Passing the torch - Volume 21, Issue

This issue is the first where I will be serving as Editor-in-Chief of Medical Writing (MEW). Elise Langdon-Neuner, Editor-in-Chief since 2004, will be stepping down. This is yet another step in the evolution of the journal.

For those of you unfamili…

Profile - Volume 26, Issue

The new European medical device regulation and guidance document on clinical evaluation