A significant number of people living with HIV in Ontario have not been diagnosed and self-testing could represent a meaningful opportunity to address this. The Reaching the Undiagnosed INSTI HIV Self-test Study will raise awareness, educate and engage with key priority populations about the importance of testing to help improve Canada’s HIV diagnosis rates and reduce new HIV infections among key priority populations. This is also the first study of its kind to allow for HIV self-test devices to be licensed for use by the public.
The study is jointly funded by CIHR Centre for REACH 3.0 and CANFAR and will include 1,000 participants from key priority populations in Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Victoria over 12 to 16 weeks. Sites in Toronto include Hassle Free Clinic and Women’s Health in Women’s Hands. If the study results are successful, self-testing devices could become more accessible.
To hear more about the study go here.