Morning Briefing

BMJ News examines the results of the recent UN Human Development Index, which documents "people's wellbeing in 182 countries and territories around the world." The 2009 report reveals the wide disparities between developing and wealthy countries in the investment in health and health outcomes. "For example, a child born in a country that ranks low on the index," like Niger, "can expect to live just over 50 years-17 years less than in a medium ranked country and 30 years less than in the highest ranked countries," the journal writes.