The research project aims to understand how pharmacies can be involved in the identification and treatment of hepatitis C (hep C). The study will look at the effectiveness of hep C testing and treatment through pharmacies with support from the Cool Aid Community Health Centre (CACHC). The study will also evaluate the readiness of pharmacies to take on these extra tasks at the pharmacy. This information will be used to develop future strategies to better detect, treat and prevent hep C.
The primary objective of this project is to decrease barriers to care for hepatitis C (HCV) treatment for people who use drugs through the use of rapid diagnostic testing technologies, and task shifting HCV testing and treatment follow up to include trained pharmacy staff. Secondary objectives are to evaluate interest, readiness, and effectiveness of community-based pharmacies as a location for the screening and treatment of HCV. A prospective, longitudinal interventional cohort design will be used to enrol people who access community-based pharmacies and have tested for HCV RNA. Persons with untreated chronic HCV infection will receive direct acting antiviral treatment. This is a trial of pharmacist-led HCV testing and treatment versus conventional care in HCV positive patients.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
SCREENING
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
200
Pharmacy led hepatitis C point of care testing
Cool Aid Community Health Centre
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
HCV access to care for HCV testing and treatment
Number of patients tested for hepatitis C (HCV) antibodies through through the use of rapid diagnostic testing technologies by trained pharmacy staff that are found positive for HCV RNA and treated for HCV
Time frame: 24 weeks
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