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CNN Sunday Morning

Iraqi Education Minister Gunned Down Outside Baghdad Home; Dangers & Advantages of Off-Label Drugs

Aired June 13, 2004 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: The next hour on CNN SUNDAY MORNING begins right now.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, it's June 13. Good morning to you. I'm Betty Nguyen.

Here's what's coming up this hour. White winds of rage ravage parts of the Midwest. The clean-up continues after dozens of tornadoes touched down from Minnesota to Kansas. We'll tell you what's in the forecast today.

And off-label medications could be flying off the shelves. Some people are using medications beyond their prescribed use. We'll tell you why it's creating a prescription for concern.

And just what's got the attention of these first graders? We'll tell you about a story of reading, writing, and a very special relationship.

First, here's what's happening at this hour.

Americans are targets again of violence in Saudi Arabia. At least two American men have been killed since Tuesday and a third American is missing. A group linked to al Qaeda claims to have kidnapped one of those Americans and killed another in Riyadh. Another government official is killed in Iraq. Gunmen killed an Iraqi education minister today outside his Baghdad home. Saturday, an Iraqi deputy foreign minister was gunned down in a similar attack. It's the third attack on an Iraqi official in less than a week.

Also in Baghdad, a car bomb detonated near an Iraqi police patrol this morning, 12 Iraqis were killed, including at least four police officers. Several others were wounded.

And in Texas, George H.W. Bush plans to celebrate his 80th birthday by jumping out of a perfectly good plane this morning. The former president plans two skydives, landing at his presidential library in College Station, Texas. It's just for the fun of it, he says. And we, of course, will keep you updated on those jumps.

Now to our top story this morning. More violence directed at Westerners in Saudi Arabia and this time the victims are Americans. At least two American men have been killed since Tuesday, and a third American is missing. Caroline Faraj, an editor at CNNArabic.com is in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and she joins us by telephone.

Caroline, what's the latest.

CAROLINE FARAJ, EDITOR, CNNARABIC.COM: Well, the latest now is that the Saudi forces and Saudi security, they are strengthening (ph) the security in Saudi Arabia and they are focusing more on concentrating security surrounding the residential areas and the compounds where most of the Westerners are staying.

And definitely they are there saying that we are doing our best in order to reach and capture those militants that killed yesterday one of the Americans, the one who was about to ride his car and they killed him in front of his house in Riyadh, the capital. And also they kidnapped another American.

The other information that we're also looking into is regarding the car that was yesterday found in Riyadh as well, a few hours after killing the American. And it was full of explosives. There are some reports that this car was basically -- the American who was kidnapped, it belongs to him. So they're trying to figure out if this report is correct -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Caroline, talk to us about the messages that are coming out on Web sites about this missing American. I'm understanding from wire reports that there is a quote saying, "we have our legal right to treat them," meaning the hostages, "the same way they treat our people," of course referring to the Abu Ghraib situation.

FARAJ: Indeed, Betty, they are referring to two things. Abu Ghraib and they are referring to Afghanistan as well and Guantanamo. And they're saying, we have the legal rights and we will be dealing with them the same way that the Americans are dealing with our own people. And they're referring to also the Apache, which is the company that the engineer works for in Saudi Arabia that was kidnapped yesterday.

They were saying that this kind of helicopter was used to attack and kill our people in the West Bank, in Palestine, they name it, and as well as in several areas like Iraq and Guantanamo as well as Cuba, which is a bit strange.

However, these Web sites -- answering your question, Betty, these Web sites we always check in order to read some of the statements that claim to be published by al Qaeda or pro-al Qaeda groups. And yesterday's statement said -- they published a copy of the passport as well as the driving license of the American as well as the Saudi license of the American who was kidnapped yesterday.

And they put in their statement that very soon they will be also posting on the Web site a video for the kidnapped American talking to his family, and they will be putting their "Mujahedeen demands." This is how they put it.

