A commonly used questionnaire designed to predict how well patients will stick to their drug regimen is stirring up some controversy in the publishing world.
Over the last decade, the creator of the copyrighted questionnaire — public health specialist Donald Morisky of the University of California, Los Angeles — has aggressively pursued any researcher who uses it without his permission, asking up to tens of thousands of dollars each from hundreds of researchers. At least two teams have had to withdraw papers as a result.
Morisky argues that enforcing the copyright ensures researchers use it correctly, given that lives are at stake. But many researchers disagree with this argument. To read more about this ongoing dispute, check out our latest story in Science.
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What alternative medication compliance questionnaires would people recommend? I think that I would agree that even if it became less expensive, I’d try to use something else on principle.
“Morisky argues that enforcing the copyright ensures researchers use it correctly, given that lives are at stake”
Hmm – if that is the case why does he not allow free usage of the questionnaire if it is used correctly and only claim money if he finds it is not? This surely would be the best of both worlds – allowing usage (to advance medicine/science) and act as an incentive for correct usage… unless he just want the cash of course.