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Human Disease and Society
Assignment 12 – “The Band Played On” - AIDS
1. Why do you suppose the “flashbacks” of Dr. Don Francis’s previous encounter with Ebola were used in
the movie?
2. According to the video, the first case of "AIDS" was a ________ (gender) from _________ (country)
3. What “clinical finding” was the most noteworthy in suggesting there was something out of the ordinary
going on?
4. What was the purpose of all the interviews and data gathering associated with the early history of this
then unknown disease?
5. People were dying from “gay pneumonia” and “gay cancer” known as ____________________. These
unusual conditions were a result of ___________________ infections something also found in a previous
disease we have studies, namely ________________.
6. Why were the patrons of the bathhouses so adamantly opposed to closing down the bathhouses?
7. What information suggested that this new disease was not limited to just gay men?
8. What is the significance of “patient zero” in terms of studying the transmission of a disease?
9. We've talked a lot about the role of "dumb luck" in scientific discovery. What activity was Dr. Don
Francis engaged in when he was struck with the idea of the virus destroying immune cells? What was it
about this activity that provided the insight?
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10. There is a lot of discussion in the movie about “scientific proof”. Why was it so important to establish
and what evidence provided the "definitive proof” for the means of transmission of the disease?
11. What do we think? What do we know? What can we prove? These questions were asked several times
in the video.
What do you think is the significance of each question and/or the set of questions?
12. In January 1983, CDC scientists met with representatives of agencies of the blood industry. At this time,
they decided to give the disease a new/official name – AIDS. What was the original name?
13. At this meeting, a number of issues facing the blood industry were brought up. What were some of those
“issues”?
14. The first blood test for the virus was actually a test for _______________ virus, why was it (could it be)
used?
15. According to the video, the HIV virus was first identified in ______ (yr.), by a group of ________
scientists.
16. How would you describe the attitudes of Dr. Robert Gallo, (USA)., and Dr. Luc Montagnier (French).
17. What was the big scientific obstacle associated with trying to identify the virus that faced both of these
scientists?
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18. What were some of the issues faced by government funding agencies such as the CDC (Center for
Disease Control)?
19. In your opinion, what entity or group, e.g., CDC, activism, government, media, etc., involved in the effort
to understand AIDS was the most effective and why?
20. What are some changes that have occurred in our society because of AIDS/HIV?
21. From what you saw in the movie, what did you find the most puzzling and why?
22. From what you saw in the movie, what did you find the most frustrating and why?
23. From what you saw in the movie, what did you find the most encouraging and why?
24. Based on the information from the movie, make an addition, change, enhancement etc our Model of the
interaction of disease and society…