Prague was the European center of alchemy in the Middle Ages and, in April, was the host city for a conference that featured experiments in the application of alchemy to healthcare improvement. Or so it seems in retrospect.

The U.S., Canada, Great Britain, and most of Western Europe are increasingly multi-racial, multi-cultural, and multi-lingual.

The medical profession is legendary for applying linear logic and scientific method to any problem it faces, whether it is a disease or the current center of attention — patient safety.

In October 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially launched the World Alliance for Patient Safety (World Alliance) to raise awareness and political commitment to improve the safety of care and to facilitate the development of patient safety policy and practice in all WHO member states.