The Founder Of The Aids Epidem Term paper

While the free essays can give you inspiration for writing, they cannot be used 'as is' because they will not meet your assignment's requirements. If you are in a time crunch, then you need a custom written term paper on your subject (the founder of the aids epidem)
Here you can hire an independent writer/researcher to custom write you an authentic essay to your specifications that will pass any plagiarism test (e.g. Turnitin). Waste no more time!

Medicine and science are highly regarded and respected institutions among the American public. Many people do not understand or care to understand the medical or scientific jargon that is used to describe specific phenomena. Most trust that doctors and scientists are forthcoming and honest in their presentations of medical and scientific announcements. Therefore, there are rarely challenges posed to those who declare scientific or medical breakthroughs. However, many scientists have been exposed for misleading of millions of innocent and trusting people. In search for fame and fortune, many doctors and scientists make misleading or false statements to the public for the advancement of their own careers.

Doctor Robert Gallo, is one such man. Dr. Gallo is recognized for his research into the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and was awarded the first scientific prize from the American Foundation of AIDS Research in 1987 for his achievements.(1) Gallo completed his undergraduate work at Providence College in 1959 and earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in 1963. He was the head of the Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology for the National Institute of Health until 1995. (6) He then assumed the position of director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland.

In 1984, Dr. Gallo, then the director of the Laboratory for Tumor Cell Biology at the National Cancer Institute, claimed to discover the virus that causes AIDS. (1) He also affirmed to have devised a test for the presence of antibodies to the virus and was able to grow in abundance the virus needed for research. At a press conference held in April of 1984, Dr. Gallo announced with the presence of Margaret Heckler, then the secretary of Health and Human Services, that he had found the probable cause of AIDS. (8) This virus, which he called HTLV-III, is a retrovirus that would later be referred to as HIV. Health Secretary Margaret Heckler declared that today we add another miracle to the long honor roll of American Medicine and Science. Today s discovery represents the triumph of science over a dreaded disease. (8) All speculations about the AIDS cause immediately stopped. From this moment, the theory that HIV causes AIDS is accepted nationwide and hope is increased among the common public. The public was exhilarated with the prospect of vaccines for the prevention of AIDS. They cheered the idea that lives could be saved. Blood banks and transfusions would now be safer and blood work dealing with AIDS could be more accurate.

With this announcement, Dr. Gallo publicly avoided the scientific process in which peer review and analysis are standard procedure. The announcement was made prior to the publication of the articles presenting the evidence. A firm rule of scientific publication discourages this practice. (2) It impedes the critical evaluations because scientists cannot comment on research that they haven t seen. In addition, prepublication praise causes scientists to see in the articles only what the media has supported. In fact, some research that was found indicated that only fifty percent of Gallo s sample patients had any trace of HIV.(4) Even though very few scientists supported Dr. Gallo, his claims were undisputed, for a while, simply due to the fact that he supported by the Federal Government.

Coincidentally, in 1983, Luc Montagnier, a scientist at the Pasteur Institute in France reported the discovery of a virus that might be the cause of AIDS.(5) The Pasteur Institute had consulted Dr. Robert Gallo before the public announcement of their findings. Because of the prestige and influence he held among those of the science community in the United States, they felt that Gallo s reputation could help them advance their research of the virus and provide the means to preside over international research.(4) When the Pasteur Institute actually submitted their original finding to Nature, the submission was rejected with comments suggesting that the virus that they claimed to find was contaminated in their laboratory.(4) They were urged to wait a while before making their finding officially known. Coincidentally, on the day prior to the historical press conference, the New York Times published an article giving the Pasteur Institute full credit for isolating a new retrovirus, proving that it caused AIDS and developing a test to detect it. (4) The next day, with little regard for the French claim, U.S. scientists at the National Cancer Institute under Dr. Robert Gallo, announced the discovery of such a virus, the probable cause of AIDS. ONE day later, Dr. Gallo also contended to have a test, which indicated the presence of antibodies associated with the virus.(5) Within one year, the test was licensed and patented. Dr. Gallo s blood test was a simultaneous discovery with that of the Pasteur Institute. Earlier that same year the Pasteur team applied for a blood test patent in the U.S. and was stalled.(5) Gallo s application was lodged concurrently and was granted immediately.

Dr. Robert Gallo had intentionally misled colleagues, as well as the greater portion of the American public, to gain credit for himself and diminish credit due to the French competitors. French officials filed a complaint charging that HTLV-III is LAV. LAV is the name of the French strain of the virus. The French attempted seek an equal share of credit and royalties.(4) The National Cancer Institute investigated the charges and denied France s claim.

Later, the Federal office of Research Integrity began a full investigation of Dr. Gallo s claims to the AIDS virus. The Department of Health and Human Services for final review of scientific misconduct cases created the Office of Research Integrity.(5) Dr. Gallo faced many questions concerning his scientific claims since the publication in Science Magazine in 1984. Investigators believed that Dr. Gallo was guilty of taking credit for the work of the French. Some even believed that Dr. Gallo might have taken the virus that the French were studying and claimed it as his own. Dr. Gallo s assistant, Dr. Mikula Popovic, a Czechoslovak immigrant was also charged with scientific misconduct. (5)

A report issued by the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) stated that Dr. Robert Gallo had misled colleagues by claiming that he had cultured an AIDS virus in his laboratory for research and that he had not studied or grown the similar French strain...

You should cite this paper as follows:

MLA Style
. EssayMania.com. Retrieved on 24 May, 2012 from
    <http://essaymania.com/144281/the-founder-of-the-aids-epidem>

More College Papers

Julius Caesar essay
All people have definite concepts of self. In different situations, one may feel short, tall, smart, slow, fast, talkative, reserved, etceteras. These self-concepts are usually very different than how others opinions of us. Depending on one's actions, words or even tone of voice, one may misrepresen

Treasure Island essay
Treasure Island I have written a report on one of Robert Louis Stevenson s most popular books, Treasure Island. Stevenson, as writer, is mostly admired for his style, imagination and narrative skill. Stevenson combines mystery, suspense, and adventure throwing in pieces of how life would be with pi

Purple Loosestrife essay
Purple Loosestrife The scene is breathtakingly beautiful, a thick brush of purple flowers blankets Canada's wetlands. This blanket silences the expected sounds of the wetland environment, birds chirping, ducks splashing, insects buzzing and animals thriving. This unnatural silence is disturbin