List of clinics in Toronto
Birth Control and Sexual Health Centre, Suite 403
960 LAWRENCE AVE W
Toronto, ON M6A 3B5
Work: 416 789-4541
Black Creek Community Health Centre (Sheridan Mall site)
North York Sheridan Mall, Unit 5
2202 JANE ST
Toronto, ON M3M 1A4
Work: 416 249-8000
Crossways Clinic
2340 DUNDAS ST W
Toronto, ON M6P 4A9
Work: 416 392-0999
The Gate Flemingdon Health Centre
10 GATEWAY BLVD
Toronto, ON M3C 3A1
Work: 416 429-4991
Hassle Free Clinic 2nd Floor
66 GERRARD ST E
Toronto, ON M5B 1G3
Work: 416 922-0566
More: http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/conte ... d60f89RCRD
Another good list: http://www.blogto.com/city/2015/04/sexu ... n_toronto/
Toronto clinics
Moderator: blueman
-
bigB
Re: Toronto clinics
There are online kits that you can purchase. Never used them myself but you can Google it.
Re: Toronto clinics
I know in yyc you can get plan b for a discount through the birth control centre. 
Re: Toronto clinics
Noticed the poster above mentioned that clinics do anonymous HIV testing. Do they do anonymous STD testing as well on a drop in basis?
Been having a slight stinging feeling for the past week on and off at the tip when urinating
Been having a slight stinging feeling for the past week on and off at the tip when urinating
Re: Toronto clinics
They do confidential STD testing. Meaning your family doctor could know if you do it. Not sure about insurance knowing.bobor8 wrote:Noticed the poster above mentioned that clinics do anonymous HIV testing. Do they do anonymous STD testing as well on a drop in basis?
Been having a slight stinging feeling for the past week on and off at the tip when urinating
HIV is pure anonymous.
-
zeuskatanox
Re: Toronto clinics
The Scarborough clinic does drop in HIV testing (non-rapid), but it's not anonymous.bobor8 wrote:Noticed the poster above mentioned that clinics do anonymous HIV testing. Do they do anonymous STD testing as well on a drop in basis?
Been having a slight stinging feeling for the past week on and off at the tip when urinating
I can confirm that Hassle Free, Markham and Richmond Hill clinics do anonymous (rapid) HIV testing, though you would have to set an appointment for that (I believe Hassle Free does rapid test on drop-in basis for MSM). Anonymous means you don't have to give them your contact info, and it won't be part of your OHIP record. If you do test positive though, then you would have to re-do the test non-anonymously in order to receive treatment.
The (3rd generation) rapid tests have slightly longer window period though compared to the (4th generation) lab-based tests (2 to 4 weeks longer, depending on which experts you're talking to), so it's something to keep in mind before testing.
If you have burning sensation while urinating, it's probably not related to HIV though.
Get checked for Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia and Trichomoniasis. Those are thousands of times more likely than HIV, in both prevalence and transmission rates (and also the most likely cause for the kind of symptoms you're getting).
Unfortunately though, you could not get tested for other STDs anonymously. You could do online STD testing with stdcheck.com, and this would not make it to your OHIP record, but these tests are not free.
Re: Toronto clinics
Checked out stdcheck.com but it looks like the only options are the 10-test packages? Website indicates that we can choose what to test for but can't see any options for thiszeuskatanox wrote:The Scarborough clinic does drop in HIV testing (non-rapid), but it's not anonymous.bobor8 wrote:Noticed the poster above mentioned that clinics do anonymous HIV testing. Do they do anonymous STD testing as well on a drop in basis?
Been having a slight stinging feeling for the past week on and off at the tip when urinating
If you have burning sensation while urinating, it's probably not related to HIV though.
Get checked for Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia and Trichomoniasis. Those are thousands of times more likely than HIV, in both prevalence and transmission rates (and also the most likely cause for the kind of symptoms you're getting).
Unfortunately though, you could not get tested for other STDs anonymously. You could do online STD testing with stdcheck.com, and this would not make it to your OHIP record, but these tests are not free.
Agree that it's unlikely my symptoms ares HIV-related so don't think the full suite of tests is required. Plus I was immunized years ago for hepatitis.
-
PervyErnie
Re: Toronto clinics
bobor8 wrote:Checked out stdcheck.com but it looks like the only options are the 10-test packages? Website indicates that we can choose what to test for but can't see any options for thiszeuskatanox wrote:The Scarborough clinic does drop in HIV testing (non-rapid), but it's not anonymous.bobor8 wrote:Noticed the poster above mentioned that clinics do anonymous HIV testing. Do they do anonymous STD testing as well on a drop in basis?
Been having a slight stinging feeling for the past week on and off at the tip when urinating
If you have burning sensation while urinating, it's probably not related to HIV though.
Get checked for Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia and Trichomoniasis. Those are thousands of times more likely than HIV, in both prevalence and transmission rates (and also the most likely cause for the kind of symptoms you're getting).
Unfortunately though, you could not get tested for other STDs anonymously. You could do online STD testing with stdcheck.com, and this would not make it to your OHIP record, but these tests are not free.
