title: The 3rd Canadian Symposium on Hepatitis C Virus: expanding care in the interferon-free era.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) currently infects approximately 250,000 individuals in Canada and causes more years of life lost than any other infectious disease in the country. In August 2011, new therapies were approved by Health Canada that have achieved higher response rates among those treated, but are poorly tolerated. By 2014⁄2015, short-course, well-tolerated treatments with cure rates >95% will be available. However, treatment uptake is poor due to structural, financial, geographical, cultural and social barriers. As such, 'Barriers to access to HCV care in Canada' is a crucial topic that must be addressed to decrease HCV disease burden and potentially eliminate HCV in Canada. Understanding how to better care for HCV-infected individuals requires integration across multiple disciplines including researchers, clinical services and policy makers to address the major populations affected by HCV including people who inject drugs, baby boomers, immigrants and Aboriginal and⁄or First Nations people. In 2012, the National CIHR Research Training Program in Hepatitis C organized the 1st Canadian Symposium on Hepatitis C Virus (CSHCV) in Montreal, Quebec. The 2nd CSHCV was held in 2013 in Victoria, British Columbia. Both symposia were highly successful, attracting leading international faculty with excellent attendance leading to dialogue and knowledge translation among attendees of diverse backgrounds. The current article summarizes the 3rd CSHCV, held February 2014, in Toronto, Ontario.
authors.forename: Sonya A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: MacParland
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bilodeau
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grebely
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bruneau
authors.forename: Curtis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Selena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sagan
authors.forename: Norma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Choucha
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Balfour
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bialystok
authors.forename: Mel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krajden
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raven
authors.forename: Eve
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Rodney
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Houghton
authors.forename: D Lorne
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Tyrrell
authors.forename: Jordan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Feld
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents