In the 1950s, polio spread at an unprecedented rate, killing or paralysing thousands of Americans. Two renowned scientists raced to develop a vaccine, taking radically different approaches and becoming bitter rivals in the process. Decades later, when a new virus threatens America, their feud is far from over.
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Many thanks to author Karen Torghele for kindly allowing us an advance view of her soon-to-be-published biography Albert Sabin: The Life of a Polio Vaccine Pioneer. This episode also relied on David M Oshinsky’s book, Polio: An American Story, and The Swine Flu Affair: Decision-Making on a Slippery Disease by Harvey V. Fineberg and Richard Neustadt.
The academic literature on anticipated regret includes Anticipated Regret and Health Behavior: A Meta-Analysis, To feel, or not to feel, is it a question of time? The influence of feedback availability on the magnitude of anticipated regret, Narratives of Regret: How Anticipated Regret and Counterfactual Thinking Can Promote COVID-19 Vaccination Intentions in Unvaccinated Adults, Anticipating pride or regret? Effects of anticipated affect focused persuasive messages on intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19, and An experimental investigation of the effects of anticipating regret and relief on intentions and decisions to get the influenza vaccination.
