Publishing is an important part of sharing the outcomes of research, but the publication process and requirements may sometimes feel like a closed book. HSG and BioMed Central, publisher of BMC Health Services Research which is affiliated with HSG, have partnered to deliver a series of five webinars to open up the peer review and publication processes. Aimed at researchers at a variety of career stages, the series covered: how to prepare an article and choose the right journal, what happens during peer review, publishing models and open access, research and publication ethics and how to be a peer reviewer. This series is now finished, but information on the full series of webinars is provided, including the recordings and slides of all of the webinars.
Useful Resources
The Medicines Patent Pool, an initiative aiming at increasing access to HIV drugs through voluntary licences of patented drugs, has launched a new database of patent information on HIV medicines. The Medicines Patent Pool's patent database provides information on the patent status of selected antiretrovirals in a large number of low- and middle-income countries. It enables users to search by country/region and by medicine to obtain information on the key patents relating to each medicine. Wherever a patent has been applied for or granted in a given jurisdiction, the relevant patent number is also provided if available. The data was obtained from and cross-checked between a variety of sources, including many local patent offices that agreed to make this information available via theWorld Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The number of countries included in the database will be expanded periodically as the relevant information is collected by the Medicines Patent Pool.
The data.unops.org hub has now been officially launched, making publicly available information about procurement from United Nations organisations. Data includes the value of goods and services procured by each organisation, details on amounts procured from developing countries and countries with economies in transition, and profiles of all countries of supply. There are graphs indicating how much UNOPS is delivering on behalf of its partners including the United Nations, governments, multilateral institutions, foundations and the private sector. The data is inter-connected where possible, enabling users to explore information about UNOPS operations from multiple perspectives such as by country, by partner or by sector.
The Health Communication Partnership (HCP) has launched a new interactive E-Forum based on HCP's Partners in Action, a series of case studies about HCP's country-based partners. Partners in Action documents how those partners became successful and sustainable organizations, as well as the role that health communication played in their success. Those interested in participating in this new electronic community can log on through HCP's website or visit http://www.hcpartnership.org/pia/blog/
Since it was first published in 2002, Facts for Life has sold over 15 million copies in 215 languages. It aims to help save the lives of millions of children by putting lifesaving knowledge about children‘s health into the hands of those who need it most: parents, caregivers, health workers, government officials, journalists and teachers. This new edition has updated information on safe motherhood, early childhood development, nutrition, HIV and AIDS and other major causes of childhood illnesses and death. It aims to use the best current understanding of science, policy and practice. It presents in simple language, practical, effective, low-cost ways of protecting children‘s lives and promoting their development.
Anti-Retrovirals (ARVs), where accessible and affordable, have had a significant impact on HIV/AIDS related morbidity and mortality. This guide from Eldis, launched to coincide with World AIDS Day 2003, outlines the key issues related to ARVs including generic drugs vs. patents, scaling up access to ARVs, as well as the limitations associated with anti-retroviral therapy.
"The purpose of the discussion group is to enhance positive living through proper nutrition care and support for people living with AIDS (PLWA) and create a constructive dialogue among PLWA, front line workers, researchers, HIV/AIDS specialists, and policymakers," said Eleonore Seumo, HIV/AIDS senior program officer with the AED Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance project and moderator of the forum. Dorcas Lwanga, a nutritionist with the Support for Analysis and Research in Africa project, is co-moderator.
The new Europafrica.org website has been launched. It presents news and resources on the Joint Africa-EU Strategy and its Action Plan.
African Networks on Ethnomedicines, the publisher of African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines (AJTCAM) has launched an interactive forum for traditional medical practitioners. It is hoped that it will prove to be a useful resource for traditional medical practitioners and others in uplifting the standard of traditional medicines and alternatives medicines. In order to post on this forum, you may register with your username and password. If you have registration problems, enable cookies on your browser.
The Canadian Institute of Health Research Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) Cochrane Corner is a new online resource that highlights reviews pertinent to gender, sex, and health questions. It aims to introduce those working in gender, sex, and health to the methods of the Cochrane Collaboration and, reciprocally, to bring awareness of sex- and gender-based analyses to the Cochrane community. The Corner will provide a range of knowledge users with a gender- and sex-focused entrée into the collection of research evidence provided through the Cochrane Library. By creating a focused collection of systematic reviews relevant to gender, sex, and health, the IGH Cochrane Corner will be a valuable tool for knowledge translation in the field. The Corner also features an original series of columns, which highlight methodological, substantive, or newsworthy issues related to sex, gender, health, and systematic reviews. The columns reflect current knowledge and activities in the field.