Talk:Robert Willner

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Cause of death[edit]

I dug up the POZ magazine reference - it's brief, but does give the cause of death and a general time frame, and seems more reliable/detailed than Greenberg's website. MastCell 17:40, 14 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Congratulations on your find. And you were right not to include the unreferenced word "unrelated". Since AIDS is IIUC more or less any of a bunch of diseases which become more likely due to the repression of your immune system, though some are more likely than others, i don't particularly see why heart disease is "unrelated" to AIDS.

In any case, while i think your reference is a little better than mine (since it comes from a magazine written by a bunch of people rather than what seems to be a single man "i-will-heal-you" type website), it's still rather unsatisfying. i think that for AIDS reappraisal supporters, it actually looks quite absurd. What was the point of this guy injecting himself (and for AIDS reappraisal supporters to talk about it) unless it was to show that you can do this and remain in good health for 10-20 years without taking any anti-HIV drugs? Virtually disappearing off the face of the internet sounds rather suspicious... Surely his death ought to have been a reasonably important news event and in order to support the dissidents' claims, it should have been rather important to present reasonably reliable evidence (e.g. a family member or a named doctor or other reasonably Notable Person making a statement quoted word-for-word and not rephrased or see WP:RS :) that his death had nothing to do with loss of immunity expected from AIDS. Anyway, if someone has more, fuller, more reliable references, please give them! Boud 23:08, 14 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, it's ridiculous on a couple of levels. First, the transmissibility of HIV via needlestick is relatively low (~0.3% per incident), so there's a 99.7% chance he didn't infect himself with the needlestick. Not bad as a publicity stunt, but absolutely meaningless scientifically. MastCell 23:15, 14 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]

According to this source, Willner was HIV-negative 2 months after the press conference needlestick. — Scientizzle 16:43, 11 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]

To Do: injection in Spain[edit]

Sorry, i didn't have time to add this - i saw in some places that the 28 Oct 1994 injection was not the first time he did this. The first time was in Spain according to some sources, AFAIR undated. Feel free to google and add the missing material with appropriate references... Boud 23:08, 14 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Done. Based on this. — Scientizzle 16:43, 11 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Charlatan[edit]

I think it should be mentioned in the article that he was a medical charlatan and quack doctor. It would better explain his denialism. RedAndr (talk) 16:11, 6 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Washington Post source[edit]

If anyone has access to Washington Post archives, this article may prove useful:

"And Now for Something Completely Different; Florida Physician Throws a Dramatic Jab at the Experts' View of AIDS"[1]

Author: Rick Weiss

Date: Nov 1, 1994

Start Page: z.07

— Scientizzle 16:43, 11 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Sources re his medical licence revocation[edit]

Willner's troubles with the Florida Medical Board are sourced to Celia Farber, who cannot be regarded as a reliable source for topics related to HIV/AIDS denialism.

Willner's first encounter with the Board was in 1987, and resulted in a fine and a one year's suspension of his medical licence over his involvement in a mail order diet pill scam. The administrative hearing is reported here: http://www.circare.org/pd/willnerflorder_19890607.pdf

However his second Medical Board case began in 1991, and resulted in permanent revocation of his medical licence. This involved, among other things, serious irregularities in his prescription and supervision of cocaine hydrochloride preparations, and his claims he could cure AIDS by administering ozone intravenously. See: https://www.doah.state.fl.us/ros/1991/91006795.PDF

Summarising these issues a the "Florida Board of Medicine ruling that Willner had made inappropriate medical claims for food products" as stated by Farber seriously misrepresents the reasons for his licence cancellation.On A Leash (talk) 06:29, 15 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]