Aaron Rodgers' Dangerous Game
High-profile figures like New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers promote dangerous conspiracies that the HIV/AIDS epidemic was government-engineered and that zidovudine (AZT), a lifesaving drug, was intended to harm patients. These falsehoods have severe consequences for public health, endangering lives and perpetuating existing stigma. An estimated 1 in 7 Americans living with HIV are unaware of their status, highlighting how celebrity-backed misinformation can deter people from seeking essential care. Despite its initial side effects, AZT was a breakthrough that paved the way for more effective treatments. Claims that it was intentionally harmful are medically inaccurate and undermine decades of HIV care progress.
A History of Distrust
Acknowledging historical failings is crucial, as the early mishandling of the AIDS crisis by the government and health institutions fueled fear and skepticism. This understandable distrust is rooted in the spread of falsehoods during the early days of the epidemic – groups like the "Heubach group" promoted the idea that HIV was a government-created hoax. These claims, though swiftly debunked by science, preyed on existing anxieties. Sadly, figures like Rodgers exploit this justified distrust, twisting it into a weapon. They promote baseless conspiracies, painting themselves as brave truth-tellers while actively eroding progress and endangering lives.
A Modern Threat
Rodgers and other celebrities wield immense influence as public figures, yet they disregard the potential consequences when they amplify harmful misinformation to vast audiences. When celebrities endorse baseless conspiracy theories, it cloaks fringe ideas in an illusion of legitimacy, jeopardizing public trust in proven medicine. Their reckless actions reveal a blatant disregard of their responsibility to prioritize evidence-based information, a choice with deadly consequences when lives hang in the balance.
Aaron Rodgers amplifies dangerous ideas surrounding HIV-related conspiracies. He has endorsed conspiracy theories about both the HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics, urging his audience to read Robert Kennedy Jr.'s book and promoting the debunked idea that AZT was intentionally harmful to patients. On the "Look Into It" podcast, he further distorted the truth by drawing a false parallel between the AIDS crisis and COVID-19: “The blueprint, the game plan, was made in the '80s. Create a pandemic with a virus that’s going wild... create an environment where only one thing works. Back then AZT; now, Remdesivir until we get a vaccine.”
Rodgers continued, expressing a cynical distrust of scientific research and the pharmaceutical industry: “I can do my own research, which was so vilified, to even question authority.” He plays into a popular but flawed narrative: the lone maverick challenging corrupt systems. Rodgers' "do your own research" approach ignores the complexities of scientific knowledge, our susceptibility to cognitive biases, and that without expertise, it's easy to misinterpret information.
Rodgers uses a common tactic seen in the spread of misinformation: he questions the integrity of science while simultaneously claiming to be persecuted for doing so. This creates a trap. He undermines trust in established institutions by preying on anxieties about authority. Then, when his claims are inevitably challenged by experts, he positions himself as a brave truth-teller being silenced by the establishment. This manufactured martyrdom only reinforces the original mistrust, further validating his position in the eyes of some followers. These dangerous falsehoods damage public health by eroding trust in the decades of medical progress that have saved countless lives.
Rodgers is part of a broader trend highlighted in the World Health Organization's 2022 infodemic report. Medical misinformation spreads rapidly across social media, exploiting societal anxieties, and can have deadly consequences. Rodgers’ endorsement of HIV/AIDS denialism is particularly harmful because his assertions tap into the fear, stigma, and systemic distrust prevalent in communities of color historically marginalized by the medical system. This creates fertile ground for misleading narratives, leading to disastrous cyclical consequences.
In case you’re of the mind that words don’t matter, a study published in European Psychologist found a 23% decrease in HIV testing in communities highly exposed to HIV denialism, signifying a direct threat to the lives of people at risk. The benefits of early diagnosis and treatment with antiretroviral therapy (ART) are well-documented, and by promoting the idea that the virus is benign or that ART is hazardous, denialists delay essential testing and care, feeding into the stigma that discourages many from seeking the help they need.
These conspiracy theories exploit vulnerabilities in our information landscape, tapping into societal anxieties and magnifying them through social media platforms that prioritize engagement over factual accuracy. This dynamic is especially perilous in health-related discourse, where misinformation can lead to fatal outcomes.
Stigma & Public Health Risk
Aaron Rodgers’ endorsement of HIV/AIDS denialism illustrates the persistent influence of health misinformation. His assertions exploit long-standing fears, stigma, and systemic mistrust, especially prevalent in communities of color historically marginalized by the medical system. These real and profound injustices make communities susceptible to misleading narratives that claim HIV is a fabrication or that lifesaving treatments are harmful, thereby perpetuating a cycle of misinformation and stigma.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stigma deters many from seeking HIV testing and treatment, creating a sense of fear, judgment, and social isolation. This leads countless people to forgo life-saving medical care. This is particularly damaging to young people, as demonstrated by GLAAD's 2023 State of HIV Stigma report. It revealed a concerning generational gap: over 60% of Gen X adults consider themselves well-informed about HIV, yet only 34% of Gen Z adults say the same. A study published in The Guardian in August 2023 highlighted that teenagers are significantly more likely to believe online conspiracy theories than adults, underscoring the vulnerability of Gen Z to extremist rhetoric.
Young people’s vulnerability has serious public health implications, as those aged 13-34 account for 57% of new HIV diagnoses. The dangerous conspiracy theories promoted by Rodgers and Kennedy directly contribute to this crisis by perpetuating stigma. This disproportionately affects marginalized communities and exacerbates homophobia, transphobia, racism, and systemic inequalities.
The impact of this cycle is both profound and destructive:
Misinformation: Campaigns spread dangerous falsehoods about HIV, misleading the public about its origins, and the efficacy of treatments.
Stigma: Misinformation fosters stigma, fueled by fear, a profound distrust in medical advice, and manipulative media tactics. It discourages testing and treatment, promoting silence rather than open discussion about HIV status.
Public Health Crisis: Misinformation and stigma lead to inadequate testing, poor treatment adherence, and a decreased likelihood of status disclosure – crucial steps for stopping HIV transmission.
Stigma kills. To save lives, we must go beyond medical solutions and dismantle the harmful social barriers erected by misinformation. This requires targeted education and awareness campaigns designed specifically for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who are most at risk.
Breaking the Cycle
The resurgence of HIV denialism is a wake-up call. Misinformation purveyors prioritize sensationalism over saving lives. People like Rodgers prey on our understandable fears and anxieties during health crises, and their disregard for the consequences of their words is inexcusable. We must hold them accountable for the harm they cause and demand better from those whose voices reach millions. It's equally important to demand better from social platforms that profit from algorithms that prioritize divisive content over truth.
As citizens, we must all become savvier consumers of information, developing critical thinking skills and fostering a healthy skepticism of emotionally charged narratives that lack credible evidence. We have allies in this fight: the CDC, reputable journalists, fact-checkers, publications, and countless dedicated researchers. By seeking out evidence-based information and supporting their efforts, we can counter misinformation and protect public health.
Let's take concrete actions:
Demand accountability: from both the purveyors of misinformation and the platforms that amplify them.
Educate ourselves: Seek out reliable sources, develop critical thinking tools, and support organizations dedicated to media literacy.
Elevate evidence-based information: Amplify the voices of credible scientific institutions and share accurate information within our circles of influence.
These actions will help dismantle the harmful cycle of misinformation and push us closer to a world where science, not fear and lies, guides our approach to ending the HIV epidemic.