Reprint requesters and providers in radiology

After the publication of any medical paper, its authors normally receive requests for reprints. An analysis was performed to determine the geographic origin of requests, the frequency of requests and the response rate for individual requesters, the additional work that these requests entail for major authors and some of the associated costs. A total of 209 consecutive reprint requests received over a 11-month period for radiologic articles written by one of the authors of this paper were reviewed. Overall, 45% of the requests originated in the United States, 22% in Western Europe (excluding Britain), 19% in Eastern Europe, 8% in Canada, 4% in Britain and 2% collectively in India, Cuba and Mexico. A questionnaire was sent to each requester; 122 (58%) replied. The respondents requested between 3 and 2000 reprints each year; respondents from the United States requested by far the most reprints. The respondents received reprints for between 25% and 100% (mean, 70%) of their requests. The requesters found the articles in the original journal in 41% of cases, in Current Contents (ISI Press, Philadelphia) in 34%, in both the journal and Current Contents in 23% and in other sources in 2%. Twenty-seven of 39 frequently published authors (69%) replied to a questionnaire about the requests they received; 19 reported receiving at least 100 requests and 4 at least 500 requests every year. Inquiries to 29 radiologic journals about the cost of reprints and the frequency of requests for additional copies yielded 18 replies. Twelve journals provided free reprints, and for the other 6 the average cost of 100 reprints was $90 (Can) when the reprints were ordered at the time of the original printing (as offprints).