IN THIS MONTH'S BULLETIN
WHO 60th anniversary commemorative volume
This month's special theme is ethics and public health. In the first editorial, Carl H Coleman et al. (578) discuss the key issues in public-health ethics and how WHO incorporates ethics into its mission. In the second, John Krebs (579) presents the ethical dilemma involved in balancing individual rights with government intervention. In the third, Cristina P Pinheiro (580) questions the ethics of drug donations and proposes alternative aid solutions.
In an interview, Mary Robinson (587-588), former President of Ireland and ex-United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, talks about the need for a more ethical approach to health policy worldwide. To complement the theme of this month's issue, John R Williams (650-652) looks at the Declaration of Helsinki - a set of principles guiding medical and scientific research - and how it has evolved over time. The cover presents a classic public-health poster on the sharing of expert knowledge.
A human rights approach
Sofia Gruskin et al. (589-593) outline the historical evolution of placing maternal mortality rates in a human rights context.
Guidelines for herbal medicine research
Jon C Tilburt & Ted J Kaptchuk (594-599) propose a framework of eight ethical requirements for research into the use of herbal and traditional medicines.
Ethics and technology
Samuli I Saarni et al. (617-623) present a model for the ethical analysis of implementing new health technologies.
Emerging epidemics
Christopher McDougall et al. (643-645) report on the evolution of cooperation among the international community in dealing with public-health security.
Ethical oversight needed
Margaret Carrel & Stuart Rennie (612-616) explore key ethical questions that arise during longitudinal demographic and health surveillance.
Time to revisit surgery
Doruk Ozgediz et al. (646-647) present growing evidence on the cost-effectiveness of surgery in addressing the global burden of disease.
A personalist approach
Carlo Petrini & Sabina Gainotti (624-629) highlight the difficulties in defining ethics for public health and suggest that the most relevant theory is personalism.
Health sector needs to support abused women
Manuela Colombini et al. (635-642) highlight the challenges of integrating responses to intimate partner violence into the health sector.