In this first issue of 2026, we reaffirm the value of ethics in professional and personal practice. We start with an editorial calling out the blatant subversion of justice in cases of sexual crime by powerful predators in India. A review looks at the duty of magistrates’ courts to protect the accused’s constitutional rights to liberty and safety in custody. An author stresses the need for strict protocols governing DNA evidence in criminal matters. Others discuss the necessary evolution of post-trial access into post-trial care; the obstacles to historical research due to poor and inaccessible archives; and the unfair treatment of MBBS doctors in a system favouring post graduate degrees. A commentary assesses the herculean task of re-building Gaza’s decimated health systems, and another describes how the cemetery is an effective starting point for medical juniors to perceive death as a part of life.
Journals everywhere are fighting to deal with AI-generated fake publications. This may be inevitable, but authors and editors need to be honest on its use. AI, used ethically, can provide value towards more effective healthcare. The 10th FMES-IJME National Bioethics Conference dealt with this subject and the conference report is included in this issue. Lots of reviews, letters and a discussion enrich its content.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________Cover credit: Nature is knocking; it’s time for us to reflect, courtesy Dr Uma Kulkarni.