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Science Fictions: A Scientific Mystery, a Massive Cover-up and the Dark Legacy of Robert Gallo
A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist describes the competition between scientists--including Robert Gallo of the National Cancer Institute--over credit for the discovery of the HIV virus in a study that offers a revealing look at how big scientific and research laboratories really work. Reprint. 20,000 first printing.
- GenresScience
704 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 18, 2011
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain known as "A reader from Baltimore, MD." It's clearly Dr. Gallo himself. After reading more than six hundred pages of Gallo rants, you get to recognize the style pretty easily.
So, the question is, is Dr. Gallo a tragic hero or just a bullying fraud? In his "Poetics," Aristotle defines a tragic hero as someone as good or better than we, brought low by his own tragic flaw. Certainly Dr. Gallo has plenty of tragic flaws, of which hubris or "overweening pride" must be uppermost. Other flaws include greed, vaingloriousness, bullying, a nearly complete inability to admit being wrong, a callous disregard for the injury he does others, and, most certainly, vanity. But is he any worse than the rest of us, which would make him, in Aristotle's definition, a comic hero? Probably not by much. He appears to be a weak man thrust into a situation that brought out the worst in him: big science.
There's big money in big science -- big money, big egos, and big living. And, most of all, there's the Nobel Prize, which Gallo clearly covets desperately. And there's la vida, the lavish lifestyle of first-class tickets, fine hotels, jetsetting around the world, international prizes, a far cry from the everyday drudgery of the lab. So did Dr. Gallo give in to his lust for la vida and the Nobel Prize and commit scientific fraud? Almost certainly. But the more troubling aspect of Mr. Crewdson's book is the willing, nearly gleeful, complicity of the U. S. Government in perpetuating the fraud and intimidating any who would expose it.
That the government put people's lives at risk by insisting on using the Gallo-sponsored AIDS test with its alarmingly high rate of false positives and even more troubling rate of false negatives is bad enough. Were patients infected with AIDS as a result? Absolutely. Like Dr. Gallo, the government too was thrust into a situation guaranteed to exploit its greatest weaknesses. And in the Reagan administration Dr. Gallo found his perfect match: people who were equally prideful, vainglorious, and bullying.
In "Science Fictions," Mr. Crewdson protrays a government that has sold itself to the big American pharmaceutical companies. And for this portrayal alone the book is well worth its price. But what is even more fascinating is the sheer breadth of the research involved. Mr. Crewdson covers in depth not only the science but also the politics and legal wrangling involved in the US-French dispute of the discovery of the AIDS virus.
NOTE: If you're interested in scientific scandals and fraud, check out "Betrayers of the Truth" (now lamentably out of print). It's a fitting companion to "Science Fictions."
So, the question is, is Dr. Gallo a tragic hero or just a bullying fraud? In his "Poetics," Aristotle defines a tragic hero as someone as good or better than we, brought low by his own tragic flaw. Certainly Dr. Gallo has plenty of tragic flaws, of which hubris or "overweening pride" must be uppermost. Other flaws include greed, vaingloriousness, bullying, a nearly complete inability to admit being wrong, a callous disregard for the injury he does others, and, most certainly, vanity. But is he any worse than the rest of us, which would make him, in Aristotle's definition, a comic hero? Probably not by much. He appears to be a weak man thrust into a situation that brought out the worst in him: big science.
There's big money in big science -- big money, big egos, and big living. And, most of all, there's the Nobel Prize, which Gallo clearly covets desperately. And there's la vida, the lavish lifestyle of first-class tickets, fine hotels, jetsetting around the world, international prizes, a far cry from the everyday drudgery of the lab. So did Dr. Gallo give in to his lust for la vida and the Nobel Prize and commit scientific fraud? Almost certainly. But the more troubling aspect of Mr. Crewdson's book is the willing, nearly gleeful, complicity of the U. S. Government in perpetuating the fraud and intimidating any who would expose it.
That the government put people's lives at risk by insisting on using the Gallo-sponsored AIDS test with its alarmingly high rate of false positives and even more troubling rate of false negatives is bad enough. Were patients infected with AIDS as a result? Absolutely. Like Dr. Gallo, the government too was thrust into a situation guaranteed to exploit its greatest weaknesses. And in the Reagan administration Dr. Gallo found his perfect match: people who were equally prideful, vainglorious, and bullying.
In "Science Fictions," Mr. Crewdson protrays a government that has sold itself to the big American pharmaceutical companies. And for this portrayal alone the book is well worth its price. But what is even more fascinating is the sheer breadth of the research involved. Mr. Crewdson covers in depth not only the science but also the politics and legal wrangling involved in the US-French dispute of the discovery of the AIDS virus.
NOTE: If you're interested in scientific scandals and fraud, check out "Betrayers of the Truth" (now lamentably out of print). It's a fitting companion to "Science Fictions."
December 24, 2016
This book is an amazing deconstruction of one psychopath, Robert Gallo. Unfortunately, not many people have read this book or want to believe someone like Gallo could succeed. However, he is still succeeding. His wikipedia page has the same old lies that Gallo has told his whole career. And worse, he continues to wring millions of dollars out of his marks including Bill and Melinda Gates.
