Canadian HIV and Viral Hepatitis Pharmacists Network
Réseau Canadien des Pharmaciens en VIH et hépatites virales

Overview

The Canadian HIV/AIDS Pharmacists Network (CHAP) was formed in January, 1997, and is comprised of pharmacists involved in HIV practice across Canada. CHAP members meet on an annual basis, communicate regularly through e-mails, and collaborate on a variety of projects and publications.

In 2017, CHAP approved a change in name to the Canadian HIV and Viral Hepatitis Pharmacists Network (CHAP) in order to reflect the involvement of many CHAP members in the management of both mono and/or co-infection with HIV and viral hepatitis.

The membership structure includes a working group (made up of provincial representatives) and a general membership of pharmacists with an interest in HIV and/or viral hepatitis. All pharmacists wishing to join CHAP may do so free of charge, and are welcome to participate in e-mail discussions and attend the annual network meeting.

Mission Statement:

To bring together pharmacists with a clinical and research focus in HIV and/or viral hepatitis to optimize patient outcomes and promote the profession of pharmacy through communications, education, research, and clinical practice.

Position Statements:

Universal Access to Antiretroviral Drugs in Canada

  1. All people living in Canada diagnosed with HIV should be engaged in care and have low barrier, timely and continuous access to effective HIV medication at no cost to the patient.
  2. The federal, provincial, and territorial governments should coordinate efforts and strive towards developing a national antiretroviral pharmacare program that unites all jurisdictions to ensure that geography and cost do not act as barriers to accessing HIV medication.
  3. The structure of a national antiretroviral pharmacare program should involve the public, key health care providers including pharmacists caring for HIV patients, and other relevant stakeholders when making formulary decisions to ensure that Canadians have timely access to cost-effective products that demonstrate positive outcomes in HIV treatment.
  4. All people living in Canada diagnosed with HIV should have access to healthcare support, including pharmacists with HIV clinical expertise in order to achieve maximal benefit from antiretroviral therapy.
Download the Position Statement Document.

Goals:

To promote cross-country sharing of experiences and information to improve patient care.

To develop practical, clinical guidelines on the role of the pharmacist in caring for patients with HIV and/or viral hepatitis.

To collaborate on research protocols which demonstrate positive drug-related outcomes.

To share continuing education resources, in order to make information on HIV and/or viral hepatitis drug therapy more accessible to community, hospital and ambulatory pharmacists, as well as patients.

To foster the development of HIV and/or viral hepatitis pharmacist mentors.

To promote the pharmacists role in HIV and/or viral hepatitis therapeutics on a national level.