Ottawa, ON - The federal government today officially announced funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for 764 health research projects across Canada, totalling over $298 million.
"The government of Canada is committed to investing in knowledge, science and innovation," said Tony Clement, federal health minister, in making the funding announcement. "In budget 2008, we increased CIHR's budget by $34 million and we made a number of other strategic investments designed to further strengthen Canada's research capacity."
Following is a provincial breakdown of funding by province, including the number of projects and total value in thousands of dollars:
- Alberta; 82; $34,881
- British Columbia; 113; $42,755
- Manitoba; 16; $7,772
- New Brunswick; 1; $81
- Newfoundland and Labrador; 4; $1,377
- Nova Scotia; 14; $4,466
- Ontario; 301; $120,206
- Prince Edward Island; 1; $3
- Québec; 217; $83,973
- Saskatchewan; 9; $2,791
- Outside Canada; 6; $116
- Total; 764; $298,421
The CIHR says that the number of new projects in this announcement represents funding decisions posted on its website between July 2007 and January 2008. It adds that the numbers will change over time as, for example, budgets and conditions for approved projects are finalized.
More information is available at the CIHR's website at www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Canada - New Proposed Legislation to Improve Biosecurity and Lab Safety
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Proposed legislation to improve lab safety and biosecurity
Ottawa, ON - In late April, Health Minister Tony Clement tabled legislation (Bill C-54) that is aimed at strengthening bio-security and biosafety in Canada by establishing consistent safety requirements for laboratories working with human pathogens and toxins.
"This proposed legislation will bring Canada into line with other developed nations," he said. "It will also make Canada's laboratory environment safer for our scientists and lab workers, and improve security for all Canadians."
The proposed bill establishes a mandatory licensing system to track human pathogens. It will also provide inspection powers to help ensure compliance with the Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs), and that the legislation is applied properly and consistently across the country.
The proposed legislation builds on existing importation regulations and establishes legal prohibitions and authorities designed to ensure all work done with human pathogens and toxins is carried out in as safe a manner as possible, consistent with international standards.
The proposed legislation mandates the application of existing Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs) in all Canadian labs that possess human pathogens and toxins. The proposed legislation is the product of the Public Health Agency of Canada's extensive nationwide consultations with stakeholders, including scientists, lab workers, academics and bio-security experts.
Further to requiring adherence to the LBGs, the proposed legislation prohibits the following:
- possession of certain listed human pathogens and/or toxins (smallpox is currently the one pathogen on this list);
- the intentional misuse of human pathogens and/or toxins to cause risk of harm; and
- any use of human pathogens and/or toxins without a licence.
The government says the proposed legislation will bring Canada's laboratory legislation more in line with our international partners, including Australia, the UK, the US and other countries.
Table of Contents
Ottawa, ON - In late April, Health Minister Tony Clement tabled legislation (Bill C-54) that is aimed at strengthening bio-security and biosafety in Canada by establishing consistent safety requirements for laboratories working with human pathogens and toxins.
"This proposed legislation will bring Canada into line with other developed nations," he said. "It will also make Canada's laboratory environment safer for our scientists and lab workers, and improve security for all Canadians."
The proposed bill establishes a mandatory licensing system to track human pathogens. It will also provide inspection powers to help ensure compliance with the Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs), and that the legislation is applied properly and consistently across the country.
The proposed legislation builds on existing importation regulations and establishes legal prohibitions and authorities designed to ensure all work done with human pathogens and toxins is carried out in as safe a manner as possible, consistent with international standards.
The proposed legislation mandates the application of existing Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs) in all Canadian labs that possess human pathogens and toxins. The proposed legislation is the product of the Public Health Agency of Canada's extensive nationwide consultations with stakeholders, including scientists, lab workers, academics and bio-security experts.
Further to requiring adherence to the LBGs, the proposed legislation prohibits the following:
- possession of certain listed human pathogens and/or toxins (smallpox is currently the one pathogen on this list);
- the intentional misuse of human pathogens and/or toxins to cause risk of harm; and
- any use of human pathogens and/or toxins without a licence.
The government says the proposed legislation will bring Canada's laboratory legislation more in line with our international partners, including Australia, the UK, the US and other countries.:
Source: Lab Canada
Proposed legislation to improve lab safety and biosecurity
Ottawa, ON - In late April, Health Minister Tony Clement tabled legislation (Bill C-54) that is aimed at strengthening bio-security and biosafety in Canada by establishing consistent safety requirements for laboratories working with human pathogens and toxins.
