It is a privilege to help set the scene for the deliberations in this book on ethics and its applications to the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare in the twenty-first century. In Classical Greek, the word “ethics” means the “beliefs of the people” – the study of what is right and good in human conduct and the justification of such claims. Applied to the complex and multifaceted world of healthcare, it is a formidable task to try and uncover the fundamental principles involved in “right and good conduct.” Without a doubt, this task is not simply about setting up a list of rights and wrongs. Rather, it is a discussion, a process that helps to tease out the real issues and find ethical solutions to complex practical problems.

Herein lies the greatest success of this book. It brings together outstanding leaders and thinkers from all segments of global healthcare to engage in ethical debate. They are all highly knowledgeable and experienced and from their different perspectives they mold together a unique view on some of the burning questions of our time. These include the ethics of clinical research, the empowering of patients by providing access to quality information, and the critically important issues of equity and access to care, especially in the field of HIV/AIDS. You will notice that the contributing authors brilliantly succeed in sensitizing the conscience of the reader and the different stakeholders involved in the healthcare leadership.