Comments on: The HIV Vaccine trial results are out! Onwards and upwards chaps… http://www.blue-genes.net/2009/10/the-hiv-vaccine-trial-results-are-out-onwards-and-upwards-chaps/ Young Scientists Discuss Both Good and Bad Science Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:46:17 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Richard Karpinski http://www.blue-genes.net/2009/10/the-hiv-vaccine-trial-results-are-out-onwards-and-upwards-chaps/comment-page-1/#comment-417 Richard Karpinski Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:58:14 +0000 http://www.blue-genes.net/?p=301#comment-417 Results of clinical trials conducted by folks who would benefit financially from a positive result need to be viewed with some skepticism since money doesn't talk, it swears. The former editor of NEJM holds a similar view and says so. If you look a bit closer, you might be startled to notice that HIV is not a significantly sexually transmitted disease at all. Several studies indicate that seroconversion happens less than one tenth of one percent of the incidents of unprotected intercourse with an HIV positive partner. That's so close to zero that other causes seem more likely than infection from a sexual partner. Indeed, HIV is not detected by HIV tests. Only antibodies are claimed to be detected. When there are antibodies, we are protected from the virus. That's why vaccines ever work. Furthermore, the existing HIV tests can be fooled by any number of other conditions, including pregnancy, TB, and multiple blood transfusions. Army stats on entering soldiers say rates of males with positive HIV tests are roughly equal to those of females with positive results. If those positive results portended death from AIDS, we'd have lots of never tested females dying. But we don't. The ones that die are the ones that take the anti-HIV meds. Those meds are known to cause the very problem they are intended to prevent and many other life-threatening problems like liver failure as well. For more relevant data check Henry Bauer's blog or attend the Rethinking AIDS conference in Oakland early next month. And watch "House of Numbers" when it becomes available on DVD. Results of clinical trials conducted by folks who would benefit financially from a positive result need to be viewed with some skepticism since money doesn’t talk, it swears. The former editor of NEJM holds a similar view and says so.

If you look a bit closer, you might be startled to notice that HIV is not a significantly sexually transmitted disease at all. Several studies indicate that seroconversion happens less than one tenth of one percent of the incidents of unprotected intercourse with an HIV positive partner. That’s so close to zero that other causes seem more likely than infection from a sexual partner.

Indeed, HIV is not detected by HIV tests. Only antibodies are claimed to be detected. When there are antibodies, we are protected from the virus. That’s why vaccines ever work. Furthermore, the existing HIV tests can be fooled by any number of other conditions, including pregnancy, TB, and multiple blood transfusions.

Army stats on entering soldiers say rates of males with positive HIV tests are roughly equal to those of females with positive results. If those positive results portended death from AIDS, we’d have lots of never tested females dying. But we don’t. The ones that die are the ones that take the anti-HIV meds. Those meds are known to cause the very problem they are intended to prevent and many other life-threatening problems like liver failure as well.

For more relevant data check Henry Bauer’s blog or attend the Rethinking AIDS conference in Oakland early next month. And watch “House of Numbers” when it becomes available on DVD.

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