Citation of electronic sources
There is not yet complete consistency of style from journal to journal--as revealed by minor differences below between the NEJM and BMJ, even though they both subscribe to the Vancouver system of citation. But the principle is the same: provide enough information so that the reader can perform the search and retrieve the cited documents.
Examples from the New England Journal of Medicine
1. Millar JD. Paradox in prevention: managing the threat of smallpox bioterrorism. Health policy focus.
Washington, D.C.: Public Health Policy Advisory Board, 2000. (Accessed March 12, 2002, at
http://www.phpab.org/Editorials/ReprintOfParadoxIn.htm.)
2. Interim smallpox response plan & guidelines: draft 2.0. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, November 21, 2001. (Accessed April 5, 2002, at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/DocumentsApp/Smallpox/RPG/index.asp.)
3. Fenner F, Henderson DA, Arita I, Jezek Z, Ladnyi ID. Smallpox and its eradication. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1988:1-68, 121-208. (Accessed April 5, 2002, at http://www.who.int/emc/diseases/smallpox/Smallpoxeradication.html.)
4. O'Toole T, Inglesby T. Shining light on Dark Winter. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies, 2001. (Accessed April 5, 2002, at http://www.hopkins-biodefense.org/lessons.html.)
5. National Transportation Safety Board. Report on injuries in America, 2001. (Accessed March 12, 2002, at http://www.nsc.org/library/rept2000.htm.)
6. National Vaccine Program Office. Pandemic influenza: pandemics and pandemic scares in the 20th century. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2001. (Accessed April 5, 2002, at http://www.cdc.gov/od/nvpo/pandemics/flu3.htm#8.)
Examples from British Medical Journal
1. e-Health Ethics Initiative. e-Health code of ethics. J Med Internet Res 2000;2:e9.
www.jmir.org/2000/2/e9/ (accessed 1 Nov 2001).
2. American Sociological Association. American Sociological Association code of ethics.
www.asanet.org/members/ecoderev.html (updated 1 Aug 1999, accessed 12 Jan 2001).
3. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Tri-Council policy statement: ethical
conduct for research involving humans. www.sshrc.ca/english/programinfo/policies/Index.htm
(updated 14 Sep 2001).
4. Fox S, Rainie L, Horrigan J, Lenhart A, Spooner A, Burke M, et al. The online health care revolution:
how the web helps Americans take better care of themselves. Pew Internet and American Life
Project. 1. www.pewinternet.org (accessed 5 January 2001).