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Canadian HIV/AIDS Pharmacists Network Annual General Meeting

 

Date: Wednesday, April 5th

Time: 07:30 – 17:30

Location: Côte St-Luc, Convention Level

Host: Canadian HIV/AIDS Pharmacists Network (CHAP)

Attendance: This meeting is open to CHAP members and other invited guests. Pre-registration is required. Please email Nancy Sheehan CHAP Chair 2016-2017 at nancy.sheehan@umontreal.ca

 

The Annual General Meeting of CHAP consists of a combination of education, practice sharing, and business discussion (including ongoing CHAP business and research projects). All members of CHAP are welcome to attend, although the voting at the business portion of the meeting is reserved for working group members only. There are usually approximately 25 people in attendance and all details of the meeting are relayed via the CHAP network list-serve.

 

#SWPrEP: PrEP in the Context of Sex Work – A CAHR 2017 Dissemination Event

 

Date: Wednesday, April 5th

Time: 13:00 – 17:00

Location: Verdun, Convention Level

Host: HIV Social, Behavioural and Epidemiological Studies Unit at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto in partnership with the Triple-X Workers’ Solidarity Association of B.C.

Attendance: This session is open to all CAHR 2017 participants.

 

In October 2016, an invited group of fifty women, men, and trans people from across Canada who work with sex workers met in national consultation. The purpose of this unprecedented consultation was to give participants an opportunity to educate themselves, explore, and network as a group with the possibilities and limitations of PrEP in the context of sex work. Now, in Montreal, this CAHR 2017 Dissemination Event provides an opportunity for all interested CAHR Conference participants to learn about the content, outcomes, and deliverables of the consultation; the lessons for policy and practice; the results of the consultation’s evaluation; and suggestions for next steps.

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided for the project – HIV Prevention Education at National Sex Worker Consultation – by the Elton John AIDS Foundation and Gilead Sciences Canada, Inc. Determination of content for this consultation, the selection of participants and speakers were responsibilities of the University of Toronto and the Triple-X Workers’ Solidarity Association of British Columbia. The Elton John AIDS Foundation and Gilead Sciences Canada, Inc. did not have input in these areas.

 

Capacity-building or Capacity-bridging: Reenvisioning Community-based Research

 

Date: Wednesday, April 5th

Time: 17:00 – 19:30

Location: Longueuil, Convention Level

Hosts: COCQ-SIDA in collaboration with UQAM, Coalition PLUS, Université de Sherbrooke, RÉZO, AHA Centre, Pacific AIDS Network, CIHR CBR Collaborative Centre – a program of REACH 2.0

Attendance: Pre-registration is required. To register email: martine.fortin@cocqsida.com

 

“Capacity-building” is often identified as one of the key principles of community-based research (CBR). Nevertheless, its characteristics, evaluation, and outcomes can vary depending on which stakeholders are participating, the level of engagement of community members, and project objectives. “Capacity-bridging” has been proposed by the AHA Centre as an alternative term that refocuses on the need to train all partners in CBR projects, not just community members. The main goal of this event is to create a forum for experienced community-based researchers to discuss best practices in capacity-bridging. Four main themes will be addressed: 1) capacity-bridging in CBR, community engagement, and participatory approaches for researchers, health systems staff, and clinicians; 2) capacity-bridging in the context of Aboriginal research; 3) the emergence of community leaders in the context of research by and for MSM; and 4) the evaluation of capacity-building approaches, including some examples using participatory methods. The event will encourage active participation of all attendees, through talk-show style panels, roundtable discussions, and brief informative presentations. Although presentations will be in English, attendees will be encouraged to ask questions and participate in French or English.

Presenters:

Anita C. Benoit, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

Sherri Pooyak, AHA Centre, Victoria, BC

Marni Amirault, AHA Centre, Dartmount, NS

Thomas Haig, COCQ-SIDA/UQAM, Montreal, QC

Jorge Flores Aranda, Coalition PLUS/Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC

Janice Duddy, Pacific AIDS Network, Vancouver, BC

David Seekings, CIHR Centre for REACH, Toronto, ON

Aurélie Hot, COCQ-SIDA, Montreal, QC

 

Self-management Interventions in HIV Rehabilitation Research – Addressing Research Priorities in HIV, Aging, and Rehabilitation

 

Date: Thursday, April 6th

Time: 08:00 – 16:00

Location: Fundy, Convention Level

Hosts: Canada‐International (formerly United Kingdom) HIV and Rehabilitation Research Collaborative (CIHRRC) and Realize (formerly the Canadian Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation) in collaboration with the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR)

Attendance: By invitation only.