Up to now, we cannot check the authenticity. However the American embassy in Riyadh confirmed the missing American and they said that they are -- have got in touch with his family and they are working with the Saudi authorities in order to make sure that he is safe and to rescue him -- Betty. A story we will of course continue to follow. Caroline Faraj in Dubai this morning, thank you.

Turning now to Iraq. Just 17 days before the transfer of power as the countdown looms, a steady stream of violence continues. CNN's Guy Raz brings us the latest now from Baghdad.

Good morning, Guy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In what's shaping up to a particularly violent day in the Iraqi capital, a suicide car bomb blast just feet from a U.S. military installation. At least 12 Iraqis were killed in that attack according to U.S. military sources. Four of those killed were Iraqi police officers who apparently were trying to stop the suicide car bomber from reaching the U.S. military installation. It's the third car bomb in Iraq in just over a week.

Now that attack happened shortly after another senior high level Iraqi government official was gunned down just outside his home. Kamal al-Jarrah was killed as he was leaving for work. He was the cultural affairs officer at the ministry of education. Now Jarrah was the second high level Iraqi government official killed in as many days. Yesterday, Bassam Kubba, Iraq's deputy foreign minister, gunned down as he made his way to work. He was the deputy foreign minister of Iraq, just back from New York for a visit to the United Nations.

Now, these attacks really underline the instability that characterizes the landscape here in the Iraqi capital and all over the country just weeks before interim administrative authority is handed over to an Iraqi government.

Guy Raz, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Some National Guard troops are taking part in military drills to get ready for deployment in Cuba. They will be working in the detentions center at Guantanamo Bay where suspected terrorists are being held.

As CNN's Alina Cho reports, the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq has given them new motivation to put their best foot forward.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Staff Sergeant Steve Cosmanic calls the Abu Ghraib Prison scandal a black eye on the military.

STAFF SGT. STEPHEN COSMANIC, NEW JERSEY NATIONAL GUARD: They're giving the rest of the Army or the rest of the military and all the armed services a bad name.

CHO: Cosmanic is one of hundreds of National Guardsmen training at Ft. Dix, New Jersey, for what could be a year-long deployment to Cuba. The soldiers will be protecting the detention center at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay. Perimeter security, as it's called, they will not have direct contact with the detainees.

MAJOR GREGORY SAUNDERS, OPERATIONS OFFICER, NEW JERSEY NATIONAL GUARD: The eyes of the world is looking upon us and we know that and we take it very serious.

CHO: To get ready, the troops are taking part in what the commanders call the big dress rehearsal. During this practice run they arrive at a mock airfield and secure the perimeter. Some acting as military policemen, lead the detainees, who in this case are actually $12 an hour hires from a temp agency, onto a bus. Then the troops break formation and move out to a mockup of Camp Delta. The soldiers get back in formation and stand guard, even from above, making sure the so-called detainees are safely behind the fence.

Car salesman turned Sergeant Ed Long said it will be tough to leave his wife and two kids.

SGT. EDWARD LONG, NEW JERSEY NATIONAL GUARD: Of course you get emotional. We're tough guys on the outside but we're still fathers and husbands and everything else.

CHO: Cosmanic, who is putting nursing school on hold, leaves behind a pregnant wife. He takes with him a greater sense of responsibility.

COSMANIC: We have to step up and do even more to show that we're not like that. It won't happen under our watch.

CHO: Soldiers 24/7, they say, determined to prove the military is still the highest form of service.

Alina Cho, CNN, Ft. Dix, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, check out this amazing video of a tornado. No one was inside the home in Mulvane, Kansas, when it hit. That's a home it's taking out right now. Up to six tornadoes hit in southern Kansas last night, this, of course, one of them. And what might have been a tornado hit without warning according to residents of a northern Kentucky mobile home park. The roofs of several homes, a church and an apartment were damaged. Several trees and power lines also came down. And there were some reports of golf ball size hail. It has been a rough night.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Politics and religion now. A new "TIME" magazine poll takes a look at how religion may play out in the presidential race. Among Catholic voters it's almost a dead heat, 45 percent support John Kerry while 43 percent support the reelection of President Bush. But among those surveyed only 33 percent knew that John Kerry is Catholic. This program note. CNN's Wolf Blitzer will have an exclusive interview with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, that's today on CNN's "LATE EDITION." you'll want to tune in at noon Eastern.

