In The News

Mining Company to Offer H.I.V. Drugs to Employees

Henri E. Cauvin August 7, 2002
AIDS has had a devastating impact on the mining industry in southern Africa. Anglo American P.L.C. estimates that 28 percent of its workers are afflicted, and after months of indecision, the company has finally decided to provide them with antiretroviral drugs. This is a significant step in the fight against AIDS; the influence of a major company may provoke governments in Botswana and South...

Filipino Nurses Losing Out to Chinese

August 6, 2002
Greater numbers of Chinese nurses are now finding employment in the UK and US, fast overtaking the demand for popular Filipino nurses. Chinese nurses have gained the upper hand as a result of their improved proficiency in English and their consent to pay higher placement fees as part of a salary reduction scheme. China helped the nurses by providing language instruction, prompting some in the...

Belgium Bans Gum, Tablets and Drops with Fluoride

Anon. July 31, 2002
In a move thought absurd by the Belgian Dentists Federation, the Belgium government will ban the sale of all products containing fluoride except for toothpaste. While this ban is the first of its kind for the EU, Belgian Health Minister Magda Aelvoet, a member of the Flemish Green Party, plans to discuss this move with other members of the union. The reason for the proposed ban is that a study...

An Age-Old Quest Could Be at an End: Chinese Hail Viagra

Elisabeth Rosenthal April 23, 2002
Traditional Chinese medicine has several treatments for curing impotence, or simply for stimulating more sexual energy. Two years ago, however, Viagra was made legal and introduced in China with immediate success. There are certain parts of China where Viagra is sold almost everywhere – including candy stores and soda stands. However, as Viagra’s demand grows, so does the production of imitation...

Spread of AIDS in Rural China Ignites Protests

Elisabeth Rosenthal November 12, 2001
For the first time, China announced its observance of World AIDS day. However, lack of AIDS awareness and unrest in some provinces prove that China still has a long way to go to address the epidemic. Several provinces in rural China, whose HIV incidence is still undetermined though believed to be very high, have either been ignored or suppressed by the government. Protesters and journalists were...