CONTENTS
1) Feature: Canadian Hospital Wait Times, A New Report
2) Issues Updates
-- Urge Canada to Ban Bisphenol A
-- Households and the Environment Survey 2006
-- Recycling in Canada 2006
-- Skindeep: Is Your Sunscreen Safe?
3) Media Watch
-- Canadian Health Food Industry Crisis
-- FDA Issues Manufacturing Standards for Dietary Supplements
-- FDA Releases Draft Guidance on Health Claims Approval Process
-- Aspartame Found to Cause Breast Cancer, Leukemia and Lymphomas in Rats
-- Caesareans: Give the Mother the Facts, and the Rate Drops
-- New Test May Help Patients Avoid Unnecessary Chemo
-- Radiotherapy Causes Heart Problems
-- Dry Cleaning: Is Cancer a Perk of the Job?
-- GM Contamination at 21 Km and Farther
-- Will Napa Valley Grow Genetically Modified Grapevines?
-- Organic Farmers Want Their Product Better Defined
-- Organic Farming Combats Global Warming c Big Time
-- Scientists Estimate That Pesticides are Reducing Crop Yields by One-Third
-- Harnessing the Sun: Facts and Myths about Solar Power
-- Thanks to Global Warning, Nuclear Energy Hot Topic Once Again
-- Northern Canada Ponds Drying Up
-- It`s Too Easy Being Green
4) Calendar of Events
-- Vancouver Skyline and Green BBQ Celebration, July 24, Vancoluver
-- Yoga and Nutrition, July 28, Vancouver
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1) Canadian Hospital Wait Times, A New Report
Health Council of Canada
Media Release June 2007
Wading through Wait Times: What Do Meaningful Reductions and Guarantees Mean? reviews progress by provinces and territories in reducing wait times for non-emergency care from a patient`s perspective through a true story about Frank, a hip replacement patient.
This report is a look at one of the key public concerns about health care, set in the context of the national commitment to achieve meaningful reductions in wait times in five priority areas - cancer, heart, diagnostic imaging, joint replacements and sight restoration - by March 31, 2007.
`Clearly there has been progress, and we can see many areas where jurisdictions are doing more and reporting in more accessible ways to citizens,` said Dr. Jeanne Besner, Chair, Health Council of Canada. `Reporting wait time information to citizens on the Internet has been no small task. These information systems have considerable potential to improve patients` experiences with waits for care.`
Approximately one in 10 Canadians sees a health care specialist each year, with many patients reporting delays in accessing care. On average, Canadians reported waiting four weeks to see a specialist, according to surveys done in 2003 and 2005. Although provinces and territories report wait times in different ways, information shows median wait times for non-emergency care have clearly declined for some services. For example:
In British Columbia, the wait time for cataract surgery has been reduced to 7.6 weeks from 9.9 weeks;
In Ontario, the wait time for radiation for cancer care has been reduced to 4.4 weeks from 6.4 weeks;
In Alberta, the wait time for hip replacement has been reduced to 12 weeks from 16 weeks and for knee replacement has dropped to 17 weeks from 22 weeks.
These and other positive developments come at the same time the volume of services has increased in targeted areas. For some services, in some parts of the country, more people are getting care more quickly.
While the information now available for wait times is not sufficient for Canada-wide monitoring, having this data in the public realm is a significant step forward and means wait lists are beginning to be managed centrally in a fair and logical way. Until recently most surgeons kept their own waiting lists and data were rarely compiled at the provincial, regional or hospital level. Unfortunately, gaps remain in the availability of wait times information and the Health Council of Canada continues to call for accelerated investments in the development of comparable data systems across the country.
More at http://healthcouncilcanada.ca/en/index.php?option=co...
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2) ISSUE UPDATES
Urge Canada to Ban Bisphenol A
Environmental Defence needs your help in urging Canada to ban a highly toxic chemical called Bisphenol A from food and beverage containers. While some countries have stepped up to tackle toxic pollution, Canada continues to lag behind. Our federal government is doing little to stop Bisphenol A from harming the health of Canadian families.
Bisphenol A is proven to be toxic at low doses and shockingly, it`s in a wide range of foods that we eat. It`s in foods like ravioli, chicken soup and even infant formula. It can be found in just about anything that comes in food and beverage cans, hard plastic water containers and baby bottles.
The health risks of Bisphenol A include prostate and breast cancer, immune system dysfunction, early puberty in females, and higher rates of miscarriage. New studies with similar findings of the substance`s toxicity are being published almost every month.
More at http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/toxicnation/join/...
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Households and the Environment Survey 2006
Canadian households have responded to a number of environmental concerns, but still engage in many practices that can have a negative impact on the environment, according to new data from the Households and the Environment Survey.
