In The News

The Sovereignty of Disease

David L. Heymann June 6, 2006
With the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2002, nations embarked on a new era of global cooperation, sharing information and partnering on investigations, reporting and prevention strategies. The cooperation continues with outbreaks of the avian flu, according to David L. Heymann, director of the Communicable Diseases Program at the World Health Organization. Real-time electronic...

Korean Hospitals Eager to Tap Overseas Patients

Jin Hyun-joo June 2, 2006
With high-quality workers and advanced technology, South Korea has the potential to become a leading medical hub, according to the Korea International Trade Association. The government has initiated measures to promote medical tourism, such as easing the visa process for foreign patients. The Korean government and hospitals also partner in marketing to encourage patients, especially those from...

US Plan to Lure Nurses May Hurt Poor Nations

Celia W. Dugger May 30, 2006
The US is the wealthiest and healthiest country in the world, but has no qualms about enticing nurses from poor countries. The US Senate, in approving its version of immigration reform, has included a clause that would remove any limits on the number of nurses allowed into the country through 2014. The sponsor of the legislation suggests that the bill would attract more nurses from India and the...

Outsourcing Your Heart

Unmesh Kher May 23, 2006
People forced to pay their own health-care costs tend to hunt for bargains. As a result, medical tourism is booming, with patients in the US, Canada and UK scheduling flights to obtain surgery in India, Thailand, and other countries with trained physicians and procedures that cost 25 percent or less than those based in the US. Uninsured or underinsured patients in particular arrange for plastic...

The Palestinian Tipping Point

Anna Coote May 22, 2006
Even as much of the world shuddered at implications for the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, Hamas took power in Palestine with a platform of provision. Despite widespread international distrust for Hamas, Palestinians democratically voiced a longing for basic services. Sadly the Palestinian-Israeli conflict supersedes education, economic and other goals in Palestine and infiltrates most...

US Privacy Campaigners Fear Mark of the Beast

James Sturcke May 12, 2006
If a diner in the US falls ill in the near future, the government plans to turn to a computer database to learn the source of any last bite of meat. Privacy advocates complain that the ambitious tagging program is expensive and excessive, and could potentially be used on humans. The US Department of Agriculture insists that the proposal is “technology neutral,” but critics anticipate heavy...

Climate Change Drives Disease to New Territory

Doug Struck May 5, 2006
Politicians tend to procrastinate when it comes to long-term problems. But rising temperatures are causing immediate problems, as diseases like malaria, cholera, Dengue fever, Lyme disease and West Nile virus make inroads into new territory, including the US, Europe and Canada. Common insects like ticks and mosquitoes live through mild winters and find new habitats, thus transforming from...