SCIENCE FICTIONS
by John Crewdson
http://www.sciencefictions.net/

‘ The tale of Dr. Robert Gallo’s role in the discovery of the virus that
causes AIDS is one of those stories that wouldn’t be believable as
fiction...Science Fictions is bursting with allegations leveled at Dr.
Gallo, his associates, rivals and enemies, that include deception,
misconduct, incompetence, fraud, sabotage, back-stabbing, double-dealing,
overstatements, half-truths, outright lies, a clandestine affair with a
co-worker, a bribery attempt, denials, evasions, coverups and serial
rewritings of history.’
— New York Times

‘ Scrupulously researched and sweeping... Science Fictions documents
enough treachery, negligence and megalomania to make even the most
trusting of readers skeptical of the scientific establishment.’
— Washington Post

‘ A gripping work with important implications...With incredible tenacity,
Crewdson reveals a biological research scandal that was significant,
frightening and, most of all, a testament to one reporter’s quest to
separate science fact from fiction.’
— Chicago Tribune

‘ Crewdson’s work is the most powerful and revealing since James Watson’s
The Double Helix...This is an awesomely documented prosecutorial brief
that concedes no credit to its target and yields him no doubts. If the
Gallo camp has a rebuttal, let’s hear it.’
— New Scientist

‘ No one knows whether someone in Gallo’s lab stole the French virus or if
it contaminated their samples through sloppy practice, and it really
doesn’t matter… And as Crewdson shows, the biggest discoveries in Gallo’s
career — his claim to have identified the virus that causes AIDS and the
patent on the AIDS blood test — both belong to someone else.’
— Baltimore Sun

‘ Robert Gallo’s hour was not the brightest for American science. In fact,
it may be one of the darkest. The two-decade-long sequence of events
described in John Crewdson’s new book resembles more the actions of a
megalomaniac intent more on self-promotion and profit than on a way to
stop the AIDS epidemic.’
— San Diego Union-Tribune

‘ I could hardly put the book down out of a mounting realization that this
was more than a story about human vanity and political corruption. Science
Fictions is ultimately a scientific detective story, with dramatic plot
twists, inspired sleuthing, and unlikely heroes. It’s a crime with many
victims, and one that is well worth the effort to understand.’
— Washington Monthly

‘ John Crewdson, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, has written a
detailed history of the events that led scientists to the cause of AIDS -
and it makes unpleasant reading for anyone who thought science was simply
about the pursuit of truth. Instead, a picture emerges of deliberate
falsehoods, exaggerated claims and denigrating criticism.’
— The Independent (London)

‘ Crewdson’s squalid tale of grasping self-interest in the face of a
devastating epidemic is told through court documents, reports from
internal NIH and congressional investigative committees and interviews.
The enormous amount of evidence which the author has gathered in favor of
the French seems convincing.’
— Los Angeles Times

‘ Science Fictions is about scientists behaving very, very badly.
Crewdson’s research is thorough, his writing brisk.’
— Edmonton Journal

‘ A compelling case that Gallo claimed and obtained recognition for
research that had, in fact, been accomplished by the French...this book is
a successful indictment of Gallo, whom history will probably judge to have
been guilty of excessive zeal in the pursuit of scientific glory.’
— Montreal Gazette

‘ Was Gallo’s behavior so extreme as to be anomalous, or was it to some
extent encouraged by what Crewdson calls a “hypercompetitive” scientific
culture? If Science Fictions forces scientists to address these difficult
questions — and it should — it will have served its purpose.’
— New York Times Book Review

‘ Science Fictions is a profoundly disturbing account, demonstrating that
even brilliant minds may trade truth for fame or fortune...John Crewdson
has written a masterpiece.’
— Providence Journal-Bulletin

‘ Comprehensive and compelling...The level of drama here is
unprecedented…Crewdson is able to weave a story that is impossible to put
down.’
— Publishers Weekly

‘ A meticulous account of slippery science that develops slowly into a
panoramic view of the biomedical world.’
— Kirkus Reviews

On Mon, 03 May 2004 18:03:11 -0400, "PaulKing"
<aimulti@aimultimedia.com> wrote:

wobble wobble wobble...HIV exists, doesn't cause AIDS...oops, nope,
doesn't exist! Oh dear, what's next!!
Gallo, Gallo...blah, blah. Denialists have a Gallo fixation!

