National

New HIV prevention guidelines say doctors should not 'gatekeep' PrEP

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 01 Dec, 2025 10:16 AM

A coalition of doctors across Canada is releasing a new guideline for prescribing medications that can prevent HIV infection, with a strong focus on increasing the promotion and awareness of the expanding class of drugs.

The clinical guideline provides 31 recommendations and 10 good practices for prescribing antiretroviral medication before and after a potential HIV exposure to prevent infection.

Lead author Dr. Darrell Tan said 19 physicians spent the last three years reviewing the latest research to write the new guidelines, as the range of available pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) options has expanded since the last guidance was released in 2017.

The recommendations are aimed at reducing the rise of HIV infections in Canada over the last several years, in pursuit of the country’s goal to eliminate the sexually transmitted infection as a public health threat by 2030.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Gang police allege Vancouver man ran 'sophisticated' gun importation scheme

A 24-year-old Vancouver man faces several charges after investigators dismantled what they say was a "sophisticated" gun importation operation. The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit says the charges come after an investigation that began in June 2023 when packages with gun parts were "intercepted at the border."

Gang police allege Vancouver man ran 'sophisticated' gun importation scheme

B.C. shuts door on secondary-suite incentive program over 'uncertain financial times'

The British Columbia government says it is cancelling an incentive program meant to entice more homeowners to build secondary suites, saying the decision is "due to uncertain financial times." The government says in a statement that the pilot program won't accept applications after March 31.

B.C. shuts door on secondary-suite incentive program over 'uncertain financial times'

Ottawa condemns China for executing Canadians as Beijing points to drug crime

Global Affairs Canada and the Chinese embassy both declined to say how many Canadians were executed or report the names of those killed. Ottawa did confirm they did not include Abbotsford, B.C. native Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, who was sentenced to death for drug smuggling by a Chinese court in 2019.

Ottawa condemns China for executing Canadians as Beijing points to drug crime

Ottawa provides $20M for B.C.'s forest sector amid softwood duties, trade war

The federal government is providing about $20 million in funding to support British Columbia's forestry sector, part of Ottawa's effort to bolster the economy amid the Canada-U. S. trade war. Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says it's more important than ever to support the sector, which is subject to American duties on softwood lumber and now faces the additional threat of steep tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Ottawa provides $20M for B.C.'s forest sector amid softwood duties, trade war

Commercial truck hits B.C. highway overpass, losing lumber load and snarling traffic

British Columbia's Highway Patrol says another commercial truck has hit an overpass in Metro Vancouver, causing no visible damage, but snarling traffic on Wednesday. Police say a load of lumber the tractor trailer was hauling along Highway 99 hit the Blundell Road overpass.

Commercial truck hits B.C. highway overpass, losing lumber load and snarling traffic

Consumers could find 'meaningful savings' as carbon price ends: Desjardins

Canadians can expect to feel the absence of the consumer carbon price at the pumps immediately but it may take longer to notice a difference in the price of other goods, a new report released Wednesday suggests. The analysis by Desjardins Economics comes less than a week after Prime Minister Mark Carney and his new Liberal cabinet ordered that the consumer levy be set to zero on April 1.