| Abstract: | Most biomedical peer-reviewed journal publishers today follow two policies that significantly affect how information is disseminated: reject redundant (or duplicate) publications and embargo information until the day of publication. Electronic information technology has created communication methods that far exceed the traditional paper journal for scientists communicating with peers, the media, and the public. These electronic methods (e.g. the Web and on-line archives) conflict with the publishers' policies regarding redundant publication and embargoed information. However, the biomedical publishing world is changing very rapidly as a result of many forces, including scientists themselves, libraries, budgets, and technology. This paper notes recent changes in publications policies, the ramifications of these policies for different audiences, and future directions for biomedical scholarly publishing. |
