Bioethics Obervatory – Institute of Life Sciences – UCV The New England Journal contents could be influenced by the particular ideological bent of the editorial board - Bioethics Obervatory - Institute of Life Sciences - UCV

Bioethics Obervatory – Institute of Life Sciences – UCV The New England Journal contents could be influenced by the particular ideological bent of the editorial board - Bioethics Obervatory - Institute of Life Sciences - UCV

The New England Journal contents could be influenced by the particular ideological bent of the editorial board

Posted On 13 Jan 2020

By : Bioethics Observatory - Institute of Life Sciences UCV

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BIOETHICS / BIOETHICS NEWS / BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH / ETHICS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH / NEWS

The New England Journal of Medicine, which is among the most prestigious medical journals, is apparently not exempt from ideological biases in what it publishes. According to a study in the latest issue of Linacre Quarterly, from 2000 to 2017, the journal published more than 20 articles favorable to the use of human embryonic stem cells and more than 50 favorable to abortion, apparently without having published any papers with an opinion contrary to these two types of articles.

We excerpt the author’s statement, “A secular journal that is meant to represent the entire spectrum of physician opinion in controversial issues has a practical, if not also an ethical, responsibility to provide an unbiased forum for intelligible discussion for evaluation of the merits of particular issues. To do otherwise is publication bias that suppresses legitimate contrary viewpoints having merit and validity.”