The role of electronic journals in reducing publication bias

Publication bias poses a threat to the validity of medical research. It is unlikely that conventional paper journals can solve the problem of selectiv e publication of studies with striking results because of their space limit ation and need to be newsworthy. Peer-reviewed electronic journals without limitation of space might provide a solution to this paradox. To maintain t he integrity of medical publication, editorial policy needs to be changed t o accept clinical trials for publication, based only on the methodological criteria and not on the impact of their findings.