Below I am posting an email I wrote to the Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press, regarding a mistake they made in reporting about the HIV outbreak in Indiana today. If you agree that this should be corrected, I have provided the address for both WSJ and the AP.
***@**** and ***@****
Here is my email:
To Whom It May Concern,
The article entitled Indiana Reports More HIV Cases in Outbreak, in the online Wall Street Journal (4/18/15), has incorrect information that they mis-cited from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The article claims that 50-90% of hepatitis C patients are co-infected with HIV. Below is the correct information stated in the CDC FAQs on their website and updated on 4/15/15. (http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/C/cFAQ.htm).
Advocates are working hard to get the message out that baby boomers, who make up an estimated 75% of patients who are unaware they are infected with hepatitis C, should be tested. The mistake that both the Associated Press and Wall Street Journal have made may cause a lot of unnecessary concern for patients and people who read this misinformation.
I hope that you will be able to correct the information and stop any further damage this may have caused.
Cordially,
Sue Simon
(my contact information)
From CDC FAQ sheet updated 4/15/15
HIV and Hepatitis C virus coinfection?
HIV and Hepatitis C virus coinfection refers to being infected with both HIV and the Hepatitis C virus. Coinfection is more common in persons who inject drugs. In fact, 50%–90% of HIV-infected persons who use injection drugs are also infected with the Hepatitis C virus. To learn more about coinfection, visit http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/hepatitis.htm.