David Rasnick
Encyclopedia
David Rasnick is a chemist
and biologist
known for his work in the area of HIV/AIDS denial.
in chemistry
from Georgia Tech
in 1978. In a 1998 interview, Rasnick stated that he had studied protease
s and their inhibitors
for twenty years. According to PubMed
, Rasnick has contributed to 18 scientific papers on protease-related research.
Rasnick is best known for his views regarding HIV/AIDS denial, shared with a small group composed mostly of non-scientists. Their claim – that HIV is not the main cause of AIDS – puts them at odds with the scientific community. Regarding his level of expertise on HIV/AIDS, Rasnick states that his own research on rat proteases did not involve HIV/AIDS:
Rasnick has proposed that HIV testing be completely outlawed.
in South Africa
, where they have emphasized the purported risks of antiretroviral therapy and urged HIV/AIDS patients to use vitamin and nutritional supplements instead. David Rasnick and the Rath Foundation became the subject of a lawsuit by the Treatment Action Campaign
(TAC) in South Africa
. The lawsuit was brought as a result of clinical trials conducted by David Rasnick and the Rath Foundation that were not approved by the appropriate authorities in South Africa and did not undergo any ethical review
. The trials involved recruiting poor black South Africans with HIV, instructing them not to take effective antiretrovirals, and providing them instead with vitamin supplements. These trials resulted in at least five deaths known to TAC, and possibly up to twelve.
In June, 2008, the South African Cape High Court ruled against Rasnick and other defendants associated with the Rath Foundation, declaring their vitamin trials illegal and prohibiting the publication of false advertisements for vitamins. The Court also stated that health authorities in South Africa have an obligation to investigate and stop illegal activities of Rasnick and the Rath Foundation.
. However, in response to a 2006 editorial in which David Rasnick claimed affiliation with the university, the chairman of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley wrote:
David Rasnick responded:
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
and biologist
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
known for his work in the area of HIV/AIDS denial.
Education and views
David Rasnick received a Ph.D.Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
from Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
in 1978. In a 1998 interview, Rasnick stated that he had studied protease
Protease
A protease is any enzyme that conducts proteolysis, that is, begins protein catabolism by hydrolysis of the peptide bonds that link amino acids together in the polypeptide chain forming the protein....
s and their inhibitors
Protease inhibitor
Protease inhibitor can refer to:* Protease inhibitor : a class of medication that inhibits viral protease* Protease inhibitor : molecules that inhibit proteases...
for twenty years. According to PubMed
PubMed
PubMed is a free database accessing primarily the MEDLINE database of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics. The United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health maintains the database as part of the Entrez information retrieval system...
, Rasnick has contributed to 18 scientific papers on protease-related research.
Rasnick is best known for his views regarding HIV/AIDS denial, shared with a small group composed mostly of non-scientists. Their claim – that HIV is not the main cause of AIDS – puts them at odds with the scientific community. Regarding his level of expertise on HIV/AIDS, Rasnick states that his own research on rat proteases did not involve HIV/AIDS:
Rasnick has proposed that HIV testing be completely outlawed.
Work with Rath Foundation
David Rasnick has worked with Matthias RathMatthias Rath
Matthias Rath is a doctor, businessman, and vitamin entrepreneur. He earned his MD degree in Germany. Rath claims that a program of nutritional supplements , including formulations that he sells, can treat or cure diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and HIV/AIDS...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, where they have emphasized the purported risks of antiretroviral therapy and urged HIV/AIDS patients to use vitamin and nutritional supplements instead. David Rasnick and the Rath Foundation became the subject of a lawsuit by the Treatment Action Campaign
Treatment Action Campaign
The Treatment Action Campaign is a South African AIDS activist organization which was founded by the HIV-positive activist Zackie Achmat in 1998. TAC is rooted in the experiences, direct action tactics and anti-apartheid background of its founder...
(TAC) in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The lawsuit was brought as a result of clinical trials conducted by David Rasnick and the Rath Foundation that were not approved by the appropriate authorities in South Africa and did not undergo any ethical review
Medical ethics
Medical ethics is a system of moral principles that apply values and judgments to the practice of medicine. As a scholarly discipline, medical ethics encompasses its practical application in clinical settings as well as work on its history, philosophy, theology, and sociology.-History:Historically,...
. The trials involved recruiting poor black South Africans with HIV, instructing them not to take effective antiretrovirals, and providing them instead with vitamin supplements. These trials resulted in at least five deaths known to TAC, and possibly up to twelve.
In June, 2008, the South African Cape High Court ruled against Rasnick and other defendants associated with the Rath Foundation, declaring their vitamin trials illegal and prohibiting the publication of false advertisements for vitamins. The Court also stated that health authorities in South Africa have an obligation to investigate and stop illegal activities of Rasnick and the Rath Foundation.
University affiliation claims
David Rasnick has claimed to be a visiting scholar at the University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. However, in response to a 2006 editorial in which David Rasnick claimed affiliation with the university, the chairman of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley wrote:
David Rasnick responded: