Does HIV cause AIDS? The AIDS Controversy
Does HIV cause AIDS? The AIDS Controversy
"Science is nothing but perception" ---Plato---
In the first part of my discussion on the HIV/AIDS controversy, I discussed some of the reasons some people were unwilling to believe that HIV causes AIDS. I did not focus on the scientific community nor did I explain how the science handles data that conflicts with accepted scientific theory. This essay will explore these themes. It will concentrate on the scientific establishment and how it formulates its theories and the HIV/AIDS controversy within that context. Specifically, it will examine how shifts in current theories happen and how this is relevant to the HIV/AIDS situation.
WHAT IS THE HIV/AIDS CONTROVERSY? The HIV/AIDS controversy centers around the premise that in spite of the seemingly overwhelming evidence that HIV causes AIDS, there is an impressive audience of scientists who contend that HIV does not cause AIDS. The grounds these scientists give for refuting HIV's role in AIDS are quite persuasive. These grounds range from innocuous banter to claims that HIV is harmless. In order for a scientific revolution to take place, as will be discussed later, only empirical evidence is acceptable as grounds for change.
To determine weather or not enough evidence exists to constitute a controversy, I had to research the role of the HIV virus. In my research I found one article that claims Gallo, the co-founder of the HIV virus, never proves that HIV isolation is possible let alone that it has a specific role in the AIDS virus. It states, "The data and arguments that have been presented by Gallo and his colleagues do not constitute proof of HIV isolation or an unambiguous role for HIV in the pathogenesis of AIDS." (Gallo Article, P. 11) The article further states, " while the HIV antibody tests are useful prognostic markers in the high risk groups, their use as diagnostic and epedemiological tools for HIV infection is questionable." (Gallo Article, P. 11) This is important, because if isolation of HIV is dubious, then all of the research efforts connected with and an AIDS treatment and cure are fruitless. Another important question to ask is if this information is correct, how will the scientific community handle it? Will the community choose to ignore the proof as trivial or will it find some way to explain it so that it can be incorporated into entrenched existing theories?
THE SCIENTISTS BEHIND THE CONTROVERSY One...