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Editorial policies

What does the title "Prescrire" mean?

Behind that hard-to-pronounce French title is just what the doctor ordered.

Prescrire was founded in 1981 as a French-language journal of continuing medical education.

Just what does "Prescrire" mean ?
Instantly recognisable in French, the word "prescrire" is less obvious for English speakers.

The following are the primary definitions for "prescrire" in Le Grand Robert & Collins, a dictionary used by Prescrire’s international editors.

prescrire / pRɛskRiR /

(Médecine, Droit) to prescribe;

[+ objet, méthode, livre] to recommend

Why "Prescrire" fits as our title
Prescrire’s subject matter mainly consists of critical reviews of medicines and other treatment options. Prescrire’s editorial staff is made up of healthcare professionals, most of whom are in active practice. Editors are specially trained and are free from any ties to pharmaceutical or other companies doing business in the healthcare arena. Prescrire’s reviews therefore help healthcare professionals to prescribe for their patients in an informed and fully independent manner.

Prescrire is also completely independent of all national and supernational institutions that determine or implement healthcare policy. Prescrire is therefore free to make recommendations in matters of ethics, public health and national and international healthcare policy.

Prescrire is written and edited by and for healthcare professionals. You could say that it’s just what the doctor ordered.

©Prescrire November 2016

Source: Le Grand Robert & Collins, ©2015 Dictionnaires le Robert/HarperCollinsPublishers, www.lerobert.com, consulted online 12.10.16