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Addressing inequities in care on the path to eliminating hepatitis C in BC

World Hepatitis Day, acknowledged on 28 July, provides an opportunity to reflect on BC’s journey toward achieving the World Health Organization’s target of eliminating hepatitis C by 2030. Treatment for the hepatitis C... Read More

Potent sedatives in opioids in BC: Implications for resuscitation, and benzodiazepine and etizolam withdrawal

Mortality due to drug overdose has risen to unprecedented levels in British Columbia. In 2020, 1724 people died of drug overdose compared to 984 people in 2019.[1] There has been a significant increase in the... Read More

History of naloxone kits in BC: From inception to expansion

The spike in overdose deaths in BC due to COVID-19 serves as a reminder that the lack of access to harm-reduction services has significant implications for people who use drugs (PWUD). One of the cornerstones of harm-... Read More

The physician’s role in supporting people who use substances in a dual public health emergency

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is taking a devastating toll globally. As of May 2020, there have been 76 000 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Canada, including 2446 cases and 146 deaths in British Columbia. The... Read More

The physician’s role in harm reduction

As respected leaders, physicians are well positioned to address community concerns with evidence and to advocate for harm reduction to reduce health inequities and improve the health of marginalized populations across... Read More

Patient and physician resources for naloxone use in BC

Since the overdose crisis was declared a public health emergency in BC in April 2016, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), in partnership with the Ministry of Health, health authorities, and community partners,... Read More

Illicit fentanyl: An emerging threat to people who use drugs in BC

Fentanyl-detected illicit drug overdose deaths in British Columbia increased dramatically from 5% of total illicit drug deaths in 2012 to over 25% in 2014.[1] While clusters of fentanyl-detected deaths have been... Read More

New methadone dosing: Overdose dangers

New methadone is 10 times more concentrated than the currently compounded anhydrous methadone solution. Are we ready to prevent potential overdoses? Between 1 February and 1 March 2014 Pharmacare will transition... Read More

The scope of the problem: The health of incarcerated women in BC

In 2009 37 057[1] individuals were admitted to the correctional system in BC, of whom approximately 10% were female. Women in BC are incarcerated in either the federal or the provincial correctional system. ... Read More

Guest editorial: The health of incarcerated women in BC

Most physicians in BC will eventually encounter patients in their medical practices who have previous or current incarceration experience. These women can have problems that are medically complex and they may be... Read More