From time to time we publish articles in CMAJ that have been written by members of our senior editorial staff. An example appears on page 1409 in this issue. Since 1997, 25 papers by senior editors have been published in the journal, and this rightly raises questions about fairness to other authors and about conflict of interest.
In fact, contributions by editors fall into 2 general categories: editorials on the one hand, and research papers and reviews on the other. Writing editorials is clearly part of the job of being an editor. Editorials by our senior staff are not formally peer reviewed, although they are often circulated to a variety of experts for comment and criticism before publication. Since 1997 we have published 15 editorials by senior staff, not including articles signed by the editor-in-chief alone.[1–15]
The more important questions, however, surround the publication in CMAJ of original research or review articles by our own editors. Since 1997 we have published 10 such papers by our senior editors.[16–25] Although we encourage our editors to publish in other journals (and they frequently do[26–38]), we consider that there are 2 reasons for allowing our editorial staff to publish in CMAJ. First, some original research done by our editors is of interest mainly to health care professionals in Canada and is relevant to the development of Canadian health policy. The research letter published in the current issue is an example. It is unlikely that this research would find a home in a general medical journal elsewhere.
Secondly, almost all the senior editors of the journal are university faculty members. As such, they participate in research with colleagues, residents and students, with whom they coauthor reports on their findings. A policy that denied publication in CMAJ to our editors would unfairly limit the avenues of publication available to their colleagues. Nor would it be proper for editors to decline authorship of research in which they have made a substantial contribution; the guidelines for the submission of manuscripts developed by the Vancouver Group specify that all researchers who meet the criteria for authorship in a paper must be credited.
When reviewing a manuscript submitted by one of our editors we deliberately exclude the editor in question from all aspects of the review process. The editor-author is not aware of the choice of peer reviewers and is not present when his or her manuscript is discussed at our weekly editorial meeting. Indeed, editors absent themselves from discussions of any paper that may present an intellectual conflict of interest. Although a practice of blinding editors and reviewers to the authorship of submissions might appear to offer a greater assurance of impartiality, in practice this is neither feasible nor effective with respect to either staff-written papers or, indeed, submissions from outside. We believe that our policy is fair to other authors competing for journal space and to our editors and their colleagues. In the end, and as at any other scientific medical journal, we must rely on our own intellectual integrity to maintain standards for review that are reasonable and fair.
Acknowledgments
A society of physicians who hold positions in the management of health resources or have an interest in the management of health resources.
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to support and develop physicians to be successful leaders in health management
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to support physicians in their roles as managers
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to provide a forum for physician executives to network, learn and interact
Sheraton Centre, Toronto Feb. 26-27, 2000
For information contact: Dr. Chris Carruthers; c/o CSPE; 3540 Paul Anka Dr.; Ottawa ON K1V 9K8; email: ccmd{at}home.com; Web site: www.cma.ca/cspe
References
- 1.↵
Flegel KM. Does the physical examination have a future? [editorial]. CMAJ 1999;161(9):1117-8.
- 2.
Caplan C. A technological journey: specialty spotlights and beyond [editorial]. CMAJ 1999;161(9):1124-7.
- 3.
Joseph KS, Hoey J. CMAJ's impact factor: room for recalculation [editorial]. CMAJ 1999;161(8):977-8.
- 4.
Weir E, Joseph KS. How quickly does CMAJ evaluate submissions? [editorial]. CMAJ 1999;161(8):985.
- 5.
Flegel KM. When atrial fibrillation occurs with pulmonary embolism, is it the chicken or the egg? [editorial]. CMAJ 1999;160(8):1181-2.
- 6.
Hoey J, Caplan CE, Elmslie T, Flegel KM, Joseph KS, Palepu A, et al. Science, sex and semantics: the firing of George Lundberg [editorial]. CMAJ 1999;160(4):507-8.
- 7.
Caplan CE, Hoey J. Impact of new technologies in medicine: progress and pitfalls [editorial]. CMAJ 1999;160(1):66.
