bioLytical Laboratories: Be a Leader on World AIDS Day and Test Your Commitment
Groundbreaking HIV/AIDS Public Awareness and Mobile Testing Campaign Visits Montreal November 28 and 29
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Nov. 26, 2007 - Together, bioLytical Laboratories, Virgin Mobile Canada and UNICEF Canada have a shared goal of bringing much needed attention to the growing HIV and AIDS crisis at home and abroad.
What: 15,000 Canadians are HIV positive and don't know it - are you one of them?
Test your Commitment (TYC) is a revolutionary public awareness and mobile testing campaign that provides the public with access to live demonstrations of INSTI(TM), the only Health Canada approved diagnostic kit for point-of-care testing that delivers HIV results in 60-seconds.
TYC offers an open forum to discuss issues regarding HIV testing and the need to reduce the stigma of those living with HIV or AIDS.
Rapid HIV antibody tests seek to improve access to HIV testing however, most must be administered in a clinical setting. Currently available rapid tests also have longer response times that can be a deterrent for many who should be tested. INSTI has been developed to make it ideal for use in mobile and in-field scenarios allowing all communities access and social barriers to be removed.
Where and When:
Nov. 28, 4pm - 10 pm World AIDS Day Concert, Bell Centre,
1047 de la Montagne
Nov. 29, 9 am - 4 pm 3535 Boulevard St. Laurent
PRESS CONFERENCE INFORMATION
A press conference will take place Thursday, November 29th, at 10:00 am, 3535 Boulevard St. Laurent.
Speakers include:
- Matthew Clayton, Executive Vice President, bioLytical
- Nathan Rosenberg, Chief Marketing Officer, Virgin Mobile Canada
- Andrew Bridge, Director, Brand and Communications Director, Virgin Mobile Canada
- Nigel Fisher, President and CEO, UNICEF Canada
- Carolyn Solby, Director of Corporate and Community Partnerships, UNICEF Canada
A live demonstration of INSTI(TM) will be featured during the press conference.
Local governments and HIV and AIDS organizations have been invited to participate. Musicians and artists will perform at both locations.
About INSTI(TM) HIV-1 Rapid Antibody Test
The INSTI(TM) HIV-1 Rapid Antibody Test is a rapid, in-vitro, qualitative test for the detection of antibodies to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in human whole blood, serum or plasma. The test is capable of providing results in 60-seconds and is intended for use as a screening assay by trained personnel in medical facilities, clinical laboratories, emergency care situations, and physicians' offices.
ABOUT BIOLYTICAL LABORATORIES
bioLytical Laboratories (Inc.) is a leading developer and manufacturer of diagnostic tests for global health care markets. bioLytical is a privately owned company with headquarters and a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Richmond, British Columbia, with offices in United Kingdom and Uganda, Africa. For more information about bioLytical and INSTI, please visit biolytical.com/.
About Virgin Mobile
The Virgin Mobile group of companies has attracted more than 10 million customers worldwide. As the #1 mobile youth network, Virgin Mobile Canada's mission is to connect, entertain, and reward like nobody else.
The Virgin Group and Virgin Mobile Canada recognize the many opportunities they have for tackling HIV and AIDS as well as their responsibility to take part in the effort to deal with the epidemic. For this reason, Virgin is committed to the 0% Challenge. The 0% Challenge is Virgin's global staff-wide effort to help ensure that no Virgin employee dies needlessly of AIDS.
Through Virgin Unite, Virgin invests in programs that include prevention, treatment and care and non-discrimination as well as supporting action in the local community. For more information visit www.virginunite.com.
About UNICEF
UNICEF is the world's leader for children, working in more than 150 countries and territories to save, protect and enhance the lives of girls and boys. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, promotes quality basic education, protects children from violence, exploitation and AIDS, and is the world's largest provider of insecticide-treated bed nets and vaccines for developing nations. A global leader in emergencies with six decades of on-the-ground experience, UNICEF saves and rebuilds children's lives in natural disasters and conflict. UNICEF is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from individuals, businesses, foundations, schools, associations and governments.
About UNICEF International's Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS
Launched in 2006, UNICEF International's Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS campaign is the largest campaign ever mounted to bring the world's attention to the global impact of HIV and AIDS on children and young people and to substantially increase funding for programmes to protect and help affected children. The campaign is an intensification and acceleration of its on-going programs and efforts to get children and youth in the protection and support they need at local, national and international levels.
Time to draw the Line is a monthly giving programme that allows Canadians to become part of an international movement that provides funding and support to UNICEF's Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS campaign.
UNICEF Canada's five-year campaign goal is to raise $25 million from Canadians to fund projects in priority countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.
www.uniteforchildren.org
www.timetodrawtheline.org/ca
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CONTACT INFORMATION:
Smith Biotech
Amanda Smith, BSc.
Media contact for bioLytical Laboratories
(778) 846-4116
Email: Amanda@smithbiotech.com
Website: biolytical.com
or
Virgin Mobile Canada
Chris Baines
Media contact for Virgin Mobile Canada
(647) 378-8859 or (416) 607-8412
Email:chris.baines@virginmobile.ca
or
UNICEF Canada
Karen Snider
Media contact for UNICEF
(416) 482-4444 ext.831
Email: ksnider@unicef.ca
"Reproduced with permission - bioLytical Laboratories"
bioLytical Laboratories
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