在首次发现艾滋病病毒以来的20年里，整整一代人出生，他们在成年时认识到一个充斥着流行病的世界。艾滋病不仅改变了个人，而且还改变了政治——改变了我们的思考方式，改变了我们去爱的方式，改变了我们教育子女的方式，改变了我们在公开场合中的谈话内容。艾滋病改变了我们看待即将爆发的疾病的方式。国家变应性疾病和传染病研究所所长安东尼•福西说：“在艾滋病爆发之前，我们中的大多数人认为诸如黑死病和1918年的流感等灾难性瘟疫都会成为过眼烟云。但艾滋病病毒/艾滋病却不一样，它去了又来。”
艾滋病还改变了病人的概念。艾滋病患者出席各种学术会议，携手对付病魔，帮助革新检验试验性药物的程序和激励他人。全国乳腺癌患者联盟主席弗兰•维斯科说：“防治乳腺癌的活动毫无疑问是因防治艾滋病的活动而起。我们认为防治艾滋病的活动取得了成功，所以决定效仿它。”该联盟安排了数千人为增加研究经费而展开游说活动。在首次发现艾滋病病毒以来的20年里，整整一代人出生，他们在成年时认识到一个充斥着流行病的世界。艾滋病不仅改变了个人，而且还改变了政治——改变了我们的思考方式，改变了我们去爱的方式，改变了我们教育子女的方式，改变了我们在公开场合中的谈话内容。艾滋病改变了我们看待即将爆发的疾病的方式。国家变应性疾病和传染病研究所所长安东尼•福西说：“在艾滋病爆发之前，我们中的大多数人认为诸如黑死病和1918年的流感等灾难性瘟疫都会成为过眼烟云。但艾滋病病毒/艾滋病却不一样，它去了又来。”
无Twenty years after the discovery of the AIDS virus, a whole generation is born, finding the world full of epidemics after they grow up. AIDS not only changes individuals with the virus, but also changes politics and our way of thinking, loving, educating children, and conversations in public. AIDS has also changed the way we look at the outbreak of the disease. “Before the outbreak of AIDS, most of us are convinced that catastrophic plagues such as the Black Death and the flu in 1918 will become extinct. ” said Anthony Forsyee, Chairman of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, “However, The AIDS virus is an exception, and it comes back again. ”
AIDS has also changed the concept of the patient. AIDS patients attend various academic conferences and work together to deal with the disease by helping renew the testing procedures of experimental drugs and encouraging other patients. “Undoubtedly, the campaign to combat breast cancer is a result inspired by activities to prevent and control AIDS. We decide to follow those activities because they have been so successful. ” said Frank Weissco, chairman of the National Union of Breast Cancer Patients. The union has arranged thousands of people to launch lobbying activities of rising research funding.