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Facebook users have been bombarded with misleading ads about medication meant to prevent the transmission of HIV, according to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocates, who say the tech giant’s refusal to remove the content has created a public-health crisis. The ads have been viewed millions of times in recent months, Facebook’s archive reveals, and LGBT organizations argue they’ve had a dire effect: They’ve scared patients, potentially those who may be most at risk of contracting HIV, out of taking preventative drugs, known as PrEP, even though health officials and federal regulators have said they are safe. (Romm, 12/9)

The targeted ads, which appear to be from personal injury attorneys, claim Truvada, a drug shown to be up to 99 percent effective in HIV prevention if administered daily, has harmful side effects, including issues related to bone density and kidney function. These ads are "causing significant harm to public health," the letter warns, because they are inciting public mistrust in PrEP, a key tool in fighting the AIDS epidemic. (Reynolds, 12/9)

The ads "are convincing at-risk individuals to avoid PrEP, invariably leading to avoidable HIV infections," according to the groups. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PrEP "reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken daily." The groups, including GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign and The Trevor Project, wrote in the letter that they had already contacted Facebook about the ads. (Mills Rodrigo, 12/9)

In a statement, Facebook countered, "We value our work with LGBTQ groups and constantly seek their input. While these ads do not violate our ad policies nor have they been rated false by third-party fact-checkers, we're always examining ways to improve and help these key groups better understand how we apply our policies.” (Myrow, 12/10)