2003
DECEMBER
December 31, 2003
Health Care in Iraq
The war in Iraq left thousands of civilians injured and a national health care system too frail to keep up with their needs. Susan Dentzer speaks with interim Iraqi Health Minister Dr. Khodeir Abbas about his efforts to rebuild the country's long-neglected health care system.

December 30, 2003
Mad Cow
The U.S. Department of Agriculture established stricter safeguards to reduce the risk of meat infected with mad cow disease from reaching consumers. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said the new meatpacking regulations will prevent the intestines and spinal tissue of older cattle from entering the American food supply.

December 30, 2003
Newsmaker: Mark McClellan
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it is banning the popular herbal supplement ephedra. Susan Dentzer explains the science behind the decision, and Terence Smith follows up with FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan.

December 30, 2003
Left Behind
The HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa affects many more than those it infects. Special correspondent Tim Hagler visited some Kenyan grandmothers and orphans, who have been left behind by family members lost to the incurable virus.

December 29, 2003
Mad Cow
The first U.S. Holstein cow found infected with mad cow disease was born before the United States and Canada banned the use of cattle remains in animal feed, the Agriculture Department announced. Gwen Ifill discusses the effect of this case on the beef industry and its consumers with George Gray of the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis and Dennis Laycraft of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association.

December 26, 2003
Mad Cow
The first confirmed case of mad cow disease in the United States has spawnedsupermarket recalls, quarantined multiple calves and stopped many countries from importing American beef. Gwen Ifill gets perspective on the implications of mad cow disease from Philip Seng, the president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, and Michael Hansen, senior research associate at Consumers Union.

December 24, 2003
Mad Cow
Ray Suarez discusses what appears to be the first case of mad cow diesease in the United States with Dr.William Hueston, the director of the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety at the University of Minnesota, and Caroline Smith DeWaal, director of food safety for the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

December 18, 2003
Dangerous Flu
The flu season started unusually earlier this year, and the strain which is striking is especially virulent. Tom Bearden reports that it is difficult for people to find vaccines in states like Colorado, where 11 children have already died from the flu this year.

December 17, 2003
Morning-After Pill
A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended Tuesday that the emergency contraception commonly referred to as the morning-after pill should be available to women without a prescription. Ray Suarez discusses the decision with Planned Parenthood president Gloria Feldt and Wendy Wright of Concerned Women for America.

December 8, 2003
Medicare Changes
President Bush signed a Medicare reform bill that will cover the cost of some prescription drugs and allow a larger role for private health insurers. Ray Suarez explores the implications of this act with Ron Pollack of Families USA and David Certner of the AARP.

December 3, 2003
Healing the Wounds
More than 1,900 U.S. soldiers have been wounded since the war in Iraq began in March. During a visit to one of the U.S. military's top burn treatment centers, Susan Dentzer explores new treatments for wounded soldiers.

December 2, 2003
Virtual Colonoscopy
A procedure that lets doctors find abnormal growths in the colon through 3-D computer-generated images is at least as accurate as a more invasive conventional colonoscopy, suggests research that was presented Monday. Margaret Warner speaks with the study's lead author, Dr. Perry Pickhardt.

December 1, 2003
World AIDS Day
The World Health Organization and United Nations marked World AIDS Day with a pledge to provide cheaper drugs to 3 million HIV-infected people by 2005. Susan Dentzer provides an update on the battle against the epidemic, and Gwen Ifill follows up with several AIDS experts.

NOVEMBER
November 27, 2003
Flu Season
Four children have died in Colorado from the flu in recent days, and other states have reported an unusually high number of cases this early in the season, prompting strong warnings from health officials. Jeffrey Brown talks to Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

November 26, 2003
Leading the Way?
In a year when many states are struggling to keep up with Medicaid costs, Maine is developing a program aimed at providing coverage for all of its residents by 2009. Susan Dentzer talks to Maine residents and politicians about the state's plan.

November 25, 2003
Rx for Medicare
The Senate approved a Medicare reform bill that will give seniors access to prescription drug benefits and permit insurance companies to offer private coverage to Medicare recipients. Margaret Warner discusses the legislation with Robert Reischauer, president of the Urban Institute, and Gail Wilensky of Project HOPE, a foundation for international health education.

