.

Clots threaten placenta

Pregnant women with the disorder are at higher risk of miscarriage or stillbirth, because of blood clots in the placenta.

Patients with hereditary antithrombin deficiency are currently prescribed conventional blood thinners, like Plavix from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis. That will not change with the new approval.

ATryn is only approved for use when patients are getting surgery or having a baby, times when the risk of dangerous clots is particularly high. Those patients would receive the drug by intravenous infusion for a limited time before and after their procedures.

To make the drug, scientists at GTC put DNA for the human antithrombin protein into single-cell embryos of goats.

Goat embryos with the gene were then inserted into the wombs of surrogate mothers, who gave birth to baby goats that produce the protein-charged milk.

Genetically engineered animals are not clones but rather animals that have had their DNA changed to produce a desirable characteristic.

Amid growing questions about the technology, the FDA last month issued guidelines for how it will regulate products made from genetically altered animals.

FDA said it will not allow any such products to be sold without first submitting them to scrutiny by independent advisers at a public meeting. The agency's panel of blood product experts recently concluded ATryn was safe and effective.

But consumer groups said the FDA's long-awaited policy will not require all genetically engineered foods to be labelled as such. And they said the government has not done enough to examine the potential impact of genetically engineered animals on the environment — particularly if some escape and begin to mate with animals in nature.

The drug received European approval in 2006.

Shares of GTC Therapeutics rose five cents, or 5.5 per cent, to 87 cents in midday trading.

Source: CBC.ca

US Orders Removal of Children's Toys - Health Risk

Toys with phthalates must come off shelves, U.S. judge rules

A New York judge says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) can't let toys containing toxic manufacturing chemicals remain on store shelves after a ban takes effect next week.

U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe says the commission, whose role is to protect the public from dangerous goods, must eliminate a loophole that lets the substances remain in toys made before the ban is in place Feb. 10.

Manufacturers have said they'd have to pull hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of products from store shelves to comply.

However, consumer advocates call the ruling a victory for children's health.

CPSC spokesman Joe Martyak says the commission decided not to appeal the ruling, which relates to phthalates, chemicals used to soften plastics.

They're commonly found in bath toys, books, teethers, bibs, dolls and plastic figures.

Phthalates can be absorbed through the mouth or skin, interfering with reproductive hormones.

A federal law signed last summer bans the chemicals from toys.

Regulator created loophole, consumer advocates say

Two consumer advocacy groups, Public Citizen and the Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC), sued the CPSC in December.

They said the agency created a loophole by saying the ban didn't apply to toys or child-care products manufactured before Feb. 10.

Attorney Aaron Colangelo, who argued the case for the NRDC, described the ruling as "a big win for children's health and for consumer safety.

"Without this ruling, consumers buying toys after Feb. 10 would have no way of knowing whether they contain phthalates or not," he said.

The judge's ruling said the text of the law banning phthalates "provides unequivocally and unambiguously that no covered products may be sold as of Feb. 10, 2009."

"Unless another section of the statute can be read as creating an express exception for existing inventory," he continued, "the commission may not interpret the phthalate prohibitions as containing such an exception."

Colangelo said phthalates already have been banned in some places around the world, so phthalate-free products are already available to toy companies.

"It won't be hard for them" to comply, he said.

Source: CBC.ca

Spice List of AntiOxidant Benefits

Source: Psychology Today Jan 2009

Canada Adds 8 Chemicals to Toxic List

Government adds 8 chemicals to list of harmful substances

Ottawa has designated eight chemicals as being of concern to human health or the environment following its latest assessment of potentially dangerous substances.

The designated chemicals include silicon-based D4 and D5, which are used in a wide range of cosmetic products.

The joint assessment by Health Canada and Environment Canada means the chemicals can now be regulated. The latest assessment is part of a process of reviewing 200 chemicals in batches of up to 30 to determine whether they pose a risk to human health or the environment and should be more closely regulated.

It's the same process under which the federal government announced it would ban the import and sale of baby bottles made with bisphenol A.

Interested parties now have 60 days to comment on any risk management that may be required in the case of the eight newly named chemicals.

