policy
HIV and HCV
testing changed
to every 3 years
photo: gettyimages
photos: D.W. Dorken
C
ouncil has approved a policy that sets
expectations for physicians who perform
or assist in performing exposure prone
procedures with respect to reducing the risk
of acquiring or transmitting Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C
and HIV.
The Blood Borne Viruses policy also includes expectations for physicians if they are exposed to a blood
borne virus, and lastly, expectations for physicians if
they are infected with any of these viruses.
Significantly, the policy changes the College requirement
for HIV testing and HCV testing from every year to every
three years. Council agreed that a three-year testing interval
was a reasonable compromise amongst possible options.
The policy is attached to page 27.
Key elements of the policy
• Clarifies that those physicians who have the potential to perform or assist in performing exposure
prone procedures (for example, emergency physicians) are expected to comply with the policy.
• Changes the requirement for HIV testing and HCV
testing from every year to every three years.
• Strongly recommends that physicians not
currently and not previously infected with HBV
be immunized for HBV and tested to confirm the
presence of an effective antibody response.
• Requires annual HBV testing only for physicians
who have not been confirmed immune to HBV.
• Requires physicians who want to begin performing or assisting in performing exposure prone
procedures in Ontario to be tested for HIV, HCV
and HBV, if they haven’t been confirmed immune
to HBV, before they commence performing or assisting in performing exposure prone procedures
in Ontario.
Issue 4, 2015 Dialogue
Issue4_15.indd 29
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2015-12-16 9:36 AM