The updated Pharmaceutical Model Licence for E-journals: a continuing collaboration between publishers and the pharmaceutical industry

Seven years have passed since the International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers (STM) and the Pharma Documentation Ring (P-D-R) first agreed on a Draft Model Licence. The original not only became the foundation of licensing e-journals within the pharmaceutical industry, it also created a better, mutual understanding between publishers and pharmaceutical companies. The P-D-R and publisher copyright taskforce have updated the original licence, which now better reflects advances in technology and business practices. This article discusses the development of the new licence, the rationale behind the changes, and the benefits to the pharmaceutical industry.