Christopher Martyn studied medicine at the universities of Oxford and Edinburgh. After a brief and undistinguished career as a neurologist, he joined the Medical Research Council's Environmental Epidemiology Unit in Southampton where, until 2005, he led a group investigating the aetiology of neurodegenerative disease. From 2001 until 2007, he edited the Quarterly Journal of Medicine. He now works freelance.

Competing Interests

Have you in the past five years accepted the following from an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of papers in the BMJ?

a) Reimbursement for attending a symposium?
Yes, Abbott Laboratories (UK) Nancy Low Associates New York.

b) A fee for speaking?
Numerous societies.

c) A fee for organising education?
No

d) Funds for research?
Yes Abbott Laboratories.

e) Funds for a member of staff?
Yes numerous charities and funding agencies.

f) Fees for consulting?
Yes, Abbott Labs Health Canada.

Have you in the past five years been employed by any organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of papers in the BMJ?
Yes, I’m currently employed by the Medical Research Council.

a) Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation?
No

b) Do you have any other competing financial interests?
No

c) I have the following competing interests
Honorary appointment with School of Medicine, University of Southampton. Member of the Howard League. Member of the Association of British Neurologists. Member of the Association of Physicians. Member of the Labour Party. I know personally researchers who submit papers to the BMJ.