World's Foremost HIV Denier dies of...

[Iason Ouabache]

Go ahead.  Guess what the biggest leader of the HIV Denial fucktards died of.  Give up?  Pneumonia.  Awfully suspicious, eh?  Or rather, not suspicious at all.

http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=449

Christine Maggiore was a major figure in the HIV denial community - those who deny that the human immunodeficiency virus is the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Maggiore died at 52 at home on December 26th. At this time there is no official cause of death, but she was treated over the last six months for pneumonia, according to reports.

Maggiore founded Alive & Well, a group dedicated to the notion that HIV does not cause AIDS, in 1993 and since that time has been a fervent advocate of so-called HIV denial. In fact she argued that her own survival as an untreated person with HIV was evidence that HIV does not cause AIDS. It is now recognized, however, that some people have inherent resistance to HIV and researchers are learning more about the genetics of such resistance.

Maggiore's dedication to HIV denial, however, still had tragic consequences. She decided to breast feed both her children, despite the fact that breast feeding increases the risk of contracting the virus. Her daughter, Eliza, died at the age of 3 apparently from pneumonia that was likely an opportunistic infection due to advanced AIDS. She never had her children tested or treated for HIV.  Her pediatrician, interestingly, was anti-vaccine crank Dr. Jay Gordon. He claims to support the conclusion that HIV causes AIDS, but his website used to contain some squirely comments on HIV that suggested he may have had some denialist sympathies.

Maggiore never acknowledged that her daughter's death was due to HIV or AIDS. The HIV denial community rallied around her, claiming the death was due to an allergic reaction to amoxicillin. Denial is a powerful thing.

The autopsy report is unequivocal. There was strong evidence that Eliza had an advanced case of AIDS from HIV, including AIDS encephalitis (brain infection). Her cause of death was pneumocystis carinii pneumonia caused by AIDS - this is a common opportunistic infection in AIDS and extremely rare in an immunocompetent individual. The autopsy left no reasonable doubt that Eliza died from complications of AIDS.

But of course there is always room for unreasonable doubt.

The evidence that HIV causes AIDS is now overwhelming. There are always deeper complexities to such questions, but the basic fact the a viral infection causes the clinical syndrome of AIDS is well-established. Treatments aimed at HIV delay the onset of AIDS and have greatly extended the life expectancy of HIV positive patients.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What a horrible human being.

[Kai]

Thats horrible. Fuck.

Its ironic too, though, that the leader of a denial group would die of the thing she doesn't believe exists.

[Iason Ouabache]

Thats horrible. Fuck.

Its ironic too, though, that the leader of a denial group would die of the thing she doesn't believe exists.

Not that ironic.  She didn't become a denier until after she tested positive.  She always pointed out that the fact that she was still alive was proof that HIV didn't cause AIDS. Even called the group she founded Alive and Well.  I wonder if they'll change the name now.

[Jenne]

"Alive For Now"?

People like this I like to say get "what they deserve."  Sounds bitchy, but reading about stuff like this tends to make me feel that way.

[Iason Ouabache]

No, I feel the same way, Jenne.  The problem is that they care a lot of innocent people down with them.

Ben Goldacre also had a good article about her:

http://www.badscience.net/2009/01/what-if-everything-you-thought-you-knew-about-aids-was-wrong/

Maggiore decided that HIV does not cause Aids, and that antiretroviral drugs do not treat it. She was HIV positive, which the media loved. She declined to take ARV drugs and specifically decided not to take HIV drugs during her pregnancy, despite the strong evidence that they massively lower the risk of maternal transmission. She insisted on breastfeeding her children, even though it has been shown that this increases the risk of maternal transmission. She also refused to have her children tested for HIV. Her daughter, Eliza Jane Scovill, died three years ago. The coroner attributed the death to Aids and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. She was three years old.

I have no idea how she didn't get arrested for child endangerment and/or man slaughter.

[Kai]

Thats horrible. Fuck.

Its ironic too, though, that the leader of a denial group would die of the thing she doesn't believe exists.

Not that ironic.  She didn't become a denier until after she tested positive.  She always pointed out that the fact that she was still alive was proof that HIV didn't cause AIDS. Even called the group she founded Alive and Well.  I wonder if they'll change the name now.

You'd think that LOW ANTIBODY COUNT would make it fucking obvious, but I guess not.

[P3nT4gR4m]

Go ahead.  Guess what the biggest leader of the HIV Denial fucktards died of.  Give up?  Pneumonia.  Awfully suspicious, eh?  Or rather, not suspicious at all.

http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=449

Christine Maggiore was a major figure in the HIV denial community - those who deny that the human immunodeficiency virus is the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Maggiore died at 52 at home on December 26th. At this time there is no official cause of death, but she was treated over the last six months for pneumonia, according to reports.

Maggiore founded Alive & Well, a group dedicated to the notion that HIV does not cause AIDS, in 1993 and since that time has been a fervent advocate of so-called HIV denial. In fact she argued that her own survival as an untreated person with HIV was evidence that HIV does not cause AIDS. It is now recognized, however, that some people have inherent resistance to HIV and researchers are learning more about the genetics of such resistance.

