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Panel Discussions with WritersWe present entertaining programs on a range of public health issues for TV writers and producers. Our discussions feature health experts who talk about the challenges of addressing difficult health issues that are of interest to writers. Writers and producers who have grappled with these topics talk about the challenges and responsibilities they face when bringing them to the screen. Past topics have included bioterrorism, the impact of television on kids, the uninsured, youth mental illness, disease detectives and the role of nutrition in preventing diseases like cancer.
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Thursday, February 6, 2003
Wednesday, October 2, 2002
Tuesday, April 2, 2002
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's renowned medical and health experts are at the forefront of our country's most pressing public health threats. Their job is to protect the nation's health and safety. Hear from the experts who have investigated SARS, 9-11, anthrax, HIV/AIDS, cholera, lead poisoning, toxic shock syndrome and suicide. Learn about the CDC's elite training program—the Epidemic Intelligence Service. We will explore the present dangers our public health system faces with emerging diseases, antibiotic resistance and bioterrorism and the challenges of being on the front lines at the CDC and state and county health departments. 
Rebellion and emotional turmoil come with the territory of being a teenager. But how do you tell when it is routine teen angst or something beyond that? Which behaviors are normal reactions to the troubled and violent times we live in and which are warning signs of serious mental problems? 
Experts discussed the more than 41 million Americans with no health insurance, and real people shared their experiences of trying to find healthcare. Leading medical experts agree that going without health insurance frequently leads to emergency hospitalizations, critical illness, and sometimes, premature death. Opening remarks were delivered by actor Noah Wyle (ER). 
Youth audiences are prized targets for TV shows, film, and advertising, but are kids growing up too fast? Do they suffer physically or emotionally from the messages conveyed in entertainment and advertising? What is our responsibility as influential adults and writers? Panel members included Al Jean, writer and executive producer of The Simpsons; Michael Borkow, writer and co-executive producer of Malcolm in the Middle; and Sharon Lee, co-president and co-founder of Look-Look. The moderator was Victoria Riskin, president of Writers Guild of America, West. 
Fact-based storytelling raises complex challenges. Consider bioterrorism: Should you write about it, or will it alarm viewers or give terrorists ideas? How constrained by the facts should you be? Where can you get accurate information? What is your responsibility as a public citizen and as a dramatist?