On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service

by Anthony Fauci

was able to get into the union (I paid my dues) and work almost every day with the help of one of my friends’ uncles whose exact occupation I could never figure out and did not ask.

That experience taught me crucial lessons. Just because no one had ever done something like this before did not mean it could not be done. I also realized how important it was to cultivate relationships with people who are in a position to make things happen. Importantly, to win over the skeptics, I learned that the cause for which you are advocating must be legitimate, worthy, and not motivated by self-interest; your arguments must be evidence based; and you must be truthful and consistent in your reasons for asking for resources. People quickly see through anything less than that.

Hey, isn’t that the surgeon general guy? That must be him, look at that crazy beard. What is he doing here?” He heard the remark, started to laugh, and said, “What do you think I am doing here? I’m a Brooklyn guy, and this is Nathan’s.”

The era of highly effective and lifesaving anti-HIV treatment had begun. AIDS was no longer an inevitable death sentence.

This high-level suppression of the virus was ultimately shown to totally eliminate the possibility that a person with HIV would pass the infection on to an uninfected sexual partner.

“An AIDS-free generation is possible; indeed, it is a moral and public health imperative that we strive, collectively, toward this goal. No single nation or organization can accomplish this. A truly global commitment and effort are required; however, United States leadership is essential.

All these weaknesses in our public health response to COVID were profoundly compounded by one of the true enemies of public health: the spread of egregious misinformation and disinformation enabled by the internet and social media that unfortunately remains with us today. —