As previously announced, a group of leading US voluntary health organisations and international publishers are planning a new initiative called patientINFORM, intended to allow patients direct access to Latest Research. Cynics might see this as an attempt by publishers to head off the accusation that they deny the public access to original research. Whatever the skepticism, there is a question and a concern about this initiative. Firstly the question. Since many papers in peer reviewed journals are flawed in some way will patientINFORM critically appraise papers before publicising them? Secondly the concern. Even where they are accurate individual papers alone are not the best basis for informed choice. Wouldn't it be more useful if the initiative focused on publicising the findings of systematic reviews? (And shouldn't they be made freely available to the public?)
Posted by
Health Perspectives at 12/09/2004 07:38:00 AM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
