As a British Columbian who cares about people living with HIV/AIDS, I write to express my concern over the lack of public coverage for long-acting injectable treatments for HIV. These treatments allow HIV patients to stay healthy and live longer with only one injection every two months. It has been three years since Health Canada approved the first long-acting injectable HIV treatment in March 2020. Since then, these treatments have become publicly covered by the federal program for correctional inmates and by every provincial government — except here in BC. The BC government’s decision-makers have decided not to cover these long-acting injectables for HIV treatment, thereby keeping this option out of reach for British Columbians. Unlike every other province, decision makers in BC claim there is no need for long-acting injectable HIV treatments. This is simply not true. For many people living with HIV, long-acting injectable treatment makes it possible to thrive with HIV — while the daily oral regimen of pills is a constant struggle that leads to preventable health challenges. And this injustice has the greatest impact on the most vulnerable communities. Children and adolescents living with HIV struggle with daily pills, especially in cases where they don’t have support at home. Women of colour face intense stigma over being HIV positive, especially those at risk of intimate partner violence should their HIV status become known. While many patients with HIV are managing well with daily oral regimens – and will continue with their current prescription — there are many other examples of patients who desperately need long-acting injectable HIV treatments to keep their HIV viral load suppressed so they can stay healthy, live longer, and remain unable to transmit the virus to others. I strongly request that you, as my elected representative, urge the BC government to provide public coverage for long-acting injectable HIV treatment, just as has been done in every other province through non-insured health benefits, and in federally-administered correctional facilities.

As a British Columbian who cares about people living with HIV/AIDS, I write to express my concern over the lack of public coverage for long-acting injectable treatments for HIV. These treatments allow HIV patients to stay healthy and live longer with only one injection every two months. It has been three years since Health Canada approved the first long-acting injectable HIV treatment in March 2020. Since then, these treatments have become publicly covered by the Federal program for inmates and by every provincial government … except in British Columbia. The BC government’s decision makers have decided not to cover these long-acting injectables for HIV treatment, thereby keeping them outside the reach of British Columbians. Unlike every other province, decision makers in BC claim there is no need for long-acting injectable HIV treatments. THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. For some people living with HIV, long-acting injectable treatment makes it possible to thrive with HIV, while the daily oral regimen of pills is a constant struggle that leads to preventable health challenges. Children and adolescents struggling with daily pills, especially in cases where they don’t have support at home, and women facing intense stigma over being HIV positive, especially those at risk of intimate partner violence should their HIV status become known. While many patients with HIV are managing well with daily oral regimens – and will continue with their current prescription, there are many other examples of patients who desperately need long-acting injectable HIV treatments to keep their HIV viral load suppressed so they can stay healthy, live longer, and remain unable to transmit the virus to others. I strongly request that you, as my elected representative, look into this issue and urge the BC government to provide public coverage for the long-acting injectable HIV treatment, just as has been done in every other province, through Non-Insured Health Benefits, and in federally-administered prisons.

As a British Columbian who cares about people living with HIV/AIDS, I write to express my concern over the lack of public coverage for long-acting injectable treatments for HIV. These treatments allow HIV patients to stay healthy and live longer with only one injection every two months. It has been three years since Health Canada approved the first long-acting injectable HIV treatment in March 2020. Since then, these treatments have become publicly covered by the federal program for correctional inmates and by every provincial government — except here in BC. The BC government’s decision-makers have decided not to cover these long-acting injectables for HIV treatment, thereby keeping this option out of reach for British Columbians. Unlike every other province, decision makers in BC claim there is no need for long-acting injectable HIV treatments. This is simply not true. For many people living with HIV, long-acting injectable treatment makes it possible to thrive with HIV — while the daily oral regimen of pills is a constant struggle that leads to preventable health challenges. And this injustice has the greatest impact on the most vulnerable communities. Children and adolescents living with HIV struggle with daily pills, especially in cases where they don’t have support at home. Women of colour face intense stigma over being HIV positive, especially those at risk of intimate partner violence should their HIV status become known. While many patients with HIV are managing well with daily oral regimens – and will continue with their current prescription — there are many other examples of patients who desperately need long-acting injectable HIV treatments to keep their HIV viral load suppressed so they can stay healthy, live longer, and remain unable to transmit the virus to others. I strongly request that you, as my elected representative, urge the BC government to provide public coverage for long-acting injectable HIV treatment, just as has been done in every other province through non-insured health benefits, and in federally-administered correctional facilities.

As a British Columbian who cares about people living with HIV/AIDS, I write to express my concern over the lack of public coverage for long-acting injectable treatments for HIV. These treatments allow HIV patients to stay healthy and live longer with only one injection every two months. It has been three years since Health Canada approved the first long-acting injectable HIV treatment in March 2020. Since then, these treatments have become publicly covered by the Federal program for inmates and by every provincial government … except in British Columbia. The BC government’s decision makers have decided not to cover these long-acting injectables for HIV treatment, thereby keeping them outside the reach of British Columbians. Unlike every other province, decision makers in BC claim there is no need for long-acting injectable HIV treatments. THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. For some people living with HIV, long-acting injectable treatment makes it possible to thrive with HIV, while the daily oral regimen of pills is a constant struggle that leads to preventable health challenges. Children and adolescents struggling with daily pills, especially in cases where they don’t have support at home, and women facing intense stigma over being HIV positive, especially those at risk of intimate partner violence should their HIV status become known. While many patients with HIV are managing well with daily oral regimens – and will continue with their current prescription, there are many other examples of patients who desperately need long-acting injectable HIV treatments to keep their HIV viral load suppressed so they can stay healthy, live longer, and remain unable to transmit the virus to others. I strongly request that you, as my elected representative, look into this issue and urge the BC government to provide public coverage for the long-acting injectable HIV treatment, just as has been done in every other province, through Non-Insured Health Benefits, and in federally-administered prisons.

