Nine To Noon for Wednesday 23 May 2018

 

09:05 Funded Viagra needed for prostate cancer patients

Men who have prostate cancer and suffer erectile dysfunction because of their treatment have to fund their own Viagra - or a similar generic drug. At some pharmacies this can cost up to $40 for a pack of 4 little blue pills. Urologists and the Prostate Cancer Foundation say this is an unfair financial burden on patients who are already dealing with the stress of cancer. They want Pharmac to fund the drug for prostate patients - or a generic version as the branded pills are now off-patent. Kathryn speaks with Dr Jim Duthie a urologist based in Tauranga and Graeme Woodside, the CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

09:20 16 year old suspended from top level sport after failing drug test

The Sports Tribunal has suspended a young athlete suspended for four months for violating anti-doping rules. Drug Free Sport took the case against the 16 year old who took a pre-workout supplement containing a banned substance, even though it wasn't shown on the ingredients list. Kathryn talks with Nick Paterson, CEO of Drug Free Sport NZ.

09:30 Are 'compostable bags' replacing one problem with another?

As major supermarkets and other retailers look to phase out single use plastic bags - what is being offered in their place? And what should we do with them? Kathryn Ryan talks to Canterbury University's sustainability advisor, Matt Morris and Steve Rickerby of WeCompost in Auckland about the challenge of disposing of 'compostable' products.

09:45 Australia correspondent Bernard Keane

The Turnbull government fails to get big company tax cuts through, the controversy continues over live sheep exports and the energy company AGL says it won't keep its coal-fired power station going beyond 2022.

10:05 When the final whistle sounds. Life after top tier Rugby

Veteran sports journalist Wynne Gray talks to Kathryn about his new book The Afterlife - a candid insight into life after top tier rugby. He's spoken to a range of former All Blacks about the highs and lows of moving to "normal life" after the final whistle sounds.  She also talks with Warriors' and former All Blacks doctor, John Mayhew who gives his views on the challenges for the modern day sports professional.

10:35 Book review - Chemistry by Weike Wang

Charlotte Graham-McLay reviews Chemistry by Weike Wang, which is published by Text Publishing.

10:45 The Reading

Malcolm and Juliet by Bernard Beckett read by Stephen Lovatt (#8 of 15)    

11:05 Music with Graeme Downes

Musicologist and senior lecturer in the Department of Music at the University of Otago, Graeme Downes, plays songs from Willie Nelson's album Last Man Standing. He says the 85 year old singer songwriter is "more or less doomed to contemplate mortality and the irony of existence".

11:20 Xanthe White: Autumn gardening

Landscape designer and gardener Xanthe White on what to do in the garden as the weather gets colder and the ground gets wetter. It's all about composting and pruning at this time of year. She'll also have tips about getting winter greens in, and which brassicas are easier to grow than others.

11:45 Legal commentator Ursula Cheer

Canterbury University Law Professor Ursula Cheers discusses a recent report by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism on the use of third-party cookies and domains to collect information.