The Horton General Hospital NHS Trust, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX169AL.

The BMJ aims to help doctors everywhere practise better medicine and to influence the debate on improving the health of all people. To achieve these aims we publish original scientific studies, review and educational articles, and papers commenting on the clinical, scientific, social, political, and economic factors affecting health. We are delighted to receive articles for publication in all of these categories - from doctors and others. We can publish only about 17% of the articles we receive, but we aim to give quick and authoritative decisions. The editorial staff in London are always happy to advise on submissions.

The BMJ is published weekly and has a circulation of about 111 000 - of which roughly 19000 copies are distributed outside Britain. In addition, Bulgarian, Dutch, Hungarian, Indian, Mexican, Pakistani, Portuguese, Spanish, and South African editions reach another 81 000 readers. Material published in the weekly journal may be reproduced in the other editions.