In a stratagem that would make Sun Tzu proud, the government first velvet-gloved an iron fist and then clamped down hard on digital freedom and enterprise.

By raising hell about newborn blood-spot screening, Twila Brase could jeopardize public-health programmes and derail research. The problem is, she has a point.

http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110713/full/475156a.html

European companies are not providing robust information to regulators or alternatives to animal experiments.

http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110713/full/475150a.html

A clinical trial that came under fire in India threatens to have a dual legacy: inflaming unfounded fears about a lifesaving vaccine and raising new questions about the management of medical research in the country.

http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110622/pdf/474427a.pdf

Perhaps one of the most important signs that a country has effectively responded to its governance issues is in the management of its healthcare challenges. Healthcare presents a particularly complex situation for governments, one that is not easy for developing nations to tackle. Healthcare goals cannot be reached through funding and budgets alone. Rather, they require a coordinated effort from both the government and a network of service providers; they require programmes and policies that connect with individuals throughout their lives, from birth to death. (Editorial)