(Fwd) RE: Securing the future of Acubriefs

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

 

On April 20th, I wrote:

 

> Dear Acubriefs team (Peggy, James), and All,

 

> It is with deep regret that I note the change in status of Acubriefs

> from a FREE to a commercial service. I plead with you to reconsider,

> and reverse, if possible, your decision to go commercial. Although the

> annual fee for registration is reasonable, many professionals in

> developing countries CANNOT AFFORD to pay ANY membership fees.

 

> Also, the hassle of registration and remembering login IDs and

> Passwords puts off casual searchers.

 

> Acubriefs was one of the very few data sources on acupuncture

> literature that was FREE to the public and to acupuncture

> professionals. If the service requires a fee, it will put it out of

> reach of many professionals who need access to up-to-date literature.

 

> The Acubriefs team must have funding to maintain a high quality

> service, but I plead with them to seek such funding from the industry

> (laser / needle / acupuncture equipment suppliers, textbook suppliers,

> etc) and to leave their literature services totally free to

> professionals and the public. Best regards,

 

Below is a mail from Dr James K Rotchford, MD, MPH, the creator and

Webmaster of Acubriefs.

 

James explained that Acubriefs is underfunded. He has subsidized it

heavily from his personal income (and a heavy commitment in personal

time) for years. He cannot continue to do that any longer.

 

I congratulate James and his team for their hard work in providing and

maintaining an excellent acupuncture resource. I understand that such

a resource needs adequate funding to continue.

 

Therefore, I ask you all to notify your acupuncture colleagues, and any

philantropic friends interested in supporting the infrastructure of

complementary medicine, of the importance of supporting Acubriefs in

whatever way you/they can.

 

If you have ideas on securing funding for Acubriefs, please email: " Dr.

James K Rotchford " <Kimber.

 

Without adequate funding we will lose one of the best acupuncture

resources on WWW.

 

Best regards,

 

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Dr. James K Rotchford wrote:

 

Dear Phil,

It was heartening to hear your vigorous support of Acubriefs and the

importance of keeping it free for all. Unfortunately, because of

insufficient funding, that is not possible.

 

Because I feel as you do about the importance of making acupuncture

data readily available to professionals and the public, I have subsidized

Acubriefs significantly over the last couple of years since it was put in

my lap. However, as I am in private medical practice in a rural setting, I

cannot afford to continue to do this.

 

I hesitated to raise the commercial sponsorship rates, given that the

corporate sponsors who support Acubriefs are already rather generous

because they probably pay more than the number of hits warrants.

 

Therefore, I sought tax free donations through the Best of Both Worlds

Foundation, wrote letters to schools, and even thought I might sell the

site to someone with more means. However, I was unable to get any

reassurance that the site and database would remain available to the

public.

 

So, what we have come up with is a compromise that may or may not

work. Only the most current citations are no longer free. To break even,

we probably need at least 30 new yealrly rs/month.

 

Although the immediate response to our offer for subscriptions is on

track, it is too early to assess if Acubrief’s long term future is secure.

 

If funding was adequate I would also resume doing the monthly reviews

which I believe was a helpful way of introducing the research data to

pertinent issues in reviewing the literature.

 

Finally we have announced that we are willing to offer free access to the

database based on stated need. Maintaining the database is essential

only if it is widely available. Since Acubrief's inception I have been a

strong advocate for keeping it free. I invested even further to see if this

subscription idea will work in the hope we can establish a secure future

for Acubriefs and its accessibility. I do not know what we will do if it

does not work out. I am open to ideas.

 

Again thanks for your support.

Sincerely,

James K Rotchford, MD MPH

Editor Acubriefs.com

1334 Lawrence Street

Port Townsend,

WA 98368

Tel: 360-385-4843 Fax: 360-379-1441

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[Guest guest]

Dear phil and others .

 

I shall say that I am one of the cases that needs the

informaiton for continuing my studies .But since the

announcement of acubife ,my work has gone right down

..and it happened when we decided to start a research

on acup and gastric peptic disease .And I am at an

stop point .I can not transect money and we do not

charge the patients that much . (5-6 us $)

 

I hope the committee of the Acubriefs should have some

consideration for us .

 

 

Dr,Fadaie

 

 

 

 

--- < wrote:

 

> Hi All,

>

> On April 20th, I wrote:

>

> > Dear Acubriefs team (Peggy, James), and All,

>

> > It is with deep regret that I note the change in

> status of Acubriefs

> > from a FREE to a commercial service. I plead with

> you to reconsider,

> > and reverse, if possible, your decision to go

> commercial. Although the

> > annual fee for registration is reasonable, many

> professionals in

> > developing countries CANNOT AFFORD to pay ANY

> membership fees.