Of the eight chemicals placed on Ottawa's list, D4 and D5, along with TTBP, a fuel and oil additive, are not considered a threat to human health but are listed as of concern to the environment, including wildlife.

The ministers of health and environment issued a joint news release Tuesday stating "regulations will be developed to set a concentration limit for siloxanes D4 and D5 in products and for wastewater generated during the manufacturing process.

"The third substance [TTBP] will be managed so that releases to the environment will be reduced below levels that can be measured."

Harm to environment, carcinogenic effects among dangers

D5 is used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and cleaners as well as inks, textiles, rubbers and fuel additives. It is considered bioaccumulative and can harm aquatic organisms at low concentrations.

D4 is another silicone fluid used in types of rubbers, plastics, soap, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics — including creams, lotions, hair care products and antiperspirants — as well as pesticides, paints, lacquers, varnishes, inks, textiles, leather goods and fuel additives.

Ottawa has said experimental data shows that D4 is persistent in the environment and can harm aquatic organisms at low concentrations.

Tuesday's release also lists five other chemicals as of concern to human health. They are thiourea, Pigment Yellow 34, Pigment Red 104, isoprene and epichlorohydrin.

Thiourea is used to extract silver and gold from ore and occurs naturally in some plants and fungi. Europe and the U.S. have classified it as a compound that should be examined as a possible carcinogen.

Pigment Yellow 34 and Pigment Red 104 contain chromium and lead and are used to colour plastics, inks, paints, coatings, adhesives, textiles and sealants. In addition, the European Commission classified Pigment Yellow 34 based on concerns that it may be carcinogenic and toxic to the reproductive system.

Isoprene is used to make medical equipment, toys, tires and paints, inner tubes, and some rubber adhesives and glues. The federal government decided to take a closer look at this chemical after other jurisdictions classified it as a possible human carcinogen.

Epichlorohydrin is a synthetic chemical used to make other chemicals and is classified as a possible human carcinogen by the European Commission and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Source: CBC.ca

Biphensol - Additional Concerns Part 2 - Canned Food

Source: Men's Living Jan 2009

Peanut Snack Bar Recall

Peanut snack bar added to Canadian recall over salmonell

Canadians should not eat a brand of chocolate-dipped honey peanut bar, the latest salmonella-linked product that's part of a growing recall of peanut products in the United States.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it has expanded a voluntary recall to include another snack food made in the U.S.

Isagenix's Chocolate Dipped Honey Peanut IsaLean Bar in 2.29 oz or 65 gram size contains peanut butter or peanut paste recalled in the U.S. by Peanut Corporation of America, CFIA said.

The bars may have been distributed nationally, the agency said.

No reported illnesses are associated with consumption of the bars.

Investigators in the U.S. have traced the outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium to a peanut processing plant in Blakely, Ga.

More than 400 kinds of cakes, cookies, ice cream, other snack foods, Asian-style sauces and dog biscuits have been recalled in the outbreak.

Company 'devastated'

More than 500 people in the U.S. have fallen ill in the outbreak, which may have contributed to eight deaths.

On Wednesday, the Peanut Corp. expanded its recall to all peanut products produced at the Georgia plant since Jan. 1, 2007, as a precaution.

"We have been devastated by this, and we have been working around the clock with the FDA to ensure any potentially unsafe products are removed from the market immediately," Peanut Corp. of America president Stewart Parnel said in a statement late Wednesday.

Company officials are co-operating with state and federal officials, he added.

'One of the largest recalls we've had'

There have been calls for a criminal investigation into the company, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said that is premature and the agency's investigation continues.

"We feel very confident that it's one of the largest recalls we've had," said Stephen Sundlof, head of the FDA's food safety centre. "We're still in the process of identifying products, but it certainly is among the largest."

The expanded recall includes contamination with salmonella strains not associated with the current outbreak, Sundlof told a telephone briefing with reporters.

"The additional salmonella strains discovered at this plant underscore that this plant was shipping adulterated product, but as for now we are not aware of any illnesses connected to any other salmonella strains shown at this facility," Michael Rogers, head of FDA's field investigations, told reporters.

FDA inspection reports showed problems including live cockroaches, mould and signs of a leaking roof at the Georgia plant.

