Building Capacity for Change through U=U University
A new chapter in training, knowledge, and advocacy
Earlier this month I travelled to Washington DC to take part in the U=U University Training of Trainers, an initiative of Prevention Access Campaign. Over the course of three days, a diverse group of advocates, educators, and health leaders came together to deepen our knowledge of Undetectable = Untransmittable and to practice how to teach others with clarity and impact. The experience was not only professional development. It was an investment in building a global network of trainers who will return to their communities prepared to share the truth of U=U with confidence, compassion, and skill.
I was the only Canadian invited to participate in this training. Every other participant was based in the United States. That gave me a unique perspective. While much of the conversation focused on U.S. strategies like the National HIV/AIDS Strategy 2022–2025 and the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, I was constantly thinking about how to bring these lessons back home. The science of U=U is universal, but the systems and policies that shape how we communicate it differ by country and community. Canada has a proud history of leadership in the HIV response, yet we have work to do to ensure that U=U is consistently embedded in clinical care, public health strategies, and community outreach.
The foundation of U=U
At its core, U=U communicates a simple but powerful fact. When a person living with HIV is on effective antiretroviral treatment and maintains an undetectable viral load, there is zero possibility of transmitting HIV sexually. The viral load threshold that defines undetectable is fewer than 200 copies per millilitre of blood. This is not speculation. It is science backed by multiple large-scale studies and endorsed by global health authorities such as the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The HPTN 052 trial, the PARTNER studies, and the Opposites Attract study all found the same thing: there were no transmissions between partners when the partner living with HIV had an undetectable viral load.
These results did more than prove a scientific point. They opened the door to freedom from fear, restored dignity to people living with HIV, and gave families and partners the ability to live their lives without the shadow of misinformation.
Inside the U=U University experience
U=U University is not just a course you sit through. It is designed to build skill and confidence in real time. The curriculum covered the history of U=U, the science, communication strategies, and implementation framework. But what set it apart was how participatory it was. We practiced the 4Cs of communication — clear, confident, consistent, and compassionate — and learned to apply them in ways that fit different audiences.
The highlight for me was the micro-teach exercise. Each participant had to deliver a short U=U lesson to the group. I chose to frame mine around U=U as a public health intervention. I opened with my own story, remembering my diagnosis in 2015 when I was told I could live healthfully with HIV, but not yet told about U=U. At that time the global consensus had not been launched, so I carried unnecessary fear and stigma for months. Sharing this in the room underscored how much difference timely information makes.
From there I focused on the science: when someone living with HIV is on treatment and undetectable, there is zero possibility of sexual transmission. I emphasized that wording matters. We should not hedge with phrases like “virtually or effectively zero.” Zero possibility means ZERO POSSIBILITY!
I then addressed myths that persist, such as the belief that U=U promotes condomless sex or raises liability concerns. I explained that U=U is about HIV transmission and that precise language builds confidence, not doubt. To illustrate why this matters, I asked the group to imagine a young person avoiding HIV testing out of fear. Now imagine that same person learns that treatment will both protect their health and mean zero possibility of passing on HIV. The decision to test shifts from one driven by fear to one driven by hope.
Closing my micro-teach, I reminded the group that U=U is more than a scientific fact. It is a public health game-changer that drives testing, treatment, and adherence while dismantling stigma. And I urged everyone in the room to say it, share it, and live it.
That exercise was challenging, but it also affirmed for me that my lived experience and my advocacy have a place in teaching. Science alone is powerful, but when paired with personal storytelling it becomes transformative.
Why this matters now
Canada has made progress in HIV care and treatment, but too many people are still not hearing the message of U=U. Inconsistent communication allows fear and stigma to linger. Some delay testing because they are afraid of what a diagnosis will mean. Others disengage from care because they have not been told that treatment can give them both health and freedom from transmission.
U=U changes that. It tells people that effective treatment protects their health and ensures zero possibility of passing HIV to partners. It gives providers a tool to build trust, and it gives policymakers proof that investment in treatment is cost effective. The urgency is not about a single global target date. The urgency is about ensuring no opportunity is missed to share the truth of U=U.
Bringing it back to Canada
Being the only Canadian in the room gave me a strong sense of responsibility. As colleagues shared examples of how U=U is being woven into health strategies across the United States, I kept thinking about the uneven picture in Canada. Some provinces and local health units speak openly about U=U. Others remain cautious or silent. That silence has consequences, not only in health outcomes but in the dignity and well-being of people living with HIV.
The training prepared me to help close that gap. Through inclusHIV Consulting, through my role as a CANFAR National Ambassador, and through my broader advocacy, I now have the tools to deliver structured U=U training in Canada. This means working directly with public health officials, healthcare providers, and community organizations. It also means equipping peer leaders with resources so they can carry the message into their own networks.
Looking forward
The U=U movement has always been about more than viral load. It is about dignity, hope, and equity. It is about dismantling stigma and replacing fear with knowledge. U=U University expands our collective capacity to share that message. It equips trainers to multiply the impact across borders and sectors.
For me, this training was both humbling and energizing. Humbling because of the responsibility it carries. Energizing because I now know I can help bring structured U=U training to Canada in ways that will directly impact how people experience care, community, and self-worth.
Undetectable = Untransmittable. It is science. It is freedom. And with U=U University we now have a pathway to ensure everyone who needs to hear it, does.
I am proud to say that I am the first, and at the time of writing, the only Canadian certified as an Associate Trainer through U=U University. If you are part of a community, organization, or health system that wants to integrate U=U more fully into your work, I invite you to connect with me. Together we can ensure this message reaches those who need it most
.