Ole Frithjof Norheim and Cam Donaldson (pictured) sum up lessons learned from the 7th International conference on priority setting in health care. […]
Liz Wager on Newton and the history of fish
Delays in publication are not new and neither, it seems, are bureacratic hurdles which mean that institutions fail to recognise important things. According to Wikipedia the Royal Society had no money to print Newton’s Principia Mathematica because “the Society had just spent its book budget on a history of fish.” But, luckily, Edmund Halley realised the […]
Ohad Oren on euthanasia, supermarket style
Debbie Purdy, a 45 year old woman with progressive multiple sclerosis, failed in her bid last month to be able to end her life when her excruciating symptoms become unbearable for her. When the time comes, she wants her husband to accompany her to Dignitas, a Swiss clinic, which will prescribe a lethal dose of barbiturates, […]
Tessa Richards: Everyone’s smiling in Washington
In Washington’s elegant Union station Barack Obama’s face shines out from the newspaper stacks and the shops in the concourse are bristling with OB merchandise. I pass on the fridge magnets but I’m tempted by the T-shirts, many of which carry the words “change” and “hope” alongside his smiling portrait. Optimism is in the air […]
Helen Barratt: The bigger picture
According to the Faculty of Public Health’s careers booklet, the speciality is all about focusing on “the bigger picture.” It describes us as taking action to “promote healthy lifestyles, prevent disease, protect and improve general health, and improve healthcare services.” I’ve been back at the PCT for a couple of months now, after my MSc, […]
Sheila McLean: Whose decision is it, anyway?
The case of Hannah Jones has unsurprisingly provoked intense, and often emotional, debate. It is somehow counter-intuitive that a 13 year old should choose a path that will inevitably result in her death, when treatment is available. Equally, many have questioned whether or not someone so young should be allowed to make this kind of […]
Jeanelle de Gruchy on Obama and equality
Last week’s historic election of the United States’ first black president was an uplifting event that speaks of possibilities, to being able to trounce racism and collectively help shape a better world. As Oprah Winfrey declared: “Hope won tonight!” And of course this was a vote that rejected the advocates of social conservatism. Well, it […]
Matiram Pun: Obama wins – a pretty optimistic outlook for the world
Kenya’s people have shown an enthusiasm bordering on fanaticism over the US presidential election and declared a national holiday after Barack Obama’s win. But it was not only Kenya and the whole of Africa that showed an interest in the election. The whole world did, because Obama was the outsider’s choice. In Iran, Turkey, and […]
Domhnall MacAuley: Was Jesus a jogger?
It was his idea. But, neither of us was wimp enough to pull out. Dragging ourselves out of bed at 6.15am was a struggle, never mind the aching limbs from days of walking narrow winding sloping streets, and stomach cramps from unaccustomed food. […]
Anna Donald’s American dream
I have just finished sobbing for hours over Barak Obama’s winning the US Presidency. I lived in Boston, Palo Alto (California), and Albany New York as a small child. My father a student on a scholarship, we camped all the way across the country and back. (What possessed my family to go south in summer […]