Bringing new Point-of-Care (POC) and Self-Tests to Market
The CIHR Centre for REACH has secured funding to bring new HIV and STBBI testing options to market in the next five years. This began with the first trial to test the usability and acceptability of the bioLytical INSTI HIV self-test in 2020.
Our goals are to have two licensed HIV self-tests in Canada by the end of 2021, two new HCV POC and self-test options by 2021 and 2022, and a multiplex PoC test for HIV and syphilis by 2022. Having these new options for Canadians to purchase or access for free through government or subsidized programs at a reduced cost will significantly improve health and wellbeing for those most in need and reduce the health inequities that fuel the STBBI epidemics.
We know from work outside of Canada that if we dramatically implement and scale-up new testing options to reach the undiagnosed (with lower barrier options), including prevention (access to PrEP and PEP), and access to and support for antiretroviral (ARV) treatment across Canada, we can jump-start efforts to get to a state where new infections are rare, effectively ending the HIV epidemic in Canada within the next five years.
