Perplexity on the irony of debunking David Ho's HIV research
The irony lies in the fact that David Ho’s foundational AIDS research not only shaped the dominant scientific paradigm for understanding and treating HIV/AIDS, but also established the nosology—the classification and definition of the disease itself—upon which all subsequent research and clinical practice was built. If his core research were to be debunked, it would not only undermine the prevailing scientific consensus about HIV/AIDS, but also destabilize the very framework that defines what AIDS is, how it is diagnosed, and how it is categorized in medical literature. The Paradigm and Nosology Connection David Ho’s work, especially his demonstration that combination antiretroviral therapy could suppress HIV to undetectable levels, became a cornerstone of the AIDS research paradigm. This paradigm includes the understanding of HIV as a chronic, treatable disease and the classification of AIDS based on specific clinical and immunological criteria. The nosology of AIDS—its diagno...