Luc Montagnier

[[File:Luc Montagnier-press conference Dec 06th, 2008-5 crop.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Oh, [[Nobel disease|how the mighty have fallen]].]]
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'''Luc Montagnier''' {{lived|1932|2022}} was a [[French]] virologist and 2008 [[Nobel Prize]] co-winner for his joint discovery of the [[AIDS|Human Immunodeficiency Virus]]. He was the co-founder of the World Foundation for AIDS Research and Prevention and co-director of the Program for International Viral Collaboration.

==Where things go south…==
===Homeopathy===
{{main|Homeopathy}}
[[Nobel disease|Unfortunately]], Montagnier became increasingly [[crank]]y in his old age and become a big supporter of homeopathy.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101225050453/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/nobel-laureate-gives-homeopathy-a-boost/story-e6frg8y6-1225887772305 Nobel laureate gives homeopathy a boost] (July 05, 2010 12:00AM) ''The Australian'' (archived from December 25, 2010).</ref>

In 2009, he conducted an "experiment" on diluted [[DNA]] in which he claimed that the DNA emitted an electromagnetic signal after it diluted down to nothing.<ref name=dna>[https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jamal-Aissa/publication/45272907_Electromagnetic_Signals_Are_Produced_by_Aqueous_Nanostructures_Derived_from_Bacterial_DNA_Sequences/links/5e61149245851516354f2b10/Electromagnetic-Signals-Are-Produced-by-Aqueous-Nanostructures-Derived-from-Bacterial-DNA-Sequences.pdf Electromagnetic signals are produced by aqueous nanostructures derived from bacterial DNA sequences] by Luc Montagnier et al. (2009) ''Interdisciplinary Sciences, Computational Life Sciences'' 1(2):81-90. doi:10.1007/s12539-009-0036-7.</ref> Although the brand-new journal (''Interdisciplinary Sciences, Computational Life Sciences'') claims to be peer reviewed,<ref>[https://www.springer.com/journal/12539/submission-guidelines Interdisciplinary Sciences: Computational Life Sciences: Submission guidelines] ''Springer''.</ref> but at the time of publication Montagnier was chairman of the board,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200226053209/https://www.springer.com/journal/12539/editors Interdisciplinary Sciences: Computational Life Sciences] ''Springer'' (archived from February 26, 2020).</ref> essentially assuring that anything he wrote would be published. He used his laptop with unspecified and varying software, and an unspecified amplifier to experiment, so it's [[Schlafly statistics|99.9% certain]] that he just picked up some white noise.<ref name=dna/>

Along these lines, Montagnier also claimed that the DNA emits abnormal electromagnetic [[Radiation|radiation]] in people with [[autism]], Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and [[multiple sclerosis]].<ref name=enserink>[https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/science.330.6012.1732 French Nobelist Escapes 'Intellectual Terror' to Pursue Radical Ideas in China] by Martin Enserink (24 Dec 2010) ''Science''. doi:10.1126/science.330.6012.1732.</ref>

Nevertheless, [[woo]]-meisters like [[Deepak Chopra]]<ref>[https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/chopra/article/Spirituality-is-the-new-science-2383105.php Spirituality is the new science] by Deepak Chopra (Jan. 24, 2011) ''SFGate''.</ref> and [[Dana Ullman]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220609195509/https://homeopathic.com/nobel-prize-winners-who-advocated-for-homeopathic-medicine-by-dana-ullman-mph-cch/?categoryId=492 Nobel Prize-Winners Who Advocated for Homeopathic Medicine] by Dana Ullman (January 19<sup>th</sup>, 2022) ''Homeopathic Family Medicine'' (archived from June 9, 2022).</ref> have held this up as a vindication of homeopathic "theories" since Montagnier has become something of an outspoken apologist for homeopathy after he conducted this "experiment". [[Argument from authority|If a Nobel-winner says it, it must be true!]]

The fact that the effect lasts a few picoseconds (trillionths of a second) has not been [[Reproducibility|reproduced]] by other [[scientist]]s, was self-published without [[peer-review]],<ref>[https://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2011/01/14/the-nobel-disease-meets-dna-teleportatio The Nobel disease meets DNA teleportation and homeopathy] by David Gorski (January 14, 2011) ''Science Blogs''.</ref> and according to Montagnier, the research "cannot extrapolate it to the products used in homeopathy".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130923083036/https://hexagonalwater.com/luc_montagnier.html Luc Antoine Montagnier] ''Hexagonal Water'' (archived from September 23, 2013).</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140413144840/http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episodes/2011-episodes/cure-or-con Cure or Con?] (Jan 14, 2011) ''Marketplace, CBC'' (archived from April 13, 2014).</ref>

Apparently, his homeopathic infallibility does not extend to knowing the applicability of his own research.

