A groundbreaking HIV self-testing and research program is expanding access to diagnosis and care for Islanders who may otherwise go untested.
The I’m Ready program, launched this month by national research group REACH Nexus, makes HIV testing easier, faster, and more private.
Canadians can order free HIV self-test kits through a mobile app and receive them at home or pick them up locally.
On Prince Edward Island, PEERS Alliance in Charlottetown serves as a community pickup site—ensuring testing is paired with trusted, local support and clear pathways to follow-up care.
"We estimate that there's over 8,000 people that are living with HIV in Canada and don't know it," said Dr. Sean B.Rourke, a clinical neuropsychologist and a scientist at the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, which is involved in the program.
"We're really excited that, you know, people can go online, download the app, provide their information to get test kits sent to them, get the information they need," said Rourke. "If they need access to support during the testing process, we have another service built into this that provides access to a secure telehealth service that is supported by peers, people that are living with HIV."
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