PLM is a positive service and contribution to the world, but like every online community, it's not for everyone. I've spoken to some of the people at PLM, including one of their senior researchers, and they are passionate about what all of that data may one day show or help inform future research. But we're not here to talk about PLM...

I agree that whatever is done here really should be an independent effort. Computing resources are so inexpensive nowadays, anybody can pretty much do anything of this nature with little or no cost.

The group mentioned is actually the late Tom Ferguson's e-Patient Scholars Working Group and we blog over at http://www.e-patients.net/

John