**Apologies for cross-posting**
New resource from BMJ Journals will unlock the hidden value within medical case reports
Individual medical case reports, highlighting rare or unusual conditions, are often criticised for being of peripheral interest. As such, mainstream journals can be reluctant to publish them. Those that are published are typically scattered across speciality and subspecialty journals. However, when looked at collectively, case reports contain a wealth of information and data that can be analysed to identify important trends or new areas for research that might not otherwise be apparent.
This is why BMJ Journals are launching BMJ Case Reports - a new online resource that will make over 1000 case reports available when the full site launches in September this year. To support the sophisticated functionality required to extract the full value of individual articles, an advanced new online platform is being developed for BMJ Case Reports, in partnership with HighWire Press.
"We believe that case reports will reveal their true value through aggregation and analysis," commented Janet O'Flaherty, Publisher at BMJ Journals. "Although several small repositories of case studies currently exist, without volume these offer limited insight. BMJ Case Reports will launch with more than a 1000 case reports, reproduced from articles recently published within BMJ and our specialty journals such as Heart, Gut and Thorax. We are now accepting submissions to build on this and create a definitive database of medical case reports that can be easily searched and analysed."
BMJ Case Reports will be available under an innovative new business model. "We wanted to blend the best aspects of a subscription model with an author-pays model," continued Janet O'Flaherty. "Anyone who wants to submit a case study or access the database can do so by becoming a 'Fellow' of BMJ Case Reports. Fellowship costs £95 for a year for an individual, giving them 12 months limitless access to the database and reuse of that content for non-commercial purposes. We will be offering Institutional Fellowships from 2009 (with a fee based on the institution's size), which then grants Fellowship status to all their staff, faculty and students."
BMJ Case Reports launches in September 2008, although a beta site is now currently available at: http://casereports.bmj.com. BMJ Journals are offering free Fellowships to BMJ Case Reports until the end of 2009 for the first 100 corresponding authors to submit their cases for publication.
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About BMJ Journals
BMJ Journals is a division of The BMJ Group - one of the world's most prestigious and trusted medical publishers, providing high quality medical information and services for over one hundred and fifty years. BMJ Journals publishes leading specialist medical journals, many of which are in partnership with major medical societies and organisations. The Group's flagship journal - BMJ - is one of the top medical journals in the world. The Group also provides a range of online learning services for the health care profession and evidence-based websites and publications for doctors and patients.
For further information please contact:
Janet O'Flaherty
Publisher
BMJ Group
BMA House
Tavistock Square
London WC1H 9JR, UK
Direct line: +44 (0) 20 7383 6154
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7383 6668
Email: [log in to unmask]
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