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Source: CBC.ca

Bisphenol May Stay in System Longer - Study

Bisphenol A, a chemical used to make many hard plastic products, may stay in the body longer than previously thought.

Researchers say the finding may also mean that people are ingesting the chemical from non-food sources.

In Wednesday's online issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, Dr. Richard Stahlhut of the University of Rochester's Environmental Health Sciences Center said high levels of BPA remained in the body after people in a study fasted for as long as 24 hours.

In October 2008, Canada became the first country in the world to ban the import and sale of polycarbonate baby bottles containing bisphenol A, citing concerns about exposing infants to the chemical.

Late last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it planned more research into the safety of BPA, but the agency indicated no immediate plans to follow Canada's curb on the chemical.

In the latest study, Stahlhut and his colleagues looked at BPA levels in the urine of 1,469 U.S. adults who took part in a government health survey.

The researchers said they expected to see a relationship between the last meal, fasting time and BPA levels.

Based on the assumption that BPA is excreted quickly and people are exposed to the chemical mainly through food, much lower BPA levels were expected among those who fasted for 24 hours than those who fasted for 8.5 hours.

Safety assumption questioned

"Our results simply do not fit that picture," said Stahlhut.

"The research community has clues that could help explain some of these results, but to date the importance of the clues have been underestimated. We must chase them much more vigorously now."

BPA levels appeared to drop about eight times more slowly than expected, he added.

The researchers proposed two possible explanations for the higher-than-expected levels among people who fasted:

• Exposure to BPA from other sources, such as house dust or tap water.
• BPA may seep into fat tissues, where it is released more slowly.

"The finding is surprising and a little disturbing, in that all assumptions about the safety of BPA made by regulatory agencies are based on the idea that we are primarily exposed to this from eating," Fred vom Saal, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia Division of Biological Sciences, told HealthDay News.

To find out, more research is needed to evaluate the effects of BPA on fat tissue hormones and function, and to compare BPA levels in fat, blood and urine, Stahlhut said.

Bisphenol A is a chemical compound found in some hard, clear, lightweight plastics and resins. It's used in the production of various types of food and drink containers, compact discs, electronics and automobile parts, and as a liner in some metal cans.

Animal studies suggest that, once ingested, BPA may imitate estrogen and other hormones, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

In a study published in September 2008 in the Journal of the American Medical Asssociation, adults with higher BPA levels in their urine were linked to higher risks for heart disease and diabetes.

The American Chemistry Council, which represents makers of BPA, maintains that the chemical is safe for all uses. Steven Hentges, spokesman for the trade group, dismissed the study's conclusions as "speculative at best."

Source: CBC.ca

Fish Finder

Source: Men's Health April 2008

Raid - Effective for Eliminating Bugs and Cats

Source: Wired Jan 2009

Indoor Plants for Fresh Air

Source: Men's Health Living Winter/Spring 2009

Blood Pressure Drug Combo Can Be Deadly

Blood-pressure drug alert issued

Taking two commonly prescribed blood-pressure drugs in combination can trigger severe heart and kidney problems, according to an alert issued Friday to patients and physicians.

The drugs, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers, are considered safe and effective on their own and when combined with other hypertension drugs, but ACE inhibitors and ARBs should not be used together, the Heart and Stroke Foundation is warning.

The group estimates that about 175,000 Canadians – most of them over the age of 65 – are taking this particular combination of drugs.

“This is a safety issue that the public and practitioners need to be aware of,” said Sheldon Tobe, a nephrologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. “Bringing blood pressure under control is very important, but with this particular combination the potential risks outweigh the benefits.”

Margaret Moy Lum-Kwong, director of high-blood-pressure strategy at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, stressed that patients should not stop taking medications, even if they are taking ARBs and ACE inhibitors together, but discuss the matter with their physician.

“If you are on this particular combination treatment … go directly to your doctor for an alternative treatment,” she said.

High blood pressure, the leading risk factor for heart disease, is commonplace, affecting one in four men and one in five women.

A person is considered hypertensive with a blood-pressure reading of 140/90 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) or higher. Healthy adults should have a blood pressure in the range of 120/80 mmHg, although that target varies with age and other health conditions such as diabetes.

