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Prescrire: financial transparency, editorial independence

Prescrire makes its accounts public every year.

The yearly accounts of Association Mieux Prescrire (AMP) are published in the March issue of La Revue Prescrire, and in the May issue of Prescrire International.  Prescrire has been publishing its accounts in this manner every year since 1992.

Association Mieux Prescrire is a not-for-profit organisation under the French law of 1901, devoted to the continuing education of healthcare professionals. AMP is the publisher of all of Prescrire’s productions. The organisation’s objective is defined in the AMP bylaws: 
“To work, in all independence, in favour of quality healthcare, first and foremost in the interest of patients (...).”

2010-2011 was an exceptional year for Prescrire. In the wake of France’s Mediator° disaster, Prescrire received extensive media coverage. One result was that a large number of healthcare professionals decided to subscribe to Prescrire as a reliable and independent continuing-education publication. Another was that subscriber loyalty increased, with subscription renewals at a level approaching 90%.

These two factors led to a major increase in circulation for Prescrire. As at 31 August 2011, the number of paid subscribers stood at 34,642, representing an increase of 20% compared with 31 August 2010. The number of free subscriptions stood at just 419 (colleagues, exchanges with other publications, etc.).  

In publishing its accounts, Prescrire is setting an example for the transparency that is so crucial in the healthcare arena, which is plagued by  conflicts of interest.

Prescrire is a continuing-education organisation that is fully independent from pharmaceutical companies, the national health insurance system and from health authorities.

Financial independence is essential in order to maintain true intellectual independence.

Prescrire shows that together healthcare professionals can finance an independent source of top-quality information, demonstrating their commitment to quality care, in the interest of the patients who rely on them.

©Prescrire 1 May 2012

"The finances of Association Mieux Prescrire: 2011 Prescrire annual report" Prescrire Int 2012; 21 (126): 116-117. (Pdf, free).
Download Prescrire's
Annual Financial Report
Pdf, free

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No grants. No advertising.
No conflicts of interest.
(May 2012)
Free

Wholly financed through
subscriptions, Prescrire makes
its accounts public every year
Free

A non-profit, continuing
education organisation
Free