He didn't discover HIV anyway! LOL.

So now the great circle of cognitive dissonance of "dissidents" will
begin again and they'll womble around with silly questions dribbling
from their lips, ignoring the replies and then flap over to the next
mystery of conspiracy to squeal about: "ooh, but look at THIS!" ...
and ignore the response...

And then pronounce, maybe, AIDS is THIS! Or THAT! Based on evidence
that is readily refuted and bearing virtually no correlation.

Meanwhile, the HIV+ denialists who DO have access to treatment will
say, "gee, I feel great" but sadly wind up as dead as Pasquarelli.

Meanwhile REAL problems are ignored. GENUINE questions that need
answers fail to be addressed. And millions of men, women and children
die while fools like Mbeki and Manto buy this codswallop while people
die all around them.

It would be funny if it wasn't so terribly sick. Denialists have a
DIFFERENT kind of AIDS: Acquired Intelligence Deficiency Syndrome.

George M. Carter

The 'AIDS' you have is the American Invention to Discourage Sex.

What a stupid ramble of a post. Pathetic!

On Tue, 04 May 2004 16:19:27 -0400, "PaulKing"
<aimulti@aimultimedia.com> wrote:

Not in the slightest. Look, even if HIV was cured and went away
tomorrow, condoms would STILL be a good idea to a) prevent unwanted
pregnancies and b) prevent unwanted syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia...

It's not a bad idea, honey bunches.

Nor is it a bad idea to have less sex or choose to reduce the number
of partners one has. As a personal choice. It is not bad to be
abstinent either, if one chooses that, it's just few do for their
entire lives!

And it's REALLY boneheaded moronic "just say no" thinking that does
not work to have "abstinence only." But that's our Bush! Brains god
gave a CAEV-infected goat.

George M. Carter

"prevent unwanted
pregnancies and b) prevent unwanted syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia..."

What nonsense.


"The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the
National Institutes of Health, released the report compiled by the panel
of 28 experts, who analyzed about 138 published studies on the use of
condoms during penile-vaginal intercourse.

"There was a lack of evidence to help us make a definitive conclusion
about the effectiveness of condoms," said panel member Dr. Timothy
Schacker, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota"

P.S. I never suggested saying 'no'.

Sex is very safe and I tell everyone to just say 'yes'.

With a glove, its not love!

"On the standards of Dr. Gallo's laboratory record-keeping, the report
said, "Especially in the light of the ground-breaking nature of this
research and its profound public health implications, O.R.I. believes that
the careless and unacceptable keeping of research records reflects
irresponsible laboratory management that has permanently impaired the
ability to trace the important steps taken." "

Report of Federal Enquiry

On Tue, 04 May 2004 22:27:47 -0400, "PaulKing"
<aimulti@aimultimedia.com> wrote:

Oh. Right. Syphilis hasn't been proven to exist.

So once again, you seem incapable of including a citation...

snip
What is the efficacy of NOT using a condom?

It's an idea called harm reduction.

But such cowardice is political and not unexpected. Most panels on HIV
can't make a recommendation for people to use a multi, even though
there are scads of data.

I wonder how many people HIV+ denialists are infecting because they
buy this particularly heinous and foolish idea. How much this serves
to promote the most dangerous aspects of barebacking?

See...this is where the rubber hits the road, as it were. When your
little armchair theorizing about HIV's existence turns its febrile
attention on public policy issues and frame arguments that support
boneheaded ideas like "abstinence only" as the other extreme of
stupidity from never wearing a condom, then I put it to you that your
ideas are murderously stupid.

George M. Carter