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March 9, 1990, Vol 263, No. 10 >
ARTICLE | March 9, 1990

The Philosophical Basis of Peer Review and the Suppression of Innovation FREE

David F. Horrobin, DPhil, BM
[+] Author Affiliations

Presented at The First International Congress on Peer Review in Biomedical Publication, Chicago, Ill, May 10-12, 1989.

Reprint requests to Efamol Research Institute, PO Box 818, Chipman Dr, Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4N 4H8 (Dr Horrobin).


JAMA. 1990;263(10):1438-1441. doi:10.1001/jama.1990.03440100162024
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References

Peer review can be performed successfully only if those involved have a clear idea as to its fundamental purpose. Most authors of articles on the subject assume that the purpose of peer review is quality control. This is an inadequate answer. The fundamental purpose of peer review in the biomedical sciences must be consistent with that of medicine itself, to cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always. Peer review must therefore aim to facilitate the introduction into medicine of improved ways of curing, relieving, and comforting patients. The fulfillment of this aim requires both quality control and the encouragement of innovation. If an appropriate balance between the two is lost, then peer review will fail to fulfill its purpose.

(JAMA. 1990;263:1438-1441)

REFERENCES

1 +
Polanyi M. Personal Knowledge . University of Chicago (Ill) Press; 1958;.
2 +
Wyatt HV.  Is poliomyelitis a genetically-determined disease? a genetic model . Med Hypotheses. 1975;;1:35-42.
3 +
Horrobin DF.  Scientific medicine—success or failure?  In: Weatherall DJ, Ledingham JGG, Warrell DA, eds. Oxford Textbook of Medicine . 2nd ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press Inc; 1987;:2.1-2.3.
4 +
Johnson FN. The History of Lithium Therapy . London, England: Macmillan Publishers Ltd; 1984;.
5 +
Cade JFJ.  Lithium salts in the treatment of psychotic excitement . Med J Aust. 1949;;36:349-352.
6 +
Glick B, Chang IS, Jaap RG.  The bursa of Fabricius and antibody production . Poultry Sci. 1956;;35:224-236.
7 +
Krebs HA.  The history of the tricarboxylic acid cycle . Perspect Biol Med. 1970;;14:154-170.
8 +
Yalow RS.  Peer review and scientific revolutions . Biol Psychiatry. 1986;;21:1-2.
9 +
Steptoe P.  Historical aspects of the ethics of in vitro fertilization . Ann NY Acad Sci. 1985;;442:573-576.
10 +
Porter G.  Presidential address . Royal Soc News . 1988;;4( (suppl) ):(i)-(vi).
11 +
Hillman H.  The anatomical synapse in mammals by light and electron microscopy . Med Hypotheses. 1985;;17:1-32.
12 +
Ling GN.  Studies on ion distribution in living cells . Physiol Chem Phys Med NMR. 1971;;3:431-444.
13 +
Reid G.  The pharmacological role of zinc: evidence from clinical studies on animals . Med Hypotheses. 1981;;7:207-215.
14 +
Kendrew J.  Discussion . In: Kendrew J, Shelley J, eds. Priorities in Research . Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Excerpta Medica; 1987;:171.
15 +
Yalow, R.  Presidential address: reflections of a non-establishmentarian . Endocrinology. 1980;;106: 412-414.
16 +
Horrobin DF.  The grants game . Nature. 1989;;339:654.
17 +
Rous P.  A transmissible avian neoplasm (sarcoma of the common fowl) . J Exp Med. 1979;;150: 738-754.
18 +
Austin JH. Chase, Chance and Creativity . Irvington-on-Hudson, NY: Columbia University Press; 1978;.
19 +
Martin B, Baker CMA, Manwell C, Pugh C. Intellectual Suppression . North Ryde, Australia: Angus & Robertson Publishers; 1986;.
20 +
Ivanhoe FD.  Macrodontia in Pleistocene humans from Europe as a feature of physiological acromegalosis: association with geomagnetic dipole field intensity . Med Hypotheses . In press.
21 +
Setala K.  Carcinogenesis—devolution towards an ancient nucleated pre-eukaryotic level . Med Hypotheses . 1984;;15:209-230.
22 +
Horrobin DF.  Referees and research administrators: barriers to scientific research? Br Med J. 1974;;2:216-218.
23 +
Richards E.  The politics of therapeutic evaluation: the vitamin C and cancer controversy . Soc Studies Sci. 1988;;18:653-701.
24 +
Broad W, Wade N. Betrayers of the Truth . New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Inc Publishers; 1983;.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

