Current medical research and opinion
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To estimate the costs of using carboxymethyl cellulose dressing (CMCD; Aquacel* Hydrofiber) compared to gauze in managing surgical wounds healing by secondary intention in the US and UK. ⋯ Dressing surgical wounds healing by secondary intention with CMCD instead of gauze is expected to lead to a reduction in healthcare costs in both the US and UK. Hence, the purchase price of a dressing is not indicative of the cost effectiveness of a given method of surgical wound care.
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Many papers in biomedical journals are drafted not by the named authors, but by professional medical writers working under the direction of those authors, usually funded by pharmaceutical companies. Although this practice can improve both the quality and speed of publications, it has attracted controversy as a result of concerns about the inappropriate influence of pharmaceutical companies. ⋯ The guidelines stress the importance of respecting widely recognised authorship criteria, and in particular of ensuring that those listed as named authors have full control of the content of papers. The role of medical writers must be transparent, which normally means a mention in the acknowledgements section, together with a statement about funding. Writers and authors must have access to relevant data while writing papers. Medical writers have professional responsibilities to ensure that the papers they write are scientifically valid and are written in accordance with generally accepted ethical standards.
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Editorial Comment
The involvement of professional medical writers in medical publications.
In this editorial, we comment on the European Medical Writers Association (EMWA) guidelines and the accompanying Delphi study published in this issue of Current Medical Research and Opinion. These articles deal with 'ghost writing' and the role of professional writers. We propose that the interaction between professional writers and authors is defined along the following principles: Guarantee: are the authors guarantors of the article? Advice: was the professional writer 'advised' by the author(s) before, as well as after, starting the assignment? Were the overall conclusions defined by the author(s)? Transparency: the contribution of professional writers should be acknowledged (we provide a draft statement). ⋯ Therefore, we called them the ' GATE principles '. We also discuss suggestions for the accreditation of professional writers in specific fields. Professional writers play a useful role but this has to be clearly defined so as to achieve high ethical and scientific standards.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Once daily clarithromycin extended-release vs twice-daily amoxicillin/clavulanate in patients with acute bacterial sinusitis: a randomized, investigator-blinded study.
To compare the efficacy and tolerability of clarithromycin extended-release (ER) to amoxicillin/ clavulanate in patients diagnosed with acute bacterial sinusitis. ⋯ In this multinational population of patients with acute bacterial sinusitis, clarithromycin ER was comparable, and for selected measures superior, to amoxicillin/clavulanate based on clinical, bacteriological, and radiological responses as well as quality of life measures, satisfaction with antibiotic therapy, and health care resource utilization.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The analgesic effect of etoricoxib relative to that of cetaminophen analgesics: a randomized, controlled single-dose study in acute dental impaction pain.
To compare the analgesic effect of single doses of etoricoxib 120 mg, oxycodone/ acetaminophen 10 mg/650 mg and codeine/ acetaminophen 60 mg/600 mg in acute pain using the dental impaction model. ⋯ Etoricoxib 120 mg provided superior overall analgesic effect with a smaller percentage of patients experiencing nausea versus both oxycodone/acetaminophen 10 mg/650 mg and codeine/acetaminophen 60 mg/600 mg.