Have “Numerous Controlled Transmission Studies” Proven Viral Contagion? The claim that they have is often repeated, but when scrutinized, many of the most-cited studies fall short of meeting rigorous scientific standards for proving viral transmission.
Some Historical Context: The 1918 Influenza Studies · The U.S. Navy and Public Health Service conducted multiple experiments trying to transmit influenza: o Healthy volunteers were exposed to mucus, breath, and even injected blood of flu victims. o Not one case of illness was successfully induced, even with close contact. · These studies failed to prove human-to-human transmission , despite their best efforts. This is largely ignored today. Modern COVID Transmission Models · Much of what is labeled “transmission proof” involves: o PCR tests (which detect genetic material—not infectious particles) o Animal studies with forced inoculation (intranasal drops, injection into lun...