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Prescrire International turns 20

Independent journal la revue Prescrire launched its English edition in March 1992. The goal was to achieve wider impact for Prescrire's views and reviews on drugs and therapeutics, especially outside France.

Once a modest, quarterly bulletin printed in black-and-white, Prescrire International is now a monthly magazine printed on quality paper in full colour. The Prescrire in English website now provides instant access to the entire database of reviews in English from the past 20 years.

No grants, no advertising
One thing has not changed: the utter, non-negotiable independence of Prescrire's structure and editorial process. Published by a non-profit continuing education organisation, all of Prescrire's productions are funded entirely by subscribers. No revenue whatsoever is derived from the pharmaceutical industry, government or other institutions. Prescrire accepts no advertising in any form and does not sell group subscriptions or bulk reprints to drug companies. Prescrire's editors are free of any conflicts of interest, and every one of them signs an annual statement to that effect. All reviews are produced in-house, governed by exacting editorial procedures designed to guarantee complete, reliable and totally independent content. The English edition employs a specialised team of bilingual editors to ensure that this content is accurately rendered in a way that is useful and accessible to international readers.

For truly independent information sources, survival is always a challenge. But as it enters its third decade, Prescrire International remains dedicated to its objective: "to work, in all independence, in favour of quality healthcare, first and foremost in the interest of patients". 

©Prescrire 1 January 2012

"Prescrire International turns 20" Prescrire Int 2012; 21 (123): 28. (pdf, free)
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