How to Survive a Plague

"Faced with their own mortality an improbable group of young people, many of them HIV-positive young men, broke the mold as radical warriors taking on Washington and the medical establishment."

This documentary about AIDS activism in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with accompanying viewer's guide, focuses on the actions of two United States (US)-based coalitions - ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group). According to organisers, "[d]espite having no scientific training, these self-made activists infiltrated the pharmaceutical industry and helped identify promising new drugs, moving them from experimental trials to patients in record time." The How to Survive a Plague website notes that, while effective HIV treatment is now more affordable, 28 million people globally still cannot afford treatment. In the US, nearly half of the 1.1 million people living with HIV are not receiving treatment.

As documented in the film, ACT UP and their colleagues fought for life-saving medications by organising a mass movement, taking to the streets, and making art. "Their tools included clear demands, arresting graphics, media savvy, and an ability to learn from their mistakes and refine their strategies. And a sense of humor, when appropriate, in combination with their urgent and ethical message."

The How to Survive a Plague website provides information about how to view the entire film (e.g., it can be purchased for US$3.99 on YouTube) as well as background and also action ideas such as how to organise meet-ups and post-screening discussions so "you can connect with like-minded folks, learn more, make things happen and have some fun in the process."