Agree that it's unlikely my symptoms ares HIV-related so don't think the full suite of tests is required. Plus I was immunized years ago for hepatitis.
Immunization for Hep is either Twinrix (Hep A and B) or for one or the other. There is no vaccination for Hep C. That's the nasty one that is transmitted through sex or sharing of needles (drugs or tattoo).
It's unlikely that your symptoms are Hep related anyway.
The good news is that even if it's Hep C, it's treatable with an 80% cure rate.
The bad news is that the treatment is ridiculously expensive in civilized nations.
I'm thinking your issue is as simple as a minor infection. (Maybe someone was starting a yeast infection and you got some in the tip and didn't go for a piss after doing the deed to clean out the pipes - been down that road before). At its most complicated gonorrhea or Chlamydia which are both treated at the same time with a handful of antibiotics. You don't even have to wait for positive results to take the meds. If they come back positive, you'll need to go back after 3 weeks for a retest to make sure the meds worked.
Good luck.
-
zeuskatanox
Re: Toronto clinics
From what I know though, Hep C is not easily transmitted through vaginal or oral sex, and the only form of sex which transmits Hep C with some measurable frequency is through receptive anal sex, where the insertive partner is infected.
Can you get treatment for Gonorrhea or Chlamydia without testing though? I heard a lot of stories where people got treated even before getting the positive results, but most of these cases were in the US. In Ontario, I don't think it's that easy to get tested without it getting into your OHIP record. Not sure if you tell them and pretend you don't have OHIP though. As mentioned, it's possible for HIV, but likely not possible for other STDs (not even for syphillis).
As for stdcheck, you were right that it's only part of the 10 panel test, and that's the extent of their services in Canada unfortunately. Kind of overkill if all you're concerned about are the bacterial infection, but that's the only way to test without getting OHIP involved as far as I know.
Can you get treatment for Gonorrhea or Chlamydia without testing though? I heard a lot of stories where people got treated even before getting the positive results, but most of these cases were in the US. In Ontario, I don't think it's that easy to get tested without it getting into your OHIP record. Not sure if you tell them and pretend you don't have OHIP though. As mentioned, it's possible for HIV, but likely not possible for other STDs (not even for syphillis).
As for stdcheck, you were right that it's only part of the 10 panel test, and that's the extent of their services in Canada unfortunately. Kind of overkill if all you're concerned about are the bacterial infection, but that's the only way to test without getting OHIP involved as far as I know.
-
bigB
Re: Toronto clinics
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nat ... e30913012/
Health Canada approves drug doctors call cure for hepatitis C infection
Health Canada has approved a drug being touted as a cure for hepatitis C, a disease believed to have infected hundreds of thousands of Canadians, many of whom are unaware they harbour the virus.
The drug, sold under the brand name Epclusa, is a once-daily pill taken for 12 weeks that can rid the body of all six strains of hepatitis C, a blood-borne virus that can lead to severe liver damage and liver cancer if left untreated.
“This is really a cure,” Dr. Jordan Feld, a liver specialist at Toronto Western Hospital, said of the medication, also known by its generic chemical designation sofosbuvir-velpatasvir.
One catch, though: Epclusa is expensive. The list price in Canada is set at $60,000 for a 12-week course — or more than $700 per pill.
Two other hepatitis C drugs also made by Gilead Sciences Inc., and already approved in Canada — Harvoni (genotype 1) and Sovaldi (genotypes 1, 2 and 3) — also carry hefty price tags: the cost of an eight- to 24-week regimen of the antivirals ranges from C$69,000 to $110,000, although several provinces have joined together to leverage their buying power to negotiate better prices.
Still, Feld insists the newly approved drug is a “huge advance” in hepatitis C treatment.
In a pre-approval clinical trial conducted by researchers led by Feld and published last November, 99 per cent of 624 patients given the drug were virus-free after three months.
The study looked at patients infected with one of five strains, or genotypes, of hepatitis C — 1,2,4,5 and 6. A second study of genotype 3 — an aggressive form most commonly found in people of South Asian descent — found the drug was effective in at least 90 per cent of cases, Feld said.
Previously approved treatments for chronic hepatitis C infection are not equally effective in combating the virus’ different forms. Testing to determine the particular genetic strain is required before treatment can start. As well, different drug combinations are required depending on whether a person has already developed cirrhosis or has certain other medical conditions.
Feld said because the combination of sofosbuvir-velpatasvir has been shown to work on all strains of the virus, it eliminates the need for such testing, which often delayed treatment and can be difficult to access for those living in rural or remote regions of the country.
“It’s important because if we’re going to address this at a public health level, we need to get (more) people, particularly primary-care physicians and even nurses, to start treating,” he said Wednesday. “And I think this is the first step to really making that feasible.”
Having the one-size-fits-all drug also means patients unable to easily access large urban health centres may not need to see a specialist in person.
“I can now help a family doctor or even a nurse up in northern Canada somewhere treat the person locally,” Feld said. “They never need to see me, and the treatments are getting simple enough that it’s really straightforward and works for all populations.”
For instance, he is working with a health-care group in Sioux Lookout in northwestern Ontario to provide treatment to the largely First Nations population, which has rapidly spreading rates of hepatitis C due to high levels of injection drug use.
