• Hassle Free Clinic will be closed Saturday, February 18 and Monday, February 20 for Family Day. Regular hours will resume Tuesday, February 21.
• Please note that the demand for service at Hassle Free Clinic has increased dramatically. The Clinic is committed to providing the best care possible, but at times, we may reduce or limit services due to volume and wait times. If you are unable to wait, or return to the clinic at another time, please call the AIDS & Sexual Health Infoline at 416-392-2437 or TF 1-800-668-2437 and speak to a counselor for a list of other clinics and services in the GTA, or refer to the map posted below.
• Follow Hassle Free Clinic with Twitter @hfreeclinic for current news and updates on clinics.
• Click for a map of sexual health clinics in the Toronto area.
• Hepatitis C, like other infections, can affect your health rapidly if you are living with HIV. Hepatitis C viral loads are higher in people who are also HIV-positive.
  
  If you have both HIV and hepatitis C, unprotected sex with others living with HIV not only leaves you open to the possibility of re-infection with different strains of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, but also leaves you vulnerable to higher levels of hepatitis C virus (should your partner be co-infected.)
  
  We encourage you to get tested for hepatitis C by your health care provider. You should also consider being vaccinated for hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
• Given the increased volume of patients during Friday evening clinics (4 pm to 7 pm) symptomatic, follow-up and patients requiring treatment will be given priority. The Clinic may not be able to offer routine testing during these hours.
• If you’re HIV-positive you may have a weakened immune system which can make you more likely to pick up syphilis. Symptoms of syphilis may be more severe, it may progress quickly to later stages, and it may take longer to treat and cure.
  
  Syphilis may increase your “viral load”, a measure of HIV in your blood. This can quicken the rate at which HIV damages your immune system. It also can make you more likely to transmit HIV to sexual partners.
  
  If you’re HIV positive and have syphilis, your syphilis can be more easily spread to sexual partners, as your immune system may be less able to control the amount of syphilis bacteria in the body.
  
  Doctors do not routinely test HIV positive people for syphilis. If you're HIV-positive you should specifically ask your doctor for a syphilis test.
• There has been an increase in hepatitis C infection among some HIV-positive gay and bisexual men. This has mainly been found in men who engage in certain BDSM activities where blood may be involved, including fisting and rough play.
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