HIV Protagonists: The Untold Stories of People Who Made a Difference

This moving book examines the HIV epidemic in the UK through the lives of a range of individuals who worked tirelessly, but often quietly, to make a difference to those living and dying with HIV.

From LGBTQ+ activists to healthcare researchers, from charity volunteers to writers and campaigners, the book shines a spotlight on a range of people who played crucial but unsung roles. From the first recorded death in 1981 through to the present day, these compelling stories illustrate the trajectory of the epidemic. Some were involved in the early stages when stigma and discrimination compounded the lack of treatment; others have helped to reach a place where although HIV is still with us, it is no longer the existential threat it once was.

Combining the personal narratives with an overarching historical context, his book will be of interest to social historians and medical sociologists, as well as professionals working in services dealing with HIV.

Jose Catalan is psychiatrist and academic who has held academic posts at Oxford University and Imperial College London, and worked as NHS consultant psychiatrist at Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust. His area of interest is the relationship between physical disorders and mental health problems, including the consequences of HIV. In addition to clinical work, he has published extensively in scientific journals and books. In May 2025, he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the AIDS Impact Conference for his work in the fight against HIV/AIDS.