The following will appear in the February 6 issue of The Lancet:

UK inequalities 1·7 million children in the UK live in extreme poverty, according to Save the Children. And a report by the National Equality Panel shows that the gap between these families and those with the highest incomes is wider than in other western nations and can persist across generations. The Panel recommends that government policies prioritise “equality of opportunity”.

Maternal care Government policies to combat maternal mortality in Burkina Faso have been under­mined by failures in imple­mentation, says Amnesty. In a welcome move towards recognition of the right to health, the human-rights group report highlights how women’s low status in society and poor availability of medical services result in preventable deaths.

Food safety President Barack Obama has nominated Elisabeth Hagen as Under Secretary for Food Safety at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). If confirmed by the Senate, Hagen—who is currently the USDA’s Chief Medical Officer—will lead efforts to reduce outbreaks of food-related illnesses, which have plagued the USA in recent years.

Mixed progress A survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF has shown that, despite good overall progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, large disparities in child and maternal health, education, and access to safe drinking water exist between the country’s 64 districts. Child mortality, for example, ranges from 43 to 102 deaths per 1000 livebirths.

Healthy numbers According to the Chinese Ministry of Health, the country’s long-standing nurse deficit has been alleviated by the recent vocational boom. The number of registered nurses rose to a predicted 2 million at the end of 2009, and with more than half having attained at least an associate degree, the quality of nursing care is reported to have improved too.

High priority Organ donation, reg­ulation of counterfeit drugs, and food safety are the health priorities of Spain’s Presidency of the European Union Council this year, health minister Trinidad Jiménez has announced. The minister also said that there will be a focus on cross-border cooperation and implementation of information technology in health care.

World Cancer Day Feb 4 has again marked World Cancer Day. This international event aims to raise awareness of the detection, treatment, and prevention of cancer. This year’s event coordinator, the International Union Against Cancer, invited the community to join their new campaign “Cancer can be prevented too”, which focuses on the often simple measures that can help prevent the disease.

Isotope investment The USA has awarded US$11 million to two com­panies to develop a stable domestic supply of medical isotopes. Last year, the temporary shutdown of a Canadian nuclear reactor that produced a third of the world’s supplies of medical isotopes sparked a global shortage. The new investment should mean about half of North America’s demand for medical isotopes is met.

Home birth concern The safety of home births is under scrutiny in Australia. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists issued a statement of concern last month after a study showed that the risk of perinatal death was significantly greater for babies delivered at home than for those born in hospital.

Melamine returns A government investigation has revealed more instances of melamine-contaminated milk products in China. The items, which include children’s icecreams, were produced by three different companies who all claim that they must have been sold contaminated milk powder left over from the scandal of 2008, in which six children died and hundreds of thousands were injured.

Saudi centre Saudi Arabia has an­nounced plans to build an alcohol and drug addiction treatment centre to serve the entire Islamic Middle East—a region that has seen addiction rates increase over the past decade. The 250-bed centre will be built in the capital Riyadh and set up in partnership with Brighton Hospital—one of the USA’s oldest treatment centres for drug addiction.

Colombia’s “vice” tax The Colombian Government has announced increases in taxes on alcohol, cigarettes, and gambling to finance the rising costs of the health system. The value-added tax on beer will rise from 3% to 14% on Feb 1, and to 16% in 2011. The Government has pledged to prevent growth in sales of alcohol and tobacco on the black market, as people try to avoid paying the new taxes.

The following will appear in the January 30 issue of The Lancet:

Indian cancer registry The Associ­ation of Surgeons of India has announced that it will set up the country’s first national cancer registry, with the help of other medical associations in the country. The registry will fill the gap in the collection of cancer data in India, allow practitioners to study the causes of cancer in particular regions, and stimulate treatment and research for the disease.

European women’s health The Euro­pean Commission has published a report on women’s health in the European Union. Demo­graphic and socio­economic trends, lifestyle, and health care were assessed and, among other findings, the report states that women are more prone to Alzheimer’s disease and depression than are men. The first European men’s health report will be published in spring, 2011.

Drug price cuts The Philippine Government has requested that drug companies submit lists of drugs for which they are willing to drop prices by 50%. In this second round of drug pricing control, the Government aims to further improve access to essential medicines, especially for less financially able individuals.

