BMJ no longer publishes<\/a>\u00a0any trial of drugs or devices where the authors do not commit to making the relevant anonymized patient level data available, on reasonable request. So I have a huge invested interest in the following. But pretend I don\u2019t.<\/p>\nPut bluntly, when you tell me with your mouth that you care deeply about open data and then submit your research to a journal that does not have similar standards on data, you sound like a hypocrite.<\/p>\n
I wondered about toning down that sentence to something like \u201cyou are making statements as to the relativity of importance of patient level data,\u201d but I think that sounded too weak\u2014because it is. If you choose a journal for impact factor, audience, future funding potential, and so on, you are making a good and important choice, which does indeed reflect the current priorities of your peers. Well done. This is not a judgement, it is a mirror.\u00a0Do not then turn around to me, your colleagues, and the scientific community at large, and claim that the issue of open data is of vital importance to you. Your considered actions do not back this up.<\/p>\n
If researchers really want to stress the importance of opening up patient level data then maybe it\u2019s time to make it a priority and only consider journals with open data policies. Go on. I dare you. Or are you just a hypocrite?<\/p>\n
Edward Davies<\/strong> is US news and features editor, <\/em>BMJ.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"During the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association I spoke to several people and attended a session with several speakers on the importance of open data. On the availability of patient level data, every talk and conversation has had the same two competing \u00a0threads: 1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Making data more open is hugely important to the […]<\/p>\n
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![\"Edward](\"http:\/\/www.bmj.com\/site\/blog\/icons\/eddavies.jpg\")
During the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association I spoke to several people and attended a session with several speakers on the importance of open data.<\/p>\n