The survey found that close to six in 10 households now use compact fluorescent bulbs, and over four in 10 have a programmable thermostat, up considerably in recent years. More households composted, and more also had water-saving showerheads and toilets.
More at http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/070711/d070711b....
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Recycling in Canada 2006
Access to recycling programs, and their use, have improved substantially in Canada since the mid-1990s, and Canadian households are recycling more waste than ever before, according to a new report.
The vast majority of Canadian households that had access to recycling programs made use of them in 2006, regardless of household income, the occupants' education levels, or the type of dwelling, the report showed. The use of recycling programs was high across all provinces, whether households were in apartments or single-detached homes.
Among households that had access to recycling programs, about 97 percent of those in single-detached homes recycled waste, as did 95 percent of those in low-rise apartments. Education levels of the occupants had only a slight impact on recycling behaviour.
More at http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/070713/d070713a....
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Skindeep: Is Your Sunscreen Safe?
In a new investigation of 785 name-brand sunscreens, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found widespread evidence that many products on the market are not safe and effective, including one of every eight high-SPF sunscreens that does not protect from UVA radiation. The group has also identified 130 products that offer very good sun protection with ingredients that present minimal health risks to users.
Find out which in our best and worst lists at http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/sunscreens/....
AND
Body Absorbs Five Pounds of Make-up Chemicals a Year
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news...
AND
Deet-free Insect Repellents
http://greenerchoices.org/products.cfm?product=deet-...
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You may be able to write off your health-care costs. Check out the HANS ADVANTAGE at www.hans.org
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3) MEDIA WATCH
Canadian Health Food Industry Crisis
http://commonground.ca/iss/0707192/cg192_healthfood....
FDA Issues Manufacturing Standards for Dietary Supplements
http://healthy.net/scr/news.asp?id=9213
FDA Releases Draft Guidance on Health Claims Approval Process
http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/hotnews/77h611...
Aspartame Found to Cause Breast Cancer, Leukemia and Lymphomas in Rats
http://www.newstarget.com/z021920.html
Caesareans: Give the Mother the Facts, and the Rate Drops
http://www.wddty.com/03363800371200582574/caesareans...
New Test May Help Patients Avoid Unnecessary Chemo
http://www.cancerdecisions.com/070107.html
Radiotherapy Causes Heart Problems
http://www.wddty.com/03363800369932870536/radiothera...
Dry Cleaning: Is Cancer a Perk of the Job?
http://www.wddty.com/03363800370193372920/dry-cleani...
GM Contamination at 21 Km and Farther
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/GMcontamination.php
Will Napa Valley Grow Genetically Modified Grapevines?
http://www.thecampaign.org/forums/showthread.php?t=6...
Organic Farmers Want Their Product Better Defined
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/...
Organic Farming Combats Global Warming c Big Time
http://www.newfarm.org/depts/NFfield_trials/1003/car...
Scientists Estimate That Pesticides are Reducing Crop Yields by One-Third
http://www.organic-center.org/science.hot.php?action...
Harnessing the Sun: Facts and Myths about Solar Power
http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=13131
Thanks to Global Warning, Nuclear Energy Hot Topic Once Again
http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=13061
Northern Canada Ponds Drying Up
http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=13065
It`s Too Easy Being Green
http://thetyee.ca/Views/2007/07/03/Greenwashing/?utm...
For more stories, check out gNewsh at www.hans.org.
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4) CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Vancouver Skyline and Green BBQ Celebration
When: Tuesday July 24th
Where: Jericho Park (northeast corner of Jericho Pond)
Cost: Free
Join BC Sustainable Energy Association, Connecting Environmental Professionals, Green Drinks, and UBC NetImpact for a lively evening with like-minded people. Whether the environment is a newfound interest of a passion, there are a lot of people on the green scene. Free food for the first 200 people and free green goodies. Entertainment, electric bikes, e-cars and more.
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Yoga and Nutrition
Who: Sandra Tonn, RHN
When: Saturday July 28, 2007 from 3 - 5 pm
Where: Unity Yoga (1672 E. 10th Ave, Vancouver)
Cost: $20 for Unity members; $25 for non-members; everyone welcome
Contact: 604-708-8369 to pre-register.
Most people do not consider nutrition a part of yoga, but it is. Shopping, cooking and eating are all opportunities to practice yoga. This seminar will provide valuable information for the modern-day yogi by relating the diet to yogafs ten living principles, the Yamas and Niyamas. Topics will include conscious shopping, food quality, balanced eating, how yoga improves digestion and more.
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Founded in 1984, Health Action Network Society is a membership-based, non-profit charitable organization dedicated to gathering and disseminating health promotion information.
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