The Age of AIDS
On the 25th anniversary of the first diagnosed cases of AIDS, FRONTLINE examines one of the worst pandemics the world has ever known in The Age of AIDS. After a quarter century of political denial and social stigma, of stunning scientific breakthroughs, bitter policy battles and inadequate prevention campaigns, HIV/AIDS continues to spread rapidly throughout much of the world, particularly in developing nations. To date, some 30 million people worldwide have already died of AIDS.
“It’s a very human virus, a very human epidemic. It touches right to the heart of our existence,” says Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of UNAIDS. “When you think of it, that in let’s say 25 years, about 70 million people have become infected with this virus, probably coming from one [transmission]… it’s mind blowing.”
And the crisis continues: Over the next decade, an estimated 40 million more people will contract HIV. “We cannot continue just to treat patients as they become infected,” says Dr. David Ho, AIDS researcher and Time magazine’s 1996 “Man of the Year” for his work on the life-prolonging “triple cocktail” treatment. “The real solution to this epidemic is to curtail the spread of the virus.”
Why humanity has failed to stop the spread of HIV is the central question of “The Age of AIDS.” Over four hours, the series examines one of the most important scientific and political stories of our time: the story of a mysterious agent that invaded the human species and exploited its frailties and compulsions — sexual desire and drug addiction, bigotry and greed, political indifference and bureaucratic inertia — to spread itself across the globe.
Filmed around the world in 19 countries, The Age of AIDS features interviews with major players in the battle against HIV/AIDS: scientists, including Dr. Jim Curran of Emory University and formerly with the Centers for Disease Control, and Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute for Allergic and Infectious Diseases; political figures, including former President Bill Clinton, U2 front man and AIDS activist Bono and evangelist Franklin Graham; and innovative activists, including Cleve Jones, creator of the AIDS Quilt; Noerine Kaleeba, founder of Africa’s first AIDS support organization; and Mechai Viravaidya, “the condom king” of Thailand. (Excerpt from pbs.org)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
November 9th, 2009 at 16:03
Vlatko: I had a hard time getting these documentaries to load. I had to refresh about 8 times to get all four to show a play prompt. Is that must my computer?
Anyway, A great series of films! Thanks.
A question: If the AIDS triple cocktail minimizes the viral load to undetectable levels, and people still have unprotected sex (like they said they do at the end of the film), is the virus still transmittable? If it is, then in fact aren’t we just further spreading the virus by making widely available the drugs that can’t cure people, but will allow them to just spread it more and more more for 15 to 25 years more than they would otherwise?
I don’t know the answer to that one if anyone has a thought about that.
Nonetheless, the drugs for HIV positive mothers is a great idea to at least stop the spread from mother to child.
My last thought: What is happening now to all these people now that the Bush plan has run dry and the economy is so poor? Have those who have been taking the drugs now been denied drugs? Are they now starting to “die” again in larger numbers? Or are the drugs still available for many?
God bless Franklin Graham! May his ministry be double his father’s fruitful ministry in the years to come; true servants of Christ.
November 13th, 2009 at 09:28
Answer: Yes, the virus is still transmittable; however if the person is recieving treatment for HIV then he or she is aware of the condition. It is the responsibility of the individual to make all parnters aware of the condition, and to use safe sex. There are laws in place that levy heavy penalties for knowingly transmitting the virus, and this in combination with education further reduces transmission. Te drugs themselves also make transmission less likely. Will it still occur? Yes. Will it occur at a rate comperable to transmission without treatment? No.
As far as I know, the cocktail is still available.
November 13th, 2009 at 14:00
Janine: That’s what I figured also.
It also mentioned on the video that AIDS can only be transmitted four ways; by sex, blood transfusion, I.V. drug use, or from mother to child. I am quite sure that I read about a dentist that gave the virus to at least 3 of his patients just from doing their dental work. I think the dangers of transmission are a bit underplayed in this documentary.
November 13th, 2009 at 16:12
Charles B.
I heard about the dentist also.
I believe that the dentist did it on purpose. Injected his patients
with some of his blood in with the Novacaine.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:59
Razor: That makes sense as most dentists use gloves when working on your teeth. Words cannot express how much I loath a person that would do such a hideous act.
December 14th, 2009 at 02:40
there should be a law in third world countries, stating that if a person is HIV positive, the Physician must let his patient and family know about the condition. In Domican Republic i know cases of Doctor’s, that have been asked by family members to not reveal the condition to the infected person, with the excuse that he/she might commit suicide. Physicians there often follow family requests.