Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users
to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response
is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual
response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the
browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published
online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed.
Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles.
The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being
wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our
attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not
including references and author details. We will no longer post responses
that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
“Most recently the draft guidance for chronic pain recommended acupuncture, on the basis of very dubious evidence. It seems that this happens when an acupuncturist is appointed to the guidance group. Surely it is obvious that it's hard to persuade someone to understand something when their income depends on them not understanding it.
“NICE should be more careful about conflicts of interest.“
But surely it cuts both ways? How many correspondents here should perhaps disclose they they work in the National Health Service?
Competing interests:
AgeofAutism.com, an on-line daily journal, concerns itself with the potential environmental sources for the proliferation of autism, neurological impairment, immune dysfunction and chronic disease. I receive no payment as UK Editor
Dear Editor
NICE has usually done a good job and it deserves to be supported. But the standards for assessment of evidence sometimes slip. For example NICE has occasionally endorsed alternatve medicine. Most recently the draft guidance for chronic pain recommended acupuncture, on the basis of very dubious evidence. It seems that this happens when an acupuncturist is appointed to the guidance group. Surely it is obvious that it's hard to persuade someone to understand something when their income depends on them not understanding it.
NICE should be more careful about conflicts of interest.
Re: Partha Kar: NICE needs better support to do its job
Dear Editor
David Colquhoun. writes:
“Most recently the draft guidance for chronic pain recommended acupuncture, on the basis of very dubious evidence. It seems that this happens when an acupuncturist is appointed to the guidance group. Surely it is obvious that it's hard to persuade someone to understand something when their income depends on them not understanding it.
“NICE should be more careful about conflicts of interest.“
But surely it cuts both ways? How many correspondents here should perhaps disclose they they work in the National Health Service?
Competing interests: AgeofAutism.com, an on-line daily journal, concerns itself with the potential environmental sources for the proliferation of autism, neurological impairment, immune dysfunction and chronic disease. I receive no payment as UK Editor