Patient advocacy groups take research quest to innovative open-access publication

"Pat Furlong says she has a “microwave mentality.” When she wants something, she wants it instantly. In her case, that something is to accelerate treatments and cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) – a disease that claimed the lives of her two teenage sons in 1995. Furlong, a nurse, and her physician husband, Tom, who also have two grown daughters, tried to become experts on the condition as they cared for Christopher and Patrick. They have since pushed the agenda forward on behalf of all families affected by Duchenne. Furlong founded Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) in 1995 to help improve the treatment, quality of life, and long-term outlook for all individuals affected by the disease. The organization works to raise awareness, fund promising research, and has been an active advocate of Open Access to encourage the sharing of scientific progress on Duchenne. Now, Furlong has blazed a new trail in the fight to end the disease. She has spearheaded a partnership between PPMD and the Public Library of Science (PLoS) to launch an open-access publication, PLoS Currents: Muscular Dystrophy, this fall...."