Minnesota plays a unique role in the arena of health, with impactful political/cultural moments, and important contributions from institutions such as Mayo Clinic, Hazelden, UCare, among others. Over the decades, MPR News and American RadioWorks have produced a breadth of reports and programming specifically dedicated to the subject of health. This collection includes interviews, debates, speeches, and documentaries that provide greater detail to the many facets of healthcare, from both a local and national perspective.
January 6, 2000 - MPR’s Lynette Nyman reports on Governor Jesse Ventura’s address to a group of employers, doctors, and health insurance administrators meeting in St. Paul to discuss the problem of rising health costs.
January 6, 2000 - Minnesota has one of the lowest percentages of uninsured children in the country. But the Children's Defense Fund estimates 60 to 80-thousand Children in the state still lack coverage. Jim Koppel is the executive director of the Children's Defense Fund of Minnesota. He says providing insurance coverage for every child in the state is a big job: Jim Koppel is the executive director of the Children's Defense Fund of Minnesota. Thu 25-MAY 23:31:29 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
January 20, 2000 - Jeff Kahn, director of the University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics; Dave Somers, professor in the department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics at the University of Minnesota, discuss the question "What are GMO's?" (Genetically Modified Organisms).
January 21, 2000 - George Latimer, Former St. Paul Mayor; Dick Goebel, of the Second Harvest St. Paul Food Bank and the Food First Coalition; and Bonnie Becker of the Minnesota Department of Human Services discuss the topic of hunger in Minnesota.
February 29, 2000 - A Mainstreet Radio special about life and death. Host Rachel Reabe broadcasts from The Waterford, a retirement community in Fargo. In this second hour, Reabe talks with medical and legal experts about quality end-of-life care, logistics of expenses, and addressing personal affairs.
June 26, 2000 - A common fertilizer is a new target for drug manufacturers in rural counties. Small amounts of anhydrous (ann HIGH druss) ammonia are used to make methamphetamine. The powerful central nervous stimulant with a high potential for abuse and dependence is becoming more available in rural areas. Authorities say they're telling farmers to lock up a chemical that's typically left in the middle of the field over night. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland reports:
June 26, 2000 - Scientists throughout the state and country are applauding the virtual completion of the Human Genetic Code. The Human Genome Project completes a 10 year race to discover the first "rough draft map" of a human's d-n-a. But medical ethicists fear the discovery may lead to invasions of privacy. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
June 27, 2000 - The Federal Government released new guidelines today on smoking cessation. The recommendations urge health insurers to provide coverage for tobacco treatment just as they do for treating other chronic diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes. Dr. Richard Hurt is the Director of the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center. He says health care professionals know what help people need to quit smoking, and they need the authority to act on it:
June 27, 2000 - D-F-L Senate candidate Mark Dayton is taking a busload of Minnesota seniors to Canada later this week to buy cheaper medicine. The former state auditor wants to highlight what's becoming a key campaign issue in the Senate race - the high cost of prescription drugs in the U-S. But his publicity stunt has raised questions about whether Dayton is trying to buy votes by providing free transportation. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
June 29, 2000 - Striking hotel workers have voted overwhelmingly to approve the tentative contract agreement reached by union and hotel management negotiators yesterday (Wednesday). The vote ends the almost two-week old strike that disturbed operations at seven twin cities hotels and threatened to disrupt the Twin Cities largest-ever convention. After weeks of sometimes acrimonious negotiations and picketing, both the and the hotels management say they got what they wanted. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.