If we work with animals, patients or human volunteers, we are required to carry out experiments and studies in an ethically acceptable way. To ensure compliance with laws and regulations, we usually subject our planned studies to ethical review, by an independent institutional review board (IRB) or ethics committee. The reviewers consider the relevant science and, if it respects regulations and...

BACKGROUND Unofficial payments in health services around the world are widespread and as varied as the health systems in which they occur. We reviewed the main lessons from social audits of petty corruption in health services in South Asia (Bangladesh, Pakistan), Africa (Uganda and South Africa) and Europe (Baltic States). METHODS The social audits varied in purpose and scope. All covered rep...

The interstrand crosslink (ICL) presents a challenge to both the cell and the scientist. From a clinical standpoint, these lesions are particularly intriguing: ICL-inducing agents are powerful tools in cancer chemotherapy, and spontaneous ICLs have recently been linked with accelerated aging phenotypes. Nevertheless, the ICL repair process has proven difficult to elucidate. Here we discuss rece...