In the Bookstores - Volume 22, Issue

The Spirit Level

Ever had a ‘ping’ moment? This book might have been mine. I'm not a natural pessimist, but Western society today seems less cohesive and people more materialistic, stressed, unhealthy, and unhappy than in times gone by. Wealth and s…

President's Message - Volume 24, Issue

I can't believe that my two years on the Executive Committee are now complete – what a journey from Manchester and Barcelona in 2013, Budapest and Florence in 2014, and finally Dublin in 2015. Apart from travelling many miles, I have had a great…

Plain language and readability - Volume 24, Issue

Plain language is writing in clear, concise language that is easy to read and understand. Whenever I hear the term plain language I am reminded of a lay summary I was once asked to edit. The stream of technical language (‘self-source bias’, ‘effect m…

Regulatory writing basics - Volume 23, Issue

The role of a regulatory writer is to produce regulatory documents (usually taken to refer to documents that are submitted in some form to the health authorities). These documents should adhere to the relevant guidance and be fit for purpose, meani…

In this issue of Medical Writing - Volume 23, Issue

Some of you might remember the old days when writing was done with a typewriter, spreadsheets were big pieces of paper, and slides were printed on film. Thanks to computers, these are old memories, and we can all be much more productive. Software…

Message from the President - Volume 22, Issue

A year has passed so quickly and it is time for me to step down and hand over to Andrea Rossi, the new EMWA President and the first Italian to take on this important position. On reading through the various messages I sent you during the past year,…