>

> > Also, the hassle of registration and remembering

> login IDs and

> > Passwords puts off casual searchers.

>

> > Acubriefs was one of the very few data sources on

> acupuncture

> > literature that was FREE to the public and to

> acupuncture

> > professionals. If the service requires a fee, it

> will put it out of

> > reach of many professionals who need access to

> up-to-date literature.

>

> > The Acubriefs team must have funding to maintain a

> high quality

> > service, but I plead with them to seek such

> funding from the industry

> > (laser / needle / acupuncture equipment suppliers,

> textbook suppliers,

> > etc) and to leave their literature services

> totally free to

> > professionals and the public. Best regards, Phil

> Rogers

>

> Below is a mail from Dr James K Rotchford, MD, MPH,

> the creator and

> Webmaster of Acubriefs.

>

> James explained that Acubriefs is underfunded. He

> has subsidized it

> heavily from his personal income (and a heavy

> commitment in personal

> time) for years. He cannot continue to do that any

> longer.

>

> I congratulate James and his team for their hard

> work in providing and

> maintaining an excellent acupuncture resource. I

> understand that such

> a resource needs adequate funding to continue.

>

> Therefore, I ask you all to notify your acupuncture

> colleagues, and any

> philantropic friends interested in supporting the

> infrastructure of

> complementary medicine, of the importance of

> supporting Acubriefs in

> whatever way you/they can.

>

> If you have ideas on securing funding for Acubriefs,

> please email: " Dr.

> James K Rotchford " <Kimber.

>

> Without adequate funding we will lose one of the

> best acupuncture

> resources on WWW.

>

> Best regards,

>

>

> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>

> Dr. James K Rotchford wrote:

>

> Dear Phil,

> It was heartening to hear your vigorous support of

> Acubriefs and the

> importance of keeping it free for all.

> Unfortunately, because of

> insufficient funding, that is not possible.

>

> Because I feel as you do about the importance of

> making acupuncture

> data readily available to professionals and the

> public, I have subsidized

> Acubriefs significantly over the last couple of

> years since it was put in

> my lap. However, as I am in private medical practice

> in a rural setting, I

> cannot afford to continue to do this.

>

> I hesitated to raise the commercial sponsorship

> rates, given that the

> corporate sponsors who support Acubriefs are already

> rather generous

> because they probably pay more than the number of

> hits warrants.

>

> Therefore, I sought tax free donations through the

> Best of Both Worlds

> Foundation, wrote letters to schools, and even

> thought I might sell the

> site to someone with more means. However, I was

> unable to get any

> reassurance that the site and database would remain

> available to the

> public.

>

> So, what we have come up with is a compromise that

> may or may not

> work. Only the most current citations are no longer

> free. To break even,

> we probably need at least 30 new yealrly

> rs/month.

>

> Although the immediate response to our offer for

> subscriptions is on

> track, it is too early to assess if Acubrief’s long

> term future is secure.

>

> If funding was adequate I would also resume doing

> the monthly reviews

> which I believe was a helpful way of introducing the

> research data to

> pertinent issues in reviewing the literature.

>

> Finally we have announced that we are willing to

> offer free access to the

> database based on stated need. Maintaining the

> database is essential

> only if it is widely available. Since Acubrief's

> inception I have been a

> strong advocate for keeping it free. I invested even

> further to see if this

> subscription idea will work in the hope we can

> establish a secure future

> for Acubriefs and its accessibility. I do not know

> what we will do if it

> does not work out. I am open to ideas.

>

> Again thanks for your support.

> Sincerely,

> James K Rotchford, MD MPH

> Editor Acubriefs.com

> 1334 Lawrence Street

> Port Townsend,

> WA 98368

> Tel: 360-385-4843 Fax: 360-379-1441

> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

We at Acubriefs are aware that practitioners, students and the public in

developing countries may not be able to afford the added expense of an

Acubriefs membership. Also, transferring funds through PayPal may be

impossible from some locations. While we have instituted membership

subscriptions in order to raise needed funds to keep Acubriefs's

services going, we recognize the importance of providing free access to

our database to those who find the cost prohibitive. Please send your

requests for free or reduced rate to peggy and we will be

in touch with you. If you are in the fortunate position to be able to

help subsidize Acubriefs, you may make a tax-deductible donation to The

Best of Both Worlds Foundation, earmarked for Acubriefs, at

http://www.bestbothworlds.org/