About the Authors

Geoffrey K. Spurling

g.spurling@uq.edu.au

Affiliation University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Peter R. Mansfield

Affiliations Healthy Skepticism, Willunga, South Australia, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Brett D. Montgomery

Affiliation School of Primary, Aboriginal and Rural Health Care, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Joel Lexchin

Affiliation School of Health Policy and Management, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Jenny Doust

Affiliation Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Noordin Othman

Affiliation Kulliyyah of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

Agnes I. Vitry

Affiliation Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Competing Interests

JL was paid for work with a Canadian generic company, Apotex Inc., in 2007. GS, PRM, BM, JL, NO, and AV are members of Healthy Skepticism Inc. Healthy Skepticism is an international nonprofit research, education, and advocacy association with the main aim of reducing harm from misleading health information. PRM is the director of Healthy Skepticism Inc., and is mostly unpaid. PRM's wife and two of his daughters are part-time employees of Healthy Skepticism Inc. JL is a member of the management committee of Healthy Skepticism.

Author Contributions

ICMJE criteria for authorship read and met: GKS PRM BDM JL JD NO AIV. Agree with the manuscript's results and conclusions: GKS PRM BDM JL JD NO AIV. Designed the experiments/the study: GKS PRM. Analyzed the data: GKS BDM JL AIV. Collected data/did experiments for the study: GKS PRM BDM JD NO. Wrote the first draft of the paper: GKS. Contributed to the writing of the paper: GKS PRM BDM JL JD NO AIV. Appraised papers: NO.