SciDev.Net

The Cape Town High Court has banned two doctors from conducting unauthorised trials of vitamins they claim cure HIV/AIDS.

A new funding announcement means that African scientists will be able to mastermind their own medical research projects.

A round-up of news from or about South Asia for the period 1–15 March 2008.

Trials of HIV prevention strategies in developing countries face multiple obstacles including political pressures, say scientists.

Scientists have published findings which led to the arrest of fake antimalarial producers in China.

A human trial of HIV gene therapy and new drugs hold hope for treatment, say scientists at an international HIV conference.

China's drugs regulator will use new rules when approving and registering drugs in an effort to avoid corruption and aid innovation.

Zambia's drug authority says it will prosecute two men if their claims to have a HIV/AIDS 'cure' are unsubstantiated.

Nigeria is suing drug company Pfizer for US$7 billion, claiming that they ran an illegal drug trial that killed 196 children.

Science journalists need to be vigilant when investigating fraud, say speakers at the World Conference of Science Journalists.

Chinese and European bioethicists and life scientists have formed an expert group to promote ethical behaviour in biomedical research.

Brazil has launched a new system to speed up licensing for the collection of biological material in scientific research.

Chinese universities are spending too much on luxury buildings and not producing enough quality research, says a member of parliament.

Controversy over two cases of plagiarism and data has led to calls for an independent ethics body in India.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences has released ethics guidelines in the hope of reducing fraud amongst researchers.

Six foreign medics accused of infecting 426 children with HIV in a Libyan hospital have been sentenced to death.

Islamic nations have agreed to formalise ethical debate and moral guidance for scientists by setting up a science ethics network.

China has drawn up a much-needed legal framework to tackle the problem of scientific misconduct.

India's Supreme Court has banned new field trials of genetically modified crops following criticism of the country's biosafety protocols.

The Kigali Institute of Science and Technology is facing a large debt — allegedly due to fraudulent cash withdrawals by officials.