6. AIDs/HIV
A series 2 episode of The Next Generation featured a story-line where a contagious disease causing accelerated aging was tearing through Federation colonies. This mirrored the quickly developing epidemic of the HIV and AIDs virus, a devastating, confusing and deadly disease which had only just reared its ugly head into the world. The embracing attitude of The Next Generation, as well as its dogmatic belief that a cure could be reached, sent a message of hope to victims who had none; this resonated so well as the media was especially hostile to AIDs and HIV, deeming it to be the 'Gay Plague'.