This session is supported by a planning grant from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), Aging Institute. This meeting is a collaboration between the Canada-International (formerly United Kingdom) HIV and Rehabilitation Research Collaborative (CIHRRC), the CIHR community based primary healthcare Living with HIV (LHIV Team), Realize (formerly the Canadian Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation) in collaboration with the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR).

The aim of this meeting is to advance knowledge and identify lessons learned for advancing an intervention-based research agenda focused on self-management in the context of HIV, aging, and rehabilitation.

Learning Objectives:

  1. To transfer knowledge and exchange about chronic disease self-management (CDSM) intervention-based research in rehabilitation in the context of HIV
  2. To develop recommendations and considerations that will inform future CDSM intervention-focused research on HIV and rehabilitation with adults living with HIV
  3. To develop plans for establishing a network on CDSM research focused in HIV and rehabilitation
  4. To develop a plan for, and discuss the feasibility of, a future grant proposal focused on the implementation and evaluation of a CDSM intervention for adults living with HIV

Outcomes from this meeting will serve to more broadly address research priorities in HIV, aging, and rehabilitation.

 

Introduction to Antiretroviral Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) / Individualization of Antiviretroviral Therapy Based on TDM

 

Dates: Thursday, April 6th

Time: 08:30-12:00

Host: Québec Antiretroviral Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Program

Attendance: By invitation only.

 

Part 1 (conference): Definition of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), indications for antiretroviral TDM, pharmacokinetic / pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) parameters and target values, procedure to request antiretroviral TDM, data from retrospective and prospective studies, limitations of antiretroviral TDM

Part 2 (workshop): More in-depth presentation of PK/PD parameters used in the interpretation of the different antiretrovirals, PK/PD relationships of the antiretrovirals with virologic response and toxicity, case-based discussions on interpretation of results

 

Under the Big Pink Tent: gbMSM Research Collaborations Join Meeting

 

Date: Thursday, April 6th

Time: 08:30 – 16:00

Location: Le 1000 De La Gauchetière

Hosts: Engage and MOBILISE! Study Teams

Attendance: Attendance at this event will be by invitation and include the Engage and MOBILISE! team investigators, knowledge users, collaborators, and research staff. Any trainee whose focus is on MSM and HIV prevention can email the National Team Coordinator at lentooley@ryerson.ca to ask if there are any slots available.

 

This ancillary event will be the 3rd annual Engage team meeting. This year, the meeting will be organized in partnership with MOBILISE! The focus is on HIV prevention for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. The event will start with a research capacity building and training session, followed by updates from the Engage Team committees. After lunch, we will discuss current and anticipated research and interventions for our population, ways to maximize synergy and collaboration, and how the Engage team infrastructure can support this collaborative work. This will be followed by two breakout sessions during which specific projects, including those funded through CIHR HIV Implementation Science grants, will provide updates and prepare for next steps.

 

Intersectionality and Syndemics in the HIV Response in African, Caribbean, and Black Communities in Canada

 

Date: Thursday, April 6th

Time: 9:00 – 12:00

Location: Verdun, Convention Level

Hosts: Canadian HIV/AIDS Black, African and Caribbean Network (CHABAC), African and Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario (ACCHO) and High Impact Field-Based Interventions (HiFi) Lab, St. Michael’s Hospital

Attendance: Pre-registration is required. Visit: https://intersectionality-syndemics-cahrancillaryevent.eventbrite.ca

 

African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities are disproportionately affected by HIV. Historically, strategies to address the needs of ACB communities have often been developed within the context of intersectionality; the interconnection of social identities such as race and gender, which experience intersecting and overlapping systems of oppression leading to disadvantages around knowledge, access, and utilization of HIV care services. ‘Syndemics’ refers to the synergistic interaction of more than one disease resulting in excess burden of disease. More recently, syndemics has emerged as a framework to ground HIV-related work with gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). While syndemics has predominantly been used in the context of GBMSM health, it is unclear how well the concept lends itself to ACB communities. Viewing challenges faced by ACB communities through a lens of syndemics may provide further insight into the development and implementation of effective strategies that prevent the spread of HIV and promote access to care, treatment and support.

