STI testing being offered at Halifax pharmacies

Certain pharmacies in Halifax are now able to test for sexually transmitted infections (STI) as part of a pilot study.

Boyd’s Pharmasave owner Greg Richard says patients receiving a test can be in and out within 20 minutes.

“We can actually walk them through the swabbing process so that they can go in the washroom and do the swabs themselves. Then we collect that information, the swabs, and we bring that to the lab for them and then we’ll call them with the results, and we have them back in for treatment if that's possible,” he said.

The pilot study started in August by Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Health offers people the chance to test for chlamydia and gonorrhea.

If the patients test is positive, patients can receive treatment at the same pharmacy, says Richard.

“We know STI testing is challenging. There are great services available, but the demand is so high that opening up new routes for testing is critical at this time especially for a growing city like Halifax,” said Richard.

“Our positivity rate, so people who test positive for these infections, was pretty high,” said Kyle Wilby, Dalhousie University, College of Pharmacy Director.

“Higher than we thought. So, we think that by having this accessible inside pharmacies that are in our communities and neighbourhood, we can get more people tested and treated and reduce the amount of sexually transmitted infections in the community.”

Wilby says they need about 100 patients to complete the study, and are so far halfway to their goal.

The hope is to expand the program to additional pharmacies to give people in rural and underserved areas the access they need.

With files from CTV's Vanessa Wright

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.