Do you know that London Medicine affords accessible hepatitis C screening at choose areas in BC and Alberta?
9 in ten folks dwelling with viral hepatitis C (HCV) are unaware that they’ve the life-threatening an infection as a result of it may take a long time earlier than signs grow to be evident. The Canadian Affiliation for the Examine of the Liver pointers suggest testing for folks at elevated danger of an infection, in addition to one-time testing for all Canadians born between 1945 and 1975 resulting from inferior an infection prevention and management practices, and unscreened blood merchandise earlier than 1992.
Anybody can now be screened for hepatitis C with a easy finger prick take a look at at choose London Medicine areas all through BC and Alberta. The take a look at, known as the OraQuick HCV Speedy Antibody Check, is greater than 99% correct at detecting HCV antibodies (to indicate the historical past of publicity to the virus) inside 20 minutes. The price of the take a look at in BC is $24.
In case of a constructive antibody outcome, pharmacists will notify the affected person’s household doctor for a confirmatory blood take a look at to find out the present infections standing, known as RNA viral load. Pharmacists additionally present schooling about out there healing therapies and assist sufferers by their therapy journey. Therapy usually entails each day antiviral drugs for 8 to 12 weeks and may remedy over 95% of individuals with hepatitis C.
In Alberta, the scope of apply permits pharmacists to order and interpret blood work and prescribe medicine for persistent, non-complicated hepatitis C. Many London Medicine pharmacists are at the moment taking part in a analysis research in Alberta, known as LiveRx, offering this testing and linkage to care for gratis.
Many London Medicine pharmacists have obtained extra schooling to supply skilled recommendation, enhance entry to testing and therapy for this doubtlessly liver-destroying virus, and scale back the stigma related to the blood-borne sickness. An entire listing of areas the place you’ll find our hepatitis C educated pharmacists may be discovered right here.