November 24, 2003
Rx for Medicare
The first overhaul of Medicare was approved by the House of Representatives on Saturday and seems poised to the pass in the Senate. Kwame Holman reports on the contentious debate.Gwen Ifill speaks with health correspondent Susan Dentzer about the proposed reforms.

November 21, 2003
Rx for Medicare
The House of Representatives is bracing for a close vote on a Medicare reform bill which would increase the role of private managed care and add a prescription drug benefit. Kwame Holman gives a background report, and Ray Suarez follows up with Sens. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.).

November 18, 2003
Rx for Medicare
The controversial new Medicare reform bill would provide more prescription drug coverage but also require traditional Medicare to compete directly with private health plans, which some lawmakers oppose. Jeffrey Brown discusses the proposed changes with Patricia Neuman, director of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Medicare Policy Project.

November 6, 2003
Born Free
Pregnant women with HIV in the United States face a dramatically lower risk of passing the virus on to their children than they did about a decade ago. Susan Dentzer talks to doctors and patients about the medical discoveries that have reduced the likelihood of transmitting the virus from mother to child.

OCTOBER
October 23, 2003
Rx for Medicare
Earlier this year, the Senate and House of Representatives each passed plans to provide outpatient prescription drug coverage to Medicare patients. However, senior citizens have yet to see any effect as the two houses struggle to reach a compromise. Terence Smith speaks with Susan Dentzer about what changes Medicare patients should expect.

October 17, 2003
Memory Medicine
The Food and Drug Administration approved the German medication memantine to help ease the severe symptoms of an estimated one-million Americans who suffer from the late stages of Alzheimer's disease. Ray Suarez discusses the possible impact of the drug with Dr. Paul Aisen, a geriatrician at Georgetown University Medical Center.

October 16, 2003
Breast Implants
Ray Suarez gets perspective on the controversial decision by an FDA advisory panel to recommend the use of silicone breast implants. He speaks to Dr. Scott Spear, chief of plastic surgery at Medstar-Georgetown University Hospital, and Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Center for Policy Research for Women and Families.

October 9, 2003
Vital Findings
The drug letrozole, which suppresses estrogen production, cut the risk of breast cancer recurrence nearly in half for older women who had already taken the standard tamoxifen treatment, researchers reported. Ray Suarez discusses this discovery with National Cancer Institute Director Andrew von Eschenbach.

SEPTEMBER
September 30, 2003
Insurance Gap
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that 43.6 million Americans did not have health coverage in 2002, up 2.4 million from 2001. Susan Dentzer reports on the increase, and Margaret Warner follows up with Ron Pollack, the executive director of Families USA, and Kate Sullivan, a director of health care policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

September 11, 2003
Recovering Health
Susan Dentzer revisits Navy Lt. Kevin Schaeffer, who was injured on 9/11 at the Pentagon.

AUGUST
August 26, 2003
Deadly Bug Bites
Colorado's mosquito season has been setting records this summer. Betty Ann Bowser reports on the spread of the West Nile Virus this year.

JULY
July 25, 2003
Importing Drugs
Last night the House of Representatives approved a bill allowing Americans to purchase drugs imported from other countries. Susan Dentzer reports on the decision and what it means for consumers and the pharmaceutical industry.

July 16, 2003
Straight Talk
In a second of two reports, Susan Dentzer talks to government officials and Brazilians active in the struggle to fight AIDS about the country's work to prevent new HIV infections.

July 15, 2003
Survival Plan
In the first of two segments, Susan Dentzer reports from Brazil on the country's efforts to combat AIDS.

July 15, 2003
Medicare Rx
Members of Congress started work on compromise legislation to provide a Medicare prescription drug program. Ray Suarez discusses the differences between the House and Senate versions of the proposal with Robert Reischauer, president of the Urban Institute, and Robert Laszewski, president of Health Policy and Strategy Associates.

July 10, 2003
AIDS in Africa
President Bush, touring Africa on a five-nation trip, pledged to help Botswana and other African nations fight the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS. Then, Ray Suarez assesses the epidemic and what should be done about it with Caesar Lekoa, Botswana's ambassador to the United States; Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, managing director for health and education at the World Bank; and Josh Ruxin, coordinator of the United Nations Millennium Project's task force on HIV/AIDS.

