HIV and AIDS: Questions of Scientific and Journalistic Responsibility

HIV AND AIDS

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Hodgkinson in his articles had pointed to some instances when
Maddox did not publish pieces going against the hypothesis that HIV
is the AIDS virus. On one occasion when Maddox did not publish such a
piece, his position was summarized as follows ("Has Duesberg a right
of reply?", editorial in Nature 363, 13 May 1993, p. 109): "The truth is
that a person's 'right of reply' may conflict with a journal's obligations
to its readers to provide them with authentic information. Whatever
Duesberg's friends say,8 the right of reply must be modulated by its
content."
Furthermore, Maddox accused the Sunday Times of "selective
reporting of the evidence" (among other things). However, at a time
when Nature itself refused to print certain articles questioning the HIV
causality of AIDS, Hodgkinson stated: "Despite distortions and
inaccuracies, the [Nature] editorial deserves a wider audience than
Nature's, both in the interests of open debate and because of the insight
it gives into the mind of the journal's editor. So we reprint it in full
below, with Maddox's permission, though he requested ~200 [about
$3001 for the privilege."
A subsequent issue of the London Sunday Times (3 April 1994)
headlined: "These scientists are among hundreds now challenging the
accepted view on Aids. But the establishment won't let them be
heard." Below the photographs of ten scientists, accompanied by brief
quotes from each, the Sunday Times science editor Neville Hodgkinson
wrote:...Scientists, too, have to be careful not to rock the HIV boat,
which carries jobs, reputations, and huge research funds. Despite
the pressure, a large and growing network of highly-qualified
'dissidents' has become established worldwide over the past two
years. They not only challenge the HIV hypothesis, but have
author of most of the stories, said the paper is serving the public interest
by telling readers that serious scientists and researchers dissent strongly
from the accepted view that H.I.V. causes AIDS.
8The phrase "whatever Duesberg's friends say" is an example of Maddox's
tendentious journalism. It contains an innuendo that only Duesberg's friends
raise questions about the right of reply. But questions about the right of reply
are independent of whether one is a friend of Duesberg or not.