Off-label medications. Are drugs being prescribed that haven't been approved by the Food and Drug Administration? It could be happening to you. Those details ahead.

Plus...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I don't like it here, but it is my job and the job of all the other people here to make sure that everyone stays safe back home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Meet a group of first graders who are getting a firsthand glimpse of the front lines. That's when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Meet the Sprys. They've been on the road for about a month now, crossing the country, looking for that perfect place to settle down and raise a family. Our e-mail question this morning: "Why should the Sprys move to your hometown?"

Send your answers to wam@cnn.com. We've got some good ones and we will read them in just a few minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Has the rapid pace of medical discovery caused your doctor to get ahead of the FDA? It's not unusual for physicians to prescribe medications' different uses not specifically approved by the FDA. Should be concerned? Well, joining us from Sacramento is Dr. Bill Lloyd, a surgeon and pathologist to tell us more about off-label medications.

Good morning and thanks for being here.

DR. BILL LLOYD, SURGEON: Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: Let's talk about these off-label medications. There are so many different types of medications out there. Why are doctors prescribing them off-label?

LLOYD: Well, Betty, there are lots of medications. Here's a familiar drug insert that comes from one of the most commonly prescribed children's asthma medications, but yet in the small type it says: "the safety and effectiveness of this medication has not proven in young children." There's one reason why doctors have to prescribe off-label, because the drugs haven't been tested in children but yet the children need the medication... NGUYEN: But if they haven't been tested, is it dangerous, don't doctors know this?

LLOYD: The drugs themselves are approved. So this is...

NGUYEN: But for children -- if it hasn't been tested for children, and they're prescribing them for children, isn't there a red light going up, saying, this could be dangerous?

LLOYD: Well, in fact it's unethical to test drugs in children. It's unethical to test because young children can't give their consent. So what doctors have to do is figure out, this works for adults, we'll adjust it somewhat for children.

NGUYEN: I see what you're saying. OK. Well. off-label prescriptions, is it illegal?

LLOYD: It's not illegal, in fact, it's common practice. There are lots of reasons why doctors are going to prescribe off-label use of medications. If it's a rare condition for example. If there's nothing else we can offer the patient, we might as well try something that's off-label. If it's life-threatening situation, if there's a consideration of drug resistance, specifically for antibiotics, for unproven dosages of medication as well, if a patient has a poor response to a medication or if they are unable to wait for the FDA to respond in five or seven years to prove the safety of a given medication and the patient needs it now, the doctor is going to consider off-label use.

NGUYEN: But would you consider it dangerous, because a lot of these medications, like we say, are not being used for the purpose that it was intended. Yet sometimes it can be beneficial. For example, aspirin, a lot of doctors like to say, take an aspirin a day, it will help people with heart problems.

LLOYD: Well, it's a wonderful point. Doctors have to exercise sound judgment. About the aspirin, 20 years ago, doctors discovered a relationship between aspirin and heart disease. But it wasn't until 1998 when the FDA finally came around and said, hey, if you take an aspirin, it might protect you from having a heart attack. You know, there is a sedative that can help protect you from leprosy. There are seizure medications that can help with chronic pain relief. So there are many different uses for medications that researchers and clinicians share in the medical literature. And if doctors exercise sound judgment, understand what the drug can do for a patient, are aware of the possible risks and benefits, then it's perfectly fine to consider the use of off-label medication.

NGUYEN: Dr. Lloyd, if a patient is receiving a medication which is off-label from their doctor, that of course is sparking a red flag. What should they do?

LLOYD: Well, you might consider it like any other form of treatment. And that means ask lots of questions. Why are we taking this drug? Try to get an understanding of the disease. Why am I being prescribed this and how specifically will this drug work? Know the potential risks. Your doctor should be able to explain very clearly how this medication works and how it works with other medications you may already be taking. Don't be afraid to do your own research. You can go to the library and get a copy of that big book, the PDR, or go around the corner, ask another doctor or perhaps ask a local pharmacist about the medication the doctor is considering for you off-label.

