1985 Articles

COUNTERPOINT; Get Moving on AIDS

Pollack, Robert

The documents titled "Get Moving on AIDS" by Robert E. Pollack, originally published in the New York Times in 1985 and reprinted in 1990, argue for urgent government action to develop a vaccine against HTLV III, the virus that causes AIDS. Pollack, a professor and dean at Columbia University, contends that despite scientific progress in isolating the virus and decoding its genes, the nation has failed to organize a cohesive effort to create a vaccine. He critiques the scientific objections that have delayed vaccine development—namely, concerns about viral variants and the lack of suitable animal models—suggesting these are not insurmountable barriers. Pollack also highlights a social dimension to the inaction, pointing to societal fear and hostility toward the homosexual community, the primary group affected by AIDS at the time, as a significant factor in the reluctance to address the crisis. He condemns the medical community for failing to act and calls for a nationwide mobilization to prevent further loss of life.