Editors and teachers with standards: a dying breed

I read with interest the absorbing review of Jerome P. Kassirer's memoirs by Sanjay Pai. The review brings out the essence of the man and his memoirs very well and enhances the respect and the admiration for the legendary editor. Peer reviewed print journals still remain the gold standard of dissemination of new research in spite of the availability of other methods. However, as the reviewer writes, the times are changing. If the editors who uphold the highest standards of medical publishing are removed then the whole body of knowledge being published can come under a cloud. Recent news in the lay media about non-disclosure of conflict of interest by the editors of the venerated 'Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine' is one such example of the importance of integrity in the editorial process.