Tag: Hepatitis C

AIDS 2022 in Montreal: Will Canada’s HIV response hold up against scrutiny?

In a few weeks, the world is invited to Montreal for AIDS 2022, the 24th International AIDS Conference.  At this time of writing, no public announcement has been made as to which of Canada’s dignitaries will be present. The last time this conference was held in Canada was 2006, in Toronto. The absence of our then prime minister, as well as the previous federal government’s abysmal record on HIV policy issues such as harm reduction, became an embarrassment for Canada on an international stage.

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A message from Laurie Edmiston

A message from Laurie Edmiston, executive director of CATIE: Dear friends and colleagues, It is with mixed emotions that I share with you my plans to retire this summer. As much as I love working at CATIE, there are many things I wish to do in life – maybe even during weekdays! In the nearly 19 years I’ve worked at CATIE, I have seen tremendous advances in science and in the community response to HIV and hepatitis C. When I joined the organization, our sole mandate was the provision of HIV treatment information. I’ve been honoured to lead our growth...

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What I learned from teaching an HIV and hepatitis C testing course

HIV treatments are a literal lifesaver and help people to live long and healthy lives, while also preventing transmission. There are also highly effective hepatitis C treatments that cure more than 95% of those living with the infection. But none of the advancements in hepatitis C and HIV treatment are being realized for the 13% of HIV-positive Canadians and 44% of Canadians with hepatitis C who don’t know their status. Testing is the first step towards connecting people to treatment, care and support, and no matter the result, it can also be the gateway to prevention services like harm reduction...

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Hepatitis C reflex testing in Canada: from theory to practice

Hepatitis C testing in Canada can be complicated. Until recently, hepatitis C testing through provincial labs across the country was standard two-step testing. This approach uses two separate blood samples collected at two separate times. The first blood sample is for the screening test that looks for antibodies to the hepatitis C virus. This screening test determines if a person has ever been exposed to the virus. If this test result is positive, a second blood sample is taken to conduct the confirmatory test that looks for the presence of the hepatitis C virus in the blood. This test confirms...

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