NGUYEN: Dr. Bill Lloyd, surgeon and professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center. Thank you.

LLOYD: Thank you, Betty.

NGUYEN: Messages home to an unlikely group of recipients. How these first graders are learning about the war in Afghanistan.

And an American dream. Why the Sprys should visit your hometown. We'll have your responses to our e-mail question when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Now a quick update on our top stories. A campaign targeting Westerners in Saudi Arabia takes aim at Americans. U.S. and Saudi officials are searching today for an American said to be kidnapped by a group linked to al Qaeda. Now that same group claims responsibility for killing another American in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. It marks the third Westerner killed in the kingdom in a week.

Look at this funnel cloud. It's one of six tornadoes that hit the south central Kansas town of Mulvane last night. The twister destroyed homes and downed power lines, but there have been no reports of injuries.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Well, a group of Oregon first graders got quite a surprise this week when they each got a handwritten letter from Afghanistan. As our Veronica Griffin of our affiliate KGW reports, it was more than they had ever hoped.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY MARSHALL, DILLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER: Mail call. Mail for Cody. Mail for Riley. Mail for Gina.

VERONICA GRIFFIN, KGW REPORTER (voice-over): Candy Marshall is always looking for ways to capture the attention of her first-grade class.

MARSHALL: "No, the water is not very yummy."

GRIFFIN: But this story time is one her students at Dilley Elementary actually ask for.

MARSHALL: "No, I don't have a tank, but we do have tanks here."

GRIFFIN: Ms. Marshall's reading letters written to the students by Staff Sergeant Jack O'Neal (ph) stationed in Afghanistan.

MARSHALL: "Thank you for the pretty picture. It made me smile." "No, I don't like it here, but it is my job and the job of all the other people here to make sure that everyone stays safe back home."

Austin and Ryan, are you guys excited?

GRIFFIN: He wrote to each and every student, answering letters they wrote him two months ago.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's cool.

GRIFFIN: First-grader Garrett is the staff sergeant's younger cousin, but all of the students here wanted to write the soldier.

MARSHALL: Really, all we were hoping for was just to make their day better over there. We weren't expecting to get a letter back for everybody.

GRIFFIN: His job in Afghanistan is working with the locals, letting them know the United States is their friend.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's really nice, and he has really nice handwriting.

GRIFFIN: And if his new friends here are any indication, O'Neal must be doing a heck of a job for the U.S. making friends overseas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you for being brave.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: That report was from Veronica Griffin of our affiliate KGW. The letters from Sergeant O'Neal came just in the nick of time for the Oregon students. They arrived on the last day of school. That's a lot to talk about this summer during the break.

Well, all morning long we've been asking you our e-mail question of the day and it focuses on the Sprys. This family, I should say, left Silicon Valley in search of a cheaper place to live and a better place to raise their 4-year-old son, who you see there. So -- and that leads us to the "Question of the Day": "Why should the Sprys move to your hometown?" Well, we've been getting a lot of answers.

This one from Jen. She writes: "They should move to Mars -- Pennsylvania, that is. It's a very small town with everything you need on one main street and five miles away we have the fastest growing area in the state, that's Cranberry Township where you can shop 'til you drop." See, life on Mars isn't too bad.

Of course, we thank you for all of the e-mails that you've been sending in. It's wam@cnn.com. And keep them coming. "Why should the Sprys move to your hometown?" That's the question.

Living with Alzheimer's and new hopes for a cure up next. "House Call" looks at Alzheimer's, a disease that cripples millions of older Americans each year.

And trying Saddam Hussein. At 9:30 a.m. Eastern, we talk to one of the few Americans that might come face-to-face with the ousted Iraqi leader. Greg Kehoe, the U.S. point man on the Iraqi prosecution team joins us live.

