its title would suggest. It is as much about the state of medical research as a whole and its consequences for medicine, as it is about publishing. A new classic - highly recommended- 5 stars
Amazon customer review, Oct 2006
Lively, full of anecdote and he [Smith] is scrupulously honest
British Journal of Hospital Medicine
A punchy book that deserves to be read...All human life is in this book, which makes plenty of pertinent points...It is a real page-turner, and I recommend it.
Oldie
Richard Smith, a former editor of the
British Medical Journal, has written a witty, readable and provocative account of the current and future role of scholarly medical journals...I suggest you drop heavy hints for this book to be added to your birthday present list.
Learned Publishing
I read Smith's book with interest and was concerned greatly by some of the accusations he made within its pages.
Pharmaceutical Marketing
Amusing ...
The Times
This is an absolute
must read book. It is beautifully written, but the content is quite devastating. I read it from end to end in one sitting and was riveted throughout. Any illusions one might have had about the integrity of scientific research, the veracity of papers, and the altruism of journals are shattered forever. But the demolition is done with such a lovely blend of logic, humour, anecdote, and evidence that it really does make a cracking good read. It should be a standard text for all courses in scientific subjects, never mind medicine, as it would open students' eyes to the dangers of taking published work for granted. If you buy no other book this year, buy this one, and then reflect on which of your colleagues most need a copy too, and either a) give them your copy or b) buy some more.
Evidence-Based Medicine: Primary Care and Internal Medicine, BMJ, August 2008
The Trouble with Medical Journals is truly an eye opening book. Smith is able to lend instant credibility to his claims as a former insider of that world. This book is highly recommended for all medical libraries. With its clear conversational tone and broad coverage of research and publishing, it will be useful for doctors, researchers, and librarians, as well as consumers and patients.
Medical Reference Services Quarterly, Vol 26, 4, 2007
This must be the most controversial medical book of the 21st century, with the same kind of explosive impact as Ivan Illich's critique of the limits of medicine,
Medical Nemesis (1976).
Medical Journalists' Association News, Feb/Mar 2007
A valuable educational resource for editors and reviewers, and a gold mine of data for journalologists.
The Journal of the European Medical Writers Association, Vol. 16, No. 2, 2007
