BBC letter affirming errors in, and apologizing for, airing denialist "Guinea Pig Kids" video

Categories

• HIV Denialism

Resource Type

Letters/Other Advocacy Documents  

Description

The British Broadcasting Corporation investigated and affirmed major complaints filed by the Center for HIV Law and Policy and AIDStruth.org that Guinea Pig Kids, an independent video aired on the BBC in 2004, made false and misleading claims about pediatric clinical trials of AIDS medicines that included foster children with HIV/AIDS living at New York Citys Incarnation Childrens Center (ICC). In this 12-page letter, Guinea Pig Kids, Fraser Steel, the Head of Editorial Complaints at the BBC affirmed that the BBC wrongly implied that the HIV-related medications that were being studied were futile and dangerous, and it intentionally ignored their life-saving efficacy. The BBC further acknowledged that the video was fundamentally biased towards the views of HIV denialists, who dont accept the scientific evidence that HIV exists and that it causes AIDS. Mr. Steel concluded that these are serious breaches of the standards set out in the BBCs Editorial Guidelines concerning accuracy and impartiality, and he extends an apology for the deficiencies in the program and the associated website material. The affirmation of the complaint is very important because the credibility of the BBC had lent undeserved legitimacy to false accusations against ICC and to the disinformation about HIV/AIDS, clinical trials and antiretroviral treatments that is spread by HIV denialists. The drugs, which were already approved for adults or for non-AIDS pediatric uses, were being tested to determine the safest and most effective dosages for children living with HIV. Some ICC patients, as well as HIV+ children at some 30 other New York facilities, were among those enrolled in the trials, with the written consent of their parents or guardians, as the only way to get these potentially life-saving medications.

 

File

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Published

2007-October-23