Evolution of biomedical communication as reflected by the National Library of Medicine

Abstract

OBJECTIVE This commentary examines the evolution of the biomedical communications system in the Western world. The examination touches on many aspects, including the application of new technology, the interoperative relationship between publications and data, changes in the information infrastructure, the convergence of specialties, and consequences for research and health care [1-3]. METHODS As an overview of communication in the biomedical sciences, this commentary draws upon studies of how science is practiced and how information is produced. Thomas Kuhn introduced the notion of paradigms, scientific models that provide solutions to problems [4]. The adoption of paradigm changes in methods that control the flow of information in the digital age has taken place in many data-rich disciplines [5]. For this examination, I selected as a focus the biomedical information programs of the National Library of Medicine (NLM). This public-service organization within the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) is representative of Western biomedical information management and has produced widely used communication tools.