According to a study published last year, about 85 per cent of those with high blood pressure are aware of their condition and most are being treated successfully.

Blood pressure can often be controlled with lifestyle changes such as weight loss, healthy eating (particularly reducing salt consumption) and exercise, but many Canadians are treated with prescription drugs.

About two-thirds of hypertensive cases are treated with combinations of drugs, including diuretics, ACE inhibitors, ARBs and calcium channel blockers.

The safety and effectiveness of various combinations is being studied systematically. Last year, a landmark Canadian-led study showed that the combination of an ACE inhibitor and ARB was only marginally more effective at lowering blood pressure than either drug taken alone.

But it also revealed far more side effects among those taking the ACE-ARB combo, including fainting, diarrhea and dangerously elevated potassium levels that could result in kidney failure (and the need for dialysis) and even death.

Dr. Tobe stressed that severe complications were rare, but said there is no justification for putting patients at risk when there is no additional benefit.

“What we're doing here is refining therapy to make it safer,” he said.

Arthur Innes, a 57-year-old Torontonian who works in a long-term care facility, said he got his blood pressure checked as part of a physical for life insurance and was shocked to learn readings were dangerously high at 200/90 mm/Hg.

His family doctor prescribed a combination of ARB and ACE inhibitor. “These medications didn't make me feel very good. I was dizzy and had nausea all the time,” Mr. Innes said.

He was referred to a specialist and prescribed different medication; he now has his blood pressure under control and suffers no side effects.

“Taking the meds is important for your heart,” Mr. Innes said, “but you don't want medications that impair your way of life.”

Source: theGlobeandMail.ca

Botox Can Spread - Health Canada Warning

The toxin in Botox products may spread to distant parts of the body, with potentially fatal consequences, Health Canada said Tuesday in announcing new labelling information for the drugs.

Last February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the toxin had spread, both in products the agency approved and those that were not. Health Canada has been reviewing the safety of Botox and Botox Cosmetic.

No medically confirmed cases of the toxin having spread have been reported in Canada.

In its advisory, Health Canada said the symptoms of "distant toxin spread" include:

• Muscle weakness.
• Difficulties swallowing.
• Pneumonia.
• Speech disorders.
• Breathing problems.

Botox, made by Allergan Inc. of Irvine, Calif., is approved for treating muscle spasms in the neck, eye and foot, muscle pain and excessive sweating in Canada. Botox Cosmetic, which is made by the same company, is approved to treat facial wrinkling.

The drugs use botulinum toxin, which blocks nerve impulses to muscles, causing them to relax.

People with a history of neurological disorders, swallowing difficulties or breathing problems should be extremely cautious about using the products, Health Canada said.

When the U.S. issued its warning, the FDA said the deaths were all among children. Most had cerebral palsy and were being treated for limb spasms, which is not an approved use for the drugs in the U.S. or Canada.

Health Canada has worked with Allergan to revise the labelling, and will continue to monitor the safety of Botox products, the department said.

Vicks VapoRub Harmful to Kids

Cold ointments may spell serious breathing problems for children

As far as home remedies go, it's right up there with chicken noodle soup. But parents who use Vicks VapoRub to help their children get over a cold may, in some instances, do more harm than good.

A new study published today in the journal Chest warns that putting the mentholated ointment under or in a child's nostrils can prompt mucus production and cause serious breathing problems.

"I think it will surprise some folks because it is used this way," said Bruce Rubin, professor and vice-chairman for research in the pediatrics department at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina and lead author of the study.

Although health professionals and product manufacturers have long known that using Vicks VapoRub and similar generic products on children can present risks, many parents may not be getting that message, Dr. Rubin said.

"I think most people aren't aware of [the risks] and I think most people don't read the warning label," he said.

The label on Vicks VapoRub, for instance, advises parents to consult a physician before using the product on children under age 2. A warning also states that the product shouldn't be rubbed in the nostril.

But the study said many parents or caregivers may miss, or even ignore, this warning, not realizing the harmful effects the product can have on very young children.

