Surely, by now, y'all have read the famous piece by Celia Farber in Harper's 2 months ago.
Now, we have some of the published responses in the recent issue.
Lemme cut to the chase: Farber --- Game.Set.Match. Another knock-out punch. Another righteous ass-whoopin'
My God, they even exhumed ole' Robert "Scientific Misconduct" Gallo from the scientific crypt to print his meaningless protestations.
Here are some choice excerpts from some choice letters, but y'all need to buy and read the whole damn issue:
--This debate should have happened long ago, before an unproven hypothesis of an immune-destroying retrovirus was thrust upon a vulnerable public, and without being thoroughly critiqued in the scientific literature. Despite the promises made in 1984, there is still no cure and no vaccine. Instead, there has been a fundamental erosion in scientific and clinical-trial standards, with implications reaching far beyond HIV. -- Dr. Rebecca Culshaw
The lovely and talented Dr. Culshaw knocks it outta the park!
-Science is full of alternative theories -- they're essential. In science, one does not set out to prove a particular hypothesis; one tests rival hypotheses in order to rule them out. No hypothesis regarding AIDS can be rejected until its espousers receive the funding necessary to test it-- Dr. Mark Biernbaum.
Dr. Biernbaum is a scientist and HIV+. On a personal level, he deservers our respect and compassion. On a professional level, he nails the scientific method to the wall. He is an important voice. Providing relief to him and those similarly situated is what this critical debate is all about. That's why we need to sift thru all this conflicting, historical scientific data with a fresh mind.
-- It would be nice if this article encourages a more mature discussion, with less name-calling, and returns AIDS, relatively dormant of late in the consciousness of most Americans and the world, to its rightful place at the top of the public agenda --- Larry Kramer
Well, who has been doing the name-calling, Larry? Who throws around the word "Denialist" to quash debate? But, Yes, hope springs eternal.
--Years of careful research have proven beyond doubt that HIV causes AIDS, that antiretroviral drug treatment saves lives, and that the drug nevirapine is safe and effective in preventing the spread of HIV from mothers to their babies-- Drs. Richard Marlink and Catherine Wilfert.
Hmmm. Beyond doubt?!!? Arrogant certainty expressed without reference to the literature by AIDS activists, funded by Boerhinger-Ingelheim, the maker of nevirapine. I refer these docs to the famous quote by Upton Sinclair -- "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it”.
--It is hearbreaking to have lost my sister at the tender age of thirty-three. Just thinking of her brings tears to my eyes almost three years later. She was an incredible person, not a lab rat. Thank you, Celia Farber and Harper's, for caring enought to tell the truth. Thank you for the dignity and respect-- Rubbie King, sister of Joyce Hafford, who died from nevirapine.
The real life voices of victims from this terrible screw-up.
--Some of the largest HIV clinical trials contribute so little to the development of knowledge that I have sarcastically suggested that the AIDS clinical trials group of the NIH should be moved to the Department of Highways. Like the billion-dollar highway in Alaska, they do nothing except grease the wheels of the pork-barrel system that claims its resources as an entitlement -- Dr. Paul Bellman.
The pork-barrel train of AIDS science continues to march on.
In short, the problem with the HIV=>AIDS=>drug paradigm is as follows:
The HIV "test" is unspecific and unreliable, since it doesn't detect the actual, infectious virus. Therefore, the term "HIV Positive" is grossly misleading, particularly if you are healthy with normal white blood cell counts. The "disease" is primarily a re-classification of old diseases (tuberculosis, dementia, pneumonia, etc, etc), with many varied and disparate causes. And, the "drugs" are highly toxic, highly dangerous and often make symptoms worse -- particularly your liver.
Harper's deserves great credit publishing and editing this fine piece of work. Investigative journalism at its best.
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