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New BC-CfE research, published in the recent issue of AIDS, characterizes trends in the annual prevalence of drug interactions between antiretroviral therapy (ART) and other non-antiretroviral medications in relation to ART prescribing patterns. The study also describes drug interaction-related ART changes.

Collaborating with colleagues from UBC and UCLA, BC-CfE researchers, in a novel study, looked at whether people living with HIV (PLWH) and (COPD) experience an acceleration of aging in their airways, independent of their smoking history.

In what’s believed to be a first of its kind analysis, BC-CfE researchers evaluated patient reported HIV care experiences and therapeutic outcomes prior to, and after, implementation of BC’s Treatment as Prevention¨ (TasP¨) designed Seek and Treat for Optimal Prevention of HIV/AIDS (STOP HIV/AIDS) program.

Dr. Brumme is an inspiring leader who is full of energy and passion. I had the opportunity to work with her at the start of the pandemic and she has been most helpful and insightful with the research and clinical teams. I look forward to learning more from her.

In late April the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) held its annual conference. With more than 1,000 members, CAHR is the leading organization of HIV/AIDS researchers in Canada. The theme for this year’s virtual conference was “Striving Towards Equity and Flourishing in the HIV Response”. In choosing the theme, organizers of the conference compared the decades-long fight for equitable distribution of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, and the massive disparities seen between high and low-income countries in both.

Schizophrenia affects more than 24 million people worldwide according to the World Health Organization. Common symptoms include thinking disorder, delusions, hallucinations, and negative syndrome, which induces severe loss of interest and social isolation. The term schizophrenia literally means “a splitting of the mind” and was coined in 1908 by Swiss psychiatrist Dr. Paul Eugen Bleuler.

This year the BC-CfE is celebrating its 30th year of excellence. In this video, Dr. Julio Montaner, the BC-CfE’s Executive Director and Physician-in-chief, kicks off the anniversary activities, reflecting on how the Centre has grown and evolved since 1992 and thanking its patients, the staff, the numerous supporters, partners and friends.

Health authorities in Canada, the US, Spain, Portugal, and the UK have issued alerts over possible outbreaks of monkeypox. This viral infection is usually spread by respiratory transmission, but in these latest cases certain characteristics point towards fluid contact as a possible mode of transmission. A majority of these monkeypox cases are among men who have sex with men.

In the 30 years since its inception in 1992, the advancements made by the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) have transformed HIV from a rapidly fatal disease, to a chronic and manageable illness that is highly, and easily, preventable. By helping shape local and global policy with its Treatment as Prevention¨ strategy, the BC-CfE has quite literally revolutionized HIV/AIDS care, saving and improving millions of lives worldwide.