Briefly

Wayne Kondro

doi:10.1503/cmaj.090929

Euro-mapping:

Countries oft-branded as tourist sex destinations in Europe are net exporters of the HIV virus, according to a European research team, (www.retrovirology.com/content/pdf/1742-4690-6-49.pdf). The team tracked the movement of the virus through 17 European countries and found that Greece, Portugal, Serbia and Spain are big HIV exporters. Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg are largely importers.

Space doctor:

Dr. David Saint-Jacques, clinical faculty lecturer at McGill University in Montréal, Quebec, has been chosen as one of Canada’s newest astronauts by the Canadian Space Agency. Saint-Jacques, a practising physician at the Innulitsivik Health Centre in Purvirnituq, northern Quebec, was born in Québec City, Que. He earned his MD in 2005 from the Université Laval in Québec City, Que. He also holds a PhD in astrophysics from Cambridge University in Cambridge, England.

Dr. David Saint-Jacques Image courtesy of Canadian Space Agency

Walkabout:

Australian Health and Ageing Minister Nicola Roxon has unveiled an A$134.4 million rural health package that will grant A$15 000 to doctors who relocate from a major city to a regional centre and A$120 000 to those relocating to very remote areas. Doctors now practising in remote areas will see retention incentives bolstered to A$47 000 per year from A$25 000 per year.

Manufacturing practices:

Health Canada has unveiled new guidelines for good manufacturing practices for pharmaceutical, radiopharmaceutical, biological, and veterinary drugs. The department stresses, though, that the guidelines are nonbinding. “Alternative means of complying with these Regulations can be considered with the appropriate scientific justification. Different approaches may be called for as new technologies emerge” (www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/alt_formats/hpfb-dgpsa/pdf/compli-conform/gmp-bfp/docs/gui-0001-eng.pdf).