The Apprentice’s Lord Alan Sugar criticised for sharing HIV misinformation
"So much has changed!" says the head of the Terrence Higgins Trust.
Lord Alan Sugar has faced strong criticism for sharing outdated information regarding HIV.
The Apprentice host took to Twitter on Thursday (12 January) to post about an Eastenders storyline tackling HIV.
The narrative follows Zack’s (James Farrar) discovery that he has HIV and that Whitney (Shona McGarty) is also pregnant with his child.
The Eastenders storyline, set to play out over the following weeks, will explore the reaction and aftermath of the HIV diagnosis.
On Thursday, the 75-year-old business magnate shared his thoughts on the situation.
“So Zack might be HIV positive. If he is then the baby growing inside Tiffany could also be HIV,” Lord Sugar tweeted.
He continued: “If Zack gets tested and he is positive, he will have to tell Tiffany, she will have to decide if to terminate the pregnancy.”
As well as confusing Tiffany for Whitney, Lord Sugar is completely incorrect: people living with HIV can and do give birth to HIV-negative children.
If a person carrying a child has HIV and is on effective treatment, it’s likely the child will be born without HIV. Additionally, a person on effective treatment cannot pass the virus on.
Following Lord Sugar’s tweet, the Terrence Higgins Trust, one of the leading HIV charities in the UK, shared: “This is why EastEnders’ new HIV storyline is so important.”
“Millions will learn about how much medical progress has been made in the fight against HIV,” their statement continued.
“Including that people living with HIV can and do have children who are HIV-negative (even when diagnosed during pregnancy).”
The charity revealed on Thursday they had been working with Eastenders on the storyline. The charity and the show previously worked on the Mark Fowler HIV storyline in the 1990s. Mark was the first mainstream British TV character to be diagnosed with HIV.
“Over 30 years on from Mark’s storyline and sadly myths about HIV are still held by far too many people. The incredible progress we’ve made around HIV means people on effective HIV treatment can’t pass on the virus and can have a normal lifespan.
“We hope that Zack’s storyline will educate viewers on the reality of HIV and spark conversations in living rooms across the UK,” the charity wrote in a blog post.
Ian Green, the CEO of the Trust, also tweeted Lord Sugar and offered him the opportunity to talk.
“I would like to arrange a time to speak with you so you can help us communicate the realities of HIV in 2023 – so much has changed!”
With Lord Sugar sharing incorrect information, a number of his followers were annoyed by his inaccuracy.
Amy Anzel, a 2022 The Apprentice contestant, also expressed her frustration at his tweet.
“Ugh, seriously! Educate yourself before commenting on things you clearly know nothing about,” she shared.
Others aimed to share that what Lord Sugar was tweeting is outdated information.
“You can be HIV+ and have babies who are not,” drag queen Divina De Campo replied.
The RuPaul’s Drag Race UK alum also added: “Life with HIV is very very different now. Science is amazing.”
For more up-to-date information and resources on HIV, head to the Terrence Higgins Trust.
Attitude has approached Lord Sugar for comment.