From TPAN: HIV is the Cause
of AIDS
HIV is not the cause of AIDS.”
As hard as it may be to believe, there is a small, but visible
(at present at least) group of people who believe this. Despite
overwhelming evidence to the contrary, there are some “scientists,”
“medical experts” and “community leaders”
who say HIV is not the cause of AIDS. Call them HIV “dissidents,”
“denialists,” “non-believers,” “right-wing
fringe,” “AIDS-phobic,” or whatever else you
like. I call people who believe this uninformed and gullible.
I call the leaders of this farce crackpots, jerks and dangerous.
What I’d like to call them is “gone.” But unfortunately,
with the President of South Africa giving them seeming legitimacy
by appointing them to his panel on AIDS, they have once again
surfaced on a national and international scale.
Scientific evidence, as well
as plain old personal experiences, overwhelmingly proves the
link between HIV and AIDS. Technology now allows portions
of the actual virus to be isolated in persons who have tested
positive for HIV antibodies (“the AIDS test”). HIV
positive individuals who were extremely ill with depleted
immune systems and one or more opportunistic infections (OIs)
have had dramatic improvements in health after starting anti-HIV
medications. In some cases, previously healthy individuals
who were exposed to HIV-contaminated blood through accidental
needle sticks have tested positive for HIV and later developed
AIDS. HIV infection and AIDS cases that result from blood
transfusions have nearly been eliminated now that blood is
screened for HIV. All of these provide evidence of the link
between HIV and AIDS.
Believing that HIV is not
the cause of AIDS is dangerous as well as wrong. The danger
comes in two forms–increasing the transmission of HIV
and not seeking proper medical care. If one does not believe
HIV leads to AIDS then the need to practice safer sex is no
longer relevant as it relates to AIDS. While safer sex is
important for reducing other sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs), most of the increased use of condoms and other safer
sex techniques are attributable to fear of HIV, not other
STDs. If you do not believe in HIV, then it is not a huge
leap to assume safer sex is a lower priority for you. After
all, condom use was not very high before HIV came on the scene.
Another danger created by
HIV “non-believers” is discouraging people from
seeking proper medical care. Whether it is starting anti-HIV
medications or simply regularly monitoring your health, proper
medical care is vital. The single most critical factor in
living with HIV is proper and timely medical care.
Do not be confused–HIV
is the underlying cause of AIDS. While there are a number
of factors that determine how fast the disease progresses,
there is no doubt that HIV is the cause. But as tens of thousands
of us who are HIV positive are proving every day, being HIV
positive is not the end of life. Some of us are fighting HIV
with the current drug combinations. Others are using “alternative”
approaches, such as herbs, exercise, yoga and relaxation techniques.
The approaches vary, but for many the result is the same–an
active, productive life. The important factor is to remain
“Committed to Living.”
Dennis Hartke
Executive Director
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