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Coronavirus

    • Health Canada in 'final stages' of reviewing Pfizer's antiviral COVID-19 drug

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    Health Canada鈥檚 chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma says the agency is working through the final stages of its review of Pfizer鈥檚 promising antiviral treatment.

    Pfizer submitted clinical data for its drug Paxlovid on Dec. 1, 2021.

    鈥淲e鈥檙e in the final stages of the review. I can鈥檛 commit to a specific time but in the next week to 10 days is likely when we鈥檒l have a decision on that one,鈥 Sharma said in a statement to CTVNews.ca.

    The drugmaker that the pill is designed to block the activity of an enzyme in SARS-CoV-2 that is essential for the virus to replicate itself, and also help to slow the breakdown of the pill鈥檚 ingredients in order to help combat the virus for longer. Part of the pill uses ritonavir, an existing drug that has been used in combination with other antiviral medications before.

    Provinces and territories have been calling on the federal government to speed up the approval process, most recently with the rise of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant of concern.

    However, the agency has been clear of the steps that need to be met for a drug to be green lit in Canada 鈥 steps that don鈥檛 change with political pressure.

    "Health Canada will only authorize the use of anti-viral treatments if the independent and thorough scientific review of all the data included in the submissions show that the benefits of the treatments outweigh the potential risks,鈥 Health Canada spokesperson Mark Johnson told CTVNews.ca in a statement.

    Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told reporters on Wednesday during a COVID-19 update that the review is proceeding 鈥渟wiftly, in an accelerated manner.鈥

    鈥淭hey are obviously working with international partners on making sure that this is moving swiftly and efficiently. The announcement and decision will be made very soon. As we prepare for that decision, whatever that may be, we have already secured one million doses of [Pfizer鈥檚] treatment,鈥 he said.

    Duclos added that he鈥檚 had several conversations with his provincial and territorial counterparts to ensure that, when and if the treatment is approved, the federal government is ready to move to clinical use quickly.

    Health Canada is also reviewing an experimental pill from drugmaker Merck, called molnupiravir, submitted on Aug. 13.

    The government has signed a deal for up to 500,000 units of the molnupiravir drug, with the option for 500,000 more.

    In late December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for both Pfizer and Merck鈥檚 drugs.

    With a file from 愛污传媒鈥 Alexandra Mae Jones.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.

    Montreal police say a business in the city's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood was hit with Molotov cocktails two nights in a row.

    Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

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    Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.

    Canada

    • Montreal police say a business in the city's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood was hit with Molotov cocktails two nights in a row.

    • Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.

    • The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.

    • New data shows the automated speed enforcement camera on King Edward Avenue, between Bolton Street and St. Patrick Street, issued 6,337 speeding tickets in August, the highest number of tickets issued by Ottawa's 40 photo radar cameras.

    • The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.

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    Lifestyle

    • A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.

    • What does New Westminster's t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    Sports

    • According to the Canadian Women & Sport's 2022 Rally Report, 76 per cent of girls who participate in sports believe it helps build confidence and enhances their mental health. While those benefits are important for all children, the organization's CEO says, right now, girls have less access.

    Autos

    • A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.

    • A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Local Spotlight

    Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

    From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

    A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

    The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

    A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

    What does New Westminster's t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

    New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

    • The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.

    • The leaders of both British Columbia's provincial Conservatives and New Democrats are in the Okanagan campaigning today.

    • Two pedestrians have been taken to hospital with unknown injuries after an early-morning collision in Vaughan.

    • A Toronto city councillor is calling for a public inquiry into the construction of the delayed and over-budget Eglinton Crosstown LRT.

    • An investigation is underway into what caused a vehicle rollover Saturday in the area of Plummers Road and Priddis Valley Road.

    • A pedestrian is in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle in southeast Calgary on Friday night.

    • Environment Canada has issued a frost advisory as temperatures across Ottawa and eastern Ontario are expected to dip near the freezing mark this evening.

    • New data shows the automated speed enforcement camera on King Edward Avenue, between Bolton Street and St. Patrick Street, issued 6,337 speeding tickets in August, the highest number of tickets issued by Ottawa's 40 photo radar cameras.

    • Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.