1 +
Polanyi M. Personal Knowledge . University of Chicago (Ill) Press; 1958;.
2 +
Wyatt HV.  Is poliomyelitis a genetically-determined disease? a genetic model . Med Hypotheses. 1975;;1:35-42.
3 +
Horrobin DF.  Scientific medicine—success or failure?  In: Weatherall DJ, Ledingham JGG, Warrell DA, eds. Oxford Textbook of Medicine . 2nd ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press Inc; 1987;:2.1-2.3.
4 +
Johnson FN. The History of Lithium Therapy . London, England: Macmillan Publishers Ltd; 1984;.
5 +
Cade JFJ.  Lithium salts in the treatment of psychotic excitement . Med J Aust. 1949;;36:349-352.
6 +
Glick B, Chang IS, Jaap RG.  The bursa of Fabricius and antibody production . Poultry Sci. 1956;;35:224-236.
7 +
Krebs HA.  The history of the tricarboxylic acid cycle . Perspect Biol Med. 1970;;14:154-170.
8 +
Yalow RS.  Peer review and scientific revolutions . Biol Psychiatry. 1986;;21:1-2.
9 +
Steptoe P.  Historical aspects of the ethics of in vitro fertilization . Ann NY Acad Sci. 1985;;442:573-576.
10 +
Porter G.  Presidential address . Royal Soc News . 1988;;4( (suppl) ):(i)-(vi).
11 +
Hillman H.  The anatomical synapse in mammals by light and electron microscopy . Med Hypotheses. 1985;;17:1-32.
12 +
Ling GN.  Studies on ion distribution in living cells . Physiol Chem Phys Med NMR. 1971;;3:431-444.
13 +
Reid G.  The pharmacological role of zinc: evidence from clinical studies on animals . Med Hypotheses. 1981;;7:207-215.
14 +
Kendrew J.  Discussion . In: Kendrew J, Shelley J, eds. Priorities in Research . Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Excerpta Medica; 1987;:171.
15 +
Yalow, R.  Presidential address: reflections of a non-establishmentarian . Endocrinology. 1980;;106: 412-414.
16 +
Horrobin DF.  The grants game . Nature. 1989;;339:654.
17 +
Rous P.  A transmissible avian neoplasm (sarcoma of the common fowl) . J Exp Med. 1979;;150: 738-754.
18 +
Austin JH. Chase, Chance and Creativity . Irvington-on-Hudson, NY: Columbia University Press; 1978;.
19 +
Martin B, Baker CMA, Manwell C, Pugh C. Intellectual Suppression . North Ryde, Australia: Angus & Robertson Publishers; 1986;.
20 +
Ivanhoe FD.  Macrodontia in Pleistocene humans from Europe as a feature of physiological acromegalosis: association with geomagnetic dipole field intensity . Med Hypotheses . In press.
21 +
Setala K.  Carcinogenesis—devolution towards an ancient nucleated pre-eukaryotic level . Med Hypotheses . 1984;;15:209-230.
22 +
Horrobin DF.  Referees and research administrators: barriers to scientific research? Br Med J. 1974;;2:216-218.
23 +
Richards E.  The politics of therapeutic evaluation: the vitamin C and cancer controversy . Soc Studies Sci. 1988;;18:653-701.
24 +
Broad W, Wade N. Betrayers of the Truth . New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Inc Publishers; 1983;.

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