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Soldiers of Science

By: Alan Alda, Kate Rope
Narrated by: Alan Alda
Free with 30-day trial

$16.45/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

  • Summary

  • It’s the height of the Vietnam War when a new generation of doctors, including a young Dr. Anthony Fauci, arrive at the National Institutes of Health as part of the doctor’s draft.

    What happens next is a hidden history of American medicine that could not be more revelatory or prescient.

    Alan Alda reveals how one of the darkest and divisive moments in the nation’s history also paved the way the for some of the greatest medical breakthroughs our country has ever seen. This one public health program would not only launch the careers of our top physician scientists, but build the country’s medical research system and also lead to nine Nobel-prize winning discoveries. So far.

    This is a story of faith in government and a belief in science. We meet patients who sacrifice everything, and doctors who still can’t believe their luck at being allowed to serve the country in this unique way. It reminds us of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s mission for the NIH in 1940 when he declared “to be a strong nation we must be a healthy nation.” As well as President John F. Kennedy’s hope-filled call to service.

    One can’t help but wonder how the story of the Soldiers of Science might help us shape a better and healthier future.
    ©2020 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC
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Americas
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Episodes
  • You’re In the NIH Now

    You’re In the NIH Now
    Dec 17 2020

    A young mother with two desperately sick children arrives at the NIH in the winter of 1969, where she meets doctors doing a tour of duty at the public health service.
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    30 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
  • The Beginning of the End of Heart Disease

    The Beginning of the End of Heart Disease
    Dec 17 2020

    Dr. Joe Goldstein arrives at the bedside of young Valerie and Clark. He soon enlists his colleague, Dr. Michael Brown, to try to figure out why these kids have cholesterol levels likely to kill them before they reach adulthood.
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    32 mins
    Free with 30-day trial
  • In Search Of…

    In Search Of…
    Dec 17 2020

    The story of the so-called “yellow berets” is largely forgotten until the NIH’s first historian and her young intern unearth some 3x5 index cards and make a major discovery of their own.
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    45 mins
    Free with 30-day trial

What listeners say about Soldiers of Science

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Topical

Story I never knew and am now telling everyone about! The interviewing is spot on and its edited so well, I never found my self distracted by anything else. It's a case of all the right people in the right place at the right time.

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Profile Image for Lisa Robson

Interesting

Interesting, a story that should be heard. to think of what the world would have been like without these breakthroughs.

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Should be more widely spoken of

Let us hope that the team that is working now can be as innovative and compassionate.

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Profile Image for Tex

excellent interviews

really enjoyed Alan Alda interviewing here and the Yellow Berets who advanced medical knowledge! especially Dr. Anthony Fauci

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

Alan Alda, a voice I could listen to any time

What an inspiration, thank you! I appreciate the fact I have had the chance to hear this remarkable story.
Mr Alda, you had genuine passion and respect in your voice. You gave this story more humanity than I could just reading it.

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Worth a listen

Really interesting and inspiring mini series. Would recommend. Great story and unique bit of history that I would have been obvious to

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good from bad

Very informative the right people in the right place at the right time, did wonders for medical science. I thank them for their service

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Great, but..

This podcast is fascinating but there is no indication of the order of the episodes.

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had to listen to for longer than 5 minutes

couldn't listen to the narrator longer than 5 minutes his voice was very irritating

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