There is no evidence that the apparent cluster of undiagnosed neurological illnesses in New Brunswick is caused by environmental contaminants, according to the results of an investigation by the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. “Our findings do not suggest widespread exposure to herbicides or metals that would be a contributing factor to these illnesses,” […]
New Brunswick
N.B. Health Coalition pushes province to sign pharmacare deal
Healthcare campaigners in New Brunswick are pushing the province to join the federal government’s national pharmacare plan, which would provide free coverage for contraceptives and diabetes medications. Last month the NB Health Coalition, a campaign group supported by healthcare worker unions, community groups, and individual experts, submitted an open letter to the Legislative Assembly signed by […]
N.B. RSCs concerned about province’s plans for organic waste
New Brunswick aims to have a province-wide program for diverting organic waste from landfills preventing related greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2028, according to the government’s Strategic Action Plan for Solid Waste. But some at the regional service commissions that manage the province’s landfills worry that any such program will be expensive and […]
Report on mystery brain disease delayed while feds check the data
A report on cases of undiagnosed neurological illnesses in New Brunswick has been delayed until the end of the year, after the provincial government asked the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to review the data. The report, which is examining potential environmental toxins that may be contributing to the cluster of illnesses, was originally […]
How to protect yourself from ticks this summer
With the arrival of summer and warmer temperatures the risk of encountering ticks, and the diseases they carry, is on the rise in Charlotte County. If you spend a lot of time outdoors – golfing, hiking, camping, or even just walking your dog – it’s important to learn about the risks of tick-borne disease and […]
Study finds no evidence of mystery brain disease in New Brunswick
There is no evidence to support the existence of neurological syndrome of unknown cause in New Brunswick, according to a new independent scientific study. The existence of a potential “mystery brain disease” in the province was first suggested in 2019 when a neurologist in Moncton identified several patients with unexplained neurodegenerative symptoms. Since then more […]
Considering the Nuclear Option in Controlling Invasive Species
Rotenone: when you absolutely, positively have to kill every last fish in the lake. How far would you go to get rid of an invasive species? In New Brunswick, conservation groups and local First Nations want to kill all of the fish in Miramichi Lake using a pesticide called rotenone. They want to reset the […]
New Brunswick seeks better system for physician recruitment to rural areas
Doctors in New Brunswick are happy with the provincial government’s new plan to do away with the unpopular billing-number system that controls where, and how many, physicians can practise in the province. The government recently announced that it would “work with doctors on alternatives to billing numbers and on payment models that encourage collaboration, wellness, […]
Near Fish Farms, Lobster Catches Plummet
Lobster fishers catch fewer market-sized lobsters, and see fewer fertile females, in areas close to fish farms in Nova Scotia, according to new research led by Inka Milewski, a research associate at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Lobster fishers working in Port Mouton Bay, Nova Scotia, keep detailed records of when and where they fish and how many […]
A budding cannabis research cluster in Fredericton
The city’s two universities create new research chairs related to cannabis. A new research cluster will soon be sparking to life in Fredericton as the city’s two universities each begin their search for a researcher to fill a new chair in cannabis research, reportedly the first two such chairs in the country. St. Thomas University’s new […]