Intended for healthcare professionals

News Roundup [abridged Versions Appear In The Paper Journal]

Medical journals don't publish trials on major global diseases

BMJ 2004; 328 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.328.7452.1337-a (Published 03 June 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;328:1337
  1. David Spurgeon
  1. Toronto

    Few randomised controlled trials published in leading general medical journals address the major health problems that affect most of the world's poor people.

    An analysis of trials published in six leading general medical journals in 1999 shows that only 14 of 90 trials (16%) that looked at at least one of the top 10 causes of the global burden of disease were highly relevant to international health, as assessed by World Health Organization criteria (CMAJ 2004;170:1673-7). Seven of the 35 most deadly and debilitating diseases were not studied in …

    View Full Text