The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) that swept Canada this spring prompted CMAJ's first attempt to respond to a developing health crisis primarily through its online version.
Although the paper version has already published a Public Health page (CMAJ 2003;168[8]:1013) and papers on SARS will appear in future issues, CMAJ's initial reporting on the new illness has been directed mainly at creating an online SARS resource section for practising clinicians, which is updated at least twice daily (www.cmaj.ca/misc/sars.shtml). Electronic Publishing Manager Holly Larocque said it quickly became one of the most popular destinations at eCMAJ, attracting 4000 visits the first week; overall, the electronic journal now averages more than 100 000 visits a week.
Dr. John Hoey, the editor, said the SARS crisis provides one of the first major opportunities for online medical sites to prove that the Internet can be the key conduit for emerging information. For instance, the New England Journal of Medicine published original articles on the SARS situation in Toronto and Hong Kong online on Mar. 31, 2003, and they contained information that was current as of Mar. 30.
Hoey said the syndrome and the response to it is another indication that the Internet is going to transform the dissemination of crucial medical information. — CMAJ
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