July 9, 2003
Fighting Fat
Susan Dentzer reports on new efforts by the government to educate consumers about the health risks of foods containing so-called trans-fat. Ray Suarez gets perspective from Michael Jacobson, the executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and Rhona Applebaum, the executive vice president of the National Food Processors Association.

July 8, 2003
Explaining the Details
As Congress reconvenes this week, a conference committee is working to hash out the details of a Medicare prescription drug plan. Susan Dentzer reports on seniors who are trying to understand the proposed changes.

JUNE
June 30, 2003
Prostate Cancer Update
A recent study shows hope for prostate cancer prevention. Ray Suarez discusses the findings with Dr. Peter Greenwald, director of the division of cancer prevention at the National Cancer Institute.

June 27, 2003
Update: Medicare Rx
The Senate and the House approved major Medicare legislation. Kwame Holman reports on the changes.

June 25, 2003
New Risks
Susan Dentzer provides an update on new research into the risks of hormone replacement therapy.

June 18, 2003
Dealing With Depression
New studies show that cases of depression are common and often inadequately treated. Gwen Ifill discusses these new findings with Dr. Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health.

June 17, 2003
Medicare Rx
Susan Dentzer reports on the Senate's Medicare reform debate. Then, Gwen Ifill follows up with Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.); Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.); Bill Novelli, the CEO of AARP; and Robert Laszewski, president of Health Policy and Strategy Associates.

June 12, 2003
Medicare Rx
Susan Dentzer reports on the Senate Finance Committee's proposal to reshape Medicare.

MAY
May 28, 2003
Coping With SARS
Gwen Ifill gets an update on severe acute respiratory syndrome from Dr. David Heymann, the World Health Organization's point man on the disease.

May 27, 2003
Targeting AIDS
President Bush signed a bill approving a five-year plan and $15 billion to fight AIDS worldwide. Fred de Sam Lazaro of Twin Cities Public Television reports on the epidemic's toll in Haiti, one of the countries that will benefit from the new plan.

May 21, 2003
Mad Cow
Ray Suarez reports on the mad cow disease alert in Canada.

May 20, 2003
Researching SARS
Susan Dentzer reports on the search for a SARS vaccine.

May 20, 2003
Pricing Drugs
Ray Suarez discusses the states' efforts to make prescription drug coverage more affordable with Marjorie Powell of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America; and Kevin Concannon, director of the Iowa Department of Human Services.

May 19, 2003
Campus Anxiety
Earlier this month, Berkeley turned away nearly 600 Asian students from its summer session. Spencer Michels reports on the university's measures against the threat of SARS.

May 8, 2003
Coping With SARS
The worldwide death toll from SARS rose above 500. Then, Suarez discusses the realities of the disease with Dr. Howard Markel, a medical historian; Marilyn Chase, a health reporter for The Wall Street Journal; and Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, vice president for academic health affairs at Emory University.

May 1, 2003
Coping with SARS
Jim Lehrer discusses the global impact of the SARS outbreak with Dr. David Heymann, head of the World Health Organization's communicable diseases program.

APRIL
April 30, 2003
Coping With SARS
Betty Ann Bowser reports on how Toronto has been coping with the SARS outbreak.

April 29, 2003
Coping With SARS
Susan Dentzer reports on how the public health system responded to the first case of SARS in the United States.

April 28, 2003
Coping With SARS
Julian Manyon of Independent Television News reports on China's huge SARS problem. Gwen Ifill follows up with Ming Wan, an associate professor in the Department of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University; and Joan Kaufman, a lecturer in Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

April 25, 2003
Coping With SARS
Even though there are only two suspected cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome in all of San Francisco, fear of the disease has dampened activity in the city's normally bustling Chinatown. Spencer Michels reports on how San Francisco is reacting to the spread of SARS in Asia.

April 23, 2003
Coping with SARS
The World Health Organization warned against travel to Toronto in response to the city's SARS outbreak. Ray Suarez gets perspective from Case Ootes, Toronto's deputy mayor, and Denis Aitken, chief of staff for the director-general at the World Health Organization. Susan Dentzer reports on how Canada is coping with the disease.

