WHAT CAUSES AIDS? It's An Open Question (June 1994)

Reason Magazine ^ | June 1994 | Charles A. Thomas Jr., Kary B. Mullis, & Phillip E. Johnson

[TapTheSource]

Ping!

[annalex]

Bump for later.

[David Lane]

WOULD YOU TRUST A HO?

The man behind the NY Super virus scare nonsense.

Dr. Ho

Ho, meanwhile, was coming under heavy criticism."When I first heard this, I said, Holy shit‹there is no evidence, says Dr. Robert Gallo, an eminent virologist. "Clearly, conclusively, scientifically, it was inappropriate to make that statement."

Gallo and other leading figures in the field including Dr. Tony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases believe the new case report, while unfortunate for the patient, is likely a statistically predictable outlier.

Unfortunately, according to data generated by Ho's institute, drug-resistant HIV is now commonplace: Nearly 30 percent of newly diagnosed HIV cases are resistant to at least one AIDS drug, and 11 percent are resistant to drugs in two or more drug classes.

The flames were fanned with revelations about Ho's links to Frieden (who sits on the Aaron Diamond Board of Directors) and the San Francisco laboratory that does the resistance testing, ViroLogic (as a scientific adviser, he receives a stipend and stock options).

[dangus]

Actually, "And the Band Plays On" was an excellent book that was heavily sanitized in the HBO movie to make Reagan out to be the villain, instead of the cowardly public officials of San Francisco who refused to shut the bath houses.

[David Lane]

It also hardly touched on the arch criminal Robert Gallo. The man behind the 'AIDS' myth. ‘ The tale of Dr. Robert Gallo’s role in the discovery of the virus that causes AIDS is one of those stories that wouldn’t be believable as fiction...Science Fictions is bursting with allegations leveled at Dr. Gallo, his associates, rivals and enemies, that include deception, misconduct, incompetence, fraud, sabotage, back-stabbing, double-dealing, overstatements, half-truths, outright lies, a clandestine affair with a co-worker, a bribery attempt, denials, evasions, coverups and serial rewritings of history.’ — New York Times ‘ Scrupulously researched and sweeping... Science Fictions documents enough treachery, negligence and megalomania to make even the most trusting of readers skeptical of the scientific establishment.’ — Washington Post ‘ A gripping work with important implications...With incredible tenacity, Crewdson reveals a biological research scandal that was significant, frightening and, most of all, a testament to one reporter’s quest to separate science fact from fiction.’ — Chicago Tribune ‘ Crewdson’s work is the most powerful and revealing since James Watson’s The Double Helix...This is an awesomely documented prosecutorial brief that concedes no credit to its target and yields him no doubts. If the Gallo camp has a rebuttal, let’s hear it.’ — New Scientist ‘ No one knows whether someone in Gallo’s lab stole the French virus or if it contaminated their samples through sloppy practice, and it really doesn’t matter… And as Crewdson shows, the biggest discoveries in Gallo’s career — his claim to have identified the virus that causes AIDS and the patent on the AIDS blood test — both belong to someone else.’ — Baltimore Sun ‘ Robert Gallo’s hour was not the brightest for American science. In fact, it may be one of the darkest. The two-decade-long sequence of events described in John Crewdson’s new book resembles more the actions of a megalomaniac intent more on self-promotion and profit than on a way to stop the AIDS epidemic.’ — San Diego Union-Tribune ‘ I could hardly put the book down out of a mounting realization that this was more than a story about human vanity and political corruption. Science Fictions is ultimately a scientific detective story, with dramatic plot twists, inspired sleuthing, and unlikely heroes. It’s a crime with many victims, and one that is well worth the effort to understand.’ — Washington Monthly ‘ John Crewdson, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, has written a detailed history of the events that led scientists to the cause of AIDS - and it makes unpleasant reading for anyone who thought science was simply about the pursuit of truth. Instead, a picture emerges of deliberate falsehoods, exaggerated claims and denigrating criticism.’ — The Independent (London) ‘ Crewdson’s squalid tale of grasping self-interest in the face of a devastating epidemic is told through court documents, reports from internal NIH and congressional investigative committees and interviews. The enormous amount of evidence which the author has gathered in favor of the French seems convincing.’ — Los Angeles Times ‘ Science Fictions is about scientists behaving very, very badly. Crewdson’s research is thorough, his writing brisk.’ — Edmonton Journal ‘ A compelling case that Gallo claimed and obtained recognition for research that had, in fact, been accomplished by the French...this book is a successful indictment of Gallo, whom history will probably judge to have been guilty of excessive zeal in the pursuit of scientific glory.’ — Montreal Gazette ‘ Was Gallo’s behavior so extreme as to be anomalous, or was it to some extent encouraged by what Crewdson calls a “hypercompetitive” scientific culture? If Science Fictions forces scientists to address these difficult questions — and it should — it will have served its purpose.’ — New York Times Book Review ‘ Science Fictions is a profoundly disturbing account, demonstrating that even brilliant minds may trade truth for fame or fortune...John Crewdson has written a masterpiece.’ — Providence Journal-Bulletin ‘ Comprehensive and compelling...The level of drama here is unprecedented…Crewdson is able to weave a story that is impossible to put down.’ — Publishers Weekly ‘ A meticulous account of slippery science that develops slowly into a panoramic view of the biomedical world.’ — Kirkus Reviews http://www.sciencefictions.net/

