Public reimbursement policies in Canada for direct-acting antiviral treatment of hepatitis C virus infection: A descriptive study.

Background: Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies have simplified HCV treatment, and publicly funded Canadian drug plans have eliminated disease-stage restrictions for reimbursement of DAA therapies. However other policies which complicate, delay, or prevent treatment initiation still persist. We aim to describe these plans' existing reimbursement criteria and appraise whether they hinder treatment access.

"That's why people don't call 911": Ending routine police attendance at drug overdoses.

Research has shown that police attendance and the corresponding threat of criminal charges are major deterrents to people seeking emergency medical assistance in the event of an overdose. In response to these barriers, Canada passed the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act in 2017, providing immunity from prosecution for simple drug possession to overdose victims or bystanders who phone 911. In theory, this should make people more comfortable seeking emergency supports, but in practice our research found that many remain hesitant because police continue to be routinely dispatched to the overdose site.

Canada moving backwards on illegal drugs.

Internationally, illegal drug use remains a major public health problem. In response, many countries have begun to shift their illegal drug policies away from enforcement and towards public health objectives. Recently, both the Global Commission on Drug Policy and the Supreme Court of Canada have endorsed this change in direction, supporting empirically sound illegal drug policies that reduce criminalization and stigmatization of drug users and bolster treatment and harm reduction efforts.