Hepatic hero Martin Lombard has been appointed by the UK Department of Health as the first National Clinical Director for Liver Disease. The respected hepatologist is faced with the develop­ment of a national liver strategy—a challenging task in the face of growing rates of liver disease, especially given the difficulties associated with early diagnosis and late-onset treatment.

Indigenous issues The UN has released its first report on the State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, which includes a section on health. The report states that Indigenous people worldwide continue to have disproportionately high rates of health problems. For example, in the USA, a Native American is 600 times more likely to contract tuberculosis and 62% more likely to commit suicide than is the non-Indigenous population.

FDA devices chief US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Margaret Hamburg has appointed Jeffrey Shuren as permanent Director of the agency’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. Shuren has been serving as acting head since September, 2009. Priorities for 2010 include implementation of a “total product life cycle approach”.

An open door? GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced that it plans to put thousands of compounds that might help to find a cure for malaria into the public domain. The drug company will give US$8 million to help pay for scientists to explore these chemicals. However, whether GSK will patent any potential drugs discovered by such non-company scientists remains unclear.

Going private On Jan 17, Sweden witnessed the inauguration of its first private pharmacy since 1971. A vote by Parliament in May, 2008, ended the state-owned chain Apoteket’s monopoly over prescription and over-the-counter drugs. This major change in the Swedish pharmaceutical industry is expected to improve access to medicines and to lower drug prices.

Fake drugs Bolivia’s Minister of Health, Ramiro Tapia, has promised tougher sanctions against companies that import counterfeit medicines. More than 200 Bolivian pharmacies have being thoroughly inspected after the seizure last December of 40 tonnes of drugs that were out of date, adulterated, or fake. Local company ESKE imported most of these drugs to Bolivia.

Arming doctors The Iraqi Government has drafted a law intended to revert the present trend of violence towards health professionals. In opposition to the historical Iraqi practice of seeking “tribal settlement”, penalties drafted for the victimisation of health professionals will include a 3-year prison sentence and a large fine. The new legislation will also allow doctors to carry weapons for protection.

Happy birthday Charité Charité, the University Hospital in Berlin, Germany, is celebrating its tricentennial with a season of historical medical cinema. The programme includes films that were crucial to the development of Berlin’s medical community but also important in the context of German film history. Themes include physical disability, sexuality, gender, infectious disease, and abortion.

Family planning South Korea’s Min­istry of Health recently sent its em­ployees home early by switching off the lights at 1900 h. Further blackouts are planned once per month—but not to save energy. The country’s demographic viability is threatened by a miniscule birthrate, and the hope is that less work could lead not only to more play but more procreation too.

The following will appear in the January 23 issue of The Lancet:

Traffic pollution Although improvements have been made in vehicle emissions, city expansion and increased car use mean that more people now live in places where pollution is highest, according to a report from the US Health Effects Institute. The report—a review of more than 700 studies worldwide—also found a causal link between traffic pollution and asthma exacerbations in children.

Junk food tax In an effort to fight obesity, Romania will soon introduce the world’s first tax on unhealthy foods. The tax, to be introduced in March, 2010, will apply to so-called junk foods, including fast food and soft drinks. Funds raised from the tax will be used to lend support to countrywide health programmes. It is estimated that one in four Romanians is obese.

Don’t forget dementia Anticipating a need for increased and improved care for people with dementia, England’s national dementia strategy, Living well with dementia, was launched on Feb 3, 2009. Now, a report from the National Audit Office argues that the strategy’s success is being threatened by weak implementation and monitoring across the country.

Drug pricing Generic drugs need to be made cheaper in many countries, according to a report by Health Action International. The cost of generic ciprofloxacin, in terms of purchasing-power parity, was highest in Guatemala and lowest in Switzerland. The US General Accountability Office also found that branded drug prices have soared by up to 500% in the past decade.

Better news? A report commissioned by the UK Government calls for action to address the threat that economic and institutional constraints pose to the quality, originality, and independence of science journalism. The authors make recommendations for improving reporters’ science training, access to research proposals and peer-reviewed literature, and opportunities to pursue investigations.

Cuban health Cuba’s celebrated universal health-care system is showing “growing signs of deterioration” according to the Cuban Commission on Human Rights. The accusation came after 26 people reportedly died unnecessarily at a psychiatric hospital in Havana. The government blamed a cold snap for the deaths, but admitted “deficiencies” at the hospital.

