Medical newsletters: Can they be trusted?
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* Jay Brophy

In 1995, I wrote a letter to *CMAJ* about medical newsletters and the conflict-of-interest risks they pose.1 These newsletters continue to flourish and, unfortunately, may become a major source of information for busy practitioners.

The newsletter format closely resembles that of a peer-reviewed journal. Undoubtedly, this approach is taken to reinforce the newsletters' claims that they provide an educational service reflecting peer opinions and facilitating physicians' understanding of current trends in medicine.

However, 2 recent newsletter articles illustrate that their ultimate goal is quite different.2,3 Each describes only one of the available drugs in a given class. In each case, the drug described also happens to be the drug produced by the pharmaceutical company underwriting this particular “independent report.”

In short, these newsletters offer no references, are not peer reviewed and present one-dimensional examinations of the issues they cover. For instance, 2 cardiologists writing in the newsletter offered their views on how a new drug class should be used in practice. The surprise was not that both arrived at the same favourable conclusions about the same drug but rather that their comments were identical — word for word (see Box 1 at [www.cmaj.ca](http://www.cmaj.ca)).2,3

I have no objection to these newsletters if they appear with a banner stating that they are advertisements. However, to call them educational is misleading.

## References

1.  1. Brophy JM. Medical newsletters: funding and interests should be stated. CMAJ 1995;152(11): 1744-5. 
    
    [PubMed](http://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/external-ref?access_num=7773884&link_type=MED&atom=%2Fcmaj%2F167%2F9%2F987.2.atom) 

2.  2. Refining the evidence: early use of GP IIb/IIIa inhibition confers greater-than-expected benefits in high-risk ACS patients. In: New frontiers in cardiology: a report from the American College of Cardiology 51st Annual Scientific Session, Atlanta, Ga., 2002 Mar 17-20. Beaconsfield (Que.): *Medical Frontiers International*; 2002. 
    
    

3.  3. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor therapy in acute coronary syndromes: management algorithm based on risk. In: New frontiers in cardiology: a report from the American College of Cardiology 51st Annual Scientific Session, Atlanta, Ga., 2002 Mar 17-20. Beaconsfield (Que.): *Medical Frontiers International*; 2002.