Press Apology from Daily Mail
posted: 10/11/2010
Here's a success story. Complaints from people with HIV to the Daily Mail about its inaccurate and stigmatising report about supposed HIV risks to a toddler pricked by discarded needles while at a New York, USA, hospital have ended with a correction and apology being published.
The report contained a remarkable three major mistakes
- It wrongly suggested the girl might have to wait six months for a HIV test, when modern tests can give an accurate diagnoses from a month after potential infection
- There has never been a case of a person being infected with HIV from a discarded needle
- Also HIV is no longer a 'death sentence,' as new treatments mean that people diagnosed with HIV nowadays, if treated early, can expect a near normal life expectancy.
Join Press Gang if you would like to help
If you want to help end stigma and false information about HIV in the press, you can join NAT's Press Gang.
NAT monitors the press daily for reports that are inaccurate or stigmatising towards people living with HIV. Press gang members, people living with HIV, challenge any inaccurate and stigmatising media coverage and provide a human face to HIV in the UK.
Press Gang is a group of people living with HIV working together, with support from NAT, to improve how the media portrays HIV and people living with HIV.
Press Gang members are alerted to stigmatising coverage and given advice on contacting journalists, making a complaint, getting a letter to the editor published, and sharing your story.
Please email Press Gang for more information about joining.
Dail Mail
Permalink