Montagnier has also spoken in support of immunologist Jacques Benveniste's "delusion[al]" research that resulted in the {{wpl|Benveniste affair|"Benveniste affair"|,}} and the term "[[water memory]]".<ref name=enserink/>

===Claiming the COVID virus was engineered===
{{main|COVID-19 pandemic#Claims that the virus was engineered}}
In 2020, Montagnier and co-author Jean Claude Perez [[Hypothesis|hypothesized]] based on a [[genetic]] data analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the that caused the COVID-19 pandemic, was semi-synthetic.<ref>[https://www.granthaalayahpublication.org/journals/granthaalayah/article/view/IJRG20_B07_3568/691 COVID-19, SARS and Bats Coronaviruses Genomes Peculiar Homologous RNA Sequences] by Jean Claude Perez & Luc Montagnier (2020) ''International Journal of Research -GRANTHAALAYAH'' 8(7):217–263. doi:10.29121/granthaalayah.v8.i7.2020.678.</ref> The hypothesis was widely criticized by scientists because the gene sequences alleged to be synthetic occur widely within other coronaviruses in the wild.<ref>[https://www.connexionfrance.com/article/French-news/Disputed-French-Nobel-winner-Luc-Montagnier-says-Covid-19-was-made-in-a-lab-laboratory French Nobel prize winner: ‘Covid-19 was made in lab’: A controversial French Nobel prize-winning scientist has accused biologists of having created SARS-CoV-2 - the virus that causes Covid-19 - in a lab, but the wider scientific community has so far refuted the claim] (3 March 2021 13:55) ''The Connexion''.</ref> Another study, published the same year, clearly showed " that SARS-CoV-2 is not a laboratory construct or a purposefully manipulated virus."<ref>[https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0820-9 The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2] by Kristian G. Andersen et al. (2020) ''Nature Medicine'' 26:450–452. doi:10.1038/s41591-020-0820-9.</ref> He has also suggested that COVID-19 would accelerate aging.<ref>[https://www.francesoir.fr/opinions-tribunes/le-sars-cov2-accelererait-lage-biologique  SARS-COV2 accelerates biological age] by Xavier Azalbert, Anne-Typhaine Bouthors, Michel Brack, Dominique Cerdan, Walter Chesnut, Gérard Guillaume, Jean-François Lesgards, Luc Montagnier and Jean-Claude Perez, August 30, 2021, ''France-Soir''</ref>

===Joining the anti-vaccination movement===
{{main|Anti-vaccination movement}}
He was present at [[Autism One]] with such notable kooks as [[Andrew Wakefield]], [[Jenny McCarthy]], and [[Operation Rescue]].<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2012/05/27/nobel-laureate-joins-anti-vaccination-crowd-at-autism-one/?sh=4d771c855c53 Nobel laureate joins anti-vaccination crowd at Autism One] by Stephen Salzberg (May 27, 2012,01:53pm EDT) ''Forbes''.</ref> In 2021, Montagnier falsely claimed that widespread COVID vaccination would create more virus variants, and called the massive vaccination effort a 'medical mistake'.{{efn|{{cquote|C’est une énorme erreur, c’est une erreur scientifique et une faute médicale inexplicable, l’histoire fera le bilan un jour de tout ça, car c’est effectivement la vaccination qui a créé le variant.|||Montagnier<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210513205528/https://planetes360.fr/pr-luc-montagnier-les-variants-viennent-des-vaccinations/ Pr Luc Montagnier: «Les variants viennent des vaccinations»] (c. May 13, 2021) ''Planetes 360''.</ref>}}}}<ref name=jameel>[https://science.thewire.in/the-sciences/luc-montagniers-views-on-covid-vaccines-are-latest-of-his-wrong-vexing-ideas/ Luc Montagnier’s Views on COVID Vaccines Are Latest Of His Wrong, Vexing Ideas] by Shahid Jameel (27/05/2021) ''The Wire Science''.</ref> He also stated that a process called antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) creates more serious COVID infections, however the problem ADE was already addressed during vaccine development.<ref name=jameel/> Before he died, he suggested that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines would eventually lead to the acceleration of [[Prion]] diseases.<ref>[https://ijvtpr.com/index.php/IJVTPR/article/view/66 Towards the emergence of a new form of the neurodegenerative Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: Twenty six cases of CJD declared a few days after a COVID-19 “vaccine” Jab] by Jean-Claude Perez, Claire Moret-Chalmin and Luc Montagnier, January 12, 2023, ''International Journal of Vaccine Theory, Practice and Research''</ref>

==See also==
*[[Nobel disease]]

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091012133920/http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2008/montagnier-autobio.html Bio at Nobelprize.org]
*[https://archive.ph/http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/01/it_almost_makes_me_disbelieve.php It almost makes me disbelieve HIV causes AIDS!] [[PZ Myers]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101125094452/http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/11/luc_montagnier_the_nobel_disease_strikes.php Luc Montagnier: The Nobel disease strikes again], [[Respectful Insolence]]
*[http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/luc-montagnier-and-the-nobel-disease/ The Nobel disease and me], [[David Gorski]], [[Science Based Medicine]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Montagnier, Luc}}
[[Category:Alternative medicine promoters]]
[[Category:Anti-vaccination movement]]
[[Category:Biologists]]
[[Category:France]]
[[Category:HIV/AIDS]]
[[Category:Homeopathy]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoters]]

Categories: Alternative medicine promoters, Anti-vaccination movement, Biologists, France, HIV/AIDS, Homeopathy, Pseudoscience promoters