HIV/AIDS denialism

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Electron micrograph of the human

immunodeficiency virus. HIV/AIDS
denialists dispute the existence of HIV
or its role in causing AIDS.
This article is part of a series on
HIV/AIDS denialism is the belief, contradicted by
conclusive evidence,[1][2] that human Alternative and
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) does not cause acquired pseudo‑medicine
immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).[3] Some of its
proponents reject the existence of HIV, while others
accept that HIV exists but argue that it is a harmless
passenger virus and not the cause of AIDS. Insofar as
they acknowledge AIDS as a real disease, they attribute
it to some combination of sexual behavior, recreational
drugs, malnutrition, poor sanitation, haemophilia, or General information
the effects of the medications used to treat HIV
infection (antiretrovirals).[4][5] Alternative medicine
Alternative veterinary medicine
The scientific consensus is that the evidence showing Quackery (Health fraud)
HIV to be the cause of AIDS is conclusive[1][2] and History of alternative medicine
that HIV/AIDS denialist claims are pseudoscience Rise of modern medicine
based on conspiracy theories,[6] faulty reasoning, Pseudoscience
cherry picking, and misrepresentation of mainly Antiscience
outdated scientific data.[1][2][7] With the rejection of Skepticism
these arguments by the scientific community, Skeptical movement
HIV/AIDS denialist material is now targeted at less National Center for Complementary and
scientifically sophisticated audiences and spread Integrative Health
mainly through the Internet.[8][9] Terminology of alternative medicine

