Intended for healthcare professionals

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Rapid response to:

Research

Effect on peer review of telling reviewers that their signed reviews might be posted on the web: randomised controlled trial

BMJ 2010; 341 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c5729 (Published 16 November 2010) Cite this as: BMJ 2010;341:c5729

Rapid Response:

Open Peer Review- Renaissance, or Near Death Experience with Life Review

As someone who had written papers and articles and worked as part of
an editorial team I would like to make the following points:-

The current review process appears efficient,and fair. In many fields
the author and reviewer will already be known to one another. Naming the
reviewer, in the peer review process, might harm future relationships.

If a reviewer is too strident in their assessment this would be
rapidly circulated within that discipline. The potential 'bad press' might
deter responsible revewers form paticipating in the future.

Competing interests: No competing interests

26 November 2010
David J B Thomas
Retired Consultant Physician
previously The Hillingdon Hospital