With the potential for a global bird flu outbreak on the horizon, trials of a vaccine against the deadly H5N1 strain are soon to start. But is it possible to make enough vaccine to stop a pandemic? Join Ira and guests in this hour of Science Friday for a look at the science and economics of vaccine production.

Plus, teaching doctors to act. Researchers say that understanding - and practicing - acting techniques could help doctors to better empathize with their patients, leading to more effective treatment. We'll find out more.

Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (3-4 Eastern). Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.

Guests:
Eric B. Larson, M.D., M.P.H.
Director, Center for Health Studies
Group Health Cooperative
Seattle, Washington

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Gary Nabel, MD, PhD
Director, Vaccine Research Center
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland

Frank Sloan, PhD
J. Alexander McMahon Professor of Health Policy, Law and Management
Professor of Economics
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Jeffrey Romoff
President, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Books/Articles Discussed:

Clinical Empathy as Emotional Labor in the Patient-Physician Relationship Eric B. Larson, MD, MPH; Xin Yao, PhC JAMA. 2005;293:1100-1106.

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This segment produced by Erica Altman and Corey Binns