FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
In case you weren’t able to make it to the listening session on 11/18. We have a quick recap from our comments, where advocates dropped some serious truth bombs about HSV prevention:
1. The Stigma Problem: Misinformation and fear campaigns are creating unnecessary stigma around HSV. We need awareness campaigns that normalize testing and highlight facts over fear—basically, an anti-stigma PR overhaul.
2. Education Overhaul: Sex ed is failing the youth. This was a key point our spokeswoman brought up because she is passionate about educating the youth. Many young people don’t know how STIs spread or how to protect themselves. Education needs to be updated and targeted, with platforms like social media.
3. Calling out Healthcare Providers: Healthcare providers are making this worse for us. From not testing for HSV to spreading outdated info, better training is essential. Some don’t even know gHSV1 can cause genital lesions. How can we expect to get care and support if we can’t trust our own doctors? Some advocates acknowledged that doctors have failed to inform them how the virus spreads. This can result in unintentional exposure of loved ones.
4. Accessible Testing: If we have at-home kits for COVID and HIV, why not HSV? Advocates suggest mobile testing sites and making HSV testing a regular part of healthcare screenings.
5. Funding Gaps: There’s a lack of resources for HSV prevention and research. Advocates pointed out that HSV is linked to serious health issues, yet funding isn’t equal. It’s time for this to change. Advocates acknowledged that this issue hit certain communities such as women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ communities.