Stefan Lanka: A Figurehead of Germ Theory Denial | Generated by AI
Stefan Lanka is a German former virologist who has gained notoriety for his controversial views challenging fundamental tenets of modern medicine, particularly the existence of viruses and the efficacy of vaccines. He is a prominent figure in the “germ theory denial” movement.
Lanka’s central idea is the denial of the existence of pathogenic viruses, including those widely accepted by the scientific and medical communities as causing diseases like measles, HIV, influenza, and others. He asserts that the phenomena attributed to viral infections are instead caused by other factors, such as toxins, stress, or psychosomatic responses.
One of the most well-known instances of his challenge to mainstream science was his public offer of €100,000 to anyone who could provide scientific proof of the existence and diameter of the measles virus. While a doctor presented several scientific publications as proof, a protracted legal battle ensued. Although a lower court initially ruled in favor of the doctor, a higher court overturned the decision, not on the scientific evidence for the measles virus, but based on the specific conditions Lanka had set for his reward.
Lanka’s ideas are widely rejected by the scientific and medical communities, who point to a vast body of evidence supporting the existence, structure, and role of viruses in causing infectious diseases. His views are considered a part of the broader anti-vaccine movement, which has been linked to outbreaks of preventable diseases.