As a British Columbian who cares about people living with HIV/AIDS, I write to express my concern over the lack of public coverage for long-acting injectable treatments for HIV. These treatments allow HIV patients to stay healthy and live longer with only one injection every two months. It has been three years since Health Canada approved the first long-acting injectable HIV treatment in March 2020. Since then, these treatments have become publicly covered by the federal program for correctional inmates and by every provincial government — except here in BC. The BC government’s decision-makers have decided not to cover these long-acting injectables for HIV treatment, thereby keeping this option out of reach for British Columbians. Unlike every other province, decision makers in BC claim there is no need for long-acting injectable HIV treatments. This is simply not true. For many people living with HIV, long-acting injectable treatment makes it possible to thrive with HIV — while the daily oral regimen of pills is a constant struggle that leads to preventable health challenges. And this injustice has the greatest impact on the most vulnerable communities. Children and adolescents living with HIV struggle with daily pills, especially in cases where they don’t have support at home. Women of colour face intense stigma over being HIV positive, especially those at risk of intimate partner violence should their HIV status become known. While many patients with HIV are managing well with daily oral regimens – and will continue with their current prescription — there are many other examples of patients who desperately need long-acting injectable HIV treatments to keep their HIV viral load suppressed so they can stay healthy, live longer, and remain unable to transmit the virus to others. I strongly request that you, as my elected representative, urge the BC government to provide public coverage for long-acting injectable HIV treatment, just as has been done in every other province through non-insured health benefits, and in federally-administered correctional facilities.

As a British Columbian who cares about people living with HIV/AIDS, I write to express my concern over the lack of public coverage for long-acting injectable treatments for HIV. These treatments allow HIV patients to stay healthy and live longer with only one injection every two months. It has been three years since Health Canada approved the first long-acting injectable HIV treatment in March 2020. Since then, these treatments have become publicly covered by the federal program for correctional inmates and by every provincial government — except here in BC. The BC government’s decision-makers have decided not to cover these long-acting injectables for HIV treatment, thereby keeping this option out of reach for British Columbians. Unlike every other province, decision makers in BC claim there is no need for long-acting injectable HIV treatments. This is simply not true. For many people living with HIV, long-acting injectable treatment makes it possible to thrive with HIV — while the daily oral regimen of pills is a constant struggle that leads to preventable health challenges. And this injustice has the greatest impact on the most vulnerable communities. Children and adolescents living with HIV struggle with daily pills, especially in cases where they don’t have support at home. Women of colour face intense stigma over being HIV positive, especially those at risk of intimate partner violence should their HIV status become known. While many patients with HIV are managing well with daily oral regimens – and will continue with their current prescription — there are many other examples of patients who desperately need long-acting injectable HIV treatments to keep their HIV viral load suppressed so they can stay healthy, live longer, and remain unable to transmit the virus to others. I strongly request that you, as my elected representative, urge the BC government to provide public coverage for long-acting injectable HIV treatment, just as has been done in every other province through non-insured health benefits, and in federally-administered correctional facilities.

As a British Columbian who cares about people living with HIV/AIDS, I write to express my concern over the lack of public coverage for long-acting injectable treatments for HIV. These treatments allow HIV patients to stay healthy and live longer with only one injection every two months. It has been three years since Health Canada approved the first long-acting injectable HIV treatment in March 2020. Since then, these treatments have become publicly covered by the federal program for correctional inmates and by every provincial government — except here in BC. The BC government’s decision-makers have decided not to cover these long-acting injectables for HIV treatment, thereby keeping this option out of reach for British Columbians. Unlike every other province, decision makers in BC claim there is no need for long-acting injectable HIV treatments. This is simply not true. For many people living with HIV, long-acting injectable treatment makes it possible to thrive with HIV — while the daily oral regimen of pills is a constant struggle that leads to preventable health challenges. And this injustice has the greatest impact on the most vulnerable communities. Children and adolescents living with HIV struggle with daily pills, especially in cases where they don’t have support at home. Women of colour face intense stigma over being HIV positive, especially those at risk of intimate partner violence should their HIV status become known. While many patients with HIV are managing well with daily oral regimens – and will continue with their current prescription — there are many other examples of patients who desperately need long-acting injectable HIV treatments to keep their HIV viral load suppressed so they can stay healthy, live longer, and remain unable to transmit the virus to others. I strongly request that you, as my elected representative, urge the BC government to provide public coverage for long-acting injectable HIV treatment, just as has been done in every other province through non-insured health benefits, and in federally-administered correctional facilities.