Dear Editor,
As coordinator of the Spanish network Renal Research (REDinREN) at the Carlos III Institute of Health (RETICS 0016/06) I am writing to you requesting that you disseminate this letter.
For three and a half years REDinREN has represented a large portion of the collaborative research being done on nephrology in Spain. That is one of its major objectives. As a result of this work, it has recently obtained approval of its project by the ISCIII for 2 additional years. However, within this evaluation we also had the opportunity to review our individual and joint failures. Among these we have detected the low and slow projection that we have given to much of our research. Since our network is very balanced by the appropriate ratio between basic and clinical research, we cannot afford this situation. With this letter I wish to publicly declare this deficiency and at the same time make an opportune statement that also affects our Scientific Society (SEN). Since it cannot be otherwise, clinical recommendations are the purview of scientific societies. With this public statement I wish to set all REDinREN researchers to this task, probably because our existence as a network depends on it or at least to help ensure that collaborative research continues to be a commitment of science policy (it is a requirement of the ISCIII that we move results worthy of our activity to the SNS).
As a methodology, I propose that any research outcome that takes place in a virgin field for other guidelines or clinical recommendations becomes a recommendation by a mechanism that should always be orchestrated by the SEN, with inclusion of the other research authors. Aworking group will be formed that will check on the status of the issue with systematic and critical review and will establish the scope and limits of the recommendation. It will reach a consensus on the degree and content of the recommendation. It will be something simple, but the information will remain available as a first for all readers of NEFROLOGIA, where it seems advisable to publish these issues, always at the discretion of the Editor.
