Transparency in the age of AIDS: the reality and mythology of a disease

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe how the lack of transparency about the AIDS disease has affected the spread of this pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The catalyst for this article was an interview with Dr Everett Koop who was the US Surgeon General during the Reagan presidency.

Findings

In his interview, Dr Koop describes the problems that government officials in the Reagan administration had with the subject of AIDS. Through the study of the history of information flow and dialogue about AIDS/HIV, this paper demonstrates the importance of transparency to public reaction and response to a life‐threatening disease. It shows how our first impressions of a disease can create a mythology that is very difficult to change even when the true facts are discovered. This mythology has affected the development of this disease into a full‐blown pandemic and continues to deter the advances that medical research has developed to fight the disease.

Originality/value

Dr Koop was one of the first public health leaders who had the responsibility to describe AIDS/HIV to the public and to help form the US response to the disease. His observations are uniquely valuable.

Citation

Hindus, L.A. (2006), "Transparency in the age of AIDS: the reality and mythology of a disease", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 25 No. 10, pp. 996-1003. https://doi.org/10.1108/02621710610708612