This article was updated from its original 2020 version. Luc Montagnier’s claims that SARS-CoV-2 was man-made have been widely disputed by the scientific community, with no credible evidence supporting them. Major studies, including Andersen et al. (2020), have concluded that the virus evolved naturally. This article reports Montagnier’s interview strictly for historical documentation and does not endorse the claims presented.
While the prevailing scientific consensus is that COVID-19 resulted from a natural mutation and was transmitted from animals to humans, Dr. Luc Montagnier, the man who discovered the HIV virus back in 1983, has argued otherwise.
Dr Luc Montagnier Image Courtesy of Prolineserver
Professor Luc Montagnier claims that SARS-CoV-2 is a manipulated virus that was accidentally released from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. Montagnier, celebrated for his HIV work, has faced criticism in recent decades for promoting controversial theories outside mainstream science. Chinese researchers are said to have used coronaviruses in their work to develop an AIDS vaccine. Montagnier claimed HIV RNA fragments were present in the SARS-CoV-2 genome. However, virologists and genomic researchers refuted this, showing the similarities were mathematically insignificant and common in unrelated RNA viruses.
We knew that the Chinese version of how the coronavirus emerged was increasingly under attack, but here’s a thesis that tells a completely different story about the COVID-19 pandemic, which is already responsible for more than 110,000 deaths worldwide. According to Professor Luc Montagnier, winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2008 for “discovering” HIV as the cause of the AIDS epidemic together with Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, SARS-CoV-2 is a virus that was manipulated and accidentally released from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, in the last quarter of 2019. According to him, this laboratory, known for its work on coronaviruses, tried to use one of these viruses as a vector for HIV in the search for an AIDS vaccine!
“With my colleague, bio-mathematician Jean-Claude Perez, we carefully analyzed the description of the genome of this RNA virus,” explains Luc Montagnier, interviewed by Dr. Jean-François Lemoine for the daily podcast at Pourquoi Docteur, adding that others have already explored this avenue: An early preprint by Indian researchers suggested similarities between SARS-CoV-2 and HIV but was quickly withdrawn after experts identified flaws in their methodology. The withdrawal was based on peer-reviewed critiques that found the similarities statistically insignificant and typical of naturally evolving RNA viruses. Virologists have since confirmed that the similarities are coincidental and do not indicate genetic engineering.
To insert an HIV sequence into this genome requires molecular tools
In a challenging question, Dr. Jean-François Lemoine inferred that the coronavirus under investigation may have come from a patient who is otherwise infected with HIV. No, “says Luc Montagnier,” to insert an HIV sequence into this genome, molecular tools are needed, and that can only be done in a laboratory. However, extensive genetic analyses, including Andersen et al. (2020), found no evidence of engineered insertions, HIV sequence use, or any signs consistent with lab manipulation. Montagnier’s assertion hinges on the idea that inserting HIV sequences into a coronavirus requires advanced genetic engineering techniques, such as CRISPR or other molecular cloning methods, which he says point to lab manipulation rather than natural mutation. He did not provide specific evidence of these tools’ use in Wuhan during the interview.
According to the 2008 Nobel Prize for Medicine, a plausible explanation would be an accident in the Wuhan laboratory. He also added that the purpose of this work was the search for an AIDS vaccine.
The truth will eventually come out
In any case, this thesis, defended by Professor Luc Montagnier, includes an optimistic note. According to him, the altered elements of this virus are eliminated as it spreads: ‘Nature does not accept any molecular tinkering, it will eliminate these unnatural changes, and even if nothing is done, things will get better, but unfortunately after many deaths.’ This assertion lacks supporting scientific evidence, and experts note that viral mutations are random and not guided by a mechanism that eliminates unnatural changes. Montagnier hopes the truth emerges, suggesting the Chinese government could clarify the virus’s origins, though no evidence of a lab accident has been substantiated.
This is enough to feed some heated debates! So much so that Professor Montagnier’s statements could also place him in the category of “conspiracy theorists”: “Conspirators are the opposite camp, hiding the truth,” he replies, without wanting to accuse anyone, but hoping that the Chinese will admit to what he believes happened in their laboratory.
To entice a confession from the Chinese, he used the example of Iran, which, after taking full responsibility for accidentally hitting a Ukrainian plane, was able to earn the respect of the global community. Hopefully, the Chinese will do the right thing he adds. “In any case, the truth always comes out, it is up to the Chinese government to take responsibility.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the ‘molecular tools’ Montagnier mentions?
Techniques like CRISPR or cloning to edit DNA/RNA, which he says were used to alter SARS-CoV-2, though unproven.
Why does this theory matter in 2025?
It shows how science debunks myths, aiding lab safety, public health policy, and 2025’s push for transparency in global virology research.
Is there proof SARS-CoV-2 was man-made?
No, virologists find it matches natural evolution, not lab creation; Montagnier’s claim lacks evidence.
What about the Indian researchers’ withdrawn study?
Montagnier referenced a withdrawn preprint that suggested HIV sequence similarities. However, the paper was retracted voluntarily after widespread critique from experts who identified statistical and methodological flaws.
Did Wuhan really work on an AIDS vaccine?
Montagnier claims this; no evidence confirms Wuhan labs used coronaviruses for HIV research.
Related Reading:
The Coronavirus Is Indeed of Natural Origin, According to the Scripps Research Institute
Coronavirus Pandemic: Why Knowing Your HIV Status Could Save Your Life
University of Arizona: The Hypotheses on the Origin of the US Coronavirus Epidemic Challenged
Final Thoughts
Currently, most virologists, backed by extensive genomic studies like Andersen et al. (2020), argue that SARS-CoV-2’s structure aligns with natural evolution, showing no definitive signs of lab tampering. Claims of HIV fragments have been dismissed as coincidental similarities common in RNA viruses, with no credible evidence supporting artificial insertion.
*Disclaimer: Gilmore Health does not endorse the views expressed by Montagnier. This article presents his 2020 claims for historical context. Readers are encouraged to refer to the current scientific consensus based on peer-reviewed research.
Reference
Rédaction de Pourquoi Docteur. (2020, April 16). EXCLUSIF – Pour le Pr Montagnier, SARS-CoV-2 serait un virus manipulé par les Chinois avec de l’ADN de VIH ! (podcast). Pourquoi Docteur. https://www.pourquoidocteur.fr/Articles/Question-d-actu/32184-EXCLUSIF-Pour-Pr-Montagnier-SARS-CoV-2-serait-virus-manipule-Chinois-l-ADN-de-VIH-podcast#gsc.tab=0
Andersen, K.G., Rambaut, A., Lipkin, W.I. et al. The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2. Nat Med 26, 450–452 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-0820-9
