Statement by Secretary Heckler

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I also want to clear up any misunderstandings about these
discoveries which have resulted from news reports published
before the full import of NCI's work had been shared. That work
is described in the four articles in "Science" magazine which
are being released today.
The NCI work provides the proof we need that the cause of
AIDS has been found. It does this because it goes beyond the
simple identification of a particular virus. The special value
of the NCI work is that it has developed the process to mass
reproduce the virus. Without that ability, we could not be sure
of the characteristics of the virus in question -- in short,
whether it truly demonstrated the behavior which was a plausible
cause of AIDS. Furthermore, without that process, we could not
move ahead to the all-important advances in diagnosis,
prevention and ultimately treatment.
That is why today's announcement, embodied in the articles
by Dr. Gallo's team, are so crucial.
Today's discovery represents the triumph of science over a
dreaded disease. Those who have disparaged this scientific
search -- those who have said we weren't doing enough -- have
not understood how sound, solid, significant medical research
proceeds.