With this issue we welcome our new Editor, Dr George Thomas, orthopaedic surgeon at the Railway Hospital in Chennai. Dr Thomas has been an active member of our Editorial Board for some years. He takes the reins of the journal on the eve of the first National Bioethics Conference. With his leadership we look forward to the journal further contributing to important debates on health care and medical ethics in India. And we thank Dr Sanjay A Pai for having being Acting Editor for this past year.

The polio eradication programme has been the subject of some controversy. Here, we carry a comment on ethical issues in the programme and a response.

There is little public discussion of ethical issues specific to dentistry in India. In two articles, one from the West and one from India, we look at some concerns in this field.

Technology poses new ethical problems every day. In International Ethics, we carry a review of difficult situations in medical imaging.

The clinical case study looks at the use – or abuse – of assisted reproductive technology. Should doctors decide whether some couples should be denied access to this technology? Two responses discuss this question.

Confidentiality is a key concern in domestic violence programmes. Can it conflict with the needs of researchers? The research case study discussion in this issue concerns the use of counsellors' notes for research. Readers may also wish to look at the recommendations of a recent WHO publication: Putting Women First: Ethical and Safety Recommendations for Research on Domestic Violence Against Women.

Finally the back cover carries the the last announcement of IJME's National Bioethics Conference to be held in November 2005. We look forward to meeting many of you at the conference.