Société
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Months of speculation over Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty' s health and appearance ended Thursday when a national daily newspaper published a deeply personal interview with him that revealed the popular 63-year-old federal treasurer suffers from a rare skin condition.
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Flaherty told the Toronto-based Globe and Mail that he was diagnosed last fall with bullous pemphigoid, an autoimmune dermatological disorder that produces blistering and is characterized by such symptoms as itching, rashes, mouth sores and bleeding gums.
He is being treated with prednisone, a strong steroid, which carries such side effects as bloating, puffiness and significant weight gain, all of which he has displayed.
However, the condition is "not life threatening," said Flaherty, "and it doesn' t affect my job."
He told Canada' s largest circulation national newspaper that he was "getting too many questions" about his appearance and his weight gain, and reluctantly decided to respond on the record because he holds public office.
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