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Background of the vaccination conspiracy theory

Reader comment on item: Islamism's Decade of Spreading Polio

Submitted by Sigmund Derman (United States), Jun 9, 2013 at 15:51

The conspiracy theory did not come totally out of the blue. There was a bogus theory popularized by Edward Hooper, a British journalist, which asserted that early tests in Africa of a live polio virus vaccine by Hilary Kaprowski (the developer of the first polio vaccine—the one that never was adopted for use in the United States) caused the AIDS epidemic. Even at the time this theory came out (the 90's) no reputable expert on AIDS, polio, or vaccines believed it. But it took until the early 2000's for it to be totally refuted by modern molecular biological techniques. Some people still believe this and refer to it on the internet.

Among other places, this theory was published in that well known scientific journal, Rolling Stone. It's a fascinating story. Though Hooper's story suggest that AIDS was an accidental result of polio immunization, the fact that the developers of the polio vaccines (Hilary Kaprowski, Jonas Salk, and Albert Sabin) were Jewish feeds right into making this into a conspiracy rather than an accident (those evil Jewish scientists strike again). The only thing it lacks is truth, but that is usually irrelevant.

Now maybe the REAL conspiracy is by Hooper. In promoting this story he may have known that the Muslims would pick it up to their detriment.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (20) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
islamism and polio [282 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
duncanMay 8, 2014 15:56214753
Now Syria [25 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
VijayOct 27, 2013 07:33211013
I wish more crazies like Ibrahim Datti Ahmed [4 words]allahuakbarJun 22, 2013 03:42207189
1You do know... [14 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Blythe HendersonJun 18, 2013 15:10207080
5Background of the vaccination conspiracy theory [217 words]Sigmund DermanJun 9, 2013 15:51206856
The high price exacted by more than one standard [9 words]David W. LincolnJun 5, 2013 11:57206713
More proof [29 words]mercer2409Jun 4, 2013 14:19206682
3Islam is Killing itself [12 words]carolJun 4, 2013 01:20206662
Thank G-d [3 words]IzakJun 7, 2013 10:45206662
2Dutch translation [56 words]Frans GroenendijkJun 2, 2013 16:38206635
2Imported Polio in Egypt from Pakistan [52 words]dhimmi no moreJun 3, 2013 11:36206635
4Polio Revisited [171 words]Susan SomervilleJun 2, 2013 14:55206632
Ingenious! [22 words]HTuttleJun 2, 2013 14:07206630
10Islamism is a conspiracy but not a theory [52 words]Cynthia FarahatJun 2, 2013 10:51206627
4ignorant islam [77 words]mythJun 2, 2013 08:12206624
9Islam, Polio and others... [17 words]Steven LJun 1, 2013 21:56206609
1Anti-Muslim speech acts [15 words]Robert BlairJun 2, 2013 02:46206609
3anti-Muslim ... [26 words]Steven LJun 2, 2013 19:08206609
5Arabian warlord! [67 words]dhimmi no moreJun 3, 2013 11:28206609
appalling [20 words]Bill PoserJun 3, 2013 23:03206609

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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