    • The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.

    • Montreal police say they are increasing their presence across the city ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 start of the Israel-Hamas war.

    • Montreal police say a business in the city's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood was hit with Molotov cocktails two nights in a row.

    • Forward Arshdeep Bains hopes his final audition was good enough to earn him a spot in the Vancouver Canucks cast when the curtain opens on the NHL regular season.

    • A 79-year-old woman is dead after the vehicle she was driving crashed into an east Edmonton building late Friday afternoon.

    • Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jack Campbell has entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

    • A riding in southwest New Brunswick that for decades was a Progressive Conservative stronghold is shaping up to be a bellwether that could offer a window into the future of the Tory party, and maybe of the province.

    • The Greater Moncton area held open houses on Saturday to kick off Fire Prevention Week.

    • A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

    • It鈥檚 1998. Google was just born, and dial-up was the primary way to connect to the Internet. New sites were being developed daily on any number of topics, from recipes to shopping. David Yanciw, however, was thinking big - big things, that is.

    • Emergency crews are at the scene of a single motor vehicle collision on Highway 12 in the RM of Brokenhead, Man.

    • A new report from Doctors Manitoba is calling for major changes to the way sick notes are issued in Manitoba, saying they are a waste of time for doctors and employers.

    • Regina police are investigating after guns were fired at two homes last week, with one home being shot at on multiple occasions.

    • A wind warning has been issued for parts of southern Saskatchewan, with gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour (km/h) possible in some areas on Saturday, Environment and Climate Change Canada says.

    • Police have laid charges after a car crashed into the side of a Kitchener home early Friday morning.

    • Officers were called at around 11 p.m. Friday for a report of a disturbance in the area of Glasgow Street and Earl Street.

    • The K-W Symphony may have played their last concert but the musicians who made up the ensemble aren鈥檛 ready for their curtain call.

    • The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation hosted a virtual election forum on education Thursday evening, giving candidates in the provincial election a chance to share their thoughts and answer questions on issues teachers find most important.

    • A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

    • Saskatoon police arrested a homeless person at the scene of an encampment underneath the University Bridge on Friday morning.

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    • Oct. 4 is the National Day of Action for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people.

    • As of 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, The West Region OPP Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU), Emergency Response Team (TEAM) and OPP K9 Unit were operating in the area but have since cleared.

    • The London Knights were on home ice last night, hoping to secure their first win of the season at Budweiser Gardens against the Erie Otters.

    • Three people from Simcoe County face charges in relation to a drug trafficking investigation that police say resulted in the seizure of several weapons, drugs and thousands of dollars worth of stolen property.

    • A 62-year-old man has been charged after police received a report about an employee stealing over $60,000 worth of materials from a Huntsville business.

    • A man is facing multiple charges after reportedly threatening to harm staff members at an Orillia business Friday afternoon.

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    • According to police, the suspect entered and vandalized the property in the 700 block of Grand Marais Road Easton on September 28.

    • A motor vehicle collision at Wyandotte Street East and George Avenue has Windsor police on the scene this morning.

    • We haven't heard the candidates talk much about education during B.C.'s 2024 election campaign, but the teachers' union is trying to put the spotlight on that issue.

    • The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

    • Many British Columbians were shaken awake early Friday morning when an earthquake struck in the Strait of Georgia, about 18 kilometres southwest of Tsawwassen.

    • The leaders of both British Columbia's provincial Conservatives and New Democrats are in the Okanagan campaigning today.

    • Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week 鈥 and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.

    • A father in Kelowna is furious after his 13-year-old daughter was brutally beaten on Gyro Beach. He is calling for criminal charges in the devastating attack, which was caught on video by multiple bystanders.

    • A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.

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    • WestJet has changed its operations at the Lethbridge Airport, and it means there's now only a single daily flight from Lethbridge to Calgary, down from three flights a day, as offered previously.

    • Two teens, ages 14 and 19, have been charged with arson in connection with a July 14 fire in Cat Lake First Nation that destroyed $500,000 in construction materials.

    • A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.

    • A suspect who accused Thunder Bay police of being responsible for his throat injury actually hurt himself when he swallowed a large amount of drugs.

    N.L.

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