If your HIV self-test result is negative

If you live in New Brunswick and your test result is negative, contact your Family Doctor or Nurse Practitioner for sexual health care information and support. If you do not have a Family Doctor or Nurse Practitioner, call 811 by dialling 8-1-1 on your phone. You can also call 800-244-8353 (toll free) or 811 to get connected to prevention services such as PrEP, PEP, harm reduction or information on sexual health, or for information about additional testing for other sexually transmitted infections.

You can also call:

Accessing PrEP in New Brunswick

Any licensed Doctor or Nurse Practitioner can provide a prescription for HIV PrEP, and you may undergo an assessment to evaluate your HIV risk. Note that PrEP involves regular testing for HIV infection and check-ins with your healthcare provider

You can also call:

  • In Saint John: at RECAP Saint John – Dr. Duncan Webster; 100 Prince Edward St Suite 119, Saint John 506-657-5699.
  • In Moncton: The Moncton Hospital – Dr. Gordon Dow or Dr. Daniel Smyth, Infectious Disease Specialists, 135 MacBeath Avenue, Moncton, (506) 857-5670.
  • In Fredericton: Dr. Brandyn Chase, Infectious Disease Specialist (506) 452-5556.
  • You can also call Telecare New Brunswick from anywhere in the province at 1-800-244-8353 (toll free) or 811.

For more information about PrEP, see CATIE’s fact sheet.

Accessing PEP in New Brunswick

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a way to help prevent HIV from being transmitted to an HIV-negative person who may have been exposed to the virus. You must start PEP within 72 hours of being exposed. This is different from pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which you start taking before and continue taking after being exposed to HIV. If you think you need PEP, go to your nearest emergency department right away.

If your HIV self-test result is positive

You can contact your primary care provider to schedule an appointment to discuss next steps. You can also call:

You can call 811 for health advice and information about HIV confirmatory testing, treatment and care, and harm reduction. In addition, 811 can give you information on sexual health, additional testing for other sexually transmitted infections, and help you find local community-based organizations and service providers. 

About HIV confirmatory testing

You should see a healthcare provider as soon as possible to tell them that your result was positive so you can get the information and support you need to take care of your health. The self-test you took is a highly accurate screening test, however all HIV self-test positive results need to be confirmed by a lab test that your healthcare provider can order to give you a formal HIV diagnosis.

While there is no cure for HIV, HIV is treatable and people with HIV on treatment can live long, healthy lives. The medications used to treat HIV are called antiretrovirals. They prevent the virus from replicating and slow the disease’s progress. Starting antiretroviral therapy early can lower the virus in you to an undetectable level so that you can stay healthy, and so that you can’t transmit the virus to others.

In the Moncton area, you can self-refer for confirmatory testing and treatment, to:

  • Dr. Gordon Dow or Dr. Daniel Smyth, Infectious Disease Specialists – The Moncton Hospital, 135 MacBeath Avenue, Moncton, (506) 857-5670
  • ENSEMBLE, 80 Weldon Street, Moncton, (506) 859-9616

In the Saint John area, you can self-refer for confirmatory testing and treatment, to:

In the Fredericton area, you can self-refer for confirmatory testing and treatment, to Dr. Brandyn Chase, Infectious Disease Specialist, (506) 452-5556.

About HIV treatment and care

Schedule an appointment with your primary care provider to discuss treatment and care options. You can also call 811 for health advice and information about HIV confirmatory testing, treatment and care, and harm reduction. In addition, 811 can give you information on sexual health, additional testing for other sexually transmitted infections, and help you find local community-based organizations and service providers.

If your HIV self-test result is invalid

If the HIV self-test result is invalid (i.e., no visible control dot), this means that the test did not work. If this happens, you can:

Sexual health and other STI services

Services for harm reduction, sexual health, other STBBI testing, community-based organizations, or peer navigation are the same as those listed in the “If your HIV self-test result is negative” section at the top of this page.

Additionally, you can contact:

Harm reduction services

Needle Exchange Programs in NB

Needle Distribution Programs are available in communities across the province to prevent the spread of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV that is spread by sharing equipment to inject drugs. These programs are a harm reduction initiative and offer services such as:

  • needle exchange with safe needle disposal;
  • immunization counseling and immunization;
  • vein/wound care education;
  • sexual health counseling;
  • health teaching to support optimal health;
  • referrals to other care providers;
  • Naloxone kits for people who are at risk of opioid related overdoses; and
  • detox information.

Needle Distribution Service serving Albert, Kent and Westmorland counties in Southeast New Brunswick

ENSEMBLE, 80 Weldon Street, Moncton, (506) 859-9616. This program has:

  • 24-7 access to harm reducing resources (needles/syringes; inhalation kits; condoms; cookers, etc.).
  • A 24-7 Interactive Dispensing Machine (80 Weldon Street, Moncton NB & 110 Main St, Sackville, NB).

Needle Distribution Service Central and Northern New Brunswick

  • AIDS New Brunswick Fredericton-354 King St Suite 150 Fredericton, Monday-Friday 8:30 am-12:00 pm and 1:30-4:00 pm.
  • AIDS NB Bathurst-188 Main St Suite 7 Bathurst, Hours Monday-Friday 12:00-2:30 pm and 3:30-6:00 pm.
  • AIDS NB Miramichi (Newcastle) Medicine Shoppe 106 Newcastle Blvd, Miramichi, NB, Hours Wednesday and Thursday 9:00 am-2:00 pm.
  • AIDS NB Miramichi (Chatham) Blanchard Building 10 Hotel Dieu St, Miramichi, Hours Monday and Tuesday, 10:00 am-3:00 pm.

Needle Distribution Service, Greater Saint John region, Sussex to St. Stephen and Fundy Isles

Contact Avenue B Harm Reduction, 62 Waterloo Street, Saint John, (506) 652-2437.