Dr. Rubin and his colleagues embarked on the study after taking care of an 18-month-old girl who was brought to the hospital with severe breathing problems. Doctors couldn't figure out what had caused the girl, who was suffering from a cold and hadn't been given any medication, to suddenly experience "severe respiratory distress."

After asking the child's grandparents to think of anything they may have done before she began to have trouble breathing, her grandmother said she had put Vicks under her nostrils less than an hour before.

After the child recovered, doctors at the hospital began to routinely ask about the use of mentholated ointments and found several cases were similar.

Researchers then began a study using ferrets, which have a similar airway to humans, to determine what could be causing the problem among young children. They found that Vicks VapoRub causes an increase in mucus, which can lead to serious problems among children. A child's airway is tightened and narrowed by a virus, and thus a significant increase in mucus can lead to serious breathing difficulties like those noted by Dr. Rubin and his colleagues.

That's not to say mentholated ointments don't provide relief. In adults, they deliver a cool sensation that tricks the brain into thinking airflow is increasing. In reality, the preparations don't act as a decongestant or help a person to breathe better. But they do make a person feel like they can breathe better, helping them feel more comfortable as they fight a cold.

The warning about the menthol-based ointment is particularly timely, considering health officials are moving to restrict the use of over-the-counter medications in children.

Last month, Health Canada warned that cough and cold medications shouldn't be given to children under 6 because there isn't enough information to prove they're effective. These medications were linked to some health problems among children in Canada in recent years, including five deaths.

It's possible the new restrictions on cold medications may prompt some parents to look more closely at alternative or home remedies to help their children. If that's the case, parents must understand that over-the-counter remedies that are used safely in adults could cause serious problems in kids.

"You need to be aware that unless these are studied in children, there might be unrecognized risks," Dr. Rubin said.

A Canadian pediatrician agreed that parents should be wary of giving children over-the-counter cold remedies, even if they're considered to be natural.

"A lot of the natural products on the market have not been tested," said Danielle Grenier, medical affairs director at the Canadian Paediatric Society. "Even if it's a natural product, it still has ingredients. We know that it can have side effects."

The best advice she has for parents is to rely on the simplest solutions to help your child through a cold: plenty of warm liquids and a lot of rest.

"They're still the best," Dr. Grenier said.

Source: TheGlobeandMail.ca

Frozen Fish Recall

CFIA Recalls Frozen Fish Due To Toxin Concern

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has pulled a product off the shelves and issued a warning after two people fell ill after eating possibly contaminated frozen fish.

The brand is called School of Fish and the product is frozen Leatherjacket. It shouldn't be eaten because it may contain a toxin known as ciguatera.

Ciguatera is a marine biotoxin that accumulates in fish and causes an illness in humans called ciguatera poisoning.

Even worse, contaminated fish may not look or smell spoiled, and the toxin is not destroyed by cooking.

'Frozen Leatherjacket' was produced in China and imported by Frobisher International Enterprise Ltd. The company has started a voluntary recall which CFIA is monitoring.

The product was distributed in British Columbia and Ontario. It was sold in packages of various weights bearing Production Code HI04 and one of the following size and UPC combinations:

a) Size 100/200 and UPC 8 74718 00074 0

b) Size 200/400 and UPC 8 74718 00073 3

There have been two reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

Symptoms of ciguatera poisoning include

• gastroenteritis (vomiting, cramps, diarrhea)
• itching of the skin
• central nervous system dysfunction, which often includes hot and cold inversion

If you have any questions, call Frobisher 604-523-8108 or CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8am to 8pm Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

Find out more about ciguatera - click here.

Source: CityNews.ca

Workout Water Benefits

Source: Women's Health Dec 2008

Pain Patch Overdose Risk - Health Canada Update

Manufacturers changing dosing instruction of pain patch

Several manufacturers of a patch containing a chronic pain drug are changing dosing instructions to address potential overdose risks.

The five manufacturers of Fentanyl Transdermal Systems and Health Canada said the patches contain a high concentration of the long-acting narcotic fentanyl.

Last February, 25 mcg/hr Duragesic patches sold by Janssen-Ortho Inc. and 25 mcg/hr Ran Fentanyl Transdermal System Patches sold by Ranbaxy Laboratories were voluntarily recalled for overdose risks.

