Horowitz has thoroughly demonstrated the plausibility and likelihood that aids virus was deliberately manmade it was deployed into populations in zaire, new york and san francisco it was a longterm biological weapons project that got a little out of control but its ok. Purpose we examined adolescents knowledge regarding the origin of hivaids and correlates of beliefs surrounding conspiracy theories in soweto, south africa. The propaganda of east german and soviet union started in 1983 after the prosoviet new delhi. January 01, 2005 aids is now more than a quartercentury old. Aids origin conspiracy theories in the united states and south africa 3. To improve public health results in the african american community, hivaids efforts must acknowledge the sources and meanings of rumors, include rumors as a. Conspiracy beliefs about the origin of hiv aids in four racialethnic groups. For a major worldwide health outbreak like hiv, the curiosity will without doubt be high. God sent the plague down to punish homosexuals and drug addicts. You can bet ebola was created to depopulate africa as well. The gay vaccine experiment and the outbreak of aids. In the past 20 or so years we have seen new diseases like hantavirus, ebola virus, legionnaires disease, lyme disease, chronic fatigue syndrome and tox. The earliest published reports clearly indicated that this disease was coming from a single source, which turned out to be polio vax sites in central africa. Grote discounts the green monkey theory and questions whether bovine visna.
The cia and aids conspiracy theories and alternative news. Jacques pepin joins steve paikin to discuss the origins of aids. While hiv conspiracy theories are hardly a new phenomenon, stretching as far back to the aids denialist campaigns of the early 1980s, the impact of these beliefs continues to confound many public healthcare efforts. The earliest evidence of its presence on the african continent dates from a plasma sample drawn in 1959 in what was then leopoldville, the belgian congo, and is now kinshasa, zaire. Although dismaying, it is not surprising that these conspiracy theories are so prevalent among black americans. Nonfiction and fiction books covering thirty years of aids score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. From patient zero to the events of the 20th century, dr. Pepin concludes that aids spread silently in africa for decades, fueled by urbanization and prostitution since the initial crossspecies infection. Who believes aids conspiracy theories and why leadership matters 4. These theorists state that using a vaccine that was found in primates contained the ancestor virus of hiv. The majority of hiv researchers subscribe to the bushmeat theory and raise several arguments against the opv theory. This chapter explores the origin and prevalence of conspiracy theories about aids. For all the devastation and suffering aids has caused worldwide, we have devoted surprisingly little attention to its beginnings.
Conspiracy beliefs about the origin of hiv and the role of the government in the aids epidemic are prevalent, particularly in the african american community. While various subgroups of the virus acquired human infectivity at different times, the global pandemic had its origins in the emergence of one specific strain hiv1 subgroup m in leopoldville in the belgian congo now kinshasa in the democratic republic of the. But only recently have scientists come to conclusions about where hiv came from. An inquiry into the origin of the aids epidemic 1988 and queer blood. Origin of aids linked to colonial practices in africa monday marks the 25th anniversary of the first report of aids. Key among these hiv origin theories is the so called cut hunter theory in which a human, allegedly african native, received a bloody wound or infected splash while preparing a chimpanzee carrying a similar virus i. American scientists created aids in a laboratory as a weapon to be used on enemies of the. Highest levels of conspiracy theories were found in women, and in african american and latino populations over a quarter of african americans and over a fifth of. According to pepins 2011 book, the origins of aids, the virus can be traced to a central african bush hunter in 1921, with colonial medical campaigns using improperly sterilized syringe and needles playing a key role in enabling a future epidemic. Theories explaining the origin of hiv aids was it a conspiracy. African american peoples aids conspiracy beliefs best understood.
Aids is caused by a human immunodeficiency virus hiv, which originated in nonhuman primates in central and west africa. Global aids origin conspiracy theory and the south african ecotype the earliest recorded south african aids conspiracy theory dating from the late 1980s claims that it was israeli scientists working with racist white south africans who manufactured and spread hiv goldstuck 1990. The earliest aids cases in america can be clearly traced back to the time period when the hepatitis b experiment began at the new york blood centre. Aids origin conspiracy theories in the united states and. Many people have heard the theory that aids is manmade. Graves postulates that aids was the culmination of biowarfare research conducted by the u.