This event will bring together community members, researchers and other stakeholders to engage in dialogue around the concepts of intersectionality and syndemics in the context of HIV and ACB communities.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Help participants understand the frameworks of intersectionality and syndemics and the similarities and differences between the two concepts
  2. Assess the applicability and limitations of these frameworks in relation to the HIV response in ACB communities
  3. Explore possibilities of a hybridized framework that is tailored to the needs of ACB communities
  4. Develop potential strategies to address HIV-related issues in ACB communities

 

Connecting Participants to the Data – CHIWOS Community “K-Tea” Event

 

Date: Thursday, April 6th

Time: 09:00 – 12:00

Location: Bonaventure, Lobby Level

Host: CHIWOS National KTE Committee

Attendance: Pre-registration is required.

 

Inspired by the work of Jessica Whitbread and the Tea Time methodology she employed in her Graduate work, the CHIWOS National KTE Committee is hosting a ‘K Tea E’ event. Using a knowledge-sharing approach that was created by the community, and a tradition with deep meaning among Indigenous communities throughout Canada, it was deemed a well-suited approach to knowledge sharing. This event will be an opportunity to:

  1. Engage with and learn from the CHIWOS data
  2. Share insight and explore the nuances of the findings to inform future data analysis
  3. Network and be present with peers from across Canada in a way that is meaningful for women

The focus is disseminating findings in a meaningful way to community members and has been informed by feedback directly from participants and Peer Research Assistants (PRAs) asking what we are learning from the study. By having a women-focused event, we also feel it will create a safer space for sensitive women’s issues such as sexuality, violence, and trauma. For this event, CHIWOS will honour inclusivity and while being women-focused, we acknowledge the inclusion of gender-queer, gender-fluid and trans-identified people.

The Tea time will employ a number of different strategies to share knowledge and will provide women an opportunity to connect in a safe environment.

We look forward to using innovative and playful approaches, such as a fun photo-booth and motivational quotes, to ensure the space remains positive, supportive, and empowering.

 

Moccasin Trails: Cultivating a Space to Speak Wisdoms on the Heath, Well-being, and Resilience of Diverse Indigenous Communities Across Canada Affected by HIV

 

Date: Thursday, April 6th

Time: 09:00 – 12:00

Location: Longueuil, Convention Level

Hosts: BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network, Red Road HIV/AIDS Network, CTN, CAHR

Attendance: By invitation only.

 

With funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, we have been able to offer support to scholarship recipients who have been invited to attend CAHR to articulate the needs of Indigenous communities across Canada and share best practices in HIV care and support, thus shaping directions and targets for future research and programming. This pre-conference session will provide a meeting space for the scholarship recipients, as well community members, researchers, and advocates who are part of, or work alongside, Indigenous communities across Canada in the HIV field. Over the course of the session, attendees will introduce themselves and set goals for the CAHR conference.

 

Re-imaging Strategies to Counter the Criminalization of Women Living with HIV in Canada

 

Date: Thursday, April 6th

Time: 12:00 – 15:00

Location: Lasalle, Convention Level

Host: WATCH (Women, ART and The Criminalization of HIV)

Attendance: To register please visit https://watchcahr2017.eventbrite.ca. Please contact Allyson Ion (iona@mcmaster.ca) or Rebecca Gormley (rgormley@cfenet.ubc.ca) for any questions related to the event.

 

This event has been organized by team members of the Women, ART and The Criminalization of HIV (WATCH) Study, including women living with HIV, academic researchers, and legal advocates who are committed to research and advocacy in the area of criminalization of HIV non-disclosure.