Bravo John Crewdson. I'm so sorry for civilization that so few are willing to look at your masterpiece.
If only there were a Crewdson for every Gallo. Life would be magnificent.
Bravo John Crewdson. I'm so sorry for civilization that so few are willing to look at your masterpiece.
If only there were a Crewdson for every Gallo. Life would be magnificent.
January 17, 2024
really well written track of fraud and a coverup of fraud
best parts were definitely suzanne hadley’s investigations and insights into other players after her report was written (the first and second reports). Also liked the comments from the NAS review panel.
And the early Hinuma/HTLV-1 proof of cancer work was really interesting for establishing a pattern (of mistrust and one way collaboration) for gallo.
Overall really interesting book though is a bit light on the actual science being done beyond the instances where it is misrepresented or was lied about.
Truly have a bit of a bone to pick with the second to last page where Crewdson says that after the discovery of the virus and a blood test for it there haven’t been any comparable important advances in AIDS research as of 2001??? And this statement coming off the end of shitting on protease inhibitors for needing to be taken continuously to “reduce or even eliminate detectable HIV in the blood”.
Like the 1995 introduction of HAART and effective HIV treatment wasnt an advance that Crewdson even considers to be on the level of making an ELIZA to test for the virus? The test was More important that the effective treatment that genuinely does save lives? Strange flag to stick in the ground in the concluding paragraphs of a 600+pg book.
I think Crewdson has an incredible grasp on early HIV research specifically in the timelines and players of the isolation of the virus and development of ELISAs for blood testing but I think his acumen drops off precipitously once the science moves beyond that.
But overall still an incredible book and makes me want to see more of what Hadley worked on and thought about this.
best parts were definitely suzanne hadley’s investigations and insights into other players after her report was written (the first and second reports). Also liked the comments from the NAS review panel.
And the early Hinuma/HTLV-1 proof of cancer work was really interesting for establishing a pattern (of mistrust and one way collaboration) for gallo.
Overall really interesting book though is a bit light on the actual science being done beyond the instances where it is misrepresented or was lied about.
Truly have a bit of a bone to pick with the second to last page where Crewdson says that after the discovery of the virus and a blood test for it there haven’t been any comparable important advances in AIDS research as of 2001??? And this statement coming off the end of shitting on protease inhibitors for needing to be taken continuously to “reduce or even eliminate detectable HIV in the blood”.
Like the 1995 introduction of HAART and effective HIV treatment wasnt an advance that Crewdson even considers to be on the level of making an ELIZA to test for the virus? The test was More important that the effective treatment that genuinely does save lives? Strange flag to stick in the ground in the concluding paragraphs of a 600+pg book.
I think Crewdson has an incredible grasp on early HIV research specifically in the timelines and players of the isolation of the virus and development of ELISAs for blood testing but I think his acumen drops off precipitously once the science moves beyond that.
But overall still an incredible book and makes me want to see more of what Hadley worked on and thought about this.
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August 27, 2020good
November 6, 2022
I didn't finish the book. I read about half, but I found it difficult to track, and too light on the science.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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May 16, 2011This was an extremely interesting read. The events of this nonfiction book show the astonishing history behind Robert Gallo, a scientist who appeared to be even more egotistical than he was brilliant. The temper and hypocrisy displayed by Gallo in the book are simply astonishing. Even more incredulous is the measures that members of the U.S. government went to in order to keep buried the secrets and cover ups that the book is about, which involve the search for the AIDS virus. Though I do not personally know how factual the book is, if taken at face value, it is an incredible story.
If it is true, even more shocking to me was how difficult it was to find information about the events of the book after reading it.
Though I personally found it to be a very interesting read, it is rather dense, and loaded with scientific jargon. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who regularly shies away from a book that fits that description.
If it is true, even more shocking to me was how difficult it was to find information about the events of the book after reading it.
Though I personally found it to be a very interesting read, it is rather dense, and loaded with scientific jargon. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who regularly shies away from a book that fits that description.
January 10, 2008
This is an expose of Robert Gallo of the National Cancer Institute. The book takes him to task for allegedly prioritizing the winning of scientific awards over conducting productive research and attempting to claim credit for the isolation of the AIDS virus. I can't vouch for the accuracy of this book. I can say though that much of it correlates with what I've seen in other books on the subject of HIV-AIDS by other authors.
October 8, 2008
very good -- dense with information and medical/genetics terminology. it's esp. timely given the awarding of the nobel to montaignier.. would not recommend as a light read, but wholeheartedly recommended to anyone who's interested in the full story surrounding the arrogance that seemed to drive gallo's shameful behavior and bring about his downfall.
April 24, 2008
This is a nonfiction account of the discovery of HIV. I consider it a scientific soap opera, documenting the egos and search for fame and fortune by some prominent scientists. Very interesting read.
October 13, 2009
This was a very interesting book. It is rather dense, and I wasn't able to finish it before it was due back at the library. I'm going to have to check it out again some time to finish. Very eye opening.
July 9, 2014
Good for picking up terms in the field, and a basic understanding of the research work environment. Can't vouch for all the information in the book, and paints a dark picture of science research. Too much superfluous information.
July 9, 2011
Heavy reading, but shocking about what goes on in scientific labs.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews