Dr. phil. Dr. med. Stephan Dressler studied medicine and philosophy at Freie Universitaet Berlin. He has worked as an editor for scientific publishers before he became a scientific assistant at the National AIDS Centre at the Federal Health Office, Germany. In 1992 he became a founding member of the European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG). His current work focuses on patient education seminars (HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis) in Central and Eastern Europe. He is also a member of the European Community Advisory Board (ECAB). His publications include various dictionaries and encyclopaedias, contributions to community-based newsletters and articles on research ethics and philosophy with children.