LGBTQ activists and groups say that Facebook Ads dangerous misinformation of anti-HIV drugs

Facebook advocacy groups that push ads to remove them is to say, near unfairly by the fact that the prevention of HIV / AIDS Truvada Prep (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is dangerous, a claim that could say, endanger people most they are at risk of infection with the disease. More than 50 HIV / AIDS, LGBTQ and defense of public health groups have called for a letter on Monday Facebook and Instagram released from their platforms ads to be removed. The ads specifically referring to “Truvada Prep” (the trade name of a drug used as a prep dtenofovir disoproxil fumarate) and, in some cases, more generally to “prep.” There is another PrEPdrug, Descovy (tenofovir alafenamide), which in 2019 Truvada common side effects are upset stomach, headache, and weight loss has been approved in some patients, according to Gilead, the biotechnology company that makes both drugs. Descovy has similar side effects, although side effects can be a bit ‘less, Gilead claims. For HIV-negative people PrEP can reduce the risk of infection during sexual intercourse by 99% when used every day, according to the Centers for control and disease prevention (CDC). In their letter, the lawyers say that companies ads to the LGBTQ community members targeting customers looking more serious side effects of Truvada PrEP have had, such as damage to their kidneys and loss of bone density. The letter argues that the ads “significant harm to public health” caused by safety concerns about the drug in the LGBTQ Community seeding, although the drug is considered a safe and effective way to reduce the risk of infection. Kidney problems and bone density problems are also Truvada “known risks,” says Dr. Joyce Jones, assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. However, Jones adds: “If [patients] are healthy and have no other prior issues that may increase the risk of a kidney or bone problems, the risk is relatively low. It ‘s still something that we need to monitor but in general people of Truvada do very well, “says Jones. (It also notes that the newer drug Descovy has a lower risk of bone density problems and kidney.) Through these ads to insist “on their platforms, Facebook and Instagram to avoid convince people at risk Prep, always something to preventable HIV infections, “the letter said. Overall, doctors say most people who are at risk of contracting HIV, they should be a prep regime. The CDC warned earlier this year that the efforts to combat HIV are “stalled” as the disease infected 39,000 people in the United States each year; the agency announced in February that the use of PrEP encouraging part of his strategy was to contain the spread of the disease. “Needless to scare PrEP people [are] in this effort out of the HIV epidemic in the end the United States,” says Jones. “Prep is available both in the way it should be.” Rich Ferraro, head of communications for the National LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD said it was for a couple of months corresponds with Facebook, urging the social media giant ads without success to remove. His concern is that ads reach men with limited access to information on HIV / AIDS and prevention. “People often ask LGBTQ not being able or not easily their doctors about HIV / AIDS so that they go online for information. And they are finding these ads directly on their Facebook feed,” says Ferraro. Peter Staley, an HIV / AIDS activist and co-founder of PrEP4All describes PrEP such as a “magic bullet”; to prevent an indispensable tool for infections. He fears that the ads years erode public health advocates who work to promote the use of Truvada since the drug by the US Food and Drug Administration was adopted in 2012, ‘This is what we fought for, “he said Staley. “It has a corporate giant we ignore our concerns dismissed reminds me of the walls intransigence that we made in 1980 by the uS government and the mainstream press. They just did not care that the disease is spreading. It is hidden behind obscure advertising guidelines and institutions to third parties who actually know nothing of the complexity of the treatment for HIV. “Ferraro argued that the ads in clear violation of Facebook’s ad policy as” misleading, false or misleading claims “about products ban health. Supporters say that Facebook will treat this request for action PrEP in the same way should false claims that vaccines are dangerous treated: by listening to healthcare professionals and take them away. However, Facebook claims that its standards PrEP ads are not in the same category as anti-vaccine ads. “We appreciate our work with groups LGBTQ, and constantly looking for their contributions. While these displays have our policies do not violate nor have mispriced third party fact-checkers, we can improve the better these key groups and help to understand more ways to look at how we apply our policies, “said a Facebook spokesman a statement, Jones believes that Facebook to provide a representation that does not allow ads do not cause unnecessary “scare tactics,” he says. “In this new era of social media, accurate information is the responsibility of these platforms.” Copyright
Jeff Chiu AP