Kodiak.Bear@asuvax.asu.edu (Kodiak Bear) (06/15/89)
Kodiak spent the past few days in Montreal looking after some family
business. However, Kodiak was able to spend a couple of days
attending the Vth International AIDS Conference and Kodiak thought
someone might be interested in a few observations.
*** Personal Opinion On ***
There was good news and bad news. The bad news is that a
cure/vaccine is a VERY long way off. Kodiak doubts we will see
anything before the year 2000 unless someone makes a serendipitous
breakthrough. The good news, however, is that we will see some
significant improvements in treatment to improve and prolong the
quality of life for PWAs much sooner.
*** Personal Opinion Off ***
Attending the Conference was very interesting. There were over 5000
papers, presentations and poster sessions in 4.5 days. Obviously far
more information than anyone can absorb in such as short time.
Thinking about the amount of information started to make Kodiak
nervous and a little frustrated.
AIDS will be known as a many things, but Kodiak suspects it was also
be known as the first pandemic of the Information Age. Never before
have we had such powerful communications tools available to fight
disease. Some of these tools, such as the airplane, has probably
speeded up and widened the spread of the disease. But other tools,
such as computers, computerized databases and telecommunications are
tools which will, ultimately, help control the disease.
Meanwhile, the advanced communications networks we have are
presenting a new and possibly unexpected problem: the lack of
interpretation and and analysis.
AIDS information is growing in geometric proportions. Fostered by
the "publish or perish" syndrome, the need to justify research grants
and the mushrooming number of scientific and lay periodicals, we are
becoming overburdened with information. Desktop publishing,
word-processors, modems, FAXes and laser printers make the work of
preparing and disseminating information much easier and faster.
Kodiak worries about the quality of information and the effect poor
information has on both the scientific and general population. In the
area of AIDS research almost anyone can profess themselves an expect
and report their theories. As a result, we have conflicting
information, wrong information, misleading information and poor
science going out along with quality research. To the lay person, the
medial and most politicians, research is research and all papers can
be considered equal. This is a dangerous misconception.
This is not to suggest we require any form of research censorship.
All theories and research ideas should be followed, but in addition,
we need serious analysis and interpretation of all this data. There
is a need for the media, medics and lay persons to know what is
mainstream research (right or wrong) and what is not. Kodiak is not
suggesting censorship, but rather a classification and rating service
available for those who need guidance.
Unfortunately, the scientific Review paper is a dead format and too
few members of the media have the scientific training to fulfill the
task. Books, the ultimate in analysis and interpretation, still take
1-2 years to publish which, in the information age, is paramount to
being ancient history. Ultimately, we need talented scientists and
teachers who will be encouraged to make sense of the huge pile of
words and graphs.
* Origin: GLADCLUB: Toronto, Ont. CANADA (416) 979-3765 (1:148/136.0)
--
Uucp: ...{gatech,ames,rutgers}!ncar!noao!asuvax!stjhmc!148!136.0!Kodiak.Bear
Internet: Kodiak.Bear@p0.f136.n148.z1.fidonet.org