More on PLoS Clinical Trials

["Helen Doyle" <hdoyle@plos.org>]

Colleagues -

In response to questions posed to the liblicense list and privately, we'd
like to clarify our statement about PLoS Clinical Trials and the
well-known problem of publication bias and unpublished trial results. We
don't mean to suggest that bias in trial publication is solely the fault
of subscription-based journals - it has, as Peter Banks rightly points
out, multiple causes, which include lack of interest by researchers, trial
sponsors, and journals alike in making the results of all trials public.

Fortunately, new developments such as the ICMJE statement that trials
should be registered before journals consider publication will help
address bias on some level. PLoS Clinical Trials intends from the outset
to encourage the submission of all types of trials, regardless of their
outcome or impact, because we believe that this will increase access to
trial results, which will in turn bring an enormous benefit to
researchers, physicians, patients, and regulatory agencies.

Please fee l free to contact me or Emma Veitch, PLoS Clinical Trials
Publication Manager (eveitch@plos.org), with any additional questions.
Thanks. - Helen

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Helen J. Doyle, Ph.D.
Director of Development and Strategic Alliances
Public Library of Science
185 Berry Street, Suite 3100
San Francisco, CA  94107
(415) 624-1217  phone
(415) 546-4090  fax
hdoyle@plos.org
www.plos.org <http://www.plos.org/> 
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