"This proposed legislation will bring Canada into line with other developed nations," he said. "It will also make Canada's laboratory environment safer for our scientists and lab workers, and improve security for all Canadians."
The proposed bill establishes a mandatory licensing system to track human pathogens. It will also provide inspection powers to help ensure compliance with the Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs), and that the legislation is applied properly and consistently across the country.
The proposed legislation builds on existing importation regulations and establishes legal prohibitions and authorities designed to ensure all work done with human pathogens and toxins is carried out in as safe a manner as possible, consistent with international standards.
The proposed legislation mandates the application of existing Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs) in all Canadian labs that possess human pathogens and toxins. The proposed legislation is the product of the Public Health Agency of Canada's extensive nationwide consultations with stakeholders, including scientists, lab workers, academics and bio-security experts.
Further to requiring adherence to the LBGs, the proposed legislation prohibits the following:
- possession of certain listed human pathogens and/or toxins (smallpox is currently the one pathogen on this list);
- the intentional misuse of human pathogens and/or toxins to cause risk of harm; and
- any use of human pathogens and/or toxins without a licence.
The government says the proposed legislation will bring Canada's laboratory legislation more in line with our international partners, including Australia, the UK, the US and other countries.
Table of Contents
Ottawa, ON - In late April, Health Minister Tony Clement tabled legislation (Bill C-54) that is aimed at strengthening bio-security and biosafety in Canada by establishing consistent safety requirements for laboratories working with human pathogens and toxins.
"This proposed legislation will bring Canada into line with other developed nations," he said. "It will also make Canada's laboratory environment safer for our scientists and lab workers, and improve security for all Canadians."
The proposed bill establishes a mandatory licensing system to track human pathogens. It will also provide inspection powers to help ensure compliance with the Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs), and that the legislation is applied properly and consistently across the country.
The proposed legislation builds on existing importation regulations and establishes legal prohibitions and authorities designed to ensure all work done with human pathogens and toxins is carried out in as safe a manner as possible, consistent with international standards.
The proposed legislation mandates the application of existing Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (LBGs) in all Canadian labs that possess human pathogens and toxins. The proposed legislation is the product of the Public Health Agency of Canada's extensive nationwide consultations with stakeholders, including scientists, lab workers, academics and bio-security experts.
Further to requiring adherence to the LBGs, the proposed legislation prohibits the following:
- possession of certain listed human pathogens and/or toxins (smallpox is currently the one pathogen on this list);
- the intentional misuse of human pathogens and/or toxins to cause risk of harm; and
- any use of human pathogens and/or toxins without a licence.
The government says the proposed legislation will bring Canada's laboratory legislation more in line with our international partners, including Australia, the UK, the US and other countries.:
Source: Lab Canada
Saturday, May 3, 2008
China on alert to try to stop deadly virus
BEIJING–China's Health Ministry issued a nationwide alert Saturday calling for heightened efforts to control a virus that has caused the deaths of 22 children in one city and shows signs of spreading.
Health bureaus around the country must step up monitoring for hand, foot and mouth disease following a "relatively large'' outbreak in the central city of Fuyang, the Health Ministry said in notices on its Web site.
The ministry warned that cases were more numerous this year than in recent years, and the peak for transmission would likely come in June and July.
The outbreak is another concern for China's communist government as it gears up to welcome hundreds of thousands of foreigners for this summer's Beijing Olympics. It's also an uncomfortable reminder of the SARS pneumonia outbreak in 2003, which Beijing tried to cover up but then adopted drastic measures to control.
Saturday's warning was prompted by a jump in cases in Fuyang of Enterovirus 71, or EV-71, a type of hand, foot and mouth disease.
Up to Thursday night, 3,321 cases of EV-71 were reported in Fuyang, a fast-growing city in largely rural Anhui province. Besides the 22 deaths, 978 people remain hospitalized, 58 of them in serious or critical condition, the ministry said in a separate statement.
The state-run Xinhua News Agency also reported that preliminary tests showed an 18-month-old boy who died Friday in southeastern Guangdong province was infected with EV-71, and a second suspected death was under investigation. Cases of hand, foot and mouth outbreaks, but not necessarily EV-71, have been reported in at least two other provinces.
"Health bureaus at all levels must recognize the importance and urgency of preventing the spread of infectious diseases," the ministry said in its nationwide order.
Enterovirus 71 is one of several viruses that cause hand, foot and mouth disease, which is characterized by fever, mouth sores and a rash with blisters. It is spread by direct contact with nose and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or the stool of infected persons.
