Posted On: Monday, August 26th, 2019
We would like to acknowledge the passing of Christopher MacKenzie, who died in a car accident on July 26, 2019. Chris was known to many of us as he was a key contributor at Living Positive Resource Centre (LPRC) for well over a decade. Chris also volunteered on PAN’s board of directors from 2006 to… Read more »
Posted On: Tuesday, August 20th, 2019
Date: September 18, 2019 Time: 10 AM, Pacific Time Each region in BC is facing its own overdose crisis within this public health emergency. Each region has its own layout of services, and the sheer land area of each region can make it difficult to support everyone who needs harm reduction services. ANKORS has been… Read more »
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: 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
The 2019 Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) conference was held in Saskatoon in April. As part of our work around community-based research, we presented findings from the Positive Living, Positive Homes study in a poster session. Our poster discussed findings around disclosure and stigma surrounding housing for people living with HIV. To see greater… 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 8th, 2019
We’re happy to welcome Joanna Mendell, who recently joined the Research and Evaluation department as the Making it Work Research Project Coordinator. Read the Meet the People at PAN series. What first piqued your interest in the HIV/ hepatitis C sector? It’s hard to say what first piqued my interest in HIV as it has… Read more »