And at 9:45 a.m. Eastern, he's hired. Donald Trump has a new job and he talks exclusively to us, ahead when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.

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Aired June 13, 2004 - 08:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: The next hour on CNN SUNDAY MORNING begins right now.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, it's June 13. Good morning to you. I'm Betty Nguyen.

Here's what's coming up this hour. White winds of rage ravage parts of the Midwest. The clean-up continues after dozens of tornadoes touched down from Minnesota to Kansas. We'll tell you what's in the forecast today.

And off-label medications could be flying off the shelves. Some people are using medications beyond their prescribed use. We'll tell you why it's creating a prescription for concern.

And just what's got the attention of these first graders? We'll tell you about a story of reading, writing, and a very special relationship.

First, here's what's happening at this hour.

Americans are targets again of violence in Saudi Arabia. At least two American men have been killed since Tuesday and a third American is missing. A group linked to al Qaeda claims to have kidnapped one of those Americans and killed another in Riyadh. Another government official is killed in Iraq. Gunmen killed an Iraqi education minister today outside his Baghdad home. Saturday, an Iraqi deputy foreign minister was gunned down in a similar attack. It's the third attack on an Iraqi official in less than a week.

Also in Baghdad, a car bomb detonated near an Iraqi police patrol this morning, 12 Iraqis were killed, including at least four police officers. Several others were wounded.

And in Texas, George H.W. Bush plans to celebrate his 80th birthday by jumping out of a perfectly good plane this morning. The former president plans two skydives, landing at his presidential library in College Station, Texas. It's just for the fun of it, he says. And we, of course, will keep you updated on those jumps.

Now to our top story this morning. More violence directed at Westerners in Saudi Arabia and this time the victims are Americans. At least two American men have been killed since Tuesday, and a third American is missing. Caroline Faraj, an editor at CNNArabic.com is in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and she joins us by telephone.

Caroline, what's the latest.

CAROLINE FARAJ, EDITOR, CNNARABIC.COM: Well, the latest now is that the Saudi forces and Saudi security, they are strengthening (ph) the security in Saudi Arabia and they are focusing more on concentrating security surrounding the residential areas and the compounds where most of the Westerners are staying.

And definitely they are there saying that we are doing our best in order to reach and capture those militants that killed yesterday one of the Americans, the one who was about to ride his car and they killed him in front of his house in Riyadh, the capital. And also they kidnapped another American.

The other information that we're also looking into is regarding the car that was yesterday found in Riyadh as well, a few hours after killing the American. And it was full of explosives. There are some reports that this car was basically -- the American who was kidnapped, it belongs to him. So they're trying to figure out if this report is correct -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Caroline, talk to us about the messages that are coming out on Web sites about this missing American. I'm understanding from wire reports that there is a quote saying, "we have our legal right to treat them," meaning the hostages, "the same way they treat our people," of course referring to the Abu Ghraib situation.

FARAJ: Indeed, Betty, they are referring to two things. Abu Ghraib and they are referring to Afghanistan as well and Guantanamo. And they're saying, we have the legal rights and we will be dealing with them the same way that the Americans are dealing with our own people. And they're referring to also the Apache, which is the company that the engineer works for in Saudi Arabia that was kidnapped yesterday.

They were saying that this kind of helicopter was used to attack and kill our people in the West Bank, in Palestine, they name it, and as well as in several areas like Iraq and Guantanamo as well as Cuba, which is a bit strange.

However, these Web sites -- answering your question, Betty, these Web sites we always check in order to read some of the statements that claim to be published by al Qaeda or pro-al Qaeda groups. And yesterday's statement said -- they published a copy of the passport as well as the driving license of the American as well as the Saudi license of the American who was kidnapped yesterday.

And they put in their statement that very soon they will be also posting on the Web site a video for the kidnapped American talking to his family, and they will be putting their "Mujahedeen demands." This is how they put it.

Up to now, we cannot check the authenticity. However the American embassy in Riyadh confirmed the missing American and they said that they are -- have got in touch with his family and they are working with the Saudi authorities in order to make sure that he is safe and to rescue him -- Betty. A story we will of course continue to follow. Caroline Faraj in Dubai this morning, thank you.

