Health & Medicine

Novelist Edmund White has just completed his semi-autobiographical trilogy. The new novel The Farewell Symphony (Knopf) focuses on gay life from the 1960’s to the present. His other books include A Boy’s Own Story,The Beautiful Room is Empty,Genet: A Biography, Forgetting Elena, Nocturnes for the King of Naples, States of Desire: Travels in Gay America, The Joy of Gay Sex, and Caracole.

The former president of NBC Entertainment Brandon Tartikoff died yesterday at the age of 48 from complications from treatment for Hodgkin's disease. We remember him with a 1992 interview excerpt. While at NBC, he was responsible for such hit series as "The Cosby Show," "Cheer," "Miami Vice," and "Hill Street Blues." He went on to become chairman at Paramount Pictures. He wrote a book about his NBC years, "The Last Great Ride." (Turtle Bay Books). (REBROADCAST from 10/20/92)

Jenkins works for the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta where he is an expert on minority issues in STDs. In 1969 he tried unsuccessfully to end the Tuskegee experiments in which 400 Alabama black men infected with syphilis went untreated for decades in an effort to understand the progression of the disease. The experiments began in1932 and were halted in 1972. Now Jenkins manages a program that provides medical coverage to the men who were part of the experiment and their families.

Daniel Baxter, M.D. has written a new book about his work, "The Least of These My Brethren: A Doctor's Story of Hope and Miracles on an Inner-City AIDS Ward."

Ingrid Labarbiera is the mother of Amy Barbiera, the subject of the HBO documentary "Heart of a Child." The film documents a year in the life of four year old Amy, who at such a young age had a heart/double lung transplant, and then seven months later another double lung transplant. Amy later died. The film's producers are Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon. "Heart of a Child" airs Thursday, June 12 at 8 PM on HBO.

Robin Gorna has been active in AIDS work since 1986. She is Head of Health Promotion at the Terrence Higgins Trust in London. She is the author of "Vamps, Virgins and Victims: How Can Women Fight AIDS?" She recently attended the National Conference on Women & HIV which was held in L.A. May 4-7.

Emergency room doctor Joe Sachs has a consultant to the popular TV drama series "E.R." He'll discuss how he works with the show, and his work in a real E.R.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews "In the Gloaming," the new telemovie on HBO starring Glenn Close and directed by Christopher Reeve.

A talk with two individuals at the forefront of medical ethics: Robert Baker, Professor of Philosophy at Union College in Schenectady, New York who contends that medicine is in its biggest crisis in 150 years. (It was in 1847 that the AMA wrote it's code of ethics). And Medical Ethicist Art Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Stories of people changing their name, an excerpt from This American Life by Ira Glass, produced at WBEZ. Glass tells the story of his grandmother: when she was in her 30's, she was very ill and everyone thought she was going to die. So they changed her name. It was an old Jewish custom, to confuse the Angel of Death. And Margy Rochlin on the place you go to in Los Angeles if you want to change your name. It turns out to be surprisingly easy to change

In her books and plays Bornstein, a transgender activist, argues the need for the acceptance of nontraditional gender roles, meaning those not defined as either male of female. In her book "Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us," she writes about her sex-change experience and her view of society's conceptions of gender. She has also written the novel (with co-author Caitlin Sullivan) "Nearly Roadkill."

Mehl-Madrona has written a new book that explores the medical benefits of Native American rituals. The book is called "Coyote Medicine." Mehl-Madrona himself is Native American. He holds an M.D. from Stanford University and has been a practicing doctor for over 20 years. He is currently a research assistant professor in the Native American Research and Training Center at the University of Arizona of Medicine in Tucson.

Justin Kaplan and Anne Bernays are the authors of the new book, "The Language of Names: What We Call Ourselves and Why It Matters." Both have written previous books: Ms. Bernays is the author of eight novels, including the award-winning "Growing Up Rich" and "Professor Romeo," as well as numerous short stories. Mr. Kaplan won a Pulitzer Prize for his biography, "Mr. Clemens and Mark Twain." He's also the General Editor of Barlett's Familiar Quotations.

U.S. News and World Report reporter Eric Schlosser talks about his recent cover story "The Business of Porn." Schlosser followed the money trail to expose how pornography grew into a multi-billion dollar industry. He found that "Mom and Pop" neighborhood video stores have become some of the largest porn outlets.

Byock talks about his new book "Dying Well: The Prospect of Growth at the End of Life." He is President of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and a prominent spokesman for the hospice industry. His book explores how the end of life, whether a person is suffering pain or not, can be an opportunity for deepened spiritual growth and reconciliation with others.

Actor Vondie Curtis Hall was raised in Detroit. He plays a doctor on the TV series "Chicago Hope" and has had roles in the movies "Broken Arrow," "Passion Fish," and "Romeo and Juliet." His latest project is the writing and directing of the new film "Gridlock'd," a comedy about the troubles two men encounter when they make a pact to overcome their heroin addictions, starring Tim Roth and Tupak Shakur.

Chef Robert Lehmann is the former Executive Chef of MANNA, a meals-delivery service organization for homebound people with AIDS in Philadelphia. He developed diet and nutrition standards for people who are HIV positive. He has a new book: "Cooking for Life: A Guide to Nutrition and Food Safety for the HIV-positive Community" Lehmann is currently Projects Coordinator for HIV Nutrition Research at The Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia.

Mairs is the author of several books, including "Ordinary Time," "Voice Lessons," and "Plaintext." In many of her books she deals openly and honestly about the progression of her multiple sclerosis, and it's effect on her life and marriage. Her latest book is "Waist-High in the World."

Legato is the Director of the Partnership for Women's Health at Columbia University. She's co-authored the new book "What Women Need to Know: From Headaches to Heart Disease and Everything In Between."