Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Canada is currently facing a critical shortage of two drugs: one used to fight thyroid cancer, and another for a form of leukemia.
According to Health Canada, there are currently national shortages of Thyrotropin Alfa, which is used in the treatment of thyroid cancer, and Asparaginase, which is also known as Erwinase and used to treat a form of leukemia, which affects the blood and bone marrow.
It is unclear how many patients are affected.
"Cancer drug shortages continue to be a serious and growing concern within the Canadian health care system that has been impacting delivery of patient care and treatment for years," the Canadian Cancer Society said in a statement to CTVNews.ca. "We know that shortages are deeply worrying to people with cancer and their families – it is simply not acceptable to go without the medication you need."
The shortages follow U.S. reports of the unavailability of important chemotherapy drugs like carboplatin and cisplatin, which are used to treat a range of cancer types. Health Canada says both remain available in the country, which has multiple suppliers.
According to Health Canada, 2022 also saw shortages of cancer medications like Inqovi, paclitaxel powder, hydroxyurea, Zepzelca, and fludarabine, which have all now been resolved.
A Health Canada spokesperson says health care systems are conserving existing supplies of Thyrotropin Alfa while awaiting a resupply from a drug company, which has promised to accelerate manufacturing. Health Canada is tackling the Asparaginase shortage by importing foreign-authorized supplies and authorizing an alternative product known as Rylaze.
"The Department continues to monitor both of these critical shortages closely and is working in collaboration with stakeholders to mitigate impacts on patients," a Health Canada spokesperson told CTVNews.ca. "Drug shortages may occur for many reasons, including issues at a manufacturing site, a shipping delay, difficulty in obtaining raw materials or ingredients, a discontinuation of a drug, or an unexpected increase in demand."
CTVNews.ca reached out to the provinces and several regional and municipal health organizations, many of which noted periodic shortages of oncology drugs. In addition to Thyrotropin Alfa, the thyroid cancer drug, Nova Scotia Health said it was currently monitoring a shortage of Dexrazoxane, also known as Zinecard, which is used in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. There is currently no impact on patient care.
"Over the last months and years many different cancer drugs have experienced shortages," a Nova Scotia Health spokesperson told CTVNews.ca. "In Nova Scotia, as in other provinces, when there is a drug shortage, cancer care teams get together to make decisions to maximize the best outcome for all the patients on that particular therapy. They discuss other treatment options if they exist and then coordinate and implement strategies."
According to Health Canada, the country is currently facing shortages of at least 23 drugs.
"Drug shortages vary in severity and duration, and not all shortages have an impact on patients," the Health Canada spokesperson said. "Health Canada takes a leadership role when anticipated or actual national drug shortages are identified, working in partnership with provincial and territorial governments, industry stakeholders, healthcare system partners, and patient groups."
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
B.C. conservation officers recently seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack.
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
The Ontario government is introducing changes to auto-insurance, but some experts say the move is ill-advised.
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Newfoundland’s unique version of the Pine Marten has grown out of its threatened designation.
A Toronto man is out $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake cryptocurrency scam that appeared to involve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
It started small with a little pop tab collection to simply raise some money for charity and help someone — but it didn’t take long for word to get out that 10-year-old Jace Weber from Mildmay, Ont. was quickly building up a large supply of aluminum pop tabs.
There’s a group of people in Saskatoon that proudly call themselves dumpster divers, and they’re turning the city’s trash into treasure.
Ontario is facing a larger than anticipated deficit but the Doug Ford government still plans to balance its books before the next provincial election.