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canada approves long-awaited hiv self-test
canada follows dozens of other countries in greenlighting the technology.
nov 3 2020
1 minute read
the one-minute, finger-prick blood test will help with screening barriers.
getty
federal regulators have approved the first hiv self-test in canada in a long-awaited move that experts have called critical to reaching people who don’t know they have the virus.
health canada granted a medical device licence on monday to a one-minute, finger-prick blood test manufactured by richmond, b.c.-based biolytical laboratories.
canada follows dozens of other countries in greenlighting the technology, which has been endorsed by the world health organization as a tool to reduce the number of people with undiagnosed hiv.
the principal investigator of a study that was submitted to regulators as part of their review says the approval of hiv self-testing could “open incredible doors” to increasing access to life-extending treatments and preventing the spread of infection in canada.
dr. sean rourke, a scientist with the centre for urban health solutions at st. michael’s hospital in toronto, says he’s working with community organizations across the country to launch a telehealth program in january that will distribute 60,000 self-tests and connect people with care.
rourke says the need for self-testing has become even more important as a recent survey of roughly 300 front-line providers suggests the covid-19 crisis has cut access to clinical hiv testing services nearly in half.
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