Quantifying the social impact of research and medical journals

摘要

The content in today's Lancet has been selected for the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Barcelona on Aug 30-Sept 3, and reflects the leadership that cardiologists have shown in translating science into action with an enviable degree of evidence and tangible benefits to society. Nevertheless, even in cardiology, there is room for improvement and better alignment between research questions and the broader needs of societies. Stuart Pocock described what society needs from clinical trials in his 2014 Bradford Hill memorial lecture on June 4 at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Drawing on his experience in cardiovascular research and using examples from trials in coronary heart disease, hypertension, acute coronary syndrome, atrial fibrillation, and revascularisation, he listed several points that might form a social contract between researchers and society.