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Spike in influenza cases prompts renewed calls for vaccination The emergency room at CHEO in Ottawa is dealing with a spike in children sick with influenza. In November 2024, the children's hospital reported 17 positive tests for influenza at CHEO. This year, there were 145 confirmed cases during the same timeframe. “What’s concerning is that you know many of these patients require hospitalization,” Karen Macaulay, CHEO’s vice-president of care services, said. “What we’re noticing as well is that many of those patients have not had the flu vaccine this year.” National numbers indicate the surge is happening across the country, and one specific strain of the virus could be driving the early spike, Dr. Eleni Galanis from the Public Health Agency of Canada said. “Every season is different. I think the one element that we are seeing and that we’re watching closely is this strain of influenza called the H3N2,” Galanis said. “That strain is typically one that causes a large number of people to get infected and to need to seek health care.” It is not too late to get a flu shot, and while it will not prevent illness, it can result in milder and less serious symptoms, which can help avoid hospitalization, Galanis said. Watch and read more about the H3N2 flu strain and how Canadians could be affected this flu season. 
CFIA imposes new restrictions on pistachios More people have become ill from salmonella due to an outbreak linked to some brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products from Iran, prompting new restrictions on imports of the nut.  As of Dec. 2, the Public Health Agency of Canada says there are now 155 lab-confirmed cases of salmonella infections across six provinces, with the majority found in Ontario and Quebec.
Other infections have been confirmed in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and New Brunswick. The illness has impacted people of all ages, with 70 per cent of cases among women and a total of 24 people hospitalized. The recalls are part of an ongoing food safety investigation by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) that started with the Habibi brand of pistachio kernel on July 24. The agency announced additional measures on Tuesday, requiring all federally licensed importers and manufacturers with Iranian pistachios imported before Sept. 27 to hold and test them for salmonella before they can be sold in Canada. Read more about the restrictions and about the increasing number of recalls. 
— THE TOPIC — Will Wegovy be in Canadian drug plans?
Not anytime soon. Negotiations that could have led to coverage of weight-loss drug Wegovy under Canadian public health plans are not moving forward. Novo Nordisk, the Denmark-based parent company of Wegovy, had been approached about talks to bring down the cost of the medication by securing coverage under Canada's public health system. Canada's Drug Agency, a non-profit that looks at the cost-effectiveness of different medications, asked the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, which negotiates prices for drugs on behalf of provincial, territorial and federal governments, to talk with Novo Nordisk. Those negotiations have "concluded without agreement (manufacturer declined negotiation),” according to the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance website. Canada's Drug Agency said in its July recommendation that Wegovy at its list price is expected to cost $5,066 per patient per year based on the recommended maintenance dose for weight management being 2.4 mg weekly — roughly $400 per month. Global News reached out to Novo Nordisk for comment. "Canada's Drug Agency has recommended Wegovy, but public reimbursement isn't being pursued at this time," said a spokesperson at Novo Nordisk. "Our commitment remains to provide Canadians with sustainable access to obesity medications, including future innovations." Read more about the reaction from pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance. | 
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