Gary Davis, an Ivy League trained Black physician from Tulsa, Oklahoma, had one passion: to find a cure for Aids. In the 1990s, Davis brought his research to the FDA to start a clinical trial — but just hours before it was supposed to start — his trial was shut down. Davis had powerful critics, and ardent supporters. Some sued in court to be allowed to try Davis’ treatment, while others chose to ask for forgiveness rather than permission to get their hands on it. Desperate to get financial support to conduct trials, the doctor forged dubious alliances, and when he died unexpectedly, many of his followers suspected foul play.
What was the true potential of Davis’ serum — and who are the people who say it saved their lives?
Serum is a limited run podcast production of WHYY’s The Pulse and Local Trance Media.
Follow Serum on Twitter and Instagram @serumpodcast
For questions or tips related to Serum, please contact Maiken Scott at mscott@whyy.org or Grant Hill at grant@localtrancemedia.com
All Episodes
The story of Precious Thomas, the brave little girl fighting HIV, captured people’s attention in the 1990s, and changed hearts and mind ...
Air Date: September 20, 2022
Listen 1:32:00
Episode 8: The Eternal Chameleon
Gary Davis wanted to leave England and all of his troubles there behind. Eventually, he reconnected with an American investor, somebody h ...
Air Date: September 13, 2022
Listen 1:16:34
Episode 7: Illegitimi non Carborundum
Goat’s blood is in the water, and sharks are circling. A powerlifter from North Carolina has connected Gary Davis to a wealthy and infl ...
Air Date: September 6, 2022
Listen 53:57
Where are the people Gary Davis treated with the serum? Why is nobody who took it willing to talk? A very cagey former patient finally ag ...
Air Date: August 30, 2022
Listen 38:55
Episode 5: Where The Magic Happened
Deep conversations with the doctor’s family members paint a complicated picture of Gary Davis, the man — and Gary Davis, the legend. ...
Air Date: August 23, 2022
Listen 1:04:11
Episode 4: 99 Percent Certainty
What really happened to Gary Davis and his serum? Grant starts reaching out to the doctor’s family members. They are eager to tell th ...
Air Date: August 16, 2022
Listen 1:01:27
Episode 3: Red Flags and Green Lights
Grant gets in touch with one of the last people to have seen Dr. Davis’ serum in action, a Tulsa photographer named Doug Henderson. The ...
Air Date: August 9, 2022
Listen 54:06
During the height of the AIDS crisis, one man sues in court to try Dr. Davis’ goat serum — which has not been approved by the FDA. A ...
Air Date: August 2, 2022
Listen 42:02
Reporter Grant Hill stumbles into a cab after a long night out. A conversation with the driver leads to a ...
Air Date: July 26, 2022
Listen 31:48
A Black doctor, a potential cure for AIDS, and the quest to find out what happened to it. A production of ...
Air Date: July 19, 2022
Listen 4:15