ITS ABOUT TIME Its about time that we are recognized by our own country.......Instant Tests Help Reduce the Risk of Babies Being Born with HIV
HALIFAX, Nov. 30, 2005 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) --
MedMira Inc., ("MedMira") (TSX Venture: MIR, NASDAQ: MMIRF) the global market leader in flow-through rapid diagnostic tests, announced today that it is experiencing the long-anticipated sales growth in the Canadian market. Over the past few months the company has seen a steady increase in demand for the MedMira Rapid HIV Test from hospitals and clinical laboratories across Canada.
"We believe the Canadian lab market, where 95% of all rapid HIV tests in Canada are conducted, is discovering the benefits of rapid HIV testing and this is translating into sales growth for MedMira," said Giles Crouch, VP of Sales & Marketing at MedMira. "We have seen increasing use of our HIV test across the country, most notably in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia."
Crouch continued, "Most hospitals and labs begin with an evaluation of the test and quickly move to regular ordering, so we are experiencing a relatively short sales cycle. They are very impressed with the speed, accuracy and ease-of-use of our test. With instant visual results, our test is playing a critical role in frontline diagnosis."
Many hospital and laboratories that are interested in implementing rapid HIV testing are located in rural areas or are required to send all HIV tests to central public health testing facilities. Using the MedMira Rapid HIV Test enables these facilities to obtain test results in less than three minutes, rather than waiting two to three days for results. Hospitals and laboratories across Canada are using MedMira's Rapid HIV Test for occupational exposures, in critical care situations where patients are unable to declare or do not know their HIV status, and during labour & delivery situations.
Newborn babies in Canada will greatly benefit from rapid HIV testing. Since 1984, when surveillance programs began, there have been nearly 2,000 babies born in Canada with prenatal exposure to HIV. Approximately 450 of these infants have been confirmed to be infected with HIV (Canadian Perinatal HIV Surveillance Program). In cases where a mother, unaware of their HIV status, arrives at the hospital in labour, the MedMira Rapid HIV Test enables obstetrics staff to immediately learn the mother's status and take appropriate action to reduce the risk of Mother-To-Child-Transmission (MTCT).
While prenatal HIV tests are recommended for all women in Canada, it is not mandatory. The Society for Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society have all recommended that physicians routinely offer the test to all women. According to the Ontario Ministry of Health, if treatment is administered to HIV- positive mothers, the risk of transmission can be reduced to about one to two percent. Without treatment, there is a 15 to 30 percent chance HIV-positive mothers will pass HIV to their babies.
HIV/AIDS continues to be an increasing healthcare challenge in Canada. In the past five years, HIV diagnoses in Canada have risen 20 percent and women account for a quarter of new cases, according to the UNAIDS global report on the epidemic released November 21, 2005. According to UNAIDS, the number of people living with HIV globally has reached its highest level with an estimated 40.3 million people, up from 37.5 million in 2003. 5 million new infections occurred in 2005.
MedMira's rapid HIV test is distributed by Canada's only national healthcare distributor, Source