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.
This episode is available exclusively to members of the Cautionary Club.
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.