Response rates to direct reprint requests.

The response rates to mail reprint requests, time required to receive reprints and the cost of obtaining reprints were studied. Over 1,300 reprint requests representing articles published in 193 journals were sent to authors in 31 countries. A reprint was received for approximately 72% of the requests. Authors in the United States responded at a significantly higher rate (78.7%) than authors in foreign countries (64.5%) (p less than 0.001). About 75% of all reprints arrived within three months of their request. The mean number of days required to receive a reprint from an author in the United States was 55, while 99 days was the mean for authors outside the U.S. The estimated cost of obtaining reprints by mail was 22 cents per article received. The use of reprint request cards is a viable method of obtaining reprints within the limitations of an incomplete return rate and moderate delay in the arrival of the reprint.