Part 2/9:
The consultant, whose journey of inquiry and skepticism unfolds through this narrative, began their experience while working on an HIV measurement project. Tasked with writing a grant proposal to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the consultant was faced with the critical need to substantiate the claim that HIV causes AIDS. When writing academic or scientific statements, proper citation is vital to lend credibility to claims. Thus, it was only natural for the consultant to turn to the existing scientific literature for support.