Hospital job cuts In France, tensions in public hospitals continue to rise after the axeing of 1800 jobs. The losses have been blamed for an increase in attacks against medical staff by dissatisfied patients. Meanwhile President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced a new model for the health system aimed at reducing red tape and improving cooperation with pharmacists and nurses.

Anti-gay bill Under pressure from the international community, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has expressed reservations about his country’s proposed extension of the already dire punishment for homosexual acts in Uganda. In October, 2009, the ruling party presented a bill that looked at imposing life in prison or even death for offences such as homosexual acts with disabled people, minors, or when HIV-positive.

Hospital investment Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates has announced a programme to increase the number of hospitals in the country. The public investment, worth more than €1·3 billion, will see the construction of 12 new hospitals by 2013. Of these, the Hospital Oriental in Lisbon stands out with an estimated budget of €380 million.

Toxic jewellery An investigation by the Associated Press has found high levels of cadmium in children’s jewellery made in China. The poisonous heavy metal seems to have been used as a substitute for lead, which is now banned in children’s products. US department stores have started pulling items from their shelves, and the country’s watchdogs have issued a warning on Chinese imports.

Semi-doctors? In a bid to tackle the shortage of doctors in rural areas, the Indian Government is finalising plans for an abridged MBBS course. The 3·5-year course, aimed at rural students, will be taught at district hospitals and will qualify graduates to practise only in rural areas. The curriculum avoids subjects for which referral would be necessary, such as transplantation, angiography, and MRI.

Anti-smoking drive A new anti-tobacco law came into effect in the United Arab Emirates last week. The bill includes several stringent measures to curb smoking, including a ban on smoking in cafés and restaurants in residential areas, a ban on the import or sale of sweets and toys that look like tobacco products, and a ban on smoking in cars carrying children younger than 12 years.

The following will appear in the Jan 16 issue of The Lancet:

New USAID head Rajiv Shah has been sworn in as the new Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Former Undersecretary for Research, Education, and Economics at the Department of Agriculture, Shah is a medical doctor and has held senior posts at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He cited “restoring USAID’s effectiveness” as his top priority.

ART in Zimbabwe The number of people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Zimbabwe will be increased from 180 000 to 300 000 in 2010, according to the country’s government. The need to improve ART distribution is cited as the government’s top priority, and US$285·4 million has been allocated to the ministry of health to tackle the problem.

Surviving cancer A survey by Macmillan Cancer Support has suggested that UK services for long-term cancer survivors do not meet expectations. For example, most patients expect a full assessment of their continuing needs and a personalised care plan once their treatment is over, neither of which are provided as standard. The charity has called on the government to introduce such services.

Threat of war Ten international aid agencies have warned that the peace deal in southern Sudan is on the verge of collapse because of a lethal cocktail of rising violence, chronic poverty, and political tensions. The 2005 peace deal ended a 22-year civil war that killed more than 1·5 million people. The agencies warn that a return to conflict would have devastating consequences far beyond southern Sudan.

Cold chaos A long period of unusually cold weather in northern Europe is taking its toll. The extreme conditions, which have seen parts of the UK reach an almost unprecedented –22°C, have claimed the lives of 122 people in Poland, 29 in Britain, and nine in Germany. 22 people have been killed by avalanches, and thousands of road accidents have been blamed on snow.

Tube feeding The UK Royal College of Physicians and the British Society of Gastroenterology have released a report reviewing the clinical and ethical implications of artificial feeding. Prompted by increasing occurrences of gastrostomy, now being imposed as a condition of residence by some care homes, the aim is to prevent the blanket use of tube feeding in favour of case-by-case judgment.

Tuberculosis in China The rising problem of drug-resistant tuberculosis in China has prompted Chinese scientists to work on a new class of drugs based on clofazimine, which was used in the past to treat leprosy. Researchers hope that the new drug will come into formal preclinical development, and animal studies will begin within the next 6 months.

Early access A framework has been agreed for a scheme to allow early access to extensively trialled but not yet formally licensed drugs for UK patients with life-threatening or debilitating disorders. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency will be responsible for implementation of the scheme, which is now undergoing public consultation.

Oncology online The International Atomic Energy Agency has launched a web-based course on radiation oncology, which is aimed at countries with a shortage of cancer specialists, and will focus first on the Asia and Pacific region. The Applied Sciences of Oncology Distance Learning course contains 80 training modules and will complement the training that radiation oncologists receive through formal education in their respective countries.

