New HIV cases drop among injection drug users in BC

New cases of HIV among those who use drugs by injection continue to decline in B.C., according to a report by the provincial health officer.

A major factor in the decline has been the expansion of Highly Active Anti-retroviral Therapy (HAART) and harm reduction programs, says the report.

Introduced in 1997, HAART is a combination of three or more drugs from at least two classes of antiretroviral drugs. It’s designed to attack HIV in various stages of its life cycle.

The latest research from the BC Centre for Excellence shows that the number of people living with HIV in B.C. who were receiving HAART increased by 547 percent from 1996 to 2009. During that same time period, new HIV diagnoses fell by 52 percent.

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Canada Post has provided notification of restarting their operations on December 17, 2024. As Canada Post ramps up and stabilizes their services, the BC-CfE will continue the following measures on an interim basis to minimize service disruption to BC-CfE clients and providers.

  • The BC-CfE Laboratory will utilize private courier for delivery of outgoing reports and documents. (Lab Contact Information: Phone 604-806-8775; FAX 604-806-9463)
  • The BC-CfE Drug Treatment Program (DTP) will fax outgoing forms and documents to the provider’s office. (DTP Contact Information: Phone 604-806-8515; FAX 604-806-9044)
  • St. Paul’s Hospital Ambulatory Pharmacy will utilize private courier for delivery of medications. (Contact Information: Phone 1-800-547-3622; FAX 604-806-8675)