Physician, heal thyself

THE Chinese media frequently portray doctors not as life-saving heroes but as profit-seeking villains. Popular anger against medical staff sometimes spills over. One gruesome period in October last year saw at least six violent attacks by disgruntled patients on medical workers, including one that led to the death of a doctor. In 2012 there had been 11 such attacks and 7 deaths.

One of the main reasons for such hostility is the high price of medicines and the corruption that contributes to it. Visitors to Chinese hospitals are often greeted with a sign that reads “no pharmaceutical representatives allowed”, a ban that has existed for more than a decade. Yet a recent spate of scandals involving public hospitals suggests that few heed the prohibition.