HIV and AIDS: Questions of Scientific and Journalistic Responsibility

HIV AND AIDS

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confronted with someone who questioned the virgin birth.
[laughter] For example, Anthony Fauci interrupted me at one
point, in a rage, saying how could anyone doubt the compelling
role of HIV, when there was this HIV-infected baby, who had
never been exposed to other viruses, bacteria or drugs, and
developed AIDS. Well, I had no answer. If I did, I couldn't get
up, he was so mad. Well, I later learned that the mother of that
baby was an intravenous drug user who had all sorts of health
and nutritional problems..."
Rubin addressed the circularity of the definition of AIDS:
Subsequently after that meeting, at a little social gathering, I
had a discussion with a medical corps major (I won't mention any
names) who was the Army's leading AIDS specialist. He told me
that he had seen AIDS cases with Kaposi's sarcoma in recruits, a
condition then commonly associated with AIDS, at least in
homosexuals. He told me that some of these cases were AIDS.
And I asked him if they differed clinically from the other six
cases [which were not AIDS]. He said no, they didn't differ
clinically at all, but they had antibodies to HIV. So I realized
then I was dealing with a self-fulfilling prophecy. If there are
HIV antibodies when you have Kaposi's, then it's AIDS, and if
no antibodies when it's Kaposi's, then it's not AIDS, just
Kaposi's. No wonder there's such a strong association between
the virus and AIDS, if the diagnosis is based on the presence of
the virus..."
Finally, Rubin brought up Duesberg:
In closing, let me say a word about Peter Duesberg, who has been
pilloried from post to post in the press, as you have seen. I made
it clear that I do not go along with his total rejection of a role for
the virus. I will say, that if it were not for Peter Duesberg, there
would be no one raising questions at all, including me. [applause
for Duesberg] So while I continue to disagree with him, and find
him a pain sometimes [laughter], I respect what he's done, and I
might say that he's done it at enormous sacrifice to his reputation
and to his career." [applause]