Canadian Context 2006.12.29

Canadian researchers say they've cured diabetes in mice.

A new report says Canada spends more than most industrialized countries on health care, but Canadians continue to endure long waiting times and face limited access to medical technology. And in Ontario, hospitals in big cities struggle to reduce the wait for surgeries while those in smaller communities say the province urges them to rent underused operating rooms for for-profit procedures.

Only the Globe and Mail could put out an article titled, "The false assumption that doctors ooze wealth," and still show that family doctors earn, on average, $202,481 a year, while other medical and surgical specialists earn an average of $278,656.

Sperm stocks in Canada are significantly down since the federal government made it illegal to pay men for the donations, and the supply of sperm imported from the U.S. will eventually be cut off.

Ottawa wants to map out pollutants in body for the first time. StatsCan wants to test 5,000 people for toxins.

Canadian consumers won't be buying meat and milk from cloned animals anytime soon, says Health Canada. Looks like they want to examine the data on cloned food.

A recent poll has found high stress levels among Canadians.

Life expectancy in Canada is now 80+. W00t!

While young Canadian women tend to experience depression and thoughts of suicide more than men, the men are more likely to act.