8 Alberta pharmacies to offer STI testing as part of U of A research study
The University of Alberta is working with local pharmacists to make sexual health testing more accessible.
"APPROACH 2.0" will provide Albertans free and confidential testing for sexually transmitted infections like HIV, Hepatitis C and syphilis.
It's done with a simple blood test, performed at community pharmacies.
The goal is to make testing easier for people who may not know they have an infection or feel comfortable seeking a test in a traditional setting.
“We certainly know through COVID-19, there was reduced access to testing for sexual transmitted and blood-borne infections. So this is just an opportunity to again reach groups that might be at risk and hopefully improve both individual health but also reduce spread in the community,” said Christine Hughes from the university.
"Pharmacists are absolutely removing barriers to health-care access, especially for equity-seeking groups who don’t always feel comfortable accessing traditional health-care spaces that don’t feel safe to them," said Dylan Moulton, a clinical pharmacist and pharmacy manager at Medi-Drugs Millcreek.
Patients will also be educated on how STIs are transmitted.
Seventeen pharmacists in eight pharmacies across the province will participate.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
BREAKING Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city, marking the first franchise in Canada
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Federal government bans watercraft from Manitoba lake popular with tourists
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.