Why isn't Robert Gallo credited for HIV discovery? (Score 5, Informative)

In the 80's Robert Gallo was celebrated as the discoverer of HIV and that, oh yeah, maybe

some French scientists helped too. Turns out Mr. Gallo either intentionally or mistakenly

(through cross-contamination in a sloppy lab) cultivated a sample of the French-discovered

strain of the virus. Even after he should have realized a mistake, he misled people and

caused the United States blood supply to use a much poorer HIV test (than the French one)

and as a result people needlessly died. His claims of original discovery ultimately fell

apart because HIV mutates with amazing rapidity, and so his HIV strains were traceable to

the French one his so closely matched.

The book "Science Fictions" by John Crewdson is worth your time to read. It's a long read,

not an easy read, but I got hooked.

Have you wondered why some less technically talented coworkers are able to influence

management and, even worse, make you the fall guy when things go wrong? I think this book

gave me insight into that.

If Mr. Gallo had only half the talent for science as he did for obfuscation, he would've

been a great scientist indeed.