Despite its lack of scientific acceptance, HIV/AIDS Fringe medicine and science
denialism has had a significant political impact,
especially in South Africa under the presidency of
Acupressure
Thabo Mbeki. Scientists and physicians have raised
Acupuncture
alarm at the human cost of HIV/AIDS denialism, which Anthroposophic medicine
discourages HIV-positive people from using proven Apitherapy
treatments.[2][8][10][11][12][13] Public health researchers Applied kinesiology
have attributed 330,000 to 340,000 AIDS-related Aromatherapy
deaths, along with 171,000 other HIV infections and Auriculotherapy
35,000 infant HIV infections, to the South African Bach flower remedies
government's former embrace of HIV/AIDS denialism. Bates method
[14][15] The interrupted use of antiretroviral treatments Biorhythm
is also a major global concern as it potentially increases Black salve
the likelihood of the emergence of antiretroviral- Bodywork
resistant strains of the virus.[16] Bonesetter
Bowen technique
Breathwork
Contents Camel urine
Fake COVID-19 treatments
1 History
Cow urine
1.1 U.S. courts
Cancer treatments
1.2 South Africa
Greek cancer cure
2 Denialists' claims and scientific evidence
3 Denialist community Charcoal cleanse
3.1 Former denialists Chiropractic
3.2 Death of HIV-positive denialists Chiropractic treatment techniques
3.3 Local community group denialism Vertebral subluxation
4 Impact beyond the scientific community Christian Science
4.1 North America and Europe Chromotherapy
4.2 South Africa Colon cleansing
5 See also Coffee enema
6 Footnotes Colorpuncture
7 References Craniosacral therapy
8 Further reading Crystal healing
9 External links Cupping therapy
Detoxification
History Foot baths
Duesberg hypothesis
A constellation of symptoms named "Gay-related Ear candling
immune deficiency" was noted in 1982. In 1983, a Energy medicine
group of scientists and doctors at the Pasteur Institute Esoteric energy
in France, led by Luc Montagnier, discovered a new Therapeutic touch
virus in a patient with signs and symptoms that often Facilitated communication
preceded AIDS.[17] They named the virus Feldenkrais Method
lymphadenopathy-associated virus, or LAV, and sent Functional medicine
samples to Robert Gallo's team in the United States. Hair analysis
Their findings were peer reviewed and slated for Herbal medicine
publication in Science. Holistic dentistry
Hologram bracelet
At a 23 April 1984 press conference in Washington, Homeopathy
D.C., Margaret Heckler, Secretary of Health and Biological terrain assessment
Human Services, announced that Gallo and his co- Hypnotherapy
workers had discovered a virus that is the "probable" Iridology
cause of AIDS. This virus was initially named HTLV-
Ionized jewelry
III.[18] That same year, Casper Schmidt responded to Lightning Process
Gallo's papers with "The Group-Fantasy Origins of Lymphotherapy
AIDS", Journal of Psychohistory.[19] Schmidt posited Medical intuitive
that AIDS was not an actual disease, but rather an
example of "epidemic hysteria" in which groups of Mesmerism
people are subconsciously acting out social conflicts. Magnet therapy
Schmidt compared AIDS to documented cases of Manual therapy
epidemic hysteria in the past which were mistakenly Megavitamin therapy
thought to be infectious. (Schmidt himself would later Mind–body interventions
die of AIDS in 1994.)[20][21] MMS
Myofascial release
In 1986, the viruses discovered by Montagnier and NAET
Gallo, found to be genetically indistinguishable, were Naturopathy
renamed HIV.[22] Oil pulling
Orgone
In 1987, the molecular biologist Peter Duesberg Orthomolecular medicine
questioned the link between HIV and AIDS in the Orthopathy
journal Cancer Research.[23] Duesberg's publication Osteomyology
coincided with the start of major public health Osteopathy
campaigns and the development of zidovudine (AZT) Parapsychology
as a treatment for HIV/AIDS.
Phrenology
In 1988, a panel of the Institute of Medicine of the U.S. Psychic surgery
National Academy of Sciences found that "the Psychodermatology
evidence that HIV causes AIDS is scientifically Radionics
Rapid prompting method
conclusive."[1] That same year, Science published
RBOP
Blattner, Gallo, and Temin's "HIV causes AIDS",[24]
Reiki
and Duesberg's "HIV is not the cause of AIDS".[25] Reflexology
Also that same year, the Perth Group, a group of Rolfing
denialists based in Perth, Western Australia led by Scientific racism
Eleni Papadopulos-Eleopulos, published in the non- ThetaHealing
peer-reviewed journal Medical Hypotheses their first
Thought Field Therapy
article questioning aspects of HIV/AIDS research,[26] Urine therapy
arguing that there was "no compelling reason for Urophagia
preferring the viral hypothesis of AIDS to one based on
Vaginal steaming
the activity of oxidising agents."
Vision therapy
In 1989, Duesberg exercised his right, as a member of Vitalism
the National Academy of Sciences, to bypass the peer Young blood transfusion
review process and publish his arguments in Zero balancing
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America (PNAS) unreviewed. The Conspiracy theories
editor of PNAS initially resisted, but ultimately allowed
Duesberg to publish, saying, "If you wish to make these Anti-fluoridation/Water fluoridation
unsupported, vague, and prejudicial statements in print, movement
so be it. But I cannot see how this would be convincing Anti-vaccination
to any scientifically trained reader."[27] Vaccines causing autism
Big Pharma conspiracy theory
In 1990, the physiologist Robert Root-Bernstein
COVID-19 pandemic
published his first peer-reviewed article detailing his
GMO conspiracy theories
objections to the mainstream view of AIDS and HIV.
[28] In it, he questioned both the mainstream view and HIV/AIDS denialism
Discredited HIV/AIDS origins
the "dissident" view as potentially inaccurate.
theories
In 1991, The Group for the Scientific Reappraisal of OPV AIDS hypothesis
the HIV-AIDS Hypothesis, comprising twelve
scientists, doctors, and activists, submitted a short letter Classifications
to various journals, but the letter was rejected.[29]
In 1993, Nature published an editorial arguing that
Duesberg had forfeited his right of reply by engaging in Allopathic medicine
disingenuous rhetorical techniques and ignoring any Alternative medical systems
evidence that conflicted with his claims.[30] That same Mind–body intervention
year, Papadopulos-Eleopulos and coautors from the Biologically-based therapy
Perth Group alleged in the journal Nature Manipulative methods
Biotechnology (then edited by fellow denialist Harvey Energy therapy
Bialy) that the Western blot test for HIV was not
standardized, non-reproducible, and of unknown
Traditional medicine
specificity due to a claimed lack of a "gold standard".
[31][32]
African
Muti
On 28 October 1994, Robert Willner, a physician
whose medical license had been revoked for, among South African
other things, treating an AIDS patient with ozone Ayurveda
therapy, publicly jabbed his finger with blood he said Ayurvedic acupressure
Dosha
was from an HIV-infected patient.[10] Willner died in
Maharishi Vedic Approach to
1995 of a heart attack.[33] Health
In 1995, The Group for the Scientific Reappraisal of Balneotherapy
the HIV-AIDS Hypothesis in 1991 published a letter in Brazilian
Science similar to the one they had attempted to publish Bush medicine
Cambodian
in 1991.[34] That same year, Continuum, a denialist
group, placed an advertisement in the British gay and Chinese
lesbian magazine The Pink Paper offering a £1,000 Blood stasis
reward to "the first person finding one scientific paper Chinese herbology
establishing actual isolation of HIV", according to a set Dit Da
of seven steps they claimed to have been drawn up by Gua sha
the Pasteur Institute in 1973.[35] The challenge was Gill plate trade
later dismissed by various scientists, including Meridian
Moxibustion
Duesberg, asserting that HIV undoubtedly exists.[35]
Stefan Lanka argued in the same year that HIV does Pressure point
Qi
not exist.[36] Also that year, the National Institute of
San Jiao
Allergy and Infectious Diseases released a report
Tui na
concluding that "abundant epidemiologic, virologic and
immunologic data support the conclusion that infection Zang-fu
with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the Chumash
Curandero
underlying cause of AIDS."[37][38]
Faith healing
In 1996, the British Medical Journal published Iranian
"Response: arguments contradict the "foreign protein- Jamu
zidovudine" hypothesis"[39] as a response to a petition Kambo
by Duesberg: "In 1991 Duesberg challenged Japanese
researchers… We and Darby et al. have provided that Korean
evidence". The paper argued that Duesberg was wrong Mien Shiang
regarding the cause of AIDS in haemophiliacs. In 1997, Mongolian
The Perth Group questioned the existence of HIV, and Prophetic medicine
speculated that the production of antibodies Shamanism
recognizing HIV proteins can be caused by allogenic Shiatsu
stimuli and autoimmune disorders.[40][41] They Siddha
continued to repeat this speculation through at least Sri Lankan
2006.[42] Thai massage
Tibetan
In 1998, Joan Shenton published the book Positively Unani
False – Exposing the Myths Around HIV and AIDS, Vietnamese
which promotes AIDS denialism. In the book, Shenton
claims that AIDS is a conspiracy created by
Diagnoses
pharmaceutical companies to make money from selling
antiretroviral drugs.[43] Adrenal fatigue
Aerotoxic syndrome
In 2006, Celia Farber, a journalist and prominent
HIV/AIDS denialist, published an essay in the March Autistic enterocolitis
issue of Harper's Magazine entitled "Out of Control: Candida hypersensitivity
AIDS and the Corruption of Medical Science", in Chronic Lyme disease
which she summarized a number of arguments for Electromagnetic hypersensitivity
HIV/AIDS denialism and alleged incompetence, Heavy legs
conspiracy, and fraud on the part of the medical Leaky gut syndrome
community.[44] Scientists and AIDS activists Multiple chemical sensitivity
extensively criticized the article as inaccurate, Wilson's temperature syndrome
misleading, and poorly fact-checked.[45][46] Wind turbine syndrome