Hepatitis C is primarily transmitted through shared needles by IV drug users, contact with poorly sterilized medical equipment, and blood transfusions prior to 1992, after which all donations were tested for the virus following Canada’s tainted blood scandal.
An estimated 250,000 to 400,000 Canadians are estimated to be infected with this “silent killer,” which can take decades to manifest symptoms of cirrhosis, including swollen legs and abdomen, and the yellow skin, eyes and urine related to jaundice.
It’s believed more than half of those infected are unaware and undiagnosed, said Feld, noting there’s a big public health push to get people born between 1945 and 1970 — baby boomers, essentially — to get tested for the virus.
“I can’t stress enough the importance of getting people out to get tested for this,” he said. “We have a cure, but we can’t cure people we can’t diagnose.”
Dr. Morris Sherman, chair of the Canadian Liver Foundation, said Canada and other countries have committed to eliminating hepatitis C by 2030, but to accomplish that goal treatment rates need to be significantly boosted.
“Having a therapy that works for all genotypes will make treatment easier for both patients and physicians to manage,” Sherman said in a statement. “But it must be accessible, regardless of where someone lives or their ability to pay.”
Health Canada approves drug doctors call cure for hepatitis C infection
Health Canada has approved a drug being touted as a cure for hepatitis C, a disease believed to have infected hundreds of thousands of Canadians, many of whom are unaware they harbour the virus.
The drug, sold under the brand name Epclusa, is a once-daily pill taken for 12 weeks that can rid the body of all six strains of hepatitis C, a blood-borne virus that can lead to severe liver damage and liver cancer if left untreated.
“This is really a cure,” Dr. Jordan Feld, a liver specialist at Toronto Western Hospital, said of the medication, also known by its generic chemical designation sofosbuvir-velpatasvir.
One catch, though: Epclusa is expensive. The list price in Canada is set at $60,000 for a 12-week course — or more than $700 per pill.
Two other hepatitis C drugs also made by Gilead Sciences Inc., and already approved in Canada — Harvoni (genotype 1) and Sovaldi (genotypes 1, 2 and 3) — also carry hefty price tags: the cost of an eight- to 24-week regimen of the antivirals ranges from C$69,000 to $110,000, although several provinces have joined together to leverage their buying power to negotiate better prices.
Still, Feld insists the newly approved drug is a “huge advance” in hepatitis C treatment.
In a pre-approval clinical trial conducted by researchers led by Feld and published last November, 99 per cent of 624 patients given the drug were virus-free after three months.
The study looked at patients infected with one of five strains, or genotypes, of hepatitis C — 1,2,4,5 and 6. A second study of genotype 3 — an aggressive form most commonly found in people of South Asian descent — found the drug was effective in at least 90 per cent of cases, Feld said.
Previously approved treatments for chronic hepatitis C infection are not equally effective in combating the virus’ different forms. Testing to determine the particular genetic strain is required before treatment can start. As well, different drug combinations are required depending on whether a person has already developed cirrhosis or has certain other medical conditions.
Feld said because the combination of sofosbuvir-velpatasvir has been shown to work on all strains of the virus, it eliminates the need for such testing, which often delayed treatment and can be difficult to access for those living in rural or remote regions of the country.
“It’s important because if we’re going to address this at a public health level, we need to get (more) people, particularly primary-care physicians and even nurses, to start treating,” he said Wednesday. “And I think this is the first step to really making that feasible.”
Having the one-size-fits-all drug also means patients unable to easily access large urban health centres may not need to see a specialist in person.
“I can now help a family doctor or even a nurse up in northern Canada somewhere treat the person locally,” Feld said. “They never need to see me, and the treatments are getting simple enough that it’s really straightforward and works for all populations.”
For instance, he is working with a health-care group in Sioux Lookout in northwestern Ontario to provide treatment to the largely First Nations population, which has rapidly spreading rates of hepatitis C due to high levels of injection drug use.
Hepatitis C is primarily transmitted through shared needles by IV drug users, contact with poorly sterilized medical equipment, and blood transfusions prior to 1992, after which all donations were tested for the virus following Canada’s tainted blood scandal.
An estimated 250,000 to 400,000 Canadians are estimated to be infected with this “silent killer,” which can take decades to manifest symptoms of cirrhosis, including swollen legs and abdomen, and the yellow skin, eyes and urine related to jaundice.
It’s believed more than half of those infected are unaware and undiagnosed, said Feld, noting there’s a big public health push to get people born between 1945 and 1970 — baby boomers, essentially — to get tested for the virus.
“I can’t stress enough the importance of getting people out to get tested for this,” he said. “We have a cure, but we can’t cure people we can’t diagnose.”
Dr. Morris Sherman, chair of the Canadian Liver Foundation, said Canada and other countries have committed to eliminating hepatitis C by 2030, but to accomplish that goal treatment rates need to be significantly boosted.
“Having a therapy that works for all genotypes will make treatment easier for both patients and physicians to manage,” Sherman said in a statement. “But it must be accessible, regardless of where someone lives or their ability to pay.”
