Reflections on Medical Journals: Has Progress Made Them Better?
Authors: Jerome P. Kassirer
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2002)

Editorials2 July 2002Reflections on Medical Journals: Has Progress Made Them Better?Jerome P. Kassirer, MDJerome P. Kassirer, MDTufts University School of Medicine; Boston, MA 02111Yale University School of Medicine; New Haven, CT 06520Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-137-1-200207020-00011 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Thanks to the request by the Annals editor to comment on the evolution of medical journals during the past quarter century, I had the pleasure of scanning the 1977 issues of several major journals. In those ancient and primordial days of medical science, case reports, observational studies of a few dozen patients, and physiologic experiments ruled the journals' pages. Few of us would have predicted then that molecular medicine, enormous controlled trials, and meta-analyses of dozens of clinical trials would largely replace them in the years to come. Needless to say, advances in science in the intervening years have revolutionized ...References1. Albee B, Dingley B. U.S. periodical prices—2001. American Libraries. 2001;May:2-10. Google Scholar2. Inflation and prices. CPI medical care component versus total index. Accessed at www.clev.frb.org/Research/Et97/0597/charts/infpri2c.htm on 5 April 2002. Google Scholar3. Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Updated October 2001. Accessed at www.icmje.org on 10 April 2002. Google Scholar4. Begg C, Cho M, Eastwood S, Horton R, Moher D, Olkin I, et al . Improving the quality of reporting of randomized, controlled trials. The CONSORT statement. JAMA. 1996;276:637-9. [PMID: 8773637] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Rennie D. CONSORT revised—improving the reporting of randomized trials [Editorial]. JAMA. 2001;285:2006-7. [PMID: 11308440] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Smith R. A plea to authors: ensure your studies comply with guidelines [Editorial]. BMJ. 2002;324:314. CrossrefGoogle Scholar7. Alpert JS, Furman S, Smaha L. Conflicts of interest: science, money, and health. Arch Intern Med. 2002;162:635-7. [PMID: 11911715] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Kassirer JP. Financial conflict of interest: an unresolved ethical frontier. Am J Law Med. 2001;27:149-62. [PMID: 11467107] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Drazen JM, Curfman GD. Financial associations of authors. N Engl J Med. 2002;346:1901-2. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Varmus H. E-biomed: A Proposal for Electronic Publication in the Biomedical Sciences. NIH Preprint 04.99doc. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 1999. Google Scholar11. An NIH-operated site for electronic distribution of life sciences research reports. PubMed Central. Accessed at www.nih.gov/about/director/pubmedcentral/pubmedcentral.htm on 5 April 2002. Google Scholar12. Kassirer JP. A medical early warning system. CMAJ. 2002;166:1151-2. [PMID: 12000247] MedlineGoogle Scholar13. Thomas L. Notes of a biology-watcher. Facts of life. N Engl J Med. 1977;296:1462-4. [PMID: 865517] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Tufts University School of Medicine; Boston, MA 02111Yale University School of Medicine; New Haven, CT 06520Corresponding Author: Jerome P. Kassirer, MD, 21 Squirrel Road, Wellesley, MA 02481. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoAnnals of Internal Medicine at Age 75: Reflections on the Past 25 Years Edward J. Huth and Kathleen Case Reflections on Medical Journals Jerome P. Kassirer Reflections on Medical Journals David Moher , Kenneth F. Schulz , Douglas G. Altman , and Drummond Rennie Metrics Cited byAn analysis of general medical and specialist journals that endorse CONSORT found that reporting was not enforced consistentlyReflections on Medical JournalsDavid Moher, MSc, Kenneth F. Schulz, PhD, Douglas G. Altman, DSc, and Drummond Rennie, MDPublishing – Getting the Word Out to Doctors 2 July 2002Volume 137, Issue 1Page: 46-48KeywordsClinical trial reportingClinical trialsConflicts of interestDecision makingDrugsHealth careObservational studiesPrevention, policy, and public healthScientistsTaxes ePublished: 2 July 2002 Issue Published: 2 July 2002 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2002 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...