This event is guided by the following objectives:

  1. Integrate research and advocacy by drawing connections between the WATCH Study and other policy and advocacy initiatives in Canada related to the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure
  2. Strengthen existing relationships and create opportunities for new partnerships between people living with HIV, researchers, and community organizers
  3. Catalyze dialogue and action to oppose the overly-broad criminalization of HIV non-disclosure

 

Leaving No One Behind: Building on the Strength of Indigenous Communities to Collectively Broaden the Response to HIV and HCV in Canada

Date: Thursday, April 6th

Time: 11:00 – 17:00

Location: Mont-Royal, Hampstead, Côte St Luc, Convention Level

Host: International AIDS Society / CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network and CanHepC

Attendance: Pre-registration is required. To register please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cahr-ancillaryevent-tickets-32855313126

 

The International AIDS Society is supporting regional knowledge dissemination initiatives on issues that are locally important and affect key populations. In partnership the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network, CanHepC, and the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network, this ancillary event will bring together community, front-line providers, representatives from the Public Health Agency of Canada, and provincial and federal policy makers to work together to strengthen Canada’s response to the HIV and HIV-HCV epidemics in Indigenous communities.

Stigma, colonization, jurisdictional barriers leading to late diagnosis, and poor access to care, antivirals, and harm reduction are among the many challenges faced. However, many strength-based, community-led, research, and care initiatives are underway that can serve as models in the response to the HIV and HCV epidemics. Recent advances in pangenotypic HCV treatments, licensing of rapid diagnostics, and favourable drug pricing negotiations should further allow treatment to be expanded and care to become more affordable and adapted to community needs. The political landscape is also more favourable with consultations on a national strategic plan for STBBI’s underway which must address realities of Indigenous peoples.

The aim of this interactive meeting is to share evidence, knowledge, and strength-based approaches to enhancing HIV and HCV prevention, care, and treatment. The goal to is to work together collectively to support and sustain constructive and actionable solutions that effectively address HIV and HCV in Indigenous communities: widening circles of shared knowledge and breaking down barriers to ensure that Indigenous communities are not left behind.

 

A-C-B! Easy as 1-2-3? Complexities in Advancing HIV PrEP Program Science with African, Caribbean, and Black Canadian Communities

 

Date: Thursday, April 6th

Time: 13:00 – 16:00

Location: Pointe aux Trembles, Convention Level

Host: High Impact Field-Based Interventions (HiFi) Lab, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital

Attendance: Pre-registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/a-c-b-easy-as-1-2-3complexities-in-advancing-hiv-prep-program-science-with-african-caribbean-and-tickets-31972785462

 

African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) Canadian communities experience disparities in HIV incidence and prevalence. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis is a prevention strategy that has the promise for reducing the burden of new infections in ACB communities. Nonetheless, the development and large scale implementation of PrEP will require attention to the nuances of ACB life in Canada. The ancillary event will feature presentations and interactive discussions designed to both unmask and grapple with the complexities that will be encountered in the process of establishing PrEP delivery models that will optimize uptake among ACB communities. Examples from current PrEP program science efforts will be used as bases for discussion. The event will also include presentations of novel ideas and current research underway to identify solutions for increasing and maintaining momentum in the scale-up of PrEP through local health systems in partnership with community programs. The session is appropriate for clinical, research, community, and public policy stakeholders with an interest in maximizing the impact of PrEP in reducing racial disparities in HIV infection.. A light luncheon will be held from 12:00 to 13:00 to provide opportunities to meet the OHTN ACB Research Chair in HIV program Science and to network with the OHTN ACB Chair Scholars.

 

Presenters:

LaRon E. Nelson, St. Michael’s Hospital (Nursing and Public Health), Toronto, ON

OmiSoore Dryden, Thorneloe University (Critical Social Science), Sudbury, ON

Ciann Wilson, Wilfrid Laurier University (Psychology), Waterloo, ON

Joseph Nguemo, HiFi Interventions Lab (Pharmacology), Toronto, ON

Idil Abdillahi, Ryerson University (Social Work), Toronto, ON

Lawrence Mbuagbaw, McMaster University (Epidemiology), Hamilton, ON

Gillian Strudwick, University of Toronto (Nursing), Toronto, ON

Jesleen Rana, True North Medical Centre (Medicine), North York, ON