The patches treat persistent, moderate to severe chronic pain in people already taking narcotic pain relievers.

Fentanyl can cause serious and life-threatening breathing problems if too much is taken, Health Canada warned Wednesday.

The new dose conversion guidelines are to be used to convert adult patients from their current oral or injection therapy to the fentanyl transdermal patch, says an advisory to health-care professionals.

People using the patches without any problems should not stop or decrease their dosage without talking to their doctors.

The notice applies to:

• Duragesic ® (Fentanyl Transdermal Systems).
• CO Fentanyl.
• Novo-Fentanyl.
• RAN-Fentanyl Transdermal Systems.
• Ratio-Fentanyl Transdermal System.

Patients using fentanyl patches should seek emergency medical help immediately if they:

• Have trouble breathing, or have slow or shallow breathing.
• Have a slow heartbeat.
• Have severe sleepiness.
• Have cold, clammy skin.
• Feel faint, dizzy, confused or cannot think, walk, or talk normally.
• Have a seizure.
• Have hallucinations.

Any serious or unexpected adverse reactions in patients receiving fentanyl transdermal systems should be reported to the manufacturers or Health Canada.

Source: CBC.ca

Quit Smoking Drug Safety Notice - Health Canada Update

Health Canada says it is in the process of strengthening safety information on the labels of the smoking-cessation product Champix.

In a statement Tuesday, it said it's working with the drugmaker Pfizer to update prescribing information after reports of serious psychiatric symptoms associated with the use of Champix.

Health Canada says label changes that increase awareness of the risk will be passed along to consumers and medical professionals when they are finalized.

Champix can be an effective tool for quitting smoking, it says, but there have been reports in some patients of unusual feelings of agitation, depressed mood, hostility, changes in behaviour, or impulsive or disturbing thoughts such as thoughts of self-harm or harm to others.

Health Canada says people taking the drug and their families are reminded to be aware of any unusual thoughts, feelings or behaviours, especially those related to depression, aggression or self-harm.

It isn't clear whether Champix is the cause of these psychiatric symptoms, but patients should stop the drug immediately if there are such concerns.

And patients should avoid driving or operating machinery until they're sure that Champix doesn't have an adverse effect on them, Health Canada said.

In issuing its reminder Tuesday, the federal agency noted that it's a time of year when many smokers are attempting to kick the habit.

In Montreal, Pfizer spokesman Christian Marcoux said that Champix is "safe and very efficacious" and that some symptoms are actually caused by the act of quitting smoking.

"Any individual attempting to quit smoking should be monitored and work with their physician because smoking cessation will generate or exacerbate such symptoms, with or without medication," he said.

He said the simple fact of quitting smoking will trigger behavioural changes.

"Smoking is a very nasty addiction and it's quite a challenge to work on that addiction," he said.
Source: CBC.ca, Health Canada

Beware FDA Changes to Guidelines

Change in FDA's ethical guidelines for clinical trials troubling: Lancet

The Lancet medical journal is reporting that the United States Food and Drug Administration is abandoning the Declaration of Helsinki as an ethical foundation for international clinical trials.

The declaration was drafted in 1964 by the World Medical Association to provide binding ethical standards for medical research involving humans.

Many basic patients' rights are enshrined in the declaration. Sections of it also govern business and environmental practices of the researchers.

The FDA is instead adopting the International Conference on Harmonization's Guideline for Good Clinical Practice (GCP), which allows less stringent ethical standards for overseas research.

In a commentary published in the Jan. 3 issue of the Lancet, medical research experts Jonathan Kimmelman of McGill University, Charles Weijer of the University of Western Ontario and Eric Meslin of the University of Indiana call the move "troubling."

The authors urge the incoming U.S. administration of president-elect Barack Obama to stick to the original declaration pending a review of the implications for American research overseas should the new guidelines be adopted.

"The FDA regulates the largest drug market in the world, and we worry that its replacement of the Declaration of Helsinki with a less morally authoritative document may cause others to follow suit, thereby undermining international ethical standards for research," they write.

In October 2008, the FDA formally stopped requiring that foreign clinical studies supporting applications for drug licensing comply with the declaration.

