In this episode of “To Health and Back,” we’ll hear from Pat Thomas — a journalist and the author of “Big Shot: Passion, Politics, and the Struggle for an AIDS Vaccine” — to evaluate the politicization of the HIV epidemic and the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has been similarly politicized.
Read the transcript for this episode here.
SHOW NOTES:
- Amazon: Check out Pat Thomas’ book, “Big Shot: Passion, Politics, and the Struggle for an AIDS Vaccine.”
- American Journal of Public Health: Learn about the politics surrounding the public response to AIDS.
- History.com: Read about how U.S. leaders and politicians stayed largely silent for 4 years, even as AIDS and HIV became a full-blown epidemic.
- HIV.gov: Read about HIV and AIDS, and the difference between the two.
- HIV.gov: Check out this timeline that covers the AIDS and HIV epidemic.
- National Institutes of Health: Read about the process behind the first COVID-19 vaccine.
- Ronald Reagan Presidential Library: Listen to former President Ronald Reagan answer questions during the Sept. 17, 1985 press conference.
- Scott Calonico: Read about Scott Calonico and his work.
- Scott Calonico/Ronald Reagan Presidential Library: Listen to audio from former President Ronald Reagan’s press conference on Oct. 15, 1982.
- Vanity Fair: Watch Scott Calonico’s documentary, “When AIDS Was Funny.”
- The Washington Post: Read about the course of the epidemic in 1985.
MUSIC CREDIT
Track: Floating Effortlessly — Artificial.Music & From Ashes [Audio Library Release]
Music provided by Audio Library Plus
Watch: https://youtu.be/iQIZZzwCuMM
Free Download/Stream: https://alplus.io/floating-effortlessly
SOUNDBITE CREDIT
Courtesy Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Courtesy Scott Calonico