Rapid Responses to:
|
|
Rapid Responses: Rapid Responses published:
-
![[Read Rapid Response]](/icons/misc/sectionDOWN.gif)
Donhoe Letter: Requires Correction
- Marilyn Sandberg (30 September 2004)
-
Sandberg Letter: Requires Correction
- Brian Morgan (30 September 2004)
-
Re: Donhoe Letter: Requires Correction
- Mark J Donohoe (29 October 2004)
|
|
|||
|
Marilyn Sandberg, Founder and Executive Director National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome
Send response to journal:
|
In the letter to the editor published by the BMJ 2004;329:741 (25 September), entitled "The evidence base for shaken baby syndrome meaning of signature must be made explicit", the author claimed that the members of the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome's International Advisory Board were, "likely compensated for their work". This is not true. They do not now, and have never, received honoraria or compensation for any presentations at any of our conferences, nor are they compensated for their work done for, or with, the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. In fact, they often travel at their own expense to the meetings. Marilyn Sandberg Competing interests: None declared |
|||
|
|
|||
|
Brian Morgan, Freelance reporter Cardiff CF11 6LF
Send response to journal:
|
A minor correction, but in the dialectic of accuracy of citation the original said: "presumably compensated or reimbursed for this work". This was reported (directly quoted not paraphrased) as this: "likely compensated for their work". One hopes, when detail in biomedical research is (am I right?) important that their citations should be checked for accuracy. I would not, as a journalist, get away with this, some might say, even minor misquotation. Copy and paste is so easy, just do it, not guess what they said. Competing interests: None declared |
|||
|
|
|||
|
Mark J Donohoe, N/A Mosman, Australia 2088
Send response to journal:
|
Marilyn Sandberg's letter inaccurately paraphrases my published letter. It is the paraphrasing that requires correction, rather than my letter. In fact, her letter would appear to support my presumption that the signatories who are members of her organisation's advisory board are "compensated or reimbursed". If these members "often travel at their own expense to the meetings", it would suggest that sometimes they do not. I regard that as reimbursement, as does the BMJ in its “Guidance for Authors – Competing Interests” <http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/317/7154/291/DC1>. Remarkably, Ms Sandberg herself has declared no competing interests, despite being “Founder and Executive Director, National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome”, the organization referred to in my original letter. Again, I presume that she would be compensated or at least reimbursed for her work there. We all need to be cognisant of the journal’s definitions and guidelines before we check the “no competing interests” checkbox. Dr Mark Donohoe Competing interests: None declared |
|||