Category: Opinions

Hep C: Solved with a Cure?

Hepatitis C is curable, reads the script; time and time again I hear this said, have read it, and say it myself. This is great news and a reality for more people than ever before. Does this mean that the job is done? I suppose it depends on one’s perspective. As I listened to members of the science research community speak recently, it is “done and dusted.” “Problem solved,” the headlines will read. Okay, maybe no headlines but a mention on page 4 with a minor piece in the late evening news, even though this may be the biggest news...

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HIV and infant feeding: A complex debate

There is a quiet tension that exists surrounding HIV and infant feeding. Although practices and recommendations vary around the world, breastfeeding is not recommended for infants born to an HIV-positive woman or trans man in Canada. Instead, HIV-positive parents are counselled to feed their infants with formula. But I don’t think it is by any means a closed case, even in Canada. The truth is, the debate about HIV and infant feeding (particularly in Canada) has never been more complex. Like so many discussions related to HIV today, scientific advances are changing the way we talk about and consider possibilities....

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This is not a test: Why health equity matters in improving access to HIV testing

A test is a test, right? I’ve struggled with the issues of why HIV testing matters over the last 25 years, and over that time I’ve seen the ebb and flow of debates and discussions on why testing is still an important issue for Canada. I’ve also seen the frustration among those who do not have access to testing and why that matters. Yes, knowing your HIV status is still an important health issue for Canadians. However, with the complex array of debates on the pros and cons of testing, including the very real concerns about confidentiality; the need for...

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Nouveau gouvernement, nouvelles priorités : répondre aux besoins de tous les Canadiens

La campagne électorale a été longue et pleine de rebondissements, et les Canadiens attendent maintenant de voir ce que fera notre nouveau gouvernement. Pendant la campagne, Action Canada pour la santé et les droits sexuels a publié une série de fiches thématiques sur ce que devrait faire le gouvernement sur divers enjeux liés aux droits sexuels et reproductifs. Certains gestes ont déjà été posés, mais le gros du travail proposé dans ces fiches reste à faire pour que notre pays respecte enfin ses obligations face à ces droits sexuels et reproductifs.

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Les gardiens anti-réduction des méfaits du Canada ferment la porte à la stratégie sur l’hépatite

Nous rentrons tout juste du premier Sommet mondial sur l’hépatite, organisé par l’Alliance mondiale contre les hépatites en partenariat avec l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS) et le Gouvernement de l’Écosse. Le Gouvernement de l’Écosse s’est fait partenaire de cet événement parce que l’Écosse fait preuve de leadership dans la lutte contre l’hépatite C et, à l’opposé du Canada, s’est dotée d’une stratégie nationale de réponse à l’hépatite C.*

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Oh Canada, we’re ready for your leadership

I had the honour of attending the recent and first-ever World Hepatitis Summit in Glasgow, Scotland from September 2-4, 2015. What a treat it was to come together with hundreds of other people from around the globe to discuss the often ignored health issue of viral hepatitis. Here I was, “amongst my people,” talking like crazy about viral hepatitis as if it were important or something. How new and novel, because here in Canada viral hepatitis is the conversation we never have, despite the fact that at least 250,000 Canadians are affected by it.

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