Panel warns of superbug deaths; Health Canada reviewing allergy drug: CBC's Marketplace consumer cheat sheet
Miss something this week? Don't panic. CBC's Marketplace rounds up the consumer and health news you need.
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Superbugs likely to kill 400,000 Canadians by 2050, report predicts
A sobering report from a Canadian expert panel cautions the percentage of bacterial infections resistant to treatment is likely to grow from 26 per cent in 2018 to 40 per cent by 2050.
Earlier this year, Marketplace investigated whether the government was doing enough to stop these superbugs from ending up in our kitchens.
Benadryl might not be available over the counter for much longer
Do you rely on the popular allergy drug? It's possible you'll soon need a prescription to access it. That's because a growing number of doctors now believe the antihistamine is less effective and less safe than newer alternatives — and they're calling its over-the-counter availability into question.
Walmart bag checks have some customers up in arms
Receipt and shopping bag checks at Walmart have sparked customer complaints and are raising concerns about shoppers' rights. Michael Bryant, executive director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, says customers are under no obligation to comply.
"Their right is to say, 'Thanks, but no thanks,' and walk away," he said.
If you can't hear your dinner date, that might not be your only problem
According to the World Health Organization, anyone exposed to sound levels over 85 decibels for more than eight hours could be at risk of hearing loss. This is about the same sound level as a leaf blower or gas-powered lawn mower.
Marketplace tested noise levels in major restaurant chains to find out just how loud they get. Catch up on our full Marketplace investigation below.
What else is going on?
Warmer world is unhealthier place for children, doctors say. Children are growing up in a warmer world where they'll face more and different health problems than their parents experienced, an international report by doctors says. Nearly a million Canadian bank records sent to IRS. The number of banking records the Canadian government is sharing with U.S. tax authorities under a controversial information-sharing deal has increased sharply, CBC News has learned, and not everyone's happy. Juul to cut nearly $1 billion US in costs, roughly 650 jobs. The company will cut nearly $1 billion US in costs next year, a company official said on Tuesday, as its new chief executive officer tries to turn around the e-cigarette maker following a regulatory crackdown. Old dogs, new tricks: 10,000 pets needed for canine aging study. Can old dogs teach us new tricks? Scientists are looking for 10,000 pets for the largest-ever study of aging in canines. They hope to shed light on human longevity, too.
The latest in recalls
Food fact-check with Asha Tomlinson
From stirring coconut oil into your coffee to supplementing oat milk for traditional cow's milk and the celery juice craze, the latest health food trends typically promise they're the best option nutritionally. Companies are marketing these alternatives to all types of consumers — not just vegetarians or vegans — and Canadians can't get enough. We set out to answer three questions: Do we need to drink milk? Is coconut oil as healthy as it claims to be? And, what's the hype behind the juicing craze? We started with coconut oil. Over the past decade, the product has been flying off grocery store shelves. But we found there's not a lot of science to back up its health claims.
Next up, we looked at the nutritional content in cow's milk. If you've cut dairy from your diet, you may be lacking in important nutrients like calcium, vitamin D and protein. And alternative milks (think almond, cashew, coconut, oat, rice and soy) may not always fill the gap. Then we looked at the celery juice diet that promises to help with everything from acid reflux to autoimmune disease. But there's little science to back up the claim that this food item can cure complex illnesses or diseases.
Catch up on this episode and others on CBC Gem.
— Asha Tomlinson and the Marketplace team
