JOHANNESBURG – In an explosive and highly controversial interview that challenges over four decades of established medical science, researcher Dr. Basil Gold has declared that HIV is not a sexually transmitted retrovirus, but rather a “conspiracy” rooted in malnutrition and orchestrated for global population control. His provocative claims, made on the SMX Network podcast, dismiss the entire scientific framework of HIV/AIDS, labeling antiretroviral (ARV) treatments as toxic and the diagnosis itself as a deliberate falsehood.
Speaking with host Sir Max, Dr. Gold, who is presented as a veteran medical researcher with a long-running TV show in the United States, laid out a stunning alternative narrative for one of the world’s most-studied pandemics. His central thesis is that the global health crisis known as HIV/AIDS is a multi-billion dollar fabrication designed to sell pharmaceuticals and reduce the world’s population.
“Absolutely categorically not,” Gold stated firmly when asked if HIV is sexually transmitted. “You I cannot affect your immune system. Your immune system is dependent on what you put in here on a daily basis.”
The Core Thesis: Malnutrition and Acidity, Not a Virus
According to Dr. Gold, the foundation of the HIV/AIDS diagnosis is fundamentally flawed. He argues that the condition known as AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a real state of immune collapse, but one that is caused by a highly acidic and malnourished body, not a specific virus.
“No disease known to man can live in an alkaline host,” Gold claimed, advocating that the true path to health and the “cure” for what is diagnosed as HIV is a radical dietary shift. He specifically targeted common staples, urging listeners to eliminate:
- Coffee and cow’s milk
- Sugar, which he called the “number one feeder of cancer”
- White flour and processed breads
- Microwave ovens, which he claims “irradiate” food
He insists that the diagnostic tools for HIV, which measure CD4 cell counts and viral load, are simply measuring a person’s general state of health. A low CD4 count and high “viral load,” he contends, are merely indicators of a weakened, malnourished system, not the presence of a specific, transmissible pathogen.
A Global Conspiracy: Population Control and Big Pharma
Dr. Gold’s most startling allegation is that the HIV/AIDS narrative is a deliberate conspiracy. He traces its origins to Dr. Robert Gallo’s 1986 announcement of the discovery of the virus, which Gold calls a fabrication. He went further, alleging the existence of a “Public Reduction Program” (PRP) which, he claims, was secretly signed by former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former South African President Nelson Mandela.
“To reduce the population because we are running out of food,” Gold explained as the motive. “We have to reduce the population. We need more people to die and less to be born.”
Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, the cornerstone of modern HIV treatment, were described by Gold as a “multibillion rand or dollar a month” industry. He alleges that ARVs are a rebranded version of the drug AZT, which he claims was previously removed from the market after causing mass fatalities. He outright rejected the well-documented success of ARVs in saving millions of lives, stating, “I have certainly got more HIV patients than anybody in this country… Not one person has ever improved. However, I know of many who went onto ARVs and died within two days.”
Claimed Influence on Former President Thabo Mbeki
In a significant and verifiable historical reference, Dr. Gold claimed he was the direct source of former South African President Thabo Mbeki’s infamous HIV/AIDS skepticism. Mbeki’s questioning of the link between HIV and AIDS in the early 2000s was met with widespread international condemnation from the scientific community.
“I got a phone call in Las Vegas where I was living in 2004,” Gold recounted. “I advised the minister [of health], she advised Zanil [Mbeki] and Thabo, and I told him that HIV is a conspiracy.” This claim positions him as a key, behind-the-scenes figure in one of South Africa’s most painful public health chapters.
The “Real Cure”: A Return to Nature and Nutrition
When asked why a cure for HIV has not been found after 40 years, Gold confidently asserted that a cure has always existed: proper nutrition. He guaranteed that anyone diagnosed as HIV-positive could reverse their status within six weeks by adhering to his strict nutritional protocol.
This protocol involves consuming “nine things” the body needs daily, including chlorophyll, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and purified water. He heavily promoted green, living foods like broccoli and spinach, as well as supplements like coral calcium (warning against versions containing calcium carbonate) to “nutritionalize your body.”
Dr. Gold also dismissed the use of condoms for preventing HIV transmission, stating they are only relevant for preventing pregnancy and other truly sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia.
Claims in Stark Contrast to Global Scientific Consensus
It must be unequivocally stated that Dr. Gold’s views are in direct and complete opposition to the overwhelming consensus of the global scientific and medical communities. His claims are categorized as dangerous misinformation by leading health bodies worldwide.
- World Health Organization (WHO), CDC, and UNAIDS: These and other reputable organizations have established through decades of rigorous, peer-reviewed research that HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a real, transmissible retrovirus.
- Transmission: HIV is proven to be transmitted through specific bodily fluids, including blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal fluids, and breast milk. It is primarily a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and can also be transmitted through shared needles or from mother to child during birth.
- ARV Therapy: Antiretroviral therapy is a life-saving medical intervention. It works by suppressing HIV’s ability to replicate in the body, which allows the immune system to recover (increasing the CD4 count) and prevents the virus from progressing to AIDS. ARVs have transformed HIV from a fatal diagnosis into a manageable chronic condition, allowing millions to live long, healthy lives.
- Malnutrition and HIV: While malnutrition can weaken the immune system and worsen the effects of HIV, it is not the cause of the virus. Good nutrition is recommended as a complementary part of a comprehensive HIV care plan, not as a replacement for ARV treatment.
The promotion of unproven “cures” and the advice to abandon effective medical treatment is widely considered by medical professionals to be a grave public health threat. Despite this, the interview on SMX Network highlights the persistent appeal of conspiracy theories and alternative health narratives that find fertile ground online. The host, Sir Max, concluded the segment by framing it as “life-changing, thought-provoking content” and urged his audience to make the video “go viral” to “educate the people.”
