Lindau Meetings: Francoise Barre-Sinoussi on the HIV pandemic

A Frenchwoman talking about sex education? Didn't take much for me to click "play" on this video. But the content was actually quite sobering in this installment from the Lindau Meetings wherein Françoise Barré-Sinoussi talks about the stigmas of sex education, HIV/AIDS, and sexual discrimination in the sciences. My initial intrigue was also sparked by hearing the French-accent of Barré-Sinoussi, a 2008 recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for co-discovering HIV. Having grown up in Mauritius, my mother tongue is French, and it was unusually soothing to hear someone speaking about science without the sharper sounds of orthodox American or British English.

Although the video deals with important and perhaps awkward (and maybe even controversial) issues, it remains light and thoroughly enjoyable throughout. Barré-Sinoussi is evidently very used to talking about HIV/AIDS and there are no nervous or hesitant shift-in-the-chair moments when she discusses sexual education with the lovely Markita Landry, a physics student. This and her sense of humor very quickly brought me under her spell.

HIV/AIDS is a problem of monstrous scale and those infected are unfortunately still plagued with stigma. Barré-Sinoussi herself recounts how some of her conversations with taxi drivers sometimes resulted in disgraceful remarks about "those people" infected with the virus. HIV/AIDS is indeed not only a medical problem but also a social one. It is traditionally linked with homosexuals, drug addicts, and unsafe sex (as well as premarital intercourse), which to many misinformed and uninformed are either taboo or downright evil. While scientific research has not yet found a cure for HIV/AIDS, it has managed to produce new treatments that reduce its effects. However, the worldwide infection rates are not easing at all, and it continues to be a global pandemic.

One of the main reasons for this is that the science and the social aspects are not walking hand in hand. In fact, although the two facets of the HIV/AIDS topic are so thoroughly linked in reality, the general medical and social disciplines are not. The video, although not explicitly attempting to do so, reminds us that medical issues are not solely a lab matter but also very much a community one - a social one. Medical research is done for the community and it seems logical that researchers need to work in collaboration with social scientists for more effective results.

In the face of this apparent divide, Barré-Sinoussi is unusual among scientists. She is both a medical researcher and an activist. She has even written an open letter to Pope Benedict XVI, following the latter's statement condemning condoms as ineffective against HIV/AIDS. So, who better person than she to offer advice on the subject of HIV/AIDS eradication? In large part, the pandemic is not declining due to many people's prejudiced ideas (as stated above). Barré-Sinoussi is of the opinion that to tackle the social issue, education is the way to go. I agree. Sensitizing people by showing them the grandeur of the problem and making them understand that everyone is at risk — not just "those people" — is essential and will ultimately bring down barriers.

Barré-Sinoussi gives us a glimpse into her life as a scientist as well, which is always interesting to us aspiring ones. She talks with Markita about how her fiancé had to call her at her lab the morning of their wedding day to make sure she was coming to the church. Barré-Sinoussi agrees that this anecdote probably symbolizes the life of a dedicated scientist and, full of laughter, offers this advice to women in the sciences; the key to having a fulfilling social life in such a demanding profession is to choose the right partner. As a guy though, I think this advice also applies to the men in the sciences. Having watched three Lindau meeting videos so far, it is certainly apparent that the successful and dedicated scientist is a hard worker — and in order to keep the hard work, I firmly believe that support from those around you is absolutely essential. So, just as they say that behind every successful man there's a strong woman, I am of the opinion that behind every successful scientist, there's some form of supportive family around him or her.