As Dana's upcoming birthday makes her decide to seek a volunteer sperm donor so that she can have a child, she is confronted with a newborn who is HIV-positive. Lu is accused by an enraged mother of being responsible for her teenage daughter's sexually-transmitted disease because Lu provided the girl with birth control.
When Dana's attorneys make Peter's being a sperm donor difficult, Dana considers getting pregnant the old-fashioned way. Lu suspects that a baby's mother is the one responsible for the child's mysterious sickness.
A teenage cancer patient refuses to continue chemotherapy, Dana makes preparations for what she assumes will be her forthcoming pregnancy, and Lu finds herself in the middle when she suspects abuse in a family.
Hospital executives approach Dana to perform a risky procedure to save an unborn child's life; Lu treats a prison inmate for cervical cancer and decides to take on the prison system in regard to women's health care.
Also Dana becomes emotionally distraught after her pregnancy ends. Lu tries to stop a patient from utilizing an expensive screening test not covered by the clinic to save the patient's money. And Lu fears an elderly patient may be stashing enough medication for a suicide attempt.
Dana tries to win custody of an HIV-infected baby, even though becoming its full-time caregiver will end her career; a transsexual patient tries to win custody of a child, and Lu treats a homeless woman who has epilepsy.
Lu has plenty of opinions when it comes to deciding on Dana's replacement, but she soon learns that Dr. Robert Jackson, the chief of staff, has already hired someone for the position. Enter Dr. Andy Campbell, a former Army colonel who has returned to civilian life for the sole purpose of co-directing the Rittenhouse Women's Health Clinic. It's not long before tempers flare and Andy and Lu butt heads over a case involving a wealthy patient who needs a kidney transplant and a poor woman who sells her healthy organ for the money.
It's Andy Campbell's official first day as co-head of the Rittenhouse Women's Health Clinic. But before she can go in and save lives, she needs to help her two young daughters adapt to their new lives. Once she arrives at the hospital, Andy is left scratching her head, wondering what could be causing a woman's repeated miscarriages. Later, Lu and Andy face off when a drug-addicted patient almost dies from an overdose.
Andy goes beyond the call of duty to expedite the Food and Drug Administration's approval of a drug that could help Robert's wife, who has multiple sclerosis. Also, Andy intervenes when a family is accused of endangering the life of their young daughter. Meanwhile, a woman with terminal lung cancer claims to be Lu's half-sister.
When an old colleague with a breast lump calls for Andy's help—from space, of all places—the former Army colonel is at full attention. At the speed of light, she mobilizes both her hospital and NASA troops to perform a biopsy and, eventually, the removal of a growth. Back on Earth, Lu tries to help a pregnant woman with breast cancer make the delivery of her child—and the removal of the tumor—the happiest day of her life.
Strange things are brewing at Rittenhouse. A patient seeks Lu's treatment for what appears to be a simple rash; but upon closer examination, the condition turns out to be a dangerous flesh-eating bacteria. Meanwhile, Andy is caught in the middle of a sensitive case when a mother wants to have her schizophrenic daughter's tubes tied. And Peter tries to piece together clues to close the book on a doc who's up to something sneaky.
A local politician hot on the campaign trail needs Andy's help to remain cool under pressure. Her issue? She wants to stop blushing. Meanwhile, Lu tries to ease her patient Melissa, a former drug addict, into taking pain medication for a muscular disorder. But after she starts the meds, Melissa is soon rushed into the ER—and Lu must help fight for her patient's life.
Trouble hits home when Andy suspects that her daughter has an eating disorder. On the job, the doctor doubts herself when confronted with the mysterious deaths of three of her patients. Meanwhile, Lu acts quickly to stop a possible outbreak of varicella, aka chicken pox.
Lu faces the horrifying memory of her rape when a patient turns to her for help in dealing with her brother, a convicted sex offender. When Andy's patient displays baffling, life-threatening symptoms, Andy suspects foul play.
Lu goes up against the government when one of her patients turns out to be a suspected terrorist. Meanwhile, Andy treats a deaf woman for rheumatoid arthritis, which has the potential to cripple the hands—silencing her ability to speak.
Andy returns to the Army for reserve duty and helps a woman with post polio syndrome (PPS). Sparks fly for Lu when she is reunited with an old friend whose mother is one of her patients. And when Lana asks if the guy was the ""first"" one Lu answers saying he was the only one.
Andy is forced to confront her father after discovering that he has a degenerative nerve condition that could threaten his independence; Lu treats a pregnant woman whom she subsequently discovers is under investigation in connection with several unexplained infant deaths.
Dr. Campbell's diagnosis of the first local case of West Nile Virus causes a near panic in the community; Lu tries to help a hard-working mother remain close to her hospital-bound son.
Andy Campbell's kids miss their dad and want to know when he is coming home. Dr. Campbell has a hard time telling the kids why there dad moved out. Les Campbell has a hard time watching his temper. Andy isn't sure Jesse & Lizzy should know.
Academy Award-winning actress Rita Moreno guest stars in this episode of ""Strong Medicine,"" airing March 9, 2003 on LIFETIME Television. Moreno plays a street doctor treating patients who don't have the financial means to obtain medical treatment. Dr. Delgado makes a point of checking on her when she suspects the doctor may be growing senile. Later, Lu becomes frantic when she learns that a building has collapsed and her fire fighting boyfriend is unaccounted for while Andy counsels parents who are forced to make an extremely difficult medical decision about which of their two children should have lifesaving surgery
Andy helps Jesse cope having back surgery and trying to set things right between her husband. Lu tries to figure out how to spend time with Mickey and Marc. Lu wonders if Mickey would like to live with her.
Andy is worried about whether she should help in her daughter's surgery. Dr. Jackson deals with death of a young girl 6 years ago.
