What do Brian Piccolo, Lorenzo Odone, and Michael J. Fox have in common? They're all celebrity patients, whose fame drew attention to their illness or whose illness made them famous. In this hour, we'll talk about famous patients--from the first modern celebrity patient, Lou Gehrig, to perhaps the most famous celebrity patient, Lance Armstrong--and how they have changed the way we look at disease, treatments, and the practice of medicine.

Plus, could your doctor's beliefs influence what he or she tells you? A news study finds that when controversial treatments come up, what doctors believe does dictate the options they present. 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:
Farr Curlin, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Section of General Internal Medicine
and the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics
The University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

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Barron H. Lerner, M.D.
Author, "When Illness Goes Public: Celebrity Patients and How We Look at Medicine" (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006)
Angelica Berrie-Gold Foundation Associate Professor of Medicine and Public Health
Columbia University Medical Center/Mailman School of Public Health
New York, New York

Books/Articles Discussed:

"When Illness Goes Public: Celebrity Patients and How We Look at Medicine," by Barron Lerner. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006.

(find books discussed on previous broadcasts)

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This segment produced by Karin Vergoth