AIDS InfoNet www.aidsinfonet.org Fact Sheet Number 206 HOW TO SPOT HIV/AIDS FRAUD WHAT IS HIV/AIDS FRAUD? treatment is valuable even though Did the Food and Drug Administration HIV fraud is the promotion, advertisement, there may be no proof that it works. approve this product or treatment? If or sale of products that are supposed to The treatment was discovered and not, why not? diagnose, treat, or cure HIV when those tested in another country, or is only products have not been proven to be safe available outside the US. Certainly, What uses has the product been and effective for those purposes. valuable treatments are developed and tested for? Where can I see the test tested in other countries. However, results? Regular medicine does not yet have a cure many other countries permit health for HIV (see Fact Sheet 485.) Because it is claims without the kinds of proof What are the side effects, or other a serious illness, many people with HIV required in the United States. risks, of using this product or disease are willing to try almost anything to treatment? get healthy. Some unproven treatments The treatment is only available may be harmless, but others can be privately, for a short time, or from Whom can my health care provider call dangerous. For example, one brand of only one source; or if it requires for more information? “Brain Wave Synchronizer” caused payment in advance. If a product epileptic seizures. really works, why isn’t it advertised and available publicly? This may be a way Be careful when you choose treatments for to get around government regulations. TAKE YOUR TIME; CHECK IT HIV disease. This fact sheet will help you OUT evaluate treatments and be sure that you’re You can only get the treatment by Legitimate health care providers should not not dealing with an HIV fraud. paying to take part in testing an be opposed if you want to get more experimental treatment. When most information about a new treatment or experimental treatments are tested, product. If you ever feel pressured to make people receive them free of charge. a decision about an HIV therapy before you WARNING SIGNS OF AN HIV feel ready, don’t do it! FRAUD If you notice any of these warning signs Take your time to get more information when you consider an HIV therapy, be very COMMON SENSE ABOUT from sources that you trust, such as: careful! The treatment might still be a good UNPROVEN TREATMENTS Your case manager one, but you should ask extra questions You might end up spending a lot of money Your HIV health care provider about it. If it sounds too good to be true, it on treatments that don’t work. If you believe An HIV/AIDS service agency probably is. they are helping you, and you can afford to CDC Health Information at 1-800-342- pay for them, they might be all right. But 2437, or e-mail [email protected] The product prevents or cures HIV or remember: The National AIDS Health Fraud AIDS. Researchers have been working Reporting Hotline, (888) 332-1820 hard for over 10 years, but there is not Some unproven treatments might be offers recorded information in English yet any known cure for HIV or AIDS. harmful to your health. and Spanish. The only sure way to prevent AIDS is The National AIDS Treatment to avoid being infected with the HIV Health insurance will not pay for them. Information Service at 1-800-448- virus. 0440 Using unproven treatments could Project Inform, a community The product is a quick cure for a make you delay using other treatments organization with the National wide range of ailments. Most that really work, giving your illness time HIV/AIDS Treatment Infoline at 1- products are effective only against a to get worse. 800-822-7422. specific illness or a few closely related The Texas AIDS Health Fraud medical problems. Information Network at http://www.tahfin.org Personal success stories are the QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK only evidence that the treatment You should be careful about any HIV works. Of course, if a treatment works, treatment, and especially if you see any of you can find people who will tell you the warning signs of fraud. It can be difficult THE BOTTOM LINE about it. But testimonials don’t prove to know what’s true and what’s not, that the treatment worked. Look for HIV disease is very complicated. No cure because many legitimate HIV treatments has been developed yet. There are many results of research studies or other are very expensive and difficult to evidence. different treatments and products that claim understand. Here are some questions to to help people with HIV disease. Some of ask about HIV treatments: these have not been carefully tested, and Be suspicious if the promoters use key some might even be harmful. words like miraculous cure, amazing Can you give me some written breakthrough, foolproof, information about the product? Take your time to evaluate any product or suppressed treatments, or secret treatment, especially if you see any of the ingredients. These words are often Which company manufactures this warning signs of an HIV fraud. used to make you think that a product? How can I contact them?
A Project of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care. Fact Sheets can be downloaded from the Internet at http://www.aidsinfonet.org Reviewed August 28, 2014
A Project of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care. Fact Sheets can be downloaded from the Internet at http://www.aidsinfonet.org