The illness mainly strikes children young than 10 and is not related to foot and mouth disease, which infects cattle, sheep and swine.
The nationwide order said preventing the spread of infectious diseases was necessary "to guarantee the smooth staging of the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics and to practically preserve social stability.''
The order targeted hand, foot and mouth disease, as well as hepatitis A, measles and other infectious diseases commonly spread in the spring and summer.
Mindful of the SARS experience, the order vowed to punish any person or agency who tried to cover-up or delay disclosure of outbreaks.
State media cited the SARS experience in reports this past week that said people in Fuyang had criticized the government's response as slow, allowing rumors to spread about the outbreak.
A press officer with the World Health Organization said representatives were not available for comment on Saturday. The WHO in a statement on Thursday said that while cases in Fuyang cropped up in early March, they increased sharply starting April 19 but a rapid response from China also steeply decreased the rate of fatalities in the second half of April.
With no vaccine or specific therapy developed for EV-71, the WHO recommended better hygiene, with more frequent hand-washing and disinfecting areas – something that it said China was doing.
State-run television footage showed workers spraying disinfectant around houses in rural areas outside Fuyang and medical teams visiting families with small children.
Since the SARS crisis, the government has increased spending on the detection and monitoring of communicable diseases. The Health Ministry has ordered regular reports on outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth diseases and has sent expert teams to Anhui province to lead treatment and prevention.
May 03, 2008
CHARLES HUTZLER
The Associated Press
Health bureaus around the country must step up monitoring for hand, foot and mouth disease following a "relatively large'' outbreak in the central city of Fuyang, the Health Ministry said in notices on its Web site.
The ministry warned that cases were more numerous this year than in recent years, and the peak for transmission would likely come in June and July.
The outbreak is another concern for China's communist government as it gears up to welcome hundreds of thousands of foreigners for this summer's Beijing Olympics. It's also an uncomfortable reminder of the SARS pneumonia outbreak in 2003, which Beijing tried to cover up but then adopted drastic measures to control.
Saturday's warning was prompted by a jump in cases in Fuyang of Enterovirus 71, or EV-71, a type of hand, foot and mouth disease.
Up to Thursday night, 3,321 cases of EV-71 were reported in Fuyang, a fast-growing city in largely rural Anhui province. Besides the 22 deaths, 978 people remain hospitalized, 58 of them in serious or critical condition, the ministry said in a separate statement.
The state-run Xinhua News Agency also reported that preliminary tests showed an 18-month-old boy who died Friday in southeastern Guangdong province was infected with EV-71, and a second suspected death was under investigation. Cases of hand, foot and mouth outbreaks, but not necessarily EV-71, have been reported in at least two other provinces.
"Health bureaus at all levels must recognize the importance and urgency of preventing the spread of infectious diseases," the ministry said in its nationwide order.
Enterovirus 71 is one of several viruses that cause hand, foot and mouth disease, which is characterized by fever, mouth sores and a rash with blisters. It is spread by direct contact with nose and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or the stool of infected persons.
The illness mainly strikes children young than 10 and is not related to foot and mouth disease, which infects cattle, sheep and swine.
The nationwide order said preventing the spread of infectious diseases was necessary "to guarantee the smooth staging of the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics and to practically preserve social stability.''
The order targeted hand, foot and mouth disease, as well as hepatitis A, measles and other infectious diseases commonly spread in the spring and summer.
Mindful of the SARS experience, the order vowed to punish any person or agency who tried to cover-up or delay disclosure of outbreaks.
State media cited the SARS experience in reports this past week that said people in Fuyang had criticized the government's response as slow, allowing rumors to spread about the outbreak.
A press officer with the World Health Organization said representatives were not available for comment on Saturday. The WHO in a statement on Thursday said that while cases in Fuyang cropped up in early March, they increased sharply starting April 19 but a rapid response from China also steeply decreased the rate of fatalities in the second half of April.
With no vaccine or specific therapy developed for EV-71, the WHO recommended better hygiene, with more frequent hand-washing and disinfecting areas – something that it said China was doing.
State-run television footage showed workers spraying disinfectant around houses in rural areas outside Fuyang and medical teams visiting families with small children.
Since the SARS crisis, the government has increased spending on the detection and monitoring of communicable diseases. The Health Ministry has ordered regular reports on outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth diseases and has sent expert teams to Anhui province to lead treatment and prevention.
May 03, 2008
CHARLES HUTZLER
The Associated Press
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