Movie Analysis – Behind the Fear – The Hidden Story of HIV

HIV/AIDS is a curious acronym. HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus is commonly known to cause AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The public has heard this for decades, even the acronym visually sets this theory as conclusively linked. But is the science settled or could this be a slick public relations campaign that generates billions of dollars in research aid, solidifying prestigious careers and reputations for researchers at world-class institutions?

The documentary, Behind the Fear – The Hidden Story of HIV by Nicole Zwiren looks at both the mainstream research and an alternative look, or what some term as “Denialism”, of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. She focuses on the research, politics, money, power, and egos behind the scenes, guiding the public’s perception of the genesis and evolution of the story of the AIDS epidemic. We also see the development of costly and toxic drugs, that often damage the internal organs of the patient.

Since the time of this film’s release in 2015, many advances in genetic testing have come to be more commonplace and affordable. Next Generation Sequencing can perform deep sequencing on certain areas of DNA to distinguish differences in the DNA that might protect a person from the effects of the HIV virus. People with this genetic mutation were a topic in our second video HIV: Hope for a Cure. The host, Greta van Susteren discusses a pair of HIV positive patients who both had received a stem cell transplant from a donor with a particular mutation that repressed the HIV virus. The transplant was part of their cancer treatment, but the benefit from having found a donor match that had this mutation was viewed as a cure for AIDS. While these are extraordinary findings, stem cell transplants are expensive, risky and not a practical cure. The difficulty in finding a match that also has the genetic mutation would also make this an impractical treatment option. However, research of the mutation could lead to a form of gene therapy.

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Both these films point to the worldwide investment in finding a cure for AIDS. “The largest funder of HIV/AIDS research is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), investing nearly $69 billion in AIDS research from fiscal years 1982-2018”, (Fauci & Schwetz, 2019). According to their article in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, authors Tara A. Schwetz and Anthony S. Fauci (2019) point out that there is an impact from AIDS research that has broadened our understanding of viral biology and antiretroviral therapies. These advances have led to innovations in treatment for other immunodeficient diseases as well as cancer treatments.

Due to the vast sums of money and the government/corporate takeover of AIDS funding, research, and drug development, the stigma around having AIDS have changed. Along with the social awareness of LGBTQ rights, the face of AIDS is now mainstream. It’s the superstar basketball athlete, a Los Angeles gay-Latino artist, a single mother struggling with same concerns as any parent would, but who now has hope of being able to see her child grow.

One segment of the population that isn’t often addressed is young people with HIV/AIDS. Generally defined as youth between 15 -24 years old, they present the same challenges to treatment as with many other critical or chronic diseases they may experience, such as Diabetes or Cancer. According to the NIH journal AIDS Patient Care and STDs, “these challenges, along with others commonly faced by all people living with HIV (e.g., stigma, substance abuse, mental illness, lack of social support), likely impact the degree to which young people engage in care. As a result, youth living with AIDS require targeted services and structures within clinical care settings that can accommodate and support their unique developmental needs”, (Lee, et. al, 2016).

With better treatment options that have extended the life of AIDS patients, the fear that was once experienced has now normalized. The drugs prescribed to treat the infection as less toxic, and the effects on the body and its appearance are less noticeable. Precautions in the healthcare field have now been incorporated into best practice standards, and the stigma that once existed has made way to viewing AIDS as a chronic but treatable disease.

I have learned from watching both videos and reading peer-reviewed articles on the subject of HIV/AIDS that science can only inform us to the best of our ability to test a theory. As research methods and tools continue to advance, so will the story of HIV/AIDS. While the research goes on, the impact on those being treated today has improved their chance of survival significantly in the developed world. My hope is that the barriers to access these treatments for those less fortunate will be removed and they can experience hope and a healthy future.

References

1. HIV: Hope for a Cure | Plugged in with Greta Van Susteren. (2019). Retrieved from youtube.com/watch?v=SvL_EB1uCWM
2. Lee, L., Yehia, B. R., Gaur, A. H., Rutstein, R., Gebo, K., Keruly, J. C., ... & HIV Research Network. (2016). The impact of youth-friendly structures of care on retention among HIV-infected youth. AIDS patient care and STDs, 30(4), 170-177.
3. Schwetz, T. A., & Fauci, A. S. (2019). The extended impact of human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS research. The Journal of infectious diseases, 219(1), 6-9.
4. Zwiren, N. Behind the Fear - The Hidden Story of HIV. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.kanopy.com/product/behind-fear-hidden-story-hiv

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