Category: Advocacy, Policy, Public Health

PAN statement on Racism 

  We oppose anti-Black racism, and strongly condemn all acts of anti-Black discrimination and violence. We acknowledge that racism towards Black people and other people of colour has not ended, but continues to exist and create harm every day. We stand in solidarity with Black communities everywhere. Racism – individual, interpersonal, institutional and structural –… Read more »

Support Local Black-led Organizations

via PIVOT, reprinted with permission The last two weeks we have seen an upsurge of support for Pivot’s Criminalization & Police Accountability work. People are moved to act by the uprising for justice in response to the deaths of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Nina Pop and Breonna Taylor and countless Black people murdered by law enforcement. In… Read more »

Substance Use News May 2020

Substance Use News provides a snapshot of news and resources for those working to support folks who use substances. We share pieces on the social, medical and political responses to the opioid crisis, from advocacy to welcome change. With the added layer of the coronoavirus/COVID-19 public health constraints, those working in harm reduction have heightened… Read more »

Via the Canadian Health Coalition Over 185 organizations from across Canada released a joint statement calling on the federal government to immediately implement universal, public pharmacare as part of its response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The statement is supported by a diverse coalition representing health care providers, non-profit organizations, unions, workers, seniors, patients, and the business community… Read more »

With people returning to workplaces in BC’s Restart Plan, employers and workers alike may be wondering what this means going forward. Below you’ll find a few things to consider for the weeks and months ahead.*  We suggest PAN members consult the Restart Plan, the BC Centre for Disease Control COVID-19 resources, and Work Safe BC… Read more »

Hep C in Focus: Special Virtual Event

Join us for this special event! Hep C in Focus is a special virtual event featuring presentations, community networking, and resources. Registration provides access to all sessions of the day, which is scheduled to include breaks. You may join any of the sessions using the same registration link. Hep C in Focus is produced in… Read more »

Changes to PharmaNet: What PLHIV need to know…

via AIDS Vancouver. AIDS Vancouver has written a letter to Honourable Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, Antiretroviral (ARV) Prescriptions on Pharmanet—Additional Resources Required. It reads in part, We appreciate that the announcement and some related materials online explicitly reference patient privacy as a key concern for PLHIV. Still, AIDS Vancouver does not believe that such… Read more »

This week, PAN signed onto this letter from the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Pivot Legal Society and the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition – they joined forces to call on the Minister of Health and other key ministers in the federal government to immediately decriminalize the possession of illicit drugs in response to the twin crises… Read more »

Date: Thursday June 18, 2020 Time: 10 AM, Pacific time Crystal meth is a commonly used drug in BC, so HIV, hep C and harm reduction organizations and advocates may well work with people using meth. What do we need to know about crystal meth’s affects on health and spirit to best support people using… Read more »

  PAN has become aware of important information we want to share with all people living with HIV in BC and community-based ASOs. The Government of British Columbia recently announced that effective May 4, 2020, the dispensing pharmacies for the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) Drug Treatment Program will begin entering antiretroviral (ARV)… Read more »

Webinar: Q&A session about Safe Supply with Guy Felicella

Updated May 20, 2020 BC has released new guidance on providing safe supply to people who use drugs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We have heard from PAN member and allied organizations about uncertainty on how these changes will be implemented, and how people can access safe supply across the province. To help answer these questions… Read more »

Update on Summit 2020 Programming

Via CBRC The CBRC team continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada and its impact on our research and programming activities, including our annual Summit, which last year brought together over 300 participants from across Canada and around the world. While CBRC remains committed to delivering a unique and interactive conference during the scheduled… Read more »