The Durban Declaration is not accepted by all (original) (raw)

Nature volume 407, page 286 (2000)Cite this article

Sir — In response to recent action by President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and in advance of the International Conference on HIV/AIDS held in Durban on 9–14 July, the Durban Declaration1 was prepared by a committee representing a consensus of “181 scientists and front line physicians”. Before publication in Nature, it was circulated: “To get as many names of scientists and doctors to sign on. Names of signatories will appear on the Nature website. If you would like to sign on, we would be delighted. Send me an e-mail confirming this. To economize space on the website, we have to name people in a single line. Many of you will say that HIV/AIDS is not your area. However, over the years you have heard enough of the arguments to understand the association. Furthermore, many of you know well infectious diseases and understand Koch's postulates. If you have colleagues in the laboratory or in the clinic who you feel would like to sign, please ask them. The more the better. However, please note that in order to be authoritative we feel it necessary to restrict the list to those with major university qualifications.” This is an extract from the circular distributed on behalf of the organizing committee which included Luc Montagnier, Catherine Wilfert, David Baltimore, Sir Aaron Klug (as President of the UK Royal Society), and many other well-known names and organizations from developing countries as well as from the West.

Briefly, the authors of the declaration state that AIDS/HIV is spreading as a pandemic now affecting 34 million people, of whom 24 million are in sub-Saharan Africa. They say the disease began there as a viral infection of chimpanzees and monkeys conveyed somehow to humans, and is now spreading worldwide by heterosexual and mother-to-infant transmission. The authors consider that their evidence supporting this hypothesis is “clear-cut, exhaustive and unambiguous”; that most people with these infections will develop AIDS within 5–10 years unless treated; and that “there is no end in sight” until research based on their hypothesis leads to a vaccine to supplement safe sex, health education and other, simpler approaches to avoidance and prevention.

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References

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  1. Emeritus Professor of Public Health, University of Glasgow, 3 Lexden Terrace, Tenby, SA70 7BJ, Pembrokeshire, UK
    Gordon T. Stewart MD

Authors

  1. Gordon T. Stewart MD

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Stewart MD, G. The Durban Declaration is not accepted by all.Nature 407, 286 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35030200

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