This week, South African courts have struck down the right of AIDs denialists to conduct "treatments" that are not based on science. It was found that vitamin replacement therapy to replace anti-retroviral therapy violated the laws of South Africa, and that even the poorest South Africans could not be used in drug trials that are not based on scientific fact.
Persons led by Peter Duesberg deny that HIV causes AIDs. This approach has been called "AIDs denialism," and has been denounced by the leading researchers of the world, most definitively in the Durban Declaration, published in Nature magazine. MOre than 5,000 leading scientists made clear that every possible fact shows that HIV causes AIDs. Koch's postulates have been met, and progress against AIDs can only be made by recognizing that HIV causes AIDs. All education, prevention, and treatment programs must be based on the known scientific fact that HIV causes AIDS.
The AIDS denialists have certainly had the opportunity for free speech. They have published books, articles, and speeches. They are simply facing the consequences of their free speech.
Here are some sample statements of AIDs denialists, and rebutal:
"A simple double blind parallel treatment study, with flawless monitoring in the gathering of clear and specific data, would allow evidence based approach to this question, and would be a standard for the industry as opposed to the present dogmatic approach."
To the contrary, please see:
"If Professor Duesberg and others are wrong, nothing is lost."
Not according to the experts:
"The truth is that H.I.V. does exist, that it causes AIDS and that antiretroviral drugs can prevent H.I.V. transmission and death from AIDS. To deny these facts is not just wrong — it's deadly."
-John Moore Professor of microbiology and Immunology at Cornell University.
It is long past time to put this debate behind us. The cause of AIDs has been proven beyond doubt. Any individual or organization who says different has either buried their head in the sand, or is actively complicit with African despots who are using these despicable theories to deny proper education, prevention and treatment to their citizens.
This article is solely the opinion of the author, and of the studies and thousands of scientists quoted. The author urges all persons to support Africans and other victims of AIDs who request proper education, treatment and prevention.
James J. Murtagh, Jr. is a doctor of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine, and the Medical Director of several sleep laboratories in Southern Ohio. Dr. Murtagh extensively writes on medical ethics. Dr. Murtagh is the founder of a new (
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