Medical miracles? Nearly half of Americans believe that cloning organs will be routine by 2020, according to a new poll. 49% of 2841 people questioned in a Zogby interactive survey said use of stem cells and cloned organs will be commonplace in the next decade. 28% envisioned a cure for cancer in 10 years, and 13% believed human life will be extended by 50–100 years.

UAE champions global health On Jan 4–8, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) University in Al-Ain played host to an international conference on the role of the Middle East in tackling global health issues. About 60 public health experts and researchers attended the event, described as the first of its kind on this scale.

Happiness is… 2009 was a happy year for Costa Ricans. Their country was ranked first on the Happy Planet Index, calculated by the New Economics Foundation. The index considers the ecological footprint and life expectancy of countries and the result shows that people can live long and happy lives without misuse of the planet’s natural resources.

The following will appear in the Jan 9 issue of The Lancet:

Stress hotline The UK Government has launched a free telephone helpline across England to provide advice and support to people starting 2010 with worries about debt, housing, or employment. In an expansion of the Government’s mental health programme, the NHS Stressline has been set up to tackle the rising number of problems that people will face as a result of the economic downturn.

Transplant debate Egypt is debating the landmark step of allowing organ transplantation from brain-dead donors in a bid to tackle the underground sale of organs by living donors, who are often poor people who feel trapped into it. Egypt currently has no transplant laws, and does not recognise brain death. Yet the country’s commercial organ trade is one of the biggest in the world.

Open all hours? Despite the Scottish Government’s offer of more money, a third of primary-care practices in Scotland have said that they will not extend their opening hours to evenings and weekends because it would not be economically viable. Meanwhile, across the UK, businesses lose roughly £1 billion per year because employees have taken time off work to visit their doctors.

Guinea worm WHO has certified seven more countries as being free of guinea-worm disease. Benin, Cambodia, Guinea, Mauritania, the Marshall Islands, Palau, and Uganda have reported no infections of dracunculiasis for 3 years, bringing the total number of disease-free countries and territories to 187.

Naughty Nestlé The US Food and Drug Administration has accused food giant Nestlé of making unauthorised claims about its Juicy Juice products, which were promoted as boosting brain development in young children. Nestlé’s Kid Essentials Nutritionally Complete Drink has also come under fire for not meeting the requirements of the product’s widely promoted “medical food” claim.

Volcano aid 20 tonnes of high-energy biscuits have been sent to the northern Philippine island of Luzon by the UN World Food Programme to help about 50 000 Filipinos forced to leave their homes by a predicted eruption of Mount Mayon volcano. The Government and international humanitarian organisations have also provided additional tents, latrines, and water and sanitation facilities.

UN accountability The UN is to make publicly available data on sexual exploitation and abuse by members of its multiple peacekeeping operations and special political missions. The new data for 2007–09, provided by the Department of Field Support, will be accessible through a new section of the UN’s Conduct and Discipline Unit website under the heading “Statistics”.

Drugs and pregnancy The US Food and Drug Administration has announced the launch of a public–private collaboration to study the health effects of prescription drug use during pregnancy. The Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program will combine data from 11 health-plan-associated research sites to provide information about a topic for which randomised trials are scarce.

Insurance success A pioneering UN-funded health insurance scheme for nearly 1500 refugees living in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, has been deemed efficient and effective. The scheme, which costs the UN about US$30 per family per month, allows covered people to visit a health centre close to their home and includes referral to a major hospital if needed.

Thalidomide support A pilot support package to help people disabled by thalidomide, which was prescribed to their mothers while pregnant in the 1960s and 1970s, has been announced by the UK Government. The grant, worth £20 million, will be distributed by the Thalidomide Trust and aims to give survivors more control over their long-term health needs.

Vulnerable children The US Government has released a report on assistance to highly vulnerable children in developing countries. Such children include those who are refugees, internally displaced, homeless, and associated with armed groups. The report outlines priorities in 2010 and beyond, including increasing support for extremely poor households to keep families intact and improve their ability to care for their children.

Honourable Dames Congratulations to Valerie Beral, a member of The Lancet’s International Advisory Board, for becoming a Dame of the British Empire in the New Year’s honours list. Former Red Cross nurse Claire Bertschinger, who inspired Bob Geldof to organise Live Aid, was also made a Dame for services to nursing and international humanitarian aid.