The findings of the UK Prospective Diabetes Study Group have been
eagely awaited by interested clinicians in Primary Care for some time. All
through the summer we said to one another at audit meetings: "The issues
will be clarified when the UKPDSG's latest research is published."
Consequently I was very surprised to discover that some papers were
published in the BMJ, some in The Lancet. Why was this done?
The Lancet is not as available to clinicians in Primary Care as the BMJ (I
have only met one colleague who subscribes, whilst many receive the BMJ)
and is not available electronically to non-subscribers. Our Audit Group is
collating and summarising the findings from both journals knowing that the
Lancet papers are not as accessible for critical appraisal.
Who chose which journal each paper would appear in? How will the
correspondence generated by the papers be integrated? Who will critically
evaluate the effects of the decision to publish in this way?
Yours sincerely, Jonathan Richards
Competing interests:
No competing interests
30 September 1998
Jonathan Richards
Chair, Bro Taf Primary Care Audit Group
Morlais Medical Practice, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 3AL
Rapid Response:
Publishing important findings in two journals
The findings of the UK Prospective Diabetes Study Group have been
eagely awaited by interested clinicians in Primary Care for some time. All
through the summer we said to one another at audit meetings: "The issues
will be clarified when the UKPDSG's latest research is published."
Consequently I was very surprised to discover that some papers were
published in the BMJ, some in The Lancet. Why was this done?
The Lancet is not as available to clinicians in Primary Care as the BMJ (I
have only met one colleague who subscribes, whilst many receive the BMJ)
and is not available electronically to non-subscribers. Our Audit Group is
collating and summarising the findings from both journals knowing that the
Lancet papers are not as accessible for critical appraisal.
Who chose which journal each paper would appear in? How will the
correspondence generated by the papers be integrated? Who will critically
evaluate the effects of the decision to publish in this way?
Yours sincerely, Jonathan Richards
Competing interests: No competing interests