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The Winner's Curse?

A new paper sheds light on how current publication practices may distort science. The article, by researchers in the US, uncovers some of the flaws in the current system and wonders whether the digital age will cause the system of publication to evolve yet further and exorcise 'the winner's curse' {1}.

By taking the process of scientific publication back to basics, the authors are able to predict many negative effects from the current model of journal-based scientific publishing. Herding, the economic term used to describe 'follow-the-leader' behaviour, is proposed to narrow and focus the field of research on certain areas that are determined by the papers with the highest profiles. 'The winner's curse', the theory that the winner in an auction will, on average, have paid more that the item is worth, is likened to the proposed exaggeration of results of papers in the most desirable journals. The authors, possibly controversially, suggest that trials with negative results could be published with the same frequency as those with positive results since they should be judged on the quality of the experiment rather than simply positive findings.

The digital age has already extended the reaches of personal networks and allowed personal opinion to be heard across continents. Journal clubs and isolated researchers can highlight the best articles of their reading to others using services like F1000 and, given the apparent limitations of conventional publishing models, surely this can only be a good thing.

Reference: {1} Young et al., PLoS Med 2008, 5:e201 [PMID:18844432]

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Posted by Beatrice Downing on Thursday Oct 30, 2008, Category: Impact factor versus... | Permalink

Twelve members of Faculty of 1000 Medicine appointed Senior investigators by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)

Congratulations to all of our members who have been recognised for their contribution to medical research by the NIHR!

One hundred of the most outstanding leaders of patient- and people-based research have been appointed as Senior Investigators to reward those who lead the way in health and social care research. The 100 Senior Investigators were selected from NIHR Investigators through an open competition overseen by an international peer-review panel. They were assessed on the international excellence and volume of their research, the importance of their research in the short-to-medium term to patients and/or the public, and the impact of their research in improvements in healthcare and public health.

Professor Sally C. Davies, Director General of Research and Development, at the Department of Health said: "The NIHR wants to support and encourage the people who are leading clinical and applied health research that is of direct relevance to the needs of the people of this country".

The research led by the NIHR Senior Investigators targets significant health issues which affect large numbers of the UK population. These include cancer, mental health, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

F1000M would like to congratulate the following Faculty Members:

Paul Glasziou, Research Methodology
Michael Levin, Neurological Disorders
Simon Lovestone, Psychiatry
Frank Nestle, Dermatology
Charles Pusey, Nephrology
Steven Sacks, Nephrology
Nilesh Samani, Cardiovascular Disorders
David Scott, Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology
Rosalind Smyth, Respiratory Disorders
Tim Spector, Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology
Alan Thompson, Neurological Disorders
Nicholas Wood, Neurological Disorders

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Posted by Lauren Marsh on Friday Oct 17, 2008, Category: Faculty News | Permalink

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