HIV dropping among IV drug users due to harm reduction, says B.C.'s health officer

published on March 24, 2011 in The Province

B.C.'s top doctor is pushing to keep harm reduction and anti-retroviral therapy as key health strategies after a new report showed rates of HIV infection among those who inject drugs continues to drop.

Provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall released the report noting several reasons why intravenous drug users aren't catching HIV or hepatitis C despite the risky practice.

One of the factors he cited is highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), which Kendall describes as "the current gold standard in HIV treatment."

"HAART has the ability to change the way people live with HIV by improving their quality of life and reducing transmission rates," he said.

Also helping is a pilot program called Seek and Treat to Optimally Prevent HIV/AIDS (STOP AIDS), to which the province has committed $48 million over four years. The year-old project led by Dr. Julio Montaner of the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS aims to connect at-risk people in Prince George and Vancouver with testing and treatment services.

View the full article >>

Tags:

Treatment as Prevention®

Our work serves clients and communities across British Columbia on lands and waters cared for and nurtured by the many distinct First Nations across the province. The BC-CfE humbly and gratefully acknowledge the stewards of these lands, particularly the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh) on whose unceded, traditional and ancestral territories our offices are located.

© Copyright BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
St. Paul's Hospital 608–1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 1Y6
Tel: 604-806-8477 | Fax: 604-806-9044
General inquiries: info@bccfe.ca
Media inquiries: communications@bccfe.ca
(Please do not use any of these email addresses to send personal information or book an appointment. To book appointments or contact the H2H clinic, please call 604-416-1517 or fax: 604-564-4893. Do not send your or your client's personal information via email.)

© Copyright BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
St. Paul's Hospital 608–1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6Z 1Y6
Tel: 604-806-8477 | Fax: 604-806-9044
General inquiries: info@bccfe.ca
Media inquiries: communications@bccfe.ca
(Please do not use any of these email addresses to send personal information or book an appointment. To book appointments or contact the H2H clinic, please call 604-416-1517 or fax: 604-564-4893. Do not send your or your client's personal information via email.)

Our work serves clients and communities across British Columbia on lands and waters cared for and nurtured by the many distinct First Nations across the province. The BC-CfE humbly and gratefully acknowledge the stewards of these lands, particularly the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh) on whose unceded, traditional and ancestral territories our offices are located.