Canadian Contributions to Medicine

4. HAART

In the early 1980s, cases of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) were rising and, by the 1990s, millions of people were infected and dying. Dr. Julio Montaner, originally from Argentina, became a post-doctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia in 1981. Six years later, Dr. Montaner became the university’s director of the AIDS Research Program and the Infectious Disease Clinic. He co-organized the 1996 Vancouver International AIDS Conference where he presented research on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). This treatment allowed those with HIV/AIDS to live with and manage their disease by combining three or more medications. HAART is now used throughout the world.

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During the Canada Post strike announced September 25, 2025, the following measures will be undertaken to minimize service disruption to BC-CfE clients and providers.

  • The BC-CfE Laboratory has transitioned to private courier for delivery of outgoing reports and documents. Results required urgently can be faxed upon request. (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 has transitioned to private courier for delivery of medications. We recommend requesting medication at least 2 weeks in advance in case of delivery delays, particularly to rural/remote parts of BC. (Contact Information: Phone 1-800-547-3622; FAX 604-806-8675)

During the Canada Post strike, we recommend that documents be faxed or couriered to our sites, versus utilization of regular mail service

The BC-CfE Laboratory is streamlining reporting processes for certain tests in order to simplify distribution and record-keeping, and to ensure completeness of results. Beginning September 2, 2025, results for the ‘Resistance Analysis of HIV-1 Protease and Reverse Transcriptase’ (Protease-RT) and ‘HIV-1 Integrase Resistance Genotype’ tests will be combined into a single ‘HIV-1 Resistance Genotype Report’.
For more details and example reports, please click on the button below