Who benefits from the embargo?
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* Anne Marie Todkill
* John Hoey

In our view, the most important “stakeholder” in Canadian hospitals and Canadian health care research is the Canadian public. And it is in the public's interest that accredited journalists are sent advance notice of material published in *CMAJ*. This material is embargoed until 17h EST the evening before our publication date, at which time the issue becomes available online.

The purpose of the embargo is to give journalists time to reflect on the material and seek expert reaction before reporting to the general public, and to avoid giving preferential treatment to any one news source.

It is regrettable that, in the case of the Canadian Adverse Events Study, the *Edmonton Journal* and some other members of the CanWest group reported on the study results before the embargo expired. CanWest informed us that the *Edmonton Journal* obtained a leaked copy and did not feel bound by the embargo, which strikes us as a demonstration of the merits of our current policy of a controlled release to the press.

Anyone approached by a journalist to comment on material published in *CMAJ* is free to ask the reporter for an embargoed copy before offering a response. This is common journalistic practice. We have no wish to orchestrate the reception of scientific findings or health news by experts, government, professional associations or any other “stakeholders.” Spin doctoring is not our business.

**Anne Marie Todkill** **John Hoey** *CMAJ*