In 1987 the British government launched its Don't Die of Ignorance campaign - a public health message which would define AIDS for a generation.

Behind the campaign was the then Secretary or State for Health and Social Services, Norman Fowler. In this episode he recalls the slow response to AIDS within Whitehall, and how he decided to take charge.

Through some careful political manoeuvring, he reveals how he side-stepped Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's concerns about explicit language, and that any mention of sex might encourage young people to take more risks,

He also reveals the prejudice of high-profile public figures, and how they motivated him to do something about the emerging epidemic.

Narrator: Chris Pavlo
Producer: Richard Fenton-Smith Show less