A study assesses whether introduction of The Quality and Outcomes Framework has reduced health-care inequality between affluent and poorer areas in England. Author Tim Doran discusses more in this week's podcast.

Laurent Lantieri discusses successful facial transplantation of a man with severe neurofibroma.

Interview with Dr van't Hof on tirofiban administered in the ambulance setting after myocardial infarction.

Chants from HIV activists, the launch of The Lancet HIV prevention series, and the voice of a former US President: a round-up of audio highlights from the XVII World AIDS meeting in Mexico City.

Emily Chan discusses her personal experiences as a medical doctor assisting in the relief effort after the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan, China.

Pam Das and Sally Hargreaves discuss highlights from the July 26 issue of The Lancet and the August issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases ahead of the World AIDS meeting in Mexico next month.

Risk markers of coronary heart disease: apolipoproteins and cholesterol as indices of risk for myocardial infarction are assessed in a large case-control study, and discussed in a podcast.

Malaria prevention: children in a high transmission area, western Kenya, were given intermittent preventative treatment and assessed for anaemia and school-related outcomes. Author Sian Clarke (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK) discusses the research findings in a podcast.

A new care package — 'Depression Care for People with Cancer' (DCPC) — can reduce depression in cancer patients and is cost-effective in improving quality of life compared with current cancer treatments. Michael Sharpe, University of Edinburgh, UK, discusses the new research findings in a podcast.

Improving access to water, sanitation, and hygiene is discussed in this week's lead Editorial and podcast. A new WHO report highlights how 10% of the global disease burden could be reduced by improved access to water and sanitation and by a staggering 15% in the 32 worst affected countries.