Mystery Amid an Anthrax Outbreak in Africa

Five African countries are battling outbreaks of anthrax, with nearly 1,200 people affected so far and 20 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. But the official tally belies confusion about the exact nature and scale of the outbreaks, which may complicate the efforts needed to contain them. Of the 1,166 presumed anthrax cases in…

Possible Ways to Ease Drug Shortages

At several congressional hearings this year, ideas to fix drug shortages were as numerous as the number of scarce drugs. The rationing of key chemotherapies added urgency to the crisis. Two of these drugs, carboplatin and cisplatin, are inexpensive and are used to treat up to 20 percent of cancer patients, according to the National…