that our immune system has done its job, and done it well, defeating the HIV infection and creating immunity to whatever problem HIV might cause in the future.”
“Objection. Leading the witness.”
“Sustained. Rephrase, Mr. Campbell.”
The judge was right, and so was Armand, but Campbell had decided to try it anyway. No problem. Rephrase. “Dr. Fowler, what does it mean, then, to have the antibodies to a virus like HIV?”
“Traditionally, it has meant that our immune system has done its job perfectly, defeating the HIV infection and creating immunity to whatever problem HIV might cause in the future.”
A chuckle started in the jury box and went around the gallery as Fowler repeated, almost word-for-word, the question Campbell had asked.
“So someone who is told they are HIV-Positive as a result of taking an HIV test…”
“…should actually be happy about it. I know that sounds strange, and the thousands of people who have been told they are HIV-Positive are obviously not happy about it. But think for a minute. Testing HIV-Positive means that you have the antibodies to HIV – not the virus itself, but the antibodies – and having the antibodies has always meant that you have successfully defeated, or are successfully defeating, a dangerous invader and are now immune to any disease it could cause. Frankly, being told you are HIV-Positive would normally be no more serious than being told you had green eyes or brown hair; better actually, because it would signal a healthy immune system, one that was working well and had created immunity for you.”
“I thought HIV was supposed to destroy a person’s immune system.”
“It is. At least that’s what we’ve been told for many years.”
“But do I understand you correctly that we couldn’t have created antibodies to HIV unless our immune system was working properly – as it should?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. The fact that we have antibodies to HIV can only mean that our immune system was healthy enough to go through the process of detecting and defeating the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and making antibodies against it for the future. Having antibodies is almost always a sign of a healthy immune system, in other words, not a sick one.”
“But that’s not what we’re being told.”
“You’re right, it isn’t. Instead, people are scared to death when they are told they are HIV-Positive, because the CDC has made it sound like having the antibodies to HIV means that you
“Objection. Leading the witness.”
“Sustained. Rephrase, Mr. Campbell.”
The judge was right, and so was Armand, but Campbell had decided to try it anyway. No problem. Rephrase. “Dr. Fowler, what does it mean, then, to have the antibodies to a virus like HIV?”
“Traditionally, it has meant that our immune system has done its job perfectly, defeating the HIV infection and creating immunity to whatever problem HIV might cause in the future.”
A chuckle started in the jury box and went around the gallery as Fowler repeated, almost word-for-word, the question Campbell had asked.
“So someone who is told they are HIV-Positive as a result of taking an HIV test…”
“…should actually be happy about it. I know that sounds strange, and the thousands of people who have been told they are HIV-Positive are obviously not happy about it. But think for a minute. Testing HIV-Positive means that you have the antibodies to HIV – not the virus itself, but the antibodies – and having the antibodies has always meant that you have successfully defeated, or are successfully defeating, a dangerous invader and are now immune to any disease it could cause. Frankly, being told you are HIV-Positive would normally be no more serious than being told you had green eyes or brown hair; better actually, because it would signal a healthy immune system, one that was working well and had created immunity for you.”
“I thought HIV was supposed to destroy a person’s immune system.”
“It is. At least that’s what we’ve been told for many years.”
“But do I understand you correctly that we couldn’t have created antibodies to HIV unless our immune system was working properly – as it should?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. The fact that we have antibodies to HIV can only mean that our immune system was healthy enough to go through the process of detecting and defeating the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and making antibodies against it for the future. Having antibodies is almost always a sign of a healthy immune system, in other words, not a sick one.”
“But that’s not what we’re being told.”
“You’re right, it isn’t. Instead, people are scared to death when they are told they are HIV-Positive, because the CDC has made it sound like having the antibodies to HIV means that you