Turning now to Iraq. Just 17 days before the transfer of power as the countdown looms, a steady stream of violence continues. CNN's Guy Raz brings us the latest now from Baghdad.

Good morning, Guy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In what's shaping up to a particularly violent day in the Iraqi capital, a suicide car bomb blast just feet from a U.S. military installation. At least 12 Iraqis were killed in that attack according to U.S. military sources. Four of those killed were Iraqi police officers who apparently were trying to stop the suicide car bomber from reaching the U.S. military installation. It's the third car bomb in Iraq in just over a week.

Now that attack happened shortly after another senior high level Iraqi government official was gunned down just outside his home. Kamal al-Jarrah was killed as he was leaving for work. He was the cultural affairs officer at the ministry of education. Now Jarrah was the second high level Iraqi government official killed in as many days. Yesterday, Bassam Kubba, Iraq's deputy foreign minister, gunned down as he made his way to work. He was the deputy foreign minister of Iraq, just back from New York for a visit to the United Nations.

Now, these attacks really underline the instability that characterizes the landscape here in the Iraqi capital and all over the country just weeks before interim administrative authority is handed over to an Iraqi government.

Guy Raz, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Some National Guard troops are taking part in military drills to get ready for deployment in Cuba. They will be working in the detentions center at Guantanamo Bay where suspected terrorists are being held.

As CNN's Alina Cho reports, the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq has given them new motivation to put their best foot forward.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Staff Sergeant Steve Cosmanic calls the Abu Ghraib Prison scandal a black eye on the military.

STAFF SGT. STEPHEN COSMANIC, NEW JERSEY NATIONAL GUARD: They're giving the rest of the Army or the rest of the military and all the armed services a bad name.

CHO: Cosmanic is one of hundreds of National Guardsmen training at Ft. Dix, New Jersey, for what could be a year-long deployment to Cuba. The soldiers will be protecting the detention center at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay. Perimeter security, as it's called, they will not have direct contact with the detainees.

MAJOR GREGORY SAUNDERS, OPERATIONS OFFICER, NEW JERSEY NATIONAL GUARD: The eyes of the world is looking upon us and we know that and we take it very serious.

CHO: To get ready, the troops are taking part in what the commanders call the big dress rehearsal. During this practice run they arrive at a mock airfield and secure the perimeter. Some acting as military policemen, lead the detainees, who in this case are actually $12 an hour hires from a temp agency, onto a bus. Then the troops break formation and move out to a mockup of Camp Delta. The soldiers get back in formation and stand guard, even from above, making sure the so-called detainees are safely behind the fence.

Car salesman turned Sergeant Ed Long said it will be tough to leave his wife and two kids.

SGT. EDWARD LONG, NEW JERSEY NATIONAL GUARD: Of course you get emotional. We're tough guys on the outside but we're still fathers and husbands and everything else.

CHO: Cosmanic, who is putting nursing school on hold, leaves behind a pregnant wife. He takes with him a greater sense of responsibility.

COSMANIC: We have to step up and do even more to show that we're not like that. It won't happen under our watch.

CHO: Soldiers 24/7, they say, determined to prove the military is still the highest form of service.

Alina Cho, CNN, Ft. Dix, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, check out this amazing video of a tornado. No one was inside the home in Mulvane, Kansas, when it hit. That's a home it's taking out right now. Up to six tornadoes hit in southern Kansas last night, this, of course, one of them. And what might have been a tornado hit without warning according to residents of a northern Kentucky mobile home park. The roofs of several homes, a church and an apartment were damaged. Several trees and power lines also came down. And there were some reports of golf ball size hail. It has been a rough night.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Politics and religion now. A new "TIME" magazine poll takes a look at how religion may play out in the presidential race. Among Catholic voters it's almost a dead heat, 45 percent support John Kerry while 43 percent support the reelection of President Bush. But among those surveyed only 33 percent knew that John Kerry is Catholic. This program note. CNN's Wolf Blitzer will have an exclusive interview with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, that's today on CNN's "LATE EDITION." you'll want to tune in at noon Eastern.

