Random AIDS Conspiracy Theories That'll Piss You Off (10 items)

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  (#3) There's a Cure, But Only for Rich People

  Forget laughter, money is the best medicine. When Magic Johnson announced in 1991 that he had contracted HIV and would retire from the NBA, it was a huge blow to basketball fans, but provided a major boost in awareness for dealing with the disease. Johnson also helped destigmatize HIV/AIDS, which was thought of as exclusively affecting the gay community. 

  Of course, Magic Johnson is still alive in 2016, which has caused quite a few raised eyebrows. His continued healthy living has lead many to think that there actually is a cure for HIV/AIDS, but it's kept hidden from the general public, and is only for the rich and famous. Maybe Charlie Sheen will provide the ultimate test case. 
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  (#5) The Extent and Danger of HIV Is Blown Out of Proportion

  HIV does not cause AIDS. Apparently, that's the train of thought behind this theory, which suggests that people are over-hyping HIV as a way to instill fear in the gay population and help contraception manufacturers make money. It's a dumb theory, and it should make you angry. 
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  (#7) AIDS Isn't Even a Virus

  Can you cure AIDS with food? That's the idea behind this wacky conspiracy theory that posits AIDS not as a virus, but as a result of malnutrition. This has been argued by a Berkeley professor named Peter Duesberg, who insists that in Africa, those who are malnourished are the most susceptible to the disease. This way of thinking has spread to the South African government, whose health minister, Mantombazana Tshabalala-Msimang, has recommended treating AIDS with things like garlic rather than pharmaceuticals.  
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  (#10) It Was All One Big Lab Accident

  As per this theory, people blame Dr. Hilary Koprowski for unintentionally creating AIDS while trying to produce an oral polio vaccine. As the theory goes, Dr. Koprowski was using chimp kidneys, but those were infected with SIV, which is the simian precursor to AIDS. Eventually, it made the jump from monkey to man. The problem with this theory is that Dr. Koprowski used chimps from the Congo, which are not affected by the same strand of SIV that has been accused of starting the AIDS epidemic. 
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  (#8) It's God's Punishment

  For a few close-minded Christians, the AIDS virus is God's way of punishing homosexuality. One preacher, Reverend Jerry Falwell, quickly rose to prominence after arguing that AIDS was a plague sent to punish gay people and all of American society for tolerating homosexuality. Since then, a lot of pastors and reverends have used their position to speak out condemning homosexuality and reiterating that AIDS was sent by God.
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  (#6) It Was Created to Fight Cancer

  You ever start cooking in the kitchen, but botch some ingredients and suddenly wind up with something completely different than what you wanted? That's the basis for this theory, which again paints Nixon as the mastermind behind AIDS.

  For this theory though, the creation of AIDS was an accident. Some say that it was initially created to help fight cancer, but soon spiraled out of control. Instead of admitting to their mistake, the US government covered it up. This theory is so widely believed because the emergence of AIDS and government cancer treatment groups happened around the same time. 

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