AIDS – Medical Lessons

“The Dallas Buyers Club” Takes on AIDS, Peer Patients, and Not Taking “No” for An Answer

November 26, 2013October 31, 2021 Elaine Schattner, MD

Published trials can be flawed. Even if they’re well-analyzed, the findings can be hard to interpret when it comes to a single patient’s course and well-being. What’s a dying man to do?

Posted in Empowered Patient, Essential Lessons, Infectious Disease, Life, Movies, Patient Autonomy, ReviewsTagged AIDS, clinical trials, film, new drugs, patient activism, patient-doctor relationship, peer patients, The Dallas Buyers Club2 Comments

Visiting an Exhibit on Early AIDS at the New York Historical Society

September 12, 2013September 13, 2013 Elaine Schattner, MD

Most doctors didn’t know what was going on. The young men weren’t sure either. There were rumors but also credible denials about a disease affecting the community…

Posted in Exhibits, Infectious Disease, Life in NYC, Medical Education, Medical History, ReviewsTagged AIDS, AIDS posters, early AIDS, History, New York City, New York Historical Society, patient activism, peer patientsLeave a Comment

Can Anyone Be a Patient Advocate?

January 31, 2013October 31, 2021 Elaine Schattner, MD

Can a good doctor, or a nurse, or a physical therapist, or any other person employed by the health care system, serve as a patient advocate?

Posted in Empowered Patient, Essential Lessons, Ideas, language, Patient-Doctor RelationshipTagged advocacy, AIDS, Breast Cancer, doctor-patient relationship, patient advocacy, patient-doctor relationship, patients' preferences, patients' rights, patients' voices23 Comments

Magic Johnson is Alive 20 Years after Announcing He Had HIV

November 8, 2011November 11, 2011 Elaine Schattner, MD

Yesterday’s Washington Post Sports has a clip from CNN, 20 years ago, when basketball star Magic Johnson announced on TV that he had HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The date was Nov 7, 1991. “Where were you when Magic made his announcement? What were your thoughts on Johnson and HIV/AIDS that day and how […]

Posted in Communication, Infectious Disease, Medical History, Medical NewsTagged AIDS, chronic illness, HIV, Magic Johnson, medical progress, new drugs, public illness, survivalLeave a Comment

Looking Back on ‘The Normal Heart,’ and Patients’ Activisim

June 24, 2011March 28, 2019 Elaine Schattner, MD

They were impatient with the pace of research and physicians’ protocols, and spoke out emphatically about their needs: for more research; for prevention and treatment; for easier access to new drugs; and, simply, for good medical care.

Posted in Empowered Patient, Essential Lessons, Infectious Disease, Life as a Patient, Reviews, TheaterTagged ACT UP, AIDS, empowered patient, GMHC, HIV, Larry Kramer, patient activism, patients' voices, The Normal Heart, theaterLeave a Comment

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