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Open access, freely available online Correspondence Unjustifi ed Restrictions on Letters Box 1. “Editors Should Promote Self-Correction to the Editor in Science and Participate in Efforts to Improve Douglas G. Altman the Practice of Scientifi c Investigation by: Editors of medical journals accept that published research • “Publishing corrections, retractions, and letters critical of articles should be open to comment and correction in published published in their own journal. correspondence ([1]; Box 1). “Post-publication peer • “Playing an active role in investigating and preventing fraud. review” enables comments on, clarifi cations of, and corrections to published research. All journals should have a • “Taking responsibility for improving the level of scientifi c correspondence page for this purpose. investigation and medical writing in the larger community of I previously criticised the effective “statute of limitations” potential authors. in several leading general medical journals “whereby authors • “Giving authors an opportunity to review and approve edited of papers are immune to disclosure of methodological manuscripts before they are published. weaknesses once some arbitrary (short) period has elapsed” • “Participating in efforts to detect and prevent publication [2]. Such a time limit discourages post-publication peer bias—for example, by collaboratin