When David Carr died in 1959, medical professionals recorded an unusual immune condition on his death certificate, which was largely forgotten until 1990 when the world learned that he had supposedly been the first AIDS patient.

This claim was swiftly shattered in 1995 when a team of HIV specialists in America examined Carr's tissue samples, revealing that the HIV found did not originate from him. Instead, they discovered two different strands of DNA, the isolated HIV sample aligning more closely with strains prevalent in the late 1980s and early 1990s, not 1959 when David died. As the implications of this revelation unfolded, questions emerged regarding the integrity of the original medical claims and the scientific paper submitted to The Lancet.

With significant pressure mounting for transparency, the scientific community now faces a critical juncture: will the researchers acknowledge their error, retract their previous assertions, and address the consequences of misattributing Carr's legacy, or will denial pave the way for continued misinformation?

All articles and relevant documents from this episode are available on the:

XTRA Tea Blog AIDS: THE LOST VOICES - DAVID CARR

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