The above article first appeared in the Los Angeles Times. The statistics are completely incorrect and when sharon mitchell notified the times of their errors, they refused to run a correction. The author of the article included all of the "contacts" as positive, thereby increasing the percentages by over 500%. When sharon mithcell notified the times of their errors they refused to print a correction. She even wrote a 'letter to the editor" which they refused to print. They used to have a link to that letter on the AIM website, but I dont see it there anymore.

Regarding the hep b&c rates reffered to in the article, Mitch always wondered where that number came from because she did not discuss that at all with the "reporter' from the times, who later claimed that the 'editors" made some 'changes' to her article. Yes, ther were some positive hep b antibody results but that was because those individuals had been vaccinated and therfore had the protective antibodies in their system. They did not have active hep b, actually, they were immune to it.

These statistics from this article have been used many times over the years, despite the fact that they are completely inaccurate. And typical of the L.a. Times, well they never let the facts get in the way of a good story, kind of like this site here. I will try to get a copy of Mitch's letter to the editor and print it here.