The Healthland Podcast: Plan B, Temper Tantrums and Prostate Cancer

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This week turned out to be “outrage week” here at the Healthland Podcast. We react to the federal overturn of the FDA’s decision to allow Plan B to be sold over-the-counter. We also debate the latest advice on prostate cancer treatment, and we marvel at the surprisingly predictable rhythm of kids’ temper tantrums. Click the play button below to hear the show immediately, or listen on iTunes and subscribe for free.

Sora gives us a background on Plan B One-Step and why Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius cracked down on the FDA’s decision to allow the contraceptive drug to be available without a prescription to people of all ages.

John brings us up to speed on a recent National Institutes of Health panel that endorsed delayed treatment for men with low-risk prostate cancer, in favor of active monitoring. The panel also suggested that the “disease terminology should be refined” to avoid the “anxiety-provoking term ‘cancer.'”

And as John rages about this, the unflappable Belinda describes the recognizable patterns of temper tantrums, as reported by TIME’s Bonnie Rochman.

For our Field Notes, Sora talks about (shudder) inbreeding bed bugs and Belinda ponders ‘s story about why presidents and Oscar winners seem to live longer.

And John hopes the conversation about his topic on last week’s podcast — Would You Kill One Person to Save Five? — will continue in the comments section.

Comment on these discussions below or on our Facebook page. You can also e-mail John directly at john_cloud@timemagazine.com.

Thanks for listening!