CATIE Blog | Page 18 | HIV and hepatitis C news and opinions

Preventing HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic: PEP and PIP to the rescue

April 19, 2021 • By Dr. Amila Heendeniya

HIV continues to be a global health threat, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In keeping with UNAIDS goals for reducing that burden, HIV prevention by PEP and PrEP have played major roles in reaching those goals. While PrEP has been instrumental in preventing HIV in people with high-risk exposures, we have seen gaps in HIV prevention strategies, especially among individuals who have less frequent exposures. This is where “pill-in-pocket PEP”, better known as PIP, has a substantial role to play.

The promise that the COVID-19 vaccine brings: A hepatitis C nurse’s perspective

March 23, 2021 • By Bernadette Lettner

Winding through the basement of the hospital, past the spin studio that has been closed for a long time, I follow the snaking line of people. I stand on my designated dot on the floor, a reminder of the physical distancing measures we’ve all grown accustomed to this past year. I go through registration, and then into another line, multiple staff directing me at every turn, ensuring we respect the space and flow in this most circuitous of marathons. I sit down beside a nurse, who goes through the consent form one last time, as she picks up the needle...

The impact of ‘It’s a Sin’: Lessons from the U.K.

March 14, 2021 • By John McCullagh and Ian Green

To find out how the series It’s A Sin started a national dialogue about HIV in the United Kingdom, and what Canadian HIV organizations can learn from that experience, former CATIE board chair John McCullagh spoke to Ian Green, chief executive officer of Terrence Higgins Trust, the largest HIV charity in the United Kingdom.

Accessing PrEP: The PrEPStart program in Ontario

March 10, 2021 • By Nasra Smith

Over the past five years, Ontario has seen a steady increase in the number of people using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Between January and March 2020, 8,413 people were on PrEP – up from 289 in 2015. While most of these people live larger cities like Toronto and Ottawa, PrEP use has also increased in regions across the province.

Understanding prescribing trends for hepatitis C treatment in Ontario

February 24, 2021 • By Mary Guyton, RN, Jennifer Broad and Kate Mason

The introduction and wide availability of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) as a treatment for hepatitis C through a phased rollout from 2015 to 2018 held the promise of expanded access to treatment. These simpler treatments carried fewer clinical restrictions and required less specialist support, opening the possibility for primary care providers to treat their patients with hepatitis C. Given barriers to healthcare access for people who use drugs, those of us at the Toronto Community Hep C Program were curious to find out if this had in fact happened.

COVID-19, curfews and the overdose crisis: A Quebec perspective

February 17, 2021 • By Frankie Lambert and Chantal Montmorency

To better understand the issues and priorities of people who use drugs in Quebec during the COVID-19 pandemic and the overdose crisis, CATIE conducted a short interview with Frankie Lambert and Chantal Montmorency, two staff members of the Quebec association to promote the health of people who use drugs (AQPSUD). Here are the concerns raised by their community.