The editorial “Doctors for Rural Areas” (13 April 2013) is highly practical and convincing. In view of the dearth of capacity of preparing an MBBS doctor, our country lacks the number of doctors required for serving the rural areas. The MBBS doctors coming out from private medical colleges have to pay hefty amounts as capitation fees and at the same time a huge course fee. The rural areas have very poor infrastructure and lack a congenial living atmosphere and for these reasons, doctors remain absent while they serve their rural stint.

he Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 which is in force in a few states is being sought to be placed before the state legislature in Maharashtra amidst vehement protest from the medical fraternity. This legislation, which the Indian Medical Association claims will lead to doctors being harassed, was born of a long patients' rights movement against abysmal infrastructure conditions and poorly qualifi ed staff in small clinics, hospitals, and diagnostic and pathology laboratories.

Studies have widely documented the socioeconomic inequalities in maternal and child health related outcomes in developing countries including India. However, there is limited research on the inequalities in advice provided by public health workers on maternal and child health during antenatal visits. This paper investigates the inequalities in advice provided by public health workers to women during antenatal visits in rural India.

The Indian Medical Association has morphed into a body representing the trade and commerce of medicine rather than the practice of medicine as a whole. Given the increasingly commercial and corporatised nature of healthcare, organisations like the IMA should provide leadership and a sense of direction to the individual medical professional overwhelmed by change. They should protect the individual rights of doctors working in an increasingly cut-throat private sector which uses professionals as pawns in a game.

A recent ruling by Germany's Supreme Court has caused a public storm over the ethical conduct of doctors and drug companies in the country. Rob Hyde reports from Hamburg.

Aaron Kesselheim and colleagues investigate conflict of interest disclosures in articles authored by physicians and scientists identified in whistleblower complaints alleging illegal off-label marketing by pharmaceutical companies.

Technically feasible and cost-effective interventions exist to reduce maternal, newborn, and child mortality. This potential has not been fully realised due to the failure of health systems to improve the delivery and uptake of these priority interventions, particularly amongst the most vulnerable women and children. Underfunded investments in maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) are part of the impediment, but unspent funds in a diversity of resource-constrained settings reflect a common problem of low absorptive capacity and the challenges of implementation at the local level.

Legal actions and oversight are necessary to keep the drug industry in line. (Editorial)