Indian journal of medical ethics
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Indian J Med Ethics · Jan 2014
LetterStarvation of children in Syria--sanctions and the politics of revenge.
As Syria completes two years of western sanctions (2011-13), their dramatic effects on health are being highlighted with first reports of starvation deaths among children in the suburbs of Damascus. Although heavy fighting has taken place in this area, experts had predicted for some time the unworkability of sanctions for regime change, arguing that only civilians would pay the price in a country (Syria in this case) which was once well on the way to meeting the Millennium Development Goals 4 targets on reducing child mortality. In this, as in the case of other "sanctioned" countries, it is not just "civilians" but the most vulnerable among them--children, who are experiencing the tragic consequences of sanctions.
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2013 has been a landmark year, in fact, a bad year for biomedical journals. Medical journals and their editors have been respected for long, as they are the harbingers of change and of progress in scientific thought. ⋯ Recent developments have, however, thrown into doubt the integrity of some science journals, their editors, and by extension, the entire field of biomedical and science publishing. These developments involve wide-ranging issues--the impact factor, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the birth, existence and rise of predatory journals.
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In response to a strike action by some doctors at the Safdarjung Hospital, the Delhi Medical Council issued a statement, in December 2010, that it was "...of the view that under no circumstances doctors should resort to strike as the same puts patient care in serious jeopardy and such actions are also in violation of the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002". Statements such as this are common responses of medical councils across the world whenever they are confronted with the increasingly difficult issue of striking doctors. Evidently, these statements are not effective in stopping doctors from repeatedly engaging in strike action. In India, the statement by the medical council was, for instance, followed by many strikes, amongst which was the well-publicised nationwide strike initiated by the Indian Medical Association in June 2012.
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This personal comment briefly describes the working of the General Medical Council, the medical regulator in the United Kingdom, with the aim of informing the discussion on how to regulate medical education and doctors' practice in India. Given that the ministry of health and family welfare is still debating the final constitution of the Medical Council of India, this paper is timely.