The BMJ Group
Last updated August 2008
BMJ Group is a global medical publisher. The BMJ Group's flagship journal is the British Medical Journal (BMJ), established in 1840. The BMJ is an academic, peer reviewed journal that publishes original research on clinical practice and health-related issues, as well as editorials on developments in medicine. The BMJ's website is at www.bmj.com. All articles can be searched by author or keyword.
Original research articles in the BMJ are accessible online, free of charge, from the date of publication. For the first 12 months after publication, the full text of other articles appearing in the print journal (eg editorials, educational articles and reviews) can only be accessed by those with a subscription to the BMJ. After the 12 month period, all articles, including editorials and reviews, are freely accessible to non-subscribers.
The student version of the BMJ - StudentBMJ - is also a free access publication and contains many useful articles, both on specific clinical topics and broader medical issues. While StudentBMJ is aimed largely at medical students, some articles may be of interest to the wider public.
The BMJ Group also publishes BMJ Clinical Evidence, a resource providing clinicians with authoritative and reliable guidance on the effectiveness of a wide range of medical treatments. BMJ Clinical Evidence is an international source of peer-reviewed evidence-based medicine with constantly updated reviews, giving clinicians the latest and most relevant medical knowledge to support treatment decisions.
BMJ BestTreatments offers patients the same information available on BMJ Clinical Evidence, but in a language patients can understand. BMJ BestTreatments is designed to highlight the treatment options available to patients so that they can work with their doctor to make an informed treatment decision. It covers a wide range of common medical conditions including anorexia, bulimia, epilepsy, dementia, depression, ear infections, heart failure, migraine, obesity, cancer and varicose veins.
Access to BMJ BestTreatments is now by payment; users can either apply for 30 day access to the whole site or can purchase specific health topics.
A limited version of the content of BMJ BestTreatments is now available free of charge on the website of the pharmacy company Boots, following an agreement in 2007 between Boots and BMJ Group. The information can be accessed on the 'askboots' website (see their A-Z listing for the medical topics covered).
Further information about BMJ BestTreatments can be found on the Frequently Asked Questions section of the BestTreatments website.
The BMJ Group also publishes over 25 other specialist medical journals (including Archives of Disease in Childhood, Emergency Medicine, Heart and the Journal of Medical Ethics). These journals can be accessed on BMJ Journals website.