In the health sector, corruption is a matter of life or death. It can take many forms: from medical professionals who sell medicines or services that should be freely available, to high-level government officials who embezzle money from health budgets, to pharmaceutical companies that buy influence over research agendas. The impact of corruption is always felt by the end user - the sick person who is forced to pay over the odds or who is given unsafe, counterfeit medicines. The 2006 edition of Transparency International's "Global Corruption Report" shows the impact that corruption has on health care in rich and poor countries. From high-level bribery in Costa Rica to informal payments in Hungary, case studies from around the world explore the characteristics of the health sector that make it so prone to corruption. In a special section dedicated to corruption in HIV/AIDS, the report warns that the large sums being poured into fighting the world's deadliest diseases need to be safeguarded against abuse. There is also a detailed analysis of the problems of the pharmaceutical system. The report also offers an annual round-up of worldwide developments and tracks major trends in more than 40 countries. The "Global Corruption Report 2006" is the only report of its kind, and is an essential reference source for anyone who wants the latest research on how corruption affects everything from health to education and the oil and gas industries.