At an event in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday sponsored by the Hollywood, Health & Society (HH&S) program of the University of Southern California, panelists discussed how television storylines can raise the American public’s awareness of global health issues, the Washington Examiner’s blog, “Yeas & Nays,” reports (Schwab/Palmeri, 3/25).

“Mariska Hargitay of ‘Law & Order: SVU’ and a team of showbiz insiders” showed clips of how shows have portrayed issues such as preventing mother to child transmission of HIV and violent rape in the Congo, the Washington Post’s “Reliable Source” blog reports. “Law & Order: SVU” Executive Producer Neal Baer also discussed HIV/AIDS in Africa, according to the newspaper. Baer said, “This is looming, horrendous problem that hasn’t gotten enough attention” (Roberts/Argetsinger, 3/25).

Hargitay and Baer were joined by Sally Canfield of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, according to an HH&S press release. HH&S Director Sandra de Castro Buffington moderated the discussion (3/24).