PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Anniversary of a Medical Tragedy
by Questioning AIDS Saturday, Apr. 23, 2005 at 7:54 AM

Marking the anniversary of the announcement of HIV as the probable cause of AIDS

Today marks the 21st anniversary of the press conference where it was announced that HIV was the probable cause of AIDS. Since that fateful day, almost all discussion relating to other causes of the two original illnesses defined as AIDS have been marginalized, if not nullified.

Over the years 27 more diseases would be attributed to the effects of infection with this retrovirus. The definition of AIDS itself has also changed since then. The public has accepted all of this unquestioningly.
We seem to have no difficulty believing the contradictory information concerning HIV and AIDS. We don't bat an eye when we're told what amazing feats this retrovirus is capable of. Worst of all, we simply don't question. Period.

It's way past time to start asking basic questions about HIV and AIDS. Here's a beginner's list.
1. What are retroviruses, and what do they do?
2. How do HIV tests work?
3. Why is there no standard to determine HIV infection?
4. How can an immune system be producing antibodies yet still be considered to be fatally crippled?
5. Why hasn't HIV been isolated according to Koch's Postulates? And why should that concern you?
6. How can Africa (a large, rurally-populated continent) be ravaged by AIDS, yet the densely-populated West (Europe and the US) isn't?
7. Exactly how does HIV go about reducing T-cell counts? The story keeps changing. Why doesn't that seem to raise a red flag?
8. How accurate are T-cell counts in determining clinical health?
9. AIDS drugs come with long lists of side-effects, many of which are the same as the symptoms of AIDS. How do you know which symptom is AIDS and which is caused by the drugs?

These are just a handful of questions. Twenty-one years have passed. It's time to start asking very basic questions.

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