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Monday

National

Court Hears Marijuana Case

The Supreme Court considers arguments on the legality of using marijuana for health reasons. The federal government is seeking to prosecute two California women who grow and use marijuana under medical supervision. NPR's Nina Totenberg reports.

Court Hears Marijuana Case

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Law

Court Hears Marijuana Case

The Supreme Court hears arguments on whether states may permit the medical use of marijuana. The case revolves around a California resident who used marijuana to relieve pain from an inoperable brain tumor. Hear NPR's Nina Totenberg.

Court Hears Marijuana Case

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Saturday

Low-Wage America

Doctors, Lawyers Team to Aid Children's Health

With home environments and family situations often contributing to their problems, poor children get sick far more often than better-off kids. Doctors at one hospital in Boston are teaming up with unlikely allies to help their patients. NPR's Daniel Zwerdling reports.

Doctors, Lawyers Team to Aid Children's Health

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Tuesday

Children's Health

A Sticky Dilemma: Lead in Mexican Candies

Health officials are urging a crackdown on candies and snacks imported from Mexico because many brands are contaminated by trace levels of lead. But the ban might prove difficult to enforce, because kids love the tart-hot-sweet flavors of Mexican snacks, and street vendors are difficult to regulate.

A Sticky Dilemma: Lead in Mexican Candies

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Health Care

Report: Drug Plan Benefits Mix

About 30 million Medicare beneficiaries are expected to sign up for the new drug benefit that begins in 2006. Low-income beneficiaries will get significant help under the new law. But a quarter of those who sign up will pay more for the coverage than they'll get back in benefits, a Kaiser Family Foundation study finds. Hear NPR's Julie Rovner.

Report: Drug Plan Benefits Mix

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Monday

National

Vioxx Sparks Malpractice Debat

Following the recent removal of the drug Vioxx from the market, lawmakers are reconsidering a portion of medical malpractice reform. Caps in the malpractice bill would affect pharmaceutical and medical product manufacturers. Democrats oppose the caps, but Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) calls the situation a "feeding frenzy" for trial lawyers. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

Vioxx Sparks Malpractice Debat

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Friday

Health Care

FDA Grilled on Drug Safety

Congress is considering changes to the way the Food and Drug Administration handles drug safety. An FDA scientist testified that superiors pressed him to soften conclusions on the safety of profitable drugs... and that at least five drugs on the market have major problems. Hear NPR's Joanne Silberner.

FDA Grilled on Drug Safety

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Wednesday

Health Care

Dr. Ian Smith: Race-Specific Drugs

Researchers say the two-drug combination pill known as BiDil successfully reduces deaths among African-American heart failure patients. But the study, recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine, has its fair share of critics. NPR's Tavis Smiley discusses the controversy with regular health commentator Dr. Ian Smith, columnist for Men's Health magazine and The New York Daily News.

Dr. Ian Smith: Race-Specific Drugs

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Tuesday

Children's Health

Perilous Life for Teens 'Out on Their Own'

When it's time to leave foster care, are young people prepared to face the world? A new book chronicles the stories of several teens trying to make it without families. NPR's Tavis Smiley talks with Martha Shirk, co-author of the book On Their Own: What Happens to Kids When They Age Out of the Foster Care System, and Raquel Tolston, one of the young adults featured in the book.

Perilous Life for Teens 'Out on Their Own'

Audio will be available later today.

Health Care

New FDA Warning Label for RU-486 Draws Fire

NPR's Joanne Silberner reports on the Federal Drug Administration's announcement of new warning language for labels on the drug Mifepristone, also known as RU-486. Both abortion-rights supporters and abortion opponents contend the FDA is putting politics over safety in their handling of the drug, which can be used for non-surgical termination of early pregnancy, defined as 49 days or less.

New FDA Warning Label for RU-486 Draws Fire

Audio will be available later today.

Monday

New Tags Aim at Stopping Drug Counterfeiters

The Food and Drug Administration and several major drug makers announce an anti-fraud initiative to put tiny radio tags into the labels of wholesale pill bottles supplied to pharmacies. NPR's Snigdha Prakash reports.

New Tags Aim at Stopping Drug Counterfeiters

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Saturday

Health Care

Surgeons Point to Need for Organ Donors

Transplant surgeons and organ recipients will address black churches around the nation Sunday as they seek to raise awareness about the need for organ donation within the African-American community. Hear NPR's Jennifer Ludden and Dr. Robert Higgins.

Surgeons Point to Need for Organ Donors

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Friday