Access to expensive anti-cancer drugs

Expensive anti-cancer drugs expose controversy underlying the process for resource allocation decisions, and intermittently result in marked publicity, emotive discussions about access to novel and expensive treatments, and political involvement which may override existing processes. This column outlines the methods of determining whether or not a treatment is considered appropriate to fund, and focuses upon the evidence of patient and doctor wishes. The existing research illustrates the complexity of patient and oncologist decision-making when these drugs are to be considered. Past litigation to obtain access to expensive treatments is discussed, along with the interactions between patients, pharmaceutical companies, health services and oncologists. This evolving field is being transformed by developments in molecular biology enabling targeted drugs, and amply demonstrates the complexity of funding decisions and how expensive treatments are considered by a range of stakeholders.     

Hongkong Chinese emigration and investment patterns in response to the 1997 problem

The transfer of Hongkong from British to PRC sovereignty has resulted in an apparently large outflow of Hongkong Chinese emigrants and investments abroad. The outflow is motivated by a variety of causes: Political fear, uncertainty, and economic considerations. These motivations in turn are mediated by the socio-economic position of potential migrants, their preference for developed. Western, liberal, English-speaking countries and the interplay of these factors with the international institutional system of legal migration. Because of these factors, the possibility of Communist rule after 1997 has in fact generated not a single response from Hongkong Chinese, but a variety of different responses. They range from economically eligible migrants choosing to stay and invest in Hongkong to outright emigration and divestment.     

Delegation and digital mandates: Legal requirements and security objectives

Now that more and more legal transactions are being performed online, it is increasingly necessary to enable integration of legal mandates within identity and information management systems. The purpose of this article is to outline the legal framework surrounding delegation and to identify basic requirements for any technical application which seeks to provide recognition to legal mandates and delegation processes. Special consideration is also given to the legal implications in situations where a (presumed) mandate holder acts without or outside his authority. Based on these considerations, this article attempts to outline an approach which can significantly reduce the potential risks for both mandate issuers and relying service providers.     

The Oslo Peace Process and Two Views on Judaism and Zionism, 1992–1996

The article contends that the Oslo Peace process was as much about Jewish identity in Israel as it was about borders and security. This is because these factors are interrelated. This made the peace process highly contentious, particularly because it happened when post-Zionism was at its peak. While Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres saw Oslo as the fulfillment of Zionism, the religious right saw it as negating Zionism. This is because the Oslo process involved a change in three precepts of Zionism: Greater Israel, self-defence and pioneering settlement. This difference of opinion was compounded by the way Rabin managed relations with his critics on the religious-right. The conclusion notes how the collapse of Oslo has led to a reversion to pre-Oslo Jewish world view.