[David Lane]

ON A LIGHTER NOTE - Gallo jokes: -

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Patient: "Dr. Gallo, what I need is something to stir me up; something to put me in a fighting mood. Did you put something like that in this prescription?"
Dr. Gallo "No need for that. You will find that in your bill."

---

A patient, his name was "Chico" goes to see Dr. Gallo about stomach trouble.
Dr. Gallo prescribed plenty of milk and gave Chico a bottle of pills. "I'll stop by this evening and see how you're doing," Dr. Gallo said. "In the meantime, drink at least four glasses of milk. Milk is the ticket for curing your trouble. So drink plenty of it."
That evening, Dr. Gallo returned, examined Chico and told him, "You're much better this evening. Just be sure you don't drink any milk. Not one glass. It's not for you."
"But, Dr. Gallo," Chico exclaimed, "only this morning you told me that milk was what I needed and that I should drink four glasses of it."
"Well, what do you know?" the Dr. Gallo replied. "It certainly goes to show that we've made tremendous progress in medicine since the last time I saw you."

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There was this city doctor (Dr. Gallo) who started a practice in the countryside. Dr.Gallo once had to go to a farm to attend to a sick farmer who lived there. After a few housecalls he stopped coming to the farm. The puzzled farmer finally phoned him to ask what's the matter, didn't he like him or somethin'. Dr. Gallo said, "No, its your ducks at the entrance... Every time I enter the farm, they insult me!"

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Dr. Gallo gave a guy six months to live. He didn't pay his bill, so he gave him another six months.

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[drjimmy]

It seems almost every intelligent person is now joining the dissident cause against the insane liberal 'AIDS' myth

Wow! Who woulda thunk that there were only about 48 intelligent persons in the whole world!

[dangus]

Your quabble with Dr. Watson is over values. I would not consider a Nobel Prize in science as evidence of superior values. I would, however, consider it evidence of expertise in the subject it was awarded in.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

This article was factually challenged in 1994. It hasn't gotten any better with age.

[TapTheSource]

==This article was factually challenged in 1994. It hasn't gotten any better with age.

Actually, the challenge was factually challenged, and it hasn't gotten any better with age.

[HassanBenSobar]

I'd hesitate before calling it a load of crap without specifics. Kary Mullis, among others, is not one so easily dismissed. The authors are spot-on concerning the lousy performance of antibody tests (in fact, they left out other reasons why these tests are so poor).

Now, I think one area where they may have goofed is animal models: for instance, I think it's pretty well-established that feline immunodeficiency virus and the associated disease in cats is real--the infection pattern, disease progression, etc., is pretty well-understood. Also, they said nothing about apoptosis as a mechanism for T cell death at low levels of HIV infection.

That said, the politicizing of AIDS is not helping. HIV probably causes AIDS, IMHO, but the distortions introduced by politics need to be dealt with. Supposedly scientists are the objective ones who pride themselves on being above such matters...sigh.

[Doctor Stochastic]

I especially liked these from the first link:

Duesberg provides a full compilation of his fallacies:

1. He claims AIDS is not contagious. Answer: It is clearly sexually transmitted from man to woman, from woman to man, from man to man and from contaminated needles. It is also transmitted from mothers to babies through mother's milk. It fills all of the requirements of Koch's postulates for infectious agents.

