What’s hot?What’s not?

On the morning of April 8, about 3,600 Beijing hospitals switched to the new medical system, as released by the Beijing Health Authority. This reform separates drug sales from medical treatment at public hospitals and scraps the previous markup on drugs under the old pricing system, causing some to question whether fees for the medical services would be raised to recoup lost money on drugs sales, which are a major source of income for public hospitals. Yet, Fang Laiying, head of the Beijing City Health and Family Planning Commission (BCHFPC) noted that current official data show the overall medical costs for Beijing residents remains flat.

The new revisions to China’s Civil Law at this year’s Two Sessions, China’s annual parliament, stipulates that aid-givers who offer help will not face civil liability even if they make mistakes while helping, in order to encourage people to be willing to help strangers in need. Yang Lixin, from Renmin University of China, praised the legislation for protecting good Samaritans and said it would make a huge difference in the way people act, reducing bystanders’ hesitancy to offer help. But Yang also warned that new rules might come with some risks. For instance, if helpers lack medical knowledge, they could actually worsen the situation, so as well as the new laws, he suggested, other provisions against inappropriate aid should be issued. 

College students have been able to get their hands on cash easily via campus loans, but many have been unable to pay back what they owe on time due to high interest rates. The newspaper Southern Metropolis Daily reported loan sharks usually use loopholes to cheat students who lack skills of money management and budgeting. But according to the news portal www.infzm.com, many students could use loans to start or invest in businesses, and as adults, they should take on the responsibility. The same news article suggested banking institutions should allow students to apply for credit cards in order to largely reduce the harmful i

After a female journalist in Ordos, a city in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous region, died after being subjected to severe domestic violence, the All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF) called for new thinking on domestic violence. The ACWF notedthat the idea that domestic violence is embarrassing and should not be mentioned to outsiders is mistaken. Many victims also assume perpetrators will apologize and change their attitude after using violence. Women are concerned over the impact of divorce on children and believe that they must tolerate the violence, and the notion that domestic violence is just a family affair should be altered as well.