Posted On: Monday, August 19th, 2019
Last month we endorsed the statement calling on the federal government to fix fundamental flaws in the Correctional Service of Canada’s “Prison Needle Exchange Program.” We’ve received a thank you from the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Exchange, along with some additional information. Saturday, August 10, was Prisoners’ Justice Day, and marked the release of this… Read more »
Posted On: Monday, August 19th, 2019
Updated August 26, 2019 PAN has been part of a national conversation with multiple partners including COCQ-SIDA, the Ontario AIDS Network, the Alberta Community Council on HIV in Alberta, and others, regarding Canada’s role in resourcing for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. We were pleased to see the announcement that Canada… Read more »
Posted On: Monday, August 19th, 2019
Earlier this summer the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) conducted a needs assessment survey on STBBI guidelines with P/T programs. PHAC is conducting a second needs assessment on STBBI guidelines with healthcare providers (e.g., nurses, nurse practitioners, or physicians) who provide direct STBBI care. The objective of this survey is to ensure that STBBI… Read more »
Posted On: Friday, August 2nd, 2019
PAN will be hosting Jason Wong, Lauren Allan, and Jill Pascoe from the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) to talk about the topics chosen by our members. We asked people to fill out a short survey to learn about their interests, and as a result, this session will provide update on current epidemiology in BC… Read more »
Posted On: Thursday, August 1st, 2019
A quick summer update on the HIV criminalization front… BC’s Prosecutorial Guidelines As previously reported, on April 16th, 2019, BC Prosecution Services issued revised prosecutorial guidelines (the revised “Sex 2” policy). Encouragingly, the guidelines state clearly that there will be no prosecution for suppressed viral load (i.e., under 200 copies/ml) for at least 4 months;… Read more »
Posted On: Thursday, August 1st, 2019
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. See our Drug Use and Overdose Response page for resources on overdose services, team resilience, governmental reports,… Read more »
Posted On: Monday, July 29th, 2019
Vancouver Coastal Health’s Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Patricial Daly, has released a new report: Response to the Opioid Overdose Crisis in Vancouver Coastal Health. It looks at harm reduction, improving treatment, and strategies for supportive environments. It begins, “Substance use disorder is a chronic, relapsing condition, requiring a comprehensive system of care that identifies… Read more »
Posted On: Friday, July 26th, 2019
Along with a number of community advocates, this spring PAN submitted letter to the Canadian Medical Association regarding the Draft Canadian Medical Association’s Policy on HIV. We are aware that PAN member organizations and public health representatives did the same. We are watching for updates and will share as we learn more. Cécile Bensimon,… Read more »
Posted On: Thursday, July 25th, 2019
PAN has endorsed the statement below, and we share this so others may consider doing so as well. From the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network: Three years ago, PAN signed a petition urging governments in Canada to immediately implement needle and syringe programs in prison. The petition acknowledged the overwhelming evidence supporting prison-based needle and syringe… Read more »
Posted On: Monday, July 22nd, 2019
With the federal election approaching, a series of LGBTQ2 organizations and national networks have developed a pre-election statement for all the political parties. The link to the the statement provides more information, including the entire statement, the context, who developed it and why. Statement (excerpt): We call on all political parties running in the Canadian Federal… Read more »
Posted On: Sunday, July 21st, 2019
YouthCO has released a new booklet (available on their website) called Reclaiming Our Health. This booklet was developed with funding from the PHSA Innovation Fund. This booklet, developed by and for Trans, Two Spirit, and non-binary (T2SNB) youth, helps to provide information about HIV and hepatitis C that is both accurate and useful for these… Read more »
Posted On: Sunday, July 21st, 2019
The Government of Canada has released Accelerating Our Response: Government Of Canada Five-Year Action Plan On Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections (STBBI). Accelerating our response: Government of Canada five-year action plan on sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections In-brief: Accelerating our response: Government of Canada five-year action plan on sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections The Action… Read more »