Off-label medications. Are drugs being prescribed that haven't been approved by the Food and Drug Administration? It could be happening to you. Those details ahead.

Plus...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I don't like it here, but it is my job and the job of all the other people here to make sure that everyone stays safe back home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Meet a group of first graders who are getting a firsthand glimpse of the front lines. That's when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Meet the Sprys. They've been on the road for about a month now, crossing the country, looking for that perfect place to settle down and raise a family. Our e-mail question this morning: "Why should the Sprys move to your hometown?"

Send your answers to wam@cnn.com. We've got some good ones and we will read them in just a few minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Has the rapid pace of medical discovery caused your doctor to get ahead of the FDA? It's not unusual for physicians to prescribe medications' different uses not specifically approved by the FDA. Should be concerned? Well, joining us from Sacramento is Dr. Bill Lloyd, a surgeon and pathologist to tell us more about off-label medications.

Good morning and thanks for being here.

DR. BILL LLOYD, SURGEON: Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: Let's talk about these off-label medications. There are so many different types of medications out there. Why are doctors prescribing them off-label?

LLOYD: Well, Betty, there are lots of medications. Here's a familiar drug insert that comes from one of the most commonly prescribed children's asthma medications, but yet in the small type it says: "the safety and effectiveness of this medication has not proven in young children." There's one reason why doctors have to prescribe off-label, because the drugs haven't been tested in children but yet the children need the medication... NGUYEN: But if they haven't been tested, is it dangerous, don't doctors know this?

LLOYD: The drugs themselves are approved. So this is...

NGUYEN: But for children -- if it hasn't been tested for children, and they're prescribing them for children, isn't there a red light going up, saying, this could be dangerous?

LLOYD: Well, in fact it's unethical to test drugs in children. It's unethical to test because young children can't give their consent. So what doctors have to do is figure out, this works for adults, we'll adjust it somewhat for children.

NGUYEN: I see what you're saying. OK. Well. off-label prescriptions, is it illegal?

LLOYD: It's not illegal, in fact, it's common practice. There are lots of reasons why doctors are going to prescribe off-label use of medications. If it's a rare condition for example. If there's nothing else we can offer the patient, we might as well try something that's off-label. If it's life-threatening situation, if there's a consideration of drug resistance, specifically for antibiotics, for unproven dosages of medication as well, if a patient has a poor response to a medication or if they are unable to wait for the FDA to respond in five or seven years to prove the safety of a given medication and the patient needs it now, the doctor is going to consider off-label use.

NGUYEN: But would you consider it dangerous, because a lot of these medications, like we say, are not being used for the purpose that it was intended. Yet sometimes it can be beneficial. For example, aspirin, a lot of doctors like to say, take an aspirin a day, it will help people with heart problems.

LLOYD: Well, it's a wonderful point. Doctors have to exercise sound judgment. About the aspirin, 20 years ago, doctors discovered a relationship between aspirin and heart disease. But it wasn't until 1998 when the FDA finally came around and said, hey, if you take an aspirin, it might protect you from having a heart attack. You know, there is a sedative that can help protect you from leprosy. There are seizure medications that can help with chronic pain relief. So there are many different uses for medications that researchers and clinicians share in the medical literature. And if doctors exercise sound judgment, understand what the drug can do for a patient, are aware of the possible risks and benefits, then it's perfectly fine to consider the use of off-label medication.

NGUYEN: Dr. Lloyd, if a patient is receiving a medication which is off-label from their doctor, that of course is sparking a red flag. What should they do?

LLOYD: Well, you might consider it like any other form of treatment. And that means ask lots of questions. Why are we taking this drug? Try to get an understanding of the disease. Why am I being prescribed this and how specifically will this drug work? Know the potential risks. Your doctor should be able to explain very clearly how this medication works and how it works with other medications you may already be taking. Don't be afraid to do your own research. You can go to the library and get a copy of that big book, the PDR, or go around the corner, ask another doctor or perhaps ask a local pharmacist about the medication the doctor is considering for you off-label.