Maggiore's dedication to HIV denial, however, still had tragic consequences. She decided to breast feed both her children, despite the fact that breast feeding increases the risk of contracting the virus. Her daughter, Eliza, died at the age of 3 apparently from pneumonia that was likely an opportunistic infection due to advanced AIDS. She never had her children tested or treated for HIV.  Her pediatrician, interestingly, was anti-vaccine crank Dr. Jay Gordon. He claims to support the conclusion that HIV causes AIDS, but his website used to contain some squirely comments on HIV that suggested he may have had some denialist sympathies.

Maggiore never acknowledged that her daughter's death was due to HIV or AIDS. The HIV denial community rallied around her, claiming the death was due to an allergic reaction to amoxicillin. Denial is a powerful thing.

The autopsy report is unequivocal. There was strong evidence that Eliza had an advanced case of AIDS from HIV, including AIDS encephalitis (brain infection). Her cause of death was pneumocystis carinii pneumonia caused by AIDS - this is a common opportunistic infection in AIDS and extremely rare in an immunocompetent individual. The autopsy left no reasonable doubt that Eliza died from complications of AIDS.

But of course there is always room for unreasonable doubt.

The evidence that HIV causes AIDS is now overwhelming. There are always deeper complexities to such questions, but the basic fact the a viral infection causes the clinical syndrome of AIDS is well-established. Treatments aimed at HIV delay the onset of AIDS and have greatly extended the life expectancy of HIV positive patients.

This is newsfeed/memebomb material!

[Cain]

No, I feel the same way, Jenne.  The problem is that they care a lot of innocent people down with them.

Ben Goldacre also had a good article about her:

http://www.badscience.net/2009/01/what-if-everything-you-thought-you-knew-about-aids-was-wrong/

Maggiore decided that HIV does not cause Aids, and that antiretroviral drugs do not treat it. She was HIV positive, which the media loved. She declined to take ARV drugs and specifically decided not to take HIV drugs during her pregnancy, despite the strong evidence that they massively lower the risk of maternal transmission. She insisted on breastfeeding her children, even though it has been shown that this increases the risk of maternal transmission. She also refused to have her children tested for HIV. Her daughter, Eliza Jane Scovill, died three years ago. The coroner attributed the death to Aids and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. She was three years old.

I have no idea how she didn't get arrested for child endangerment and/or man slaughter.

I take its she's American?  I'm pretty sure in the UK, that knowingly partaking in activity which could infect someone, without taking the necessary precautions, is considered a crime.  There was an infected man, who used to have unprotected sex with women, who was prosecuted in a landmark case, I believe.

Of course, this could be an entirely different country and I just remember it being reported on.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

No, I feel the same way, Jenne.  The problem is that they care a lot of innocent people down with them.

Ben Goldacre also had a good article about her:

http://www.badscience.net/2009/01/what-if-everything-you-thought-you-knew-about-aids-was-wrong/

Maggiore decided that HIV does not cause Aids, and that antiretroviral drugs do not treat it. She was HIV positive, which the media loved. She declined to take ARV drugs and specifically decided not to take HIV drugs during her pregnancy, despite the strong evidence that they massively lower the risk of maternal transmission. She insisted on breastfeeding her children, even though it has been shown that this increases the risk of maternal transmission. She also refused to have her children tested for HIV. Her daughter, Eliza Jane Scovill, died three years ago. The coroner attributed the death to Aids and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. She was three years old.

I have no idea how she didn't get arrested for child endangerment and/or man slaughter.

I take its she's American?  I'm pretty sure in the UK, that knowingly partaking in activity which could infect someone, without taking the necessary precautions, is considered a crime.  There was an infected man, who used to have unprotected sex with women, who was prosecuted in a landmark case, I believe.

Of course, this could be an entirely different country and I just remember it being reported on.

There was a similar landmark case in Oregon in the early 90's, where my friend Shawn and her family sued her ex-boyfriend for knowingly having unprotected sex while infected with HIV. Unfortunately, Shawn died of AIDS before the case was won.

It is illegal in Oregon to knowingly expose someone to HIV. Unfortunately, I don't think that's true in all states, and furthermore, children don't have the same rights as adults, and if the mother refuses to have them tested there's basically no recourse.

[Cain]

Shit.  That really, really sucks, beyond expression.

[Richter]

Well, her pool's closed now.

Still, shit.

[Iason Ouabache]

Didn't see this before, but it's at the very bottom of the AP story:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hLV5-uH0jNm_LWiyeDcj7yEHS4iAD95DAKP00

In 2005, her daughter, Eliza Jane Scovill, died at age 3. The girl had never had an HIV test. The county coroner's office concluded she died of pneumonia related to an advanced case of AIDS.

The county district attorney's office in 2006 declined to file criminal charges, noting that the girl's parents had taken her to several doctors.

A toxicologist who served on the advisory board of Maggiore's group concluded the girl died as a result of an allergic reaction to an antibiotic. Maggiore sued the county last year, contending that the conclusion of the autopsy lacked proper medical and scientific evidence. The case is pending.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Yeah saw that. Fucking evil.

[Vene]

I fucking hate pseudoscience.