April 18, 2003
Living with Fear
The deadly illness known as SARS continues to take lives in Asia. Margaret Warner discusses the economic impact of the disease in cities like Hong Kong with K.C. Fung, a professor of economics at the University of Santa Cruz and a senior research fellow at the University of Hong Kong; and Richard Medley, the chairman of Medley Global Advisors, which consults with governments, corporations and financial institutions.

April 11, 2003
Combat Injuries
Susan Dentzer visits two soldiers recovering from injuries suffered during the war in Iraq.

April 7, 2003
Update: Mystery Malady
Susan Dentzer reports with an update on the outbreak of the disease known as SARS. Ray Suarez follows up with Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Federal Centers for Disease Control; and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

MARCH
March 31, 2003
Mystery Illness
Margaret Warner discusses the fight against severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS, with Dr. David Heymann, director for communicable diseases at the World Health Organization.

March 29, 2003
Combat Medicine
Susan Dentzer explores new techniques being used to train front-line medics and others assigned to care for wounded soldiers.

March 14, 2003
Smallpox
Spencer Michels reports on the obstacles facing the federal government's smallpox vaccination plan.

March 4, 2003
Rx for Medicare
President Bush revealed plans to add prescription drug coverage to the Medicare system. Ray Suarez speaks with health correspondent Susan Dentzer about the proposed changes.

FEBRUARY
February 25, 2003
Changing Medicaid
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson met with the nation's governors this week to present a Bush administration proposal to overhaul Medicaid. Health correspondent Susan Dentzer reports on this far-reaching effort to reform Medicaid.

February 13, 2003
Prostate Screening
Sen. John Kerry and television evangelist Pat Robertson recently announced that they have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Health correspondent Susan Dentzer reports on the new debate over the benefits of prostate screening.

February 10, 2003
Fighting AIDS
In his State of the Union address last month, President Bush announced a marked increase in funds to fight AIDS worldwide. Following a background report from health correspondent Susan Dentzer, Gwen Ifill follows up with Stephen Lewis, U.N. special envoy for HIV/AIDS; Joseph O'Neill, director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy; and Salih Booker, director of Africa Action.

JANUARY
January 30, 2003
Fixing Medicare
President Bush asked for Congress to accept his plan to change Medicare Wednesday. Ray Suarez discusses the problems and politics of Medicare with Gail Wilensky, a senior fellow at Project Hope, a foundation for international health education; and Gail Shearer, the director of health policy analysis for Consumers Union, a consumer advocacy group.

January 22, 2003
Pricing Drugs
The nation's drug manufacturers took their case against the state of Maine to the Supreme Court. Maine has required that drug companies provide discounted drugs for the uninsured. Margaret Warner follows up with more on the arguments with Jan Crawford Greenburg, Supreme Court reporter for The Chicago Tribune.

January 21, 2003
Here's to Your Health
Margaret Warner reports on recent studies that have questioned the medical value of alcohol.

January 16, 2003
Medical Malpractice
After a report by Susan Dentzer, Ray Suarez discusses medical malpractice limits with Larry Smarr, president of the Physicians Insurers Association of America; Ken Suggs, secretary of the Association of American Trial Lawyers; Dr. Donald Palmisano, president elect of the American Medical Association; and Joanne Doroshow, executive director of the Center for Justice and Democracy and co-founder of Americans for Insurance Reform.

January 14, 2003
Managing Care
Ray Suarez discusses the Supreme Court hearing of whether states can force HMOs to offer a wider choice of doctors with Jan Crawford Greenburg, Supreme Court reporter for The Chicago Tribune.

January 2, 2003
Abortion Politics
President Bush recently renewed the abortion debate by reexamining the question of when life begins. Susan Dentzer reports on the politics of a national health policy.

January 2, 2003
Food for Thought
Terence Smith examines the health and business issues behind the changing eating trends in America with Marian Burros, a food columnist for The New York Times; Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of Minnesota Public Radio's "The Splendid Table;" and Dennis Lombardi, executive vice president of Technomic, a Chicago-based restaurant consulting firm.

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