The authors point out several important requirements that the declaration contains but the GCP lacks, including:

* Investigators must disclose funding, sponsors and other potential conflicts of interest to both research ethics committees and study participants.
* Study design must be disclosed publicly (e.g., in clinical trial registries).
* Research, notably that in developing countries, must benefit and be responsive to health needs of populations in which it is done.

Source:CBC.ca

Diet Tips that Work

The Top Four Diets That Really Work

Friday January 2, 2009

CityNews.ca Staff

If your plan for the New Year involves a new you from head to toe, losing weight may be at the top of your "to do" list.

Many people choose the first day of 2009 as the day they cut out salty snacks, scale back on soft drinks and vow to eat more vegetables.

But slow changes are preferable to a radical diet overhaul - for one, note experts, it's easier to stick to small goals.

Registered dietician Julie Daniluk even has a helpful pun to keep her clients on target.

"You need to decide within yourself that you're going to do a live-it and not a die-it."

Swapping your regular Coke for diet, for example, is simpler to achieve than going to the gym every morning, drinking only a smoothie for breakfast and completely cutting out after-dinner chips.

Marco Coffa, a successful dieter who lost 90lbs in nine months, found that an approach filled with small steps led to a dramatic change.

"I just woke up one morning and I said, you know what? I'm tired of being fat."

That tiny thought led to a major shift in what he eats.

"Now I eat a lot of protein, a lot of fibre, and just stay away from the junk."

If you're really committed, Health Specialist Laura DiBatttista found the top four diets that really work:

Volumetrics:

Simply put, eat soup first.

"High amounts of veggies and fruit are going to fill you up," explains Daniluk.

"That's really what it's all about.

Energy-density is another name for figuring out how many calories are in a given weight (serving size) of food. The lower the energy-density, the more you can have. The basic rule of thumb of Volumetrics: eat a low-cal soup or salad before you start eating. Starting with a low-density food helps you stay satisfied long after you finished eating your main course.

10,000 Step:

Make exercise an integral part of your life, not just something you do at the gym.

"If we can combine diet with exercise, we're going to have a permanent win," she outlines.

Walking 10,000 paces every day is easier than it sounds: Grab a pedometer and start counting how many steps you're taking when you park farther from the door, get off the subway a stop early, or take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Eat Dinner For Breakfast:

Get the bulk of you calories in the morning so you can burn them off all day. It prevents you from loading up at noon or right before you go to bed.

"You'll be left with this incredibly happy, fulfilled sensation instead of feeling flat from a bowl of cereal."

Weight Watchers:

It's lasted this long for a reason: Devotees swear it works. The plan involves weekly meetings and weigh-ins for motivation and behavioral support for diet and exercise changes. Weight Watchers relies on its users using a book of recipes provided by the company. In an investigation, Consumer Reports found the recipes appetizing and easy to prepare.

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Six Strategies For Success

1. Make a commitment
Permanent weight loss takes time and effort. It requires focus and a lifelong commitment. Make sure that you're ready to make permanent changes and that you do so for the right reasons.

2. Get emotional support
Only you can help yourself lose weight by taking responsibility for your own behavior. But that doesn't mean that you have to do everything alone. Seek support when needed from your partner, family and friends.

3. Set a realistic goal
When you're considering what to expect from your new eating and exercise plan, be realistic. Healthy weight loss occurs slowly and steadily. Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week.

4. Enjoy healthier foods
Adopting a new eating style that promotes weight loss must include lowering your total calorie intake. But decreasing calories need not mean giving up taste, satisfaction or even ease of meal preparation.

5. Get active, stay active.
Dieting alone can help you lose weight. Cutting 500 calories from your daily diet can help you lose about a pound a week: 3,500 calories equals 1 pound (0.5 kilogram) of fat. But add a 45- to 60-minute brisk walk four days a week, and you can double your rate of weight loss.

6. Change your lifestyle.
It's not enough to eat healthy foods and exercise for only a few weeks or even several months. You have to include these behaviors in your lifestyle. To do that, you have to change the behaviors that helped make you overweight in the first place. Lifestyle changes start with taking an honest look at your eating habits and daily routine.

Information courtesy the Mayo Clinic.