The BMJ has published its first issue dedicated to patients in its 160 year history. Hilda Bastians editorial is a taste of the issue, aimed to appeal to a wider audience as well as doctors and medical students.

The BMJ is convinced that the relationship between the public and the medical profession will undergo a profound change over the next decade. People are becoming increasingly health savvy, and public trust in the medical profession is currently shaky.

How might the relationship change over the next 10 years? Will there be a move to a consumer oriented industry or a greater partnership avoiding this conflict?

Medical education is slowly changing to keep up, but students should think about this issue, as it will affect their working lives.

What makes a "good patient"? Should drug companies be allowed to talk directly to patients in the United Kingdom? What about patient rights in the rest of the world? How can we learn from patients?

The BMJ seeks to answer these questions, in an issue like nothing you will have seen before. To read it, visit bmj.com (issue date 14 June 2003). You can also order a copy for £5 ($8.50; €7) via the website.

The patients issue includes an interview with Christopher Reeve, the actor who played Superman and was paralysed in an accident in 1995. He tells Lynn Eaton about his views on stem cell research and living with a disability. You can also hear an important roundtable debate on "doctors as sherpas."

As always, why not share your view, as part of the next generation of doctors, by sending a rapid response to any of the articles via bmj.com