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Research

CANFAR-funded research achievements include findings in all key sectors of HIV, including: prevention, treatment, care, and the search for a cure.

CANFAR'S 2023 INNOVATION RESEARCH GRANT CYCLE (31) IS NOW OPEN. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Progress cannot diminish our sense of urgency

CANFAR-funded research achievements include findings in all key sectors of HIV, including: prevention, treatment, care, and the search for a cure.

The prevalence of people living with HIV is growing in Canada. It is estimated 62,050 Canadians are living with HIV, and 14% of Canadians living with HIV are unaware that they have HIV. Over the past three decades, CANFAR has awarded more than $22 million to HIV/AIDS research since its inception in 1987. We believe in the power of results and knowledge, and through investing in research and national strategic efforts, we can end the HIV epidemic in Canada together.

CANFAR is proud to be a continuing key player in Canadian HIV/AIDS research. Our research achievements include findings that nearly eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV, the development of preventative medications, and the discovery of a key component of the current HIV treatment drug.

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the four key areas of research

Increased Prevention

There are over 63,000 people living with HIV in Canada, and an additional 2,400 people newly acquire HIV each year, dramatically reduce new HIV infections from over 2,100 to less than 500 year per year.
This would be a major step in ending the HIV epidemic in Canada, where new cases would be rare events. Certain populations continue to have unacceptably high incidence rates of HIV and we need to eliminate the structural barriers that prevent access to the information, tools and supports people need to manage their sexual health.
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Increased Testing

Over 9,000 people in Canada do not know they are infected with HIV, representing 14% of the people in Canada living with HIV.
To reach or exceed the UNAIDS target of 90% of people living with HIV diagnosed, we feel that we must dramatically expand our testing efforts to reach as early as possible those who are infected, and reduce the number of undiagnosed to less than 5%.
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Improved Health Outcomes for People Living with HIV in Canada

There are 10,340 people living with HIV who are diagnosed and are not yet on treatment.
While some provincial health systems are doing well at engaging and supporting people to use antiretroviral treatment, stay in care, and achieve viral suppression, far too many people are still being diagnosed too late. This has a serious effect on the individual's health, and importantly, can put other partners at risk for acquiring HIV.
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Stamping out HIV Stigma

17% of people are afraid of catching HIV by standing near someone with HIV.
HIV continues to be very stigmatized which affects people's willingness to be tested and seek/engage in care, their sense of self, community and belonging, their access to services and ability to seek social support. It also affects public policy and support for HIV prevention initiatives, particularly harm reduction services.
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“It’s no longer enough to simply have said, ‘Okay, we’ve done a great job and we’ve transformed HIV from a lethal sentence that used to kill everybody into a chronic, manageable disease.’ We want to get to zero.”

The late Dr. Mark Wainberg, Director at the McGill University AIDS Centre and Professor of Medicine at McGill University

CANFAR Research Partnerships

CANFAR continues to invest in key research partnerships, which are all dedicated to our work in fighting HIV from prevention to cure through research and awareness.

CANFAR is proud to partner with other leading HIV research centres across Canada and internationally on these various projects. Like all of CANFAR’s research work, partnerships fall within the HIV prevention, treatment, care, and cure spectrum.

CANFAR has collaborated in a number of HIV research partnerships over the past 30 years, including funding an HIV lab at the University of Toronto and establishing an HIV Chair position at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. Below are the partnerships that we are proud to announce will be active in our 30th year.