NGUYEN: Dr. Bill Lloyd, surgeon and professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center. Thank you.

LLOYD: Thank you, Betty.

NGUYEN: Messages home to an unlikely group of recipients. How these first graders are learning about the war in Afghanistan.

And an American dream. Why the Sprys should visit your hometown. We'll have your responses to our e-mail question when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Now a quick update on our top stories. A campaign targeting Westerners in Saudi Arabia takes aim at Americans. U.S. and Saudi officials are searching today for an American said to be kidnapped by a group linked to al Qaeda. Now that same group claims responsibility for killing another American in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. It marks the third Westerner killed in the kingdom in a week.

Look at this funnel cloud. It's one of six tornadoes that hit the south central Kansas town of Mulvane last night. The twister destroyed homes and downed power lines, but there have been no reports of injuries.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Well, a group of Oregon first graders got quite a surprise this week when they each got a handwritten letter from Afghanistan. As our Veronica Griffin of our affiliate KGW reports, it was more than they had ever hoped.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY MARSHALL, DILLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER: Mail call. Mail for Cody. Mail for Riley. Mail for Gina.

VERONICA GRIFFIN, KGW REPORTER (voice-over): Candy Marshall is always looking for ways to capture the attention of her first-grade class.

MARSHALL: "No, the water is not very yummy."

GRIFFIN: But this story time is one her students at Dilley Elementary actually ask for.

MARSHALL: "No, I don't have a tank, but we do have tanks here."

GRIFFIN: Ms. Marshall's reading letters written to the students by Staff Sergeant Jack O'Neal (ph) stationed in Afghanistan.

MARSHALL: "Thank you for the pretty picture. It made me smile." "No, I don't like it here, but it is my job and the job of all the other people here to make sure that everyone stays safe back home."

Austin and Ryan, are you guys excited?

GRIFFIN: He wrote to each and every student, answering letters they wrote him two months ago.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's cool.

GRIFFIN: First-grader Garrett is the staff sergeant's younger cousin, but all of the students here wanted to write the soldier.

MARSHALL: Really, all we were hoping for was just to make their day better over there. We weren't expecting to get a letter back for everybody.

GRIFFIN: His job in Afghanistan is working with the locals, letting them know the United States is their friend.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's really nice, and he has really nice handwriting.

GRIFFIN: And if his new friends here are any indication, O'Neal must be doing a heck of a job for the U.S. making friends overseas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you for being brave.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: That report was from Veronica Griffin of our affiliate KGW. The letters from Sergeant O'Neal came just in the nick of time for the Oregon students. They arrived on the last day of school. That's a lot to talk about this summer during the break.

Well, all morning long we've been asking you our e-mail question of the day and it focuses on the Sprys. This family, I should say, left Silicon Valley in search of a cheaper place to live and a better place to raise their 4-year-old son, who you see there. So -- and that leads us to the "Question of the Day": "Why should the Sprys move to your hometown?" Well, we've been getting a lot of answers.

This one from Jen. She writes: "They should move to Mars -- Pennsylvania, that is. It's a very small town with everything you need on one main street and five miles away we have the fastest growing area in the state, that's Cranberry Township where you can shop 'til you drop." See, life on Mars isn't too bad.

Of course, we thank you for all of the e-mails that you've been sending in. It's wam@cnn.com. And keep them coming. "Why should the Sprys move to your hometown?" That's the question.

Living with Alzheimer's and new hopes for a cure up next. "House Call" looks at Alzheimer's, a disease that cripples millions of older Americans each year.

And trying Saddam Hussein. At 9:30 a.m. Eastern, we talk to one of the few Americans that might come face-to-face with the ousted Iraqi leader. Greg Kehoe, the U.S. point man on the Iraqi prosecution team joins us live.

And at 9:45 a.m. Eastern, he's hired. Donald Trump has a new job and he talks exclusively to us, ahead when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.

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