Potential implications of wider data transparency in medical communications

Abstract

The current medical communication environment is characterised by growing calls for increased data transparency. There are ongoing concerns about the selective publication of trial results and the potential impact on use of medicines by prescribers and patients in both Europe and the US. This article outlines some of the background to current developments and considers the potential impact on those working in the field of medical communications.

Keywords:

• Publication guidelines
• Publishing standards
• Information dissemination
• Publication bias

The flat world of medicine

Writing this issue's Tool Box, I began with the phrase ‘The world is flat, even in medical writing.’ Then I paused and asked myself – would the EMWA readership be privy to this metaphor borrowed from Thomas Friedman's bestseller published 7 years ago? The book has become an icon, and ‘flat world’ a favourite buzzword in commerce and technology. But how widespread is the use of this phrase in other fields? In medicine? I did a quick search in good old PubMed and here is what I found:

•	DeMaria AN. The (cardiologic) world is flat. J Am Coll Cardiol 2012 Dec 18;60(24):2562–3.
•	Mukherji SK. World is flat: globalization of tropical disease. Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 2011 Nov;21(4):xi.
•	Hotez PJ. One world health: neglected tropical diseases in a flat world. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2009;3(4):e405.
•	Mukherji SK, Franklin S. Not a flat world: the future of cross-border reproductive care. Reprod Biomed Online 2011;23(7):814–6.
•	Tam J, Goh PS, Siow WY, Gopalakrishnakone P, Zubair A. Medical education in a flat world. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2008;37(12): 991–2.
•	Singh SN, Wachter RM. Perspectives on medical outsourcing and telemedicine – rough edges in a flat world? N Engl J Med 2008 Apr 10;358(15):1622–7.
•	Trunkey DD. The medical world is flat too. World J Surg 2008;32(8):1583–604.

Well, it seems that the global playing field in medicine has also been flattened. But what about in medical writing?

Raquel Billiones

[email protected]

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Faiz Kermani

Faiz Kermani is Senior Communication Manager at SFL. He is responsible for business development, marketing, and communication. Previously, Faiz worked in marketing and medical communications, pharmaceutical R&D, clinical trials, and pricing and reimbursement for international companies in the UK, US, and Switzerland. He has a PhD in Immunopharmacology from St Thomas' Hospital, London, and a First Class Honours degree in Pharmacology with Toxicology from King's College, London.

Walter Fürst

Walter Fürst is Head of Medical Communications at SFL and oversees projects from scientific and operational perspectives. He provides clients with strategic direction as well as operational assistance in their communication activities. Walter has a deep knowledge of medical writing for scientific, educational, and regulatory purposes. He has held positions in internationally active communication agencies and basic research. He received an MSc degree in Biochemistry from the University of Vienna, Austria, and a Diploma in Management from the Open University Business School, Milton Keynes, UK.