Going by the latest figures released, Canada's health care spending is growing faster than the economy, outpacing inflation and population growth. Representing 10.7 per cent of the gross domestic product, health care spending has reached $171.9 billion or $5,170 per person, the highest share ever recorded in Canada.

When it comes to province-wise per-person spending, the figures for Alberta and Manitoba stand at $5,730 and $5,555 respectively. The provinces that spend the lowest are Quebec at $4,653 and British Columbia at $5,093.

The NHS budget has doubled in the past five years, from £45bn to £90bn, the fastest growth in its history. While some NHS workers have enjoyed a pay bonanza, it has not been spread evenly. The biggest rises have gone to doctors, with senior GPs who run their own practices enjoying rises of 58 per cent on average in the three years from 2003 - an average income of £113,614.

The NHS bosses have been accused of "double standards" for getting huge pay hikes while frontline staff took an effective cut.

Researchers say in the British Medical Journal that guidelines on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) should be updated in light of the recent findings that older 'overlooked' treatments - using fiber, antispasmodic drugs, and peppermint oil - may end up being the best option for IBS patients.

The present line of treatment followed by doctors for treating IBS - characterized by abdominal pain and an irregular bowel habit, and affecting 5% to 20% of the population

The Times reports claim that introduction of 'presumed consent' for the donation of vital organs is to be rejected by the UK government's Organ Donation Taskforce, thereby aiming to give the recent reform of the existing system a chance to work. The taskforce was set up in 2007 to explore ways of boosting transplants across the UK.

It is also reported that a radical change to the organ transplant laws in Britain could be started as early as 2013. If the number of lifesaving transplants has not increased by

Figure out this one - 39 oncologists (cancer specialist doctors) treating more than 40,000 new cases of cancer every year in Malaysia.

However, according to the country’s Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Malaysia should ideally have eight oncologists per million population.

Speaking after opening the First Asia Pacific Conference on Healthy Policy and Planning, Liow said, “With about 26 million people, we need about 200 oncologists.”

Due to rising input costs, Logistics firm Gati Ltd announced that it will raise the rates of its services by up to 10 percent by January 2009.

Fearing the slowdown in the market, the company has also decided to go slow on its expansion plans of Rs 1.5 billion in the year.

While speaking on the sidelines of India Economic Summit, Gati Ltd Managing Director and CEO Mahendra Agarwal said, “There has been a constant increase of rentals, fuel prices and operating costs. We may not immediately raise, but there is a need for prices to go up.”