2. He asks why there is no HIV in most AIDS patients? Answer: AIDS patients effectively treated with combinations of anti-HIV drugs can have HIV levels drop to below detectable levels, but levels always return to pretreatment levels when treatment is discontinued.

3. He asks why HIV would take 10 years from infection to AIDS? Answer: Because the tug of war between the virus and the immune system takes that long to be lost. The great menace of HIV is that it takes so long to kill that it provides catastrophic opportunities for the spread of disease. Epidemics like Ebola burn themselves out because they kill so quickly.

4. He says that AIDS is a chemical epidemic caused by anti-HIV drugs. Answer: How did the AIDS problem proliferate in the United States in the 1980s before there were any anti-HIV drugs? And how did millions of HIV cases develop in sub-Saharan Africa before there were any HIV drugs in those areas?

It's troubling that there are people posting here endorsing the idea that AIDS isn't contageous. It's not just wrong, it can be dead wrong.

[colorado tanker]

And The Bank Plays On was an excellent history of the early years of AIDS. The book exposes the lie of the myth that Reagan was somehow responsible for the epidemic. IMHO ever since the Reagan administration more money has been thrown at AIDS than it should be entitled to vis a vis diseases that are bigger killers, because of political correctness and fear of the gay lobby.

I also agree the movie was terrible and distorted the book and the facts.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

First, after spending billions of dollars, HIV researchers are still unable to explain how HIV, a conventional retrovirus with a very simple genetic organization, damages the immune system, much less how to stop it.

Well this statement was a lie at the time this article was written. The study of HIV has led to the discovery of immune system mutations that were unknown prior to the study of the virus. And for some mysterious reason, people with clinical AIDS always have the HIV virus in their bloodstream, even when they don't take AZT. I haven't seen any statements from Dr. Gilbert about it in the last decade, either.

[poobear]

"Now, I think one area where they may have goofed is animal models: for instance, I think it's pretty well-established that feline immunodeficiency virus and the associated disease in cats is real--the infection pattern, disease progression, etc., is pretty well-understood. Also, they said nothing about apoptosis as a mechanism for T cell death at low levels of HIV infection."

Excellent point. But did they diagnosis this in felines after they discovered HIV? Regardless, what I think is a load, is where it has been stated in previous posts that this whole AIDS/HIV phenomena was "created" out of political motives. The disease is very real. It's origin could've been found out earlier if everyone weren't to busy pointing fingers as to 'who's fault' is was.

As you probably know by my comments, I am no scientist or a great thinker. But being 'duped' by government, well, there I have experience.

[SoothingDave]

And for some mysterious reason, people with clinical AIDS always have the HIV virus in their bloodstream

#1, "AIDS" is defined this way, at least in this country. So it is tautological to say "people with AIDS have HIV in their bloodstream."

#2, correlation is not causation.

SD

[Uri’el-2012]

#1, "AIDS" is defined this way, at least in this country. So it is tautological to say "people with AIDS have HIV in their bloodstream."

You are very correct ! Dave.

B'Shem Y'shua
chuck

[David Lane]

HOLLAND

Legal prostitution.
Massive red light district.

Population: - 16,318,199 (Jan. 2004)
Median age: - 38.7
Death rate: - 8.67 per 1,000
Life expectancy: - 78.68
HIV/AIDS Prevalence (adult) 0.2%
People living with 'AIDS' : - 17,000
Total deaths: - 110 (2001 est)

COMMENT

Legal prostitution and very liberal sexual attitudes and yet only one thid the prevalence of 'AIDS' compared to America.

The Phillipines with up to half a million prostitutes and low condom usage has one sith the prevalence of 'AIDS' compared to America. ONE SIXTH!

Japan also has high prostitution but very low 'AIDS'.

[Wuli]

Save the article this thread started with,

then take a read at the following link:

http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/evidhiv.htm

and then compare and make up your own mind.

[David Lane]

The usual 'estimated" figures nonsense and distortions of science.

It does not mention these 'estimates' are based on the totally absurd Bengui Definition that fits each and every epidemic disease in the Third World. Suddenly EVERY disease is renamed 'AIDS' and the drugs company bucks poor in.

Every other statement is a blantent distortion of accepted scientific method or an outright lie.

In short it is like comparing Alice in Wonderland to A Brief History of Time.