English translations of biomedical journal literature: availability and control.

An overview is presented of the availability and control over the past two decades of English translations of biomedical journal literature. Note is made of the various types of translation formats and their sequence of indexes. Special attention is given to the Russian-language literature, the role of the National Library of Medicine, the publication of cover-to-cover journal translations, and the priorities of languages needing translation. Present developments and future prospects are also considered, with a caveat concerning critical reviews citing untranslated materials.