Thanks to Jim Chin for attempting to shatter the ‘we are all vulnerable’ myth.
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'AIDS activists spread HIV/AIDS myths', says former world health
organisation and expert
UNAIDS and AIDS activists are circulating misconceptions about the
AIDS pandemic according to a former WHO AIDS epidemiologist.
A myth-shattering book by the WHO's former Chief AIDS epidemiologist
published today exposes the extent that AIDS programmes developed by
international agencies and faith-based organizations are politically
correct but epidemiologically inaccurate.
The AIDS Pandemic: the collision of epidemiology with political
correctness by James Chin is the first book to provide an objective
assessment of the AIDS pandemic. The clear and rational conclusions
subvert the prevailing position of UNAIDS and most AIDS activists.
During the past couple of decades, a case has been made by UNAIDS and
many public health authorities and organizations that AIDS must be
seen as a risk for whole populations globally. Chin disputes this.
The AIDS Pandemic argues that: (1) AIDS has a different pattern in
different countries based on behaviours and for some countries it is
better to target high risk groups than dilute resources in
interventions aimed at the general population; (2) rates of disease
projected by public health agencies are often higher than the
epidemiology would support and (3) social determinants are less
relevant for AIDS transmission than patterns of sexual behaviour and
opportunities for parenteral exposure.
Chin contends that HIV prevalence is low in most populations
throughout the world and can be expected to remain low, not because
of effective HIV prevention programmes, but simply because HIV
infection rates can rise only to the level permitted by the
prevailing patterns and prevalence of HIV risk behaviours. This
epidemiologically sound conclusion explains past and current HIV
patterns and prevalence, but has been minimised and ignored by UNAIDS
and AIDS activists. UNAIDS' more politically and socially acceptable
message is that HIV risk behaviours are present in all populations
and therefore all populations are at high risk of HIV epidemics.
Yet no such spread into any general population outside of sub-Saharan
Africa has occurred! In well over 100 IDU (injecting drug users)
and/or MSM (men who have sex with men) epidemics documented
worldwide, no significant spread to the general population has
occurred except to the regular sex partners of infected IDUs or
bisexual MSM.
The book argues that that scarce public health resources in low HIV
prevalence countries are being wasted on prevention programmes
directed to the general public and all youth when they should be
targeted primarily to those at the highest risk of contracting HIV.
In its review and evaluation of the unique natural history of HIV and
its basic epidemiology, Chin's book will lead to a reappraisal of the
validity of the prevailing view of HIV/AIDS, and a better
understanding of the most probable past, present and future of the
pandemic.
About the author: James (Jim) Chin was the State Epidemiologist
responsible for communicable disease control when the first AIDS
cases were recognised and reported in southern California. He then
worked from 1987 until 1992 as the WHO's Chief of the Surveillance,
Forecasting and Impact Assessment (SFI) Unit of the Global Programme
on AIDS (GPA) and developed their methods and guidelines for
surveillance of the AIDS pandemic. He is currently a Clinical
Professor of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of
California at Berkeley. He is available for interview.
UNAIDS is the Joint United Nations Progamme on HIV/AIDS.
The AIDS Pandemic: the collision of epidemiology with political
correctness is published by Radcliffe Publishing at ?27.50 (ISBN
97681846191183). For orders, please call 01235 528820 or email:
orders@radcliffemed.com.
For all media enquiries to Radcliffe Publishing please contact
Felicity Howlett on 01235 528820 or email fhowlett@radcliffemed.com.
Bound proof copies are now available.
