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New York, NY - On July 13, Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA) sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt to inform the Secretary that four leading scientists found that the U.S. Department of Human Services' website, www.4parents.gov, was inaccurate and ineffective. National experts in infectious disease, adolescent sexuality, reproductive health, and adolescent development reviewed the website at the request of Representative Waxman and found that it contained multiple inaccuracies, misleading information, and biases.

"As the premiere guardian of the nation's health, HHS should provide parents and caregivers with medically accurate and inclusive information that will promote the health and well being of all of our families," said Bill Smith, vice president for public policy of the Sexuality Information and Education of the U.S. (SIECUS). "SIECUS applauds Representative Waxman for taking this bold action on behalf of the nation's families to help ensure that they receive the scientifically sound information they need." Smith continued.

The experts identified major problems with the site, including:

• 4parents.gov provides inaccurate information about sexually transmitted diseases. The website understates the effectiveness of condoms, provides false information about HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and misstates the risks of various types of sexual behavior.
• 4parents.gov's dismissive message on contraception is likely to backfire. The website's emphasis on condom failure rates will leave youth more likely to have unprotected sex.
• 4parents.gov uses inappropriate language and provides incomplete information about sexual orientation. The sites errs by referring to gay and lesbian "lifestyles" rather than "people," and does not explain to parents that youth questioning their sexual orientation are at increased risk for suicide most often because of rejection, ostracism, harassment, and violence by other peers and adults.
• 4parents.gov degrades divorced and single parents. The site suggests that divorce and single parenthood are responsible for the nation's social ills.
• 4parents.gov has misplaced priorities. While the site primarily addresses teen sex, its emphasis on what it considers other unhealthy behaviors is inappropriate. For example, the experts found that tattoos and body piercing receive more attention than alcohol and tobacco use.

"4parents.gov falls far short of what parents and caregivers need in order to talk effectively to their children about sex and relationships, and instead uses fear, censorship, and ideology that only serves to divide American families," Smith said. "HHS should heed the concerns of the nation's top public health professionals and immediately take the website down for extensive review and revisions," Smith continued.

Earlier this year, SIECUS and more than 150 public health organization asked that the website be immediately taken down and that HHS launch a formal review of its content and techniques for communication and behavioral learning. These organizations uniformly felt that the website presents biased and inaccurate information as fact and does not address the needs of many youth, including sexually active youth, youth who have been or are being sexually abused, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. To date, Secretary Leavitt has not responded to the organizations' concerns.

"All of us agree that parents should be the primary sexuality educators of their children. Therefore it is critical that parents have all of the information, resources, and skills they need to tackle this complex issue," said Smith. "It is, after all, HHS' mission to lead all Americans to better health, safety, and well-being," said Smith.

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Note: The experts who reviewed 4parents.gov include: Dr. King K. Holmes, Director of the University of Washington's Center for AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Disease, Dr. Richard Pleak, the Director of Education in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Schneider Children's Hospital in New York, Dr. John Santelli, Chair of the Department of Population and Family Health at Columbia University, and Professor Laurence Steinberg, a distinguished professor at Temple University.

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