The 1993 television film “And the Band Still Playing” deals with politics within the scientific community in the context of the AIDS pandemic in the 1990s 80. Our protagonist, Don Francis, is a doctor specializing in infectious diseases who, after working with the 1976 Ebola epidemic, becomes involved in the research team of the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The film creates the socio-political context of the major gay rights movements during which the pandemic unfolded, explores the politics within the scientific community, which was such a “hot” issue at the time, and delves into the answers to ethical questions when addressing issues how much information government agencies actually convey to the public. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Our political leader comes in the form of Bill Kraus, a gay rights activist and liaison between San Francisco's gay community and government agencies. The main reason the film focuses on San Francisco's gay communities was because of the high probability of infection from the AIDS bathhouses provided, as it was commonplace for men to have unprotected sex with each other. Kraus had the difficult task of bringing together an outraged gay community who wants to maintain their bathhouses, and the CDC's desire to block any form of contagious methods in which the gay community might engage. Then there was the problem of money and finding enough interest in Washington to fund research initiatives to combat the disease. With the CDC, Kraus and his staff became avid advocates for a viable solution to AIDS prevention and awareness. However, a major factor in the failure of this effort to pick up the necessary speed was the lack of knowledge and funding for the CDC. Don Francis was acting as an ethical entity in a highly politicized organization: there was a stigma of the disease as a “gay disease” that severely damaged any efforts to obtain the funding needed to effectively eradicate that stigma. Information and testing have been key to making progress in understanding the mysterious disease. President Reagan did not mention the word “AIDS” or its predecessors until seven years into his presidency, sending a strong message to the American people that this disease was not important. With a mortality rate of more than 50%, AIDS has been the most significant and needlessly underfunded disease in modern history. However, the lack of funding for government agencies has not stopped other organizations from investigating the baffling virus. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The film establishes a clear divide: the French and the Americans, with Don Francis in the middle of the scientific race. According to the film, the French were the first to consolidate the theory that the disease was transmitted through blood (not through air or contact). The CDC initially began carrying out the trials in an internal effort, but the organization did not present the results of the small study; instead the French and Dr. Robert Gallo (the American doctor) shared credit for any further discoveries about AIDS after a long period of time. battle.