In 2007, members of the Perth Group testified at an

appeals hearing for Andre Chad Parenzee, asserting
that HIV could not be transmitted by heterosexual sex. v
The judge concluded, "I reject the evidence of Ms t
Papadopulos-Eleopulos and Dr Turner. I conclude… e
that they are not qualified to give expert opinions."[47]

In 2009, a paper was published in the then non-peer-reviewed journal Medical Hypotheses by Duesberg
and four other researchers which criticized a 2008 study by Chigwedere et al.,[14] which found that
HIV/AIDS denialism in South Africa resulted in hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths from
HIV/AIDS, because the government delayed the provision of antiretroviral drugs. The paper concluded
that "the claims that HIV has caused huge losses of African lives are unconfirmed and that HIV is not
sufficient or even necessary to cause the previously known diseases, now called AIDS in the presence of
antibody against HIV."[48] Later that year, the paper was withdrawn from the journal on the grounds of it
having methodological flaws, and that it contained assertions "that could potentially be damaging to
global public health”. A revised version was later published in Italian Journal of Anatomy and
Embryology.[49]

U.S. courts
In 1998, HIV/AIDS denialism and parental rights clashed with the medical establishment in court when
Maine resident Valerie Emerson fought for the right to refuse to give AZT to her four-year-old son,
Nikolas Emerson, after she witnessed the death of her daughter Tia, who died at the age of three in 1996.
Her right to stop treatment was upheld by the court in light of "her unique experience."[50] Nikolas
Emerson died eight years later. The family refused to reveal whether the death was AIDS related.[51]

South Africa

In 2000, South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki invited several HIV/AIDS denialists to join his
Presidential AIDS Advisory Panel.[52] A response named the Durban Declaration was issued affirming
the scientific consensus that HIV causes AIDS:

"The declaration has been signed by over 5,000 people, including Nobel Prize winners, directors of
leading research institutions, scientific academies and medical societies, notably the US National
Academy of Sciences, the US Institute of Medicine, Max Planck institutes, the European Molecular
 Biology Organization, the Pasteur Institute in Paris, the Royal Society of London, the AIDS Society
of India and the National Institute of Virology in South Africa. In addition, thousands of individual
scientists and doctors have signed, including many from the countries bearing the greatest burden
of the epidemic. Signatories are of MD, PhD level or equivalent, although scientists working for
commercial companies were asked not to sign."[13]