- 8.
Todkill AM, Hoey J. Entering "The Left Atrium" [editorial]. CMAJ 1999;160(1):67-8.
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Hoey J, Giulivi A, Todkill AM. New variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and the blood supply: Is it time to face the music? [editorial]. CMAJ 1998;159(6):669-70.
- 10.
Joseph KS. Ethics in clinical research: searching for absolutes [editorial]. CMAJ 1998;158(10):1303-5.
- 11.
Flegel KM. Society's interest in protection for the fetus [editorial]. CMAJ 1998;158(7):895-6.
- 12.
Flegel KM, Lant M. Sound privacy for patients [editorial]. CMAJ 1998;158(5):613-4.
- 13.
Flegel KM. Physicians, finder's fees and free, informed consent [editorial]. CMAJ 1997;157(10):1373-4.
- 14.
Flegel KM. The case for "a case of ..." [editorial]. CMAJ 1997;157(3):286.
- 15.↵
Hoey J, Flegel KM. The times they are confusing. What lies ahead for the new health minister and physicians in Canada? [editorial] CMAJ 1997;157(1):39-41.
- 16.↵
Joseph KS. Recent versus historical trends in preterm birth in Canada. CMAJ 1999;161(11):1409.
- 17.
Elinson L, Cohen MM, Elmslie T. Hormone replacement therapy: a survey of Ontario physicians' prescribing practices. CMAJ 1999;161(6):695-8.
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Caro JJ, Flegel KM, Orejuela ME, Kelley HE, Speckman JL, Migliaccio-Walle K. Anticoagulant prophylaxis against stroke in atrial fibrillation: effectiveness in actual practice. CMAJ 1999;161(5):493-7.
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- 21.
Joseph KS, Kramer MS. Recent trends in infant mortality rates and proportions of low-birth-weight live births in Canada [published erratum appears in CMAJ 1997;157(6):646-7]. CMAJ 1997;157(5):535-41.
- 22.
Kahn SR, Solymoss S, Flegel KM. Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: evidence for a prothrombotic state. CMAJ 1997;157(6):673-81.
- 23.
Kahn SR, Solymoss S, Flegel KM. Increased tissue plasminogen activator levels in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. CMAJ 1997;157(6):685-9.
- 24.
Dafoe W, Huston P. Current trends in cardiac rehabilitation. CMAJ 1997;156(4):527-32.
- 25.↵
Joseph KS, Kramer MS. Canadian infant mortality: 1994 update [letter]. CMAJ 1997;156(2):161-3.
- 26.↵
Health KV, Cornelisse PG, Strathdee SA, Palepu A, Miller ML, Schechter MT, et al. HIV-associated risk factors among young Canadian Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal men who have sex with men. Int J STD AIDS 1999;10(9):582-7.
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Joseph KS, Allen A, Kramer MS, Cyr M, Fair M. Changes in the registration of stillbirths < 500 g in Canada, 1985-95. Fetal-Infant Mortality Study Group of the Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 1999;13(3):278-87.
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Wee JY, Bagg SD, Palepu A. The Berg balance scale as a predictor of length of stay and discharge destination in an acute stroke rehabilitation setting. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1999;80(4):448-52.
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Joseph KS, Kramer MS, Marcoux S, Ohlsson A, Wen SW, Allen A, et al. Determinants of preterm birth rates in Canada from 1981 through 1983 and from 1992 through 1994. N Engl J Med 1998;339(20):1434-9.
- 31.
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Anis AH, Hogg RS, Wang XH, Yip B, Palepu A, Montaner JS, et al. Modelling the potential economic impact of viral load-driven triple drug combination antiretroviral therapy. Pharmacoeconomics 1998;13(6):697-705.
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Flegel KM. My winter world: the illness of Gerard Manley Hopkins. Lancet 1997;349(9057):1017-9.
- 38.↵
Joseph KS. Asthma mortality and antipsychotic or sedative use. What is the link? Drug Saf 1997;16(6):351-4.