The failure of scientific journals to offer a forum for the dissemination of hypotheses and theories in biomedical science is a serious problem, as argued eloquently by David Horrobin [Opinion: "Discouraging Hypotheses Slows Progress," The Scientist, Nov. 26, 1990, page 13].
It is unfortunate that it is now so difficult to publish suggestive ideas. While Medical Hypotheses is one approach to solving this problem, I would like to encourage editors of other journals to consider another possibility. When a senior author has demonstrated his or her scientific credentials by the publication of two or three papers in a journal, he or she could be given the opportunity to publish a hypothesis or theory, subject to certain restrictions, such as the three criteria Horrobin suggests.
Such articles would be subjected to a brief review, to be certain that they are clearly written and meet the journal's criteria for publication. I strongly...
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