As executive director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Health Boards Association, I wish to go on record as objecting to the CMAJ process for release of the Canadian Adverse Events Study1 to the press in advance of publication.
The rationale of providing advance copies of an article only to media representatives may well be appropriate for other articles published in the journal, but it was completely unsuitable for the Canadian Adverse Events Study. This study has broad implications for all aspects of the Canadian health care system and was funded and supported by 2 federal agencies, the Canadian Institute for Health Information and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. It would be almost tolerable if there were no access to the article for anyone before its publication in CMAJ, but it is completely unacceptable that major federal and provincial health organizations and associations, including provincial governments, are driven to approach the media as the only source for advance copies.
A far preferable method would be to hold a major national public release of the study's findings, accompanied by a press conference.
John Peddle Executive Director Newfoundland and Labrador Health Boards Association St. John's, Nfld.
Reference
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