Per-SVR Team
Globally, 290 million people are unaware they are living with a hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This significant global health problem affects as many as 80,000 individuals here in BC. Today on World Hepatitis Day, the theme is ‘Find the Missing Millions’ in order to raise awareness of the global burden of viral hepatitis and to influence real change.
Thankfully, unlike many other chronic viral diseases, HCV therapy has recently experienced a major paradigm shift to highly effective, simpler, safer, and shorter-course direct-acting antivirals (DAAs)-based therapy. Now, with BC making this new therapy available to all, elimination of this disease in our province is a realistic proposition. We at the BC-CfE know Treatment as Prevention* works as a public health strategy, as demonstrated by scale-up treatment efforts and resulting declines in HIV cases.
The BC-CfE’s Per-SVR (PrEseRvation of Sustained Virologic Response – pronounced “persevere”) study is leading the expansion of HCV testing, education, and accessible DAA therapy. The aim of Per-SVR is for closer monitoring and management of HCV positive cases and transmission reduction among harder to reach populations who face the most barriers to access and care.
One Per-SVR peer research associate and participant shared her perspective on the importance of HCV education and access, saying,
Just the recognition of the existence of hepatitis C in the community is a huge start in the survival of this generation and generations to come. Together we can conquer this disease and seek out the clients in need of our care.
Per-SVR is led by Principal Investigator and the BC-CfE’s Executive Director and Physician-in-Chief Dr. Julio Montaner and BC-CfE Research Scientist Dr. Kate Salters.
The primary research site for the study is based in the DTES on Powell street. Many study participants live in the DTES and face a myriad of barriers relating to health care access, substance use, homelessness, and mental health concerns. Per-SVR, like other BC-CfE research studies, provides participants a continual link to health-care providers and services.
Since the COVID19 pandemic began, Per-SVR study operations were put on hold to ensure the safety and well-being of study participants and team members. This temporary pause on study activities highlighted the importance that research studies, such as Per-SVR, have in connecting residents of the DTES to their health care providers. Thankfully, the study’s resumption has since been approved, and the team will now seek to identify what impacts COVID-19 has had on hepatitis c testing and treatment access, and how the pandemic has affected access to important harm reduction services and continuation of care.
Per-SVR is actively enrolling eligible participants within BC and have participating sites in the Lower Mainland, Fraser valley and Vancouver Island. If you would like more information about the study please contact the study coordinator, Jessica Ly at jly@bccfe.ca.