Walter Gilbert

“[Duesberg] is absolutely correct in saying that no one has proven that AIDS is caused by the AIDS virus. And he is absolutely correct that the virus cultured in the laboratory may not be the cause of AIDS.”

“I would not be surprised if there were another cause of AIDS and even that HIV is not involved.”

“I am afraid that those comments go back to the late 80's. At that time I was a skeptic — the argument based on Koch's postulates to try to distinguish between cause and association. … Today I would regard the success of the many antiviral agents which lower the virus titers (to be expected) and also resolve the failure of the immune system (only expected if the virus is the cause of the failure) as a reasonable proof of the causation argument”

“Everyone wants a hand in the outcome, a piece of the knowledge.”

“I have the same sense of the power and virtue of knowledge that some people get from a religious background.”

“The virtues of science are skepticism and independence of thought.”