In 2008, University of Cape Town researcher Nicoli Nattrass, and later that year a group of Harvard
scientists led by Zimbabwean physician Pride Chigwedere each independently estimated that Thabo
Mbeki's denialist policies led to the early deaths of more than 330,000 South Africans.[14][15] Barbara
Hogan, the health minister appointed by Mbeki's successor, voiced shame over the studies' findings and
stated: "The era of denialism is over completely in South Africa."[53]

In 2009, Fraser McNeill wrote an article arguing that South Africa's reluctance to openly address
HIV/AIDS resulted from social conventions that prevent people from talking about causes of death in
certain situations, rather than from Mbeki's denialist views.[54] Similarly, political scientist Anthony
Butler has argued that "South African HIV/AIDS policy can be explained without appeals to leadership
irrationality or wider cultural denialism."[55]

In July 2016 Aaron Motsoaledi, the Health Minister of South Africa, wrote an article for the Centre for
Health Journalism in which he criticised past South African leaders for their denialism, describing it as an
"unlucky moment" in a country which has since become a leader in treatment and prevention.[56]

Denialists' claims and scientific evidence

See also: Duesberg hypothesis

Although members of the HIV/AIDS denialist community are united by their disagreement with the
scientific finding that HIV is the cause of AIDS, the specific positions taken by various groups differ.
Denialists claim many incompatible things: HIV does not exist; HIV has not been adequately isolated,[57]
HIV does not fulfill Koch's postulates,[58] HIV testing is inaccurate,[31] and that antibodies to HIV
neutralize the virus and render it harmless.[59] Suggested alternative causes of AIDS include recreational
drugs, malnutrition, and the very antiretroviral drugs used to treat the syndrome.[60]

Such claims have been examined extensively in the peer-reviewed medical and scientific literature; a
scientific consensus has arisen that denialist claims have been convincingly disproved, and that HIV does
indeed cause AIDS.[2][61] In the cases cited by Duesberg where HIV "cannot be isolated", PCR or other
techniques demonstrate the presence of the virus,[62] and denialist claims of HIV test inaccuracy result
from an incorrect or outdated understanding of how HIV antibody testing is performed and interpreted.
[63][64] Regarding Koch's postulates, New Scientist reported: "It is debatable how appropriate it is to focus
on a set of principles devised for bacterial infections in a century when viruses had not yet been
discovered. HIV does, however, meet Koch's postulates as long as they are not applied in a ridiculously
stringent way". The author then demonstrated how each postulate has been met – the suspected cause is
strongly associated with the disease, the suspected pathogen can be both isolated and spread outside the
host, and when the suspected pathogen is transmitted to a new and uninfected host, that host develops the
disease.[2][65] The latter was proven in a number of tragic accidents, including an instance when multiple
scientific technicians with no other known risk factors were exposed to concentrated HIV in a laboratory
accident, and transmission by a dentist to patients, the majority of whom had no other known risk factor
or source of exposure except the same dentist in common.[2] In 2010, Chigwedere and Max Essex
demonstrated in the medical journal AIDS and Behavior that HIV as the cause of AIDS fulfills both
Koch's postulates and the Bradford Hill criteria for causality.[66]
Early denialist arguments held that the HIV/AIDS paradigm was flawed because it had not led to effective
treatments. However, the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy in the mid-1990s and
dramatic improvements in survival of HIV/AIDS patients reversed this argument, as these treatments
were based directly on anti-viral activity and the HIV/AIDS paradigm.[67] The development of effective
anti-AIDS therapies based on targeting of HIV has been a major factor in convincing some denialist
scientists to accept the causative role of HIV in AIDS.[68]

In a 2010 article on conspiracy theories in science, Ted Goertzel lists HIV/AIDS denialism as an example
where scientific findings are being disputed on irrational grounds. He describes proponents as relying on
rhetoric, appeal to fairness, and the right to a dissenting opinion rather than on evidence. They frequently
invoke the meme of a "courageous independent scientist resisting orthodoxy", invoking the name of
persecuted physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei.[69] Regarding this comparison, Goertzel states:

...being a dissenter from orthodoxy is not difficult; the hard part is actually having a better
theory. Publishing dissenting theories is important when they are backed by plausible
evidence, but this does not mean giving critics 'equal time' to dissent from every finding by a
mainstream scientist.

— Goertzel, 2010[69]

Denialist community
Denialists often use their critique of the link between HIV and AIDS to promote alternative medicine as a
cure, and attempt to convince HIV-positive individuals to avoid ARV therapy in favour of vitamins,
massage, yoga and other unproven treatments.[70] Despite this promotion, denialists will often downplay
any association with alternative therapies, and attempt to portray themselves as "dissid