Law wasn't broken if test was done by accident

A three-judge panel of the Ohio Court of Appeals dismissed the lawsuit of a man who sued a hospital for breach of confidentiality of his positive HIV status. The patient, John Doe, presented at an Ohio State University Hospital with severe pain and vomiting. He was referred back to his regular physician, Dr. Henry Wise, who ordered a battery of tests. The laboratory inadvertently performed an HIV-antibody test, found that Doe was infected, and sent his name to the Ohio Department of Health. John Doe sued the University, alleging that it had violated a state law which requires informed consent for HIV-antibody testing. The trial judge found in favor of the University. The appeals panel affirmed the lower court's decision, stating that the case was not one of negligence, but rather an allegation concerning the informed consent statute. The Court stated that an individual could only file for compensatory damages if the person or agency knowingly violated the requirement for informed consent.     

虞霞 真情若水

有"影视歌曲专业户"美誉的虞霞,逐渐从青涩走向成熟,但追求完美的她为人低调真诚。曾两次获得中央电视台全国青年歌手电视大奖赛银奖的虞霞,从2004年青歌赛至今,不断在歌坛磨炼和定位,逐渐从青涩走向了成熟,厚积薄发,终得"影视歌曲专业户"美誉。尽管对西洋的音乐,摇滚、爵士颇为喜爱,但私下的她完全是一个低调主义者。厚积薄发铸辉煌虞霞2004年参加第十一届央视青歌赛,以一曲《暗香》夺得业余组通俗唱法银奖。尔后数年,她先后为《香樟树》、《武林外传》、《贞观长歌》、《王昭君》、《大珍珠》等数十部热播剧配唱了主题曲,成为"影视歌曲专业户"。2011年5月,她在北京亮相,发行首张影视金曲专辑《一路走来》。视听发布会上,中国流行音乐家协会主席付林、著名青年钢琴家汪洋以及中国唱片界领军人物星外星唱片CEO周小川、DMC唱片CEO蔡诚俊等悉数现身捧场。来自内地、台湾、韩国三地的腾格尔、任贤齐、刘承俊     

Damned if you do, damned if you don't: subgroup analysis and equity

The final report from the WHO Commission on the social determinants of health recently noted: 'For policy, however important an ethical imperative, values alone are insufficient. There needs to be evidence on what can be done and what is likely to work in practice to improve health and reduce health inequities.' This is challenging, because understanding how to reduce health inequities between the poorest and better-off members of society may require a greater use of subgroup analysis to explore the differential effects of public health interventions. However, while this may produce evidence that is more policy relevant, the requisite subgroup analyses are often seen as tantamount to statistical malpractice. This paper considers some of the methodological problems with subgroup analysis, and its applicability to considerations of equity, using both clinical and public health examples. Finally, it suggests how policy needs for information on subgroups can be met while maintaining rigour.     

Court poses question: is policy void if obtained by fraud?

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals asked Massachusetts' highest court to determine whether an insurance company can void an incontestable life insurance policy if it was obtained by fraud. No case law exists to cover the issues in this dispute. The option by the State's Supreme Judicial Court could impact Massachusetts residents with HIV who wish to obtain life insurance. Protective Life Insurance Co. is trying to rescind a policy issued to Dennis J. Sullivan one month after he tested positive for HIV. Sullivan lied about his health when applying for insurance. Protective Life sued Sullivan and Dignity Partners, Inc., a viatical settlement company that bought his policy, and asked a Federal judge to rescind the policy.     

Paper title with footnote if needed

The WHO is testing a new rationalised programme of antenatal care in a multicentre randomised trial. The motivation for this trial arose from the current uncertainty about the effectiveness of different approaches to provision of routine antenatal care. Decision makers also lack information about the costs of providing routine antenatal care and the cost-effectiveness of one programme over another. Such information will be needed before the final choice of programme can be made. The WHO trial provides an ideal opportunity to estimate and compare the incremental costs and cost-effectiveness of the new programme in four countries (Argentina, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Thailand). A separate economic component has been organised to measure the costs of antenatal care. Methods for cost identification and measurement, and methods for economic analysis in the context of an international study are based on current recommendations for the conduct of economic evaluations alongside trials. However, several aspects require further development. In particular, this includes defining standard methods for costing in different countries; measuring women's costs of access to care; and making comparisons across international settings. The economic evaluation will also inform similar multicentre international trials and investigate issues of generalisability beyond trial settings.     

Risks low if contaminated linen handled properly

This is the first of a two-part article. The conclusion will appear in the August issue.     

宫颈电圈环切术诊治宫颈病变的临床观察

目的 探讨宫颈电圈环切术(LEEP)在诊治宫颈病变中的作用.方法 选择96例宫颈病变患者作为研究对象,采用(LEEP)型宫颈锥切术,比较术前官颈病交情况与术后宫颈修复情况,术后3月～12月复查宫颈薄层液基细胞检测(LCT)结果.结果 治愈时间5-10周,痊愈92例,痊愈率95.83%,显效4例,显效率4.1%,无效0例.术后病检结果,切缘均为阴性,15例CIN Ⅰ-Ⅲ级患者LCT检测3-12月均未见异常.结论 LEEP是治疗宫颈病变安全且有效的方法.