Health

A UBC-led study published in JAMA Network Open reports that opportunistic salpingectomy—removal of the fallopian tubes during routine gynaecological surgery—was associated with a 78% lower risk of serous ovarian cancer in an analysis of more than 85,000 people in British Columbia between 2008 and 2020.

A Scarborough Health Network study found immigrants from the Caribbean, the Philippines and Sri Lanka were six to 12 times more likely to need dialysis than Canadian-born residents, and that country of birth predicted dialysis risk more strongly than ethnicity while time in Canada did not reduce that risk.

Serena Williams says she lost roughly 30 pounds after using a GLP-1 medication and reported improvements in cholesterol and projected cardiovascular risk.

A Kashechewan First Nation mother and her teenage daughter are staying in Niagara Falls hotels after a weeks-long water treatment problem led to an evacuation; about 921 evacuees are in the city and regional public health teams have been assessing reported illnesses.

Kamloops saw 50 illicit drug overdose deaths in the first 10 months of 2025, putting the city on pace for roughly 60 deaths for the year and below the 92 deaths recorded in 2024; provincial and national data show similar declines while experts say the reasons are unclear.

British Columbia announced it will not renew its agreement with Health Canada, ending a three-year drug decriminalization pilot that concluded Jan. 31. A harm reduction advocate described the decision as "really unfortunate" and a step backwards.

A B.C. Supreme Court trial is examining transfers of patients from faith-based facilities to access medical assistance in dying. The article cites a 25-minute April 2023 ambulance transfer from St. Paul’s to a Vancouver Coastal Health hospice and notes a connected VCH 'Shoreline Space' was later built.

A first-time ice climber recounts a 2022 ascent at Kushog Lake in Southern Ontario and describes technique, gear and regional routes; the piece also reports that warming temperatures are shortening ice-climbing seasons and that glaciers in Western Canada are melting faster than a decade ago.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada says some Manitoban federal workers received notices that their jobs are affected, while the federal government confirmed a Portage la Prairie research farm will close.

Small Canadian labels including Bathing Belle, Downtown Betty and Left on Friday are making swim and athletic wear tailored for saunas, cold plunges and contrast therapy, emphasizing fit, non-metallic details and durable, quick-drying fabrics.

Many celebrities describe having Lyme disease or 'chronic Lyme', a term not recognized by mainstream medicine; experts say private testing and unproven treatments can be unregulated and carry risks.

The Stollery Children's Hospital earned ChildKind International certification for pediatric pain care and uses a combined pharmacological, physical and psychological approach to reduce pain and distress for patients.

A Missouri man developed severe lung failure after influenza and necrotizing pneumonia; doctors used an experimental artificial lung device and later performed a transplant, a procedure described in a new paper.

Manitoba Health has identified three new measles exposure sites in southern Manitoba; people who were at those locations during the listed times are asked to monitor for symptoms and check their immunization records.

The Treasury Board reported that 8,230 employee roles and 425 executive positions in 24 core federal departments are to be eliminated, and 23,063 workforce notices have been issued to employees reported as at risk.

An outbreak of Nipah virus in West Bengal has produced five confirmed cases and led to quarantines and health screenings at airports in neighbouring countries.

A B.C. Supreme Court case challenges policies that let faith-based facilities refuse medical assistance in dying; Health Canada reported 16,499 MAID provisions in 2024 and transfers related to facility policy vary by province.

Recent data show Canada’s drug-death rate fell from about 20 per 100,000 at its peak to 13.5 in early 2025, and experts point to five main drivers including changes in the drug supply and wider naloxone access.

Beau Wargovcsik, a 23-year-old Kamloops resident, died last year and became a deceased organ donor who helped save four people; 2025 was a record year in B.C. with 575 transplants from 232 donors.

B.C. Transplant reported a record 575 organ transplants in 2025, enabled by 232 donors (146 deceased and 86 living). The organization noted year-to-year variation and that some organs are transferred between provinces.

A large Swedish trial published in The Lancet reported that AI-supported mammogram readings reduced interval cancers by 12 percent among more than 100,000 screened women.

Saint John police are investigating alleged sexual offences at Loch Lomond Villa's The Village; they say more than a dozen residents have been identified as victims and a suspect affiliated with the home has been named, and the investigation is ongoing.

Quebec announced a $107-million home-care policy that expands caregiver eligibility, raises hourly pay from $20 to $21, and names CLSCs as the entry point; disability and caregiver groups called the changes insufficient and expressed disappointment.

Opposition MLAs pressed officials on whether the new P.E.I. mental health campus will improve access to care, and Health P.E.I. said a mental health and transitions building is planned to open this fall with full campus completion targeted for 2028.

The provincial court system says it is developing an Elder‑guided Indigenous court pilot in Saskatoon with a planned launch this summer. Statistics Canada data cited in the article reports Indigenous people in Saskatchewan are incarcerated at about 19.4 times the rate of non‑Indigenous people.

The Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. will hold a strike vote from Feb. 2–16 after months of bargaining, citing staffing shortages and burnout; the Health Employers Association says mediation has been discussed and that Labour Relations Board essential service orders must be issued before legal job action.

A small early trial in London found fecal microbiota transplant pills reduced immunotherapy side effects for advanced kidney cancer patients and researchers report related benefits in small samples of other cancers; larger trials are planned.

A report found elevated radon readings in 21% of social housing units while most such units have not been tested. A 2024 cross‑Canada study reported about 18% of homes at or above 200 Bq/m³ and another 24% with levels between 100 and 199 Bq/m³.

The BC Centre for Disease Control says medetomidine, a veterinary sedative, has been detected mixed with opioids in B.C.'s unregulated drug supply, and a province-wide drug alert has been issued amid rising non-fatal drug poisonings.

Steadman Philippon Research Institute and Vail Health have renewed their partnership with a five-year commitment. The partners say the collaboration has advanced orthopaedic and cancer research and will focus on deepening impact and exploring regenerative medicine and longevity.