Does HIV cause AIDS?

February 2007

Dear Friend:

Over time, stories have appeared in the media highlighting the views of AIDS denialists or HIV critics, —those who claim that HIV is not the cause of AIDS. These articles seem like “good copy” in the sense that they spawn controversy and reader response. However, many AIDS educators and public health officials are concerned that these views, if left unchallenged, undermine efforts to teach safer sex and safer drug-using behaviors. Others fear that the denialists may confuse and discourage people from seeking treatment from their doctors.

To illustrate the seriousness of the issue, we offer the following quote: “One West Hollywood man who has seen dissident literature is enthralled with the idea that HIV does not cause AIDS. ‘I did test positive,’ he says, ‘but I just tell my partners that I’m negative.’ This man, who wishes to keep his name as anonymous as his HIV status, also keeps his dissident views private. ‘To try to explain everything to someone you’ve just met is simply too confusing. And since HIV is harmless being positive and negative is the same thing.’ He looks up casually, ‘Isn’t it?’” (“True Unbelievers” by Stuart Timmons, New Age Journal).

Readers and viewers are often impressed with the arguments made in these “news” stories. Without understanding the basic scientific issues, many people have little basis for assessing what they’re reading. In our experience, few have had the chance, or taken the time to read the information which led scientists to conclude that HIV is the cause of AIDS. Indeed, these HIV critics show little awareness of this information themselves. Although the case for the causality of HIV is largely old news and doesn’t warrant column space, the denialists’ stories sometimes get recycled—seemingly to sell periodicals and air time.

In the interest of providing readers with information about HIV as the cause of AIDS, we supply the attached document for your information. It is a summary of the evidence collected over the last 20 years that has led to the nearly universal consensus that HIV is the primary cause of AIDS. It represents the work of hundreds of scientists and references several hundred scientific papers on this matter. HIV critics make the argument that “there isn’t a single scientific paper which proves that HIV is the cause of AIDS.” In a sense, they are correct. The argument is made not by a single paper, but by hundreds of them.

Another resource, www.aidstruth.org, is a collaboration of researchers and community advocates. The website provides ongoing discussion about new and recycled theories from AIDS denialists.

Sincerely,

Project Inform staff and volunteers