Since the centers for disease control and prevention first reported the hivaids epidemic in 1981, rumors have persisted that the deadly virus was created by the cia to wipe out homosexuals and african americans. However, a lentivirus that is genetically similar to hiv has been found in chimpanzees and gorillas in western equatorial africa. The origins of aids, naturally, takes a look at the ultimate origins of aids, as a virus that somehow managed to cross over from the chimpanzee populations of westcentral africa a century ago to that regions human. Nov 26, 2016 origin of hiv aids human beings are known to be curious and would want to have an understanding as to why a certain situation is as it is. An inquiry into the origin of the aids epidemic and queer blood. Thirty percent of new york city blacks polled by the new york times october 29, 1990 actually believe aids is an ethnic weapon designed in a laboratory to infect and kill black people. The evidence of the laboratory birth of aids is lawyer boyd e. Quest for the origin of aidscontroversial book spurs. The secret aids genocide plot 1993, said that hiv is a genetically modified organism developed by u. Through more than 10 years of research comprising over 600 interviews and untold hours of library work, hooper has uncovered a complex, interlocking set of. People always talk, but in the case of hivaids, an argument can be made for some conspiracy theories. Rolling stone, 31992 issue 626, p54, 9p, 5bw authors.
However, conspiracy theories stemming from past aids denialism may impact hiv prevention and treatment efforts. However, conspiracy theories stemming from past aids denialism may impact hiv prevention and. The problem of vaccine contamination by fetal calf serum and its relationship to aids is the subject of a letter by j. Conspiracy beliefs about the origin of hivaids in four racial. The origin of aidshiv has always been a puzzle to the scientific world. In this compelling book, nicoli nattrass explores the social and political factors prolonging the erroneous belief that the american government manufactured the human immunodeficiency virus hiv to be used as a biological weapon, as. This is the most accepted and believed theory explaining the origin of hiv aids. There is the history of slavery and postcivil war jim. People always talk, but in the case of hiv aids, an argument can be made for some conspiracy theories.
Conspiracy beliefs about hiv are related to antiretroviral. The dermatologist alan cantwell, in selfpublished books entitled aids and the doctors of death. The idea that aids was created as part of a governmentled conspiracy to decimate the african american population remains salient to a. Hiv aids is one of the top five deadliest viruses in the modern century. Jun 17, 2019 while hiv conspiracy theories are hardly a new phenomenon, stretching as far back to the aids denialist campaigns of the early 1980s, the impact of these beliefs continues to confound many public healthcare efforts. It particularly examines sovieteast german propaganda that hiv is a u. Hivaids is one of the top five deadliest viruses in the modern century. The usa secret biology teams at various army labs created aids to depopulate africa. Aids was created in a laboratory to kill the people of. Aids was a chemical experiment sponsored by the cia that went awry.
Medical sciences unintentional role in introducing aids to the human population. The aids conspiracy is essential reading for anyone who is curious about why some people will not accept scientific facts about the nature, origin and lethality of hiv. Even today, the conspiracy theory has a number of highprofile believers. However, in 2009 a team of researchers investigating. The centre began injecting gay men with multiple doses of the experimental vaccine in november 1978. The origins of aids, naturally, takes a look at the ultimate origins of aids, as a virus that somehow managed to cross over from the chimpanzee populations of westcentral africa a century ago to that regions human population. Government and health officials, the authors add, must also address. Origin of aids linked to colonial practices in africa.
Apr 25, 2012 global aids origin conspiracy theory and the south african ecotype the earliest recorded south african aids conspiracy theory dating from the late 1980s claims that it was israeli scientists working with racist white south africans who manufactured and spread hiv goldstuck 1990. Through more than 10 years of research comprising over 600 interviews. Inspired by his own experiences working as an infectious diseases physician in africa, jacques pepin looks back to the early twentiethcentury events in africa that triggered the emergence of hiv aids and traces its subsequent development into the most dramatic and destructive epidemic. Since the centers for disease control and prevention first reported the hiv aids epidemic in 1981, rumors have persisted that the deadly virus was created by the cia to wipe out homosexuals and african americans. A number of conspiracy theorists have suggested that aids is actually a manmade disease. The conspiratorial move and the struggle for evidencebased medicine notes references.
It is now thirty years since the discovery of aids but its origins continue to puzzle doctors and scientists. Conspiracy theorist steve cokely has made allegations that jewish doctors have injected black babies with hiv. Grmeks definitive book history of aids, published in 1990 by princeton. On april 29 of that year the united states passed a federal quarantine act. Conspiracy beliefs about the origin of hivaids in four. African americans have many reasons to mistrust their government, and the health profession. Into the origin of the aids epidemic alan cantwell snippet view 1988. The virus how it began hiv before the age of aids the.
Jonas salk, which may have inadvertently infected its recipients with the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome aids. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. Conspiracy beliefs about the origin of hivaids in four racialethnic groups. In this compelling book, nicoli nattrass explores the social and political factors prolonging the erroneous belief that the american government manufactured the human immunodeficiency virus hiv to be used as a biological weapon, as well as the myths. White mans disease american indian aids conspiracy theories. As weiss stated, theories involving the cia in the origin of aids have gained wide acceptance. Grote bovine visna virus and the origin of the aids epidemic published in the journal of the royal london society of medicine in october 1988. Now, a decade postaids denialism, south africa has the largest antiretroviral therapy rollout worldwide. The true history of the origin of aids can be traced throughout the 20th century and back to 1878. Jun 04, 2006 origin of aids linked to colonial practices in africa monday marks the 25th anniversary of the first report of aids. The origin of aids and hiv may not be what you have learned.
They provide an objective third party explanation of these theories. The propaganda of east german and soviet union started in 1983 after the prosoviet new delhi newspaper, the patriot. In a new us study, by laura bogart of rand corporation and sheryl thorburn of oregon state university, one in seven african americans. Another common aids conspiracy is that it was created as america was launching programs to help fight cancer during richard nixons presidency in the early 1970s. In the 1980s and early 1990s, the outbreak of hiv and aids swept across the united states and rest of the world, though the disease originated decades earlier. That virus is known as simian immunodeficiency virus siv, and it was once widely thought to be harmless in chimpanzees. Understanding the origins and prevalence of aids conspiracy beliefs in the united states and south africa nicoli nattrass aids and society research unit, university of cape town, south africa abstract the human immunode. Aidshiv was first detected in early 1980s, among gays, haitians and black africans.
And as is the case with many other viruses, there are countless of conspiracy theories about the origin of the virus. Through critical reflection on the conspiracy theories told about the origins of hiv by american indians, we learned that many community. Since the centers for disease control and prevention first reported the hivaids epidemic in 1981, rumors have persisted that the deadly virus was created by. The polio vaccine cbc witness, 2004 on april 12, 1955 jonas salks polio vaccine was first licensed for public use in the u. Weiss, nature a highly accessible, impeccably referenced, scholarly work, which should be essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the role of conspiracy. It is rooted in a cold war plot that fanned a conspiracy theory about the origins of aids, earning a rebuke from the reagan administration, and now serves as a lesson about russian disinformation.
The disease has killed 20 million people worldwide, and it is estimated that 40 million more are infected with hiv human immunodeficiency virus, the virus that causes aids. Aids hiv was first detected in early 1980s, among gays, haitians and black africans. Since the early days of the aids epidemic, many bizarre and dangerous hypotheses have been advanced to explain the origins of the disease. In the early years of the aids epidemic, theories attempting to explain the origin of the disease ranged from the comic to the bizarre.
Dec 12, 2017 it is rooted in a cold war plot that fanned a conspiracy theory about the origins of aids, earning a rebuke from the reagan administration, and now serves as a lesson about russian disinformation. Best books about hivaids fiction and nonfiction 262. The majority of hiv researchers subscribe to the bushmeat theory and raise several arguments against the. In behold a pale horse 1991, radio broadcaster and author milton william cooper 19432001 proposed that aids was the result of a conspiracy to decrease the populations of blacks, hispanics, and homosexuals. Key among these hiv origin theories is the so called cut hunter theory in which a human, allegedly african native, received a bloody wound or infected splash while preparing a chimpanzee carrying a similar. Some conspiracy theorists believe the claim that aids was created by scientists to be false and to have originated from a communist cold war plot to destabilize the western world. A retired dermatologist named alan cantwell selfpublished a series of books advancing a similar thesis in the late eighties, while a dentist named leonard horowitz suggested that the aids crisis. Jacques pepins the origins of aids is an amazing book, one of those titles that will be cited by future generations of writers as a foundational text for its field. Before the 1980s, hiv was an unknown deadly disease. Conspiracy beliefs and knowledge about hiv origins among. The contamination targets of the conspiracy were labeled as africans or descendants of africans, either directly or by implication i.
Aids first appeared in equatorial africa, many scientists now believe. To obtain the trust of black communities, government and public health entities need to acknowledge the origin of conspiracy beliefs openly in the context of historical discrimination. This article is part of a series done by time examining different conspiracy theories throughout history. These theories often state that the disease was meant to deliberately wipe out a certain segment of the population in an act of genocide dr.
To continue, select file then save as from your browsers toolbar above. Most people believe that the origin of hiv, the aids virus, derives from some natural evolutionary event. In 2006 the aids epidemic was a quartercentury old. Prior research indicates that conspiracy beliefs are prevalent among african americans. Yet a significant minority of people in the united states us and south africa believe that hiv was deliberately created by scientists as a. Nonfiction and fiction books covering thirty years of aids score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Aids first appeared on the planet four to 20 years later, hooper says. The united states began a significant effort to investigate causes of epidemic diseases. According to this theory, sivcpz was transferred to humans as a result of chimps being killed and eaten, or their blood getting into cuts or wounds on a hunter. The origin of aids hiv has always been a puzzle to the scientific world. Understanding the origins and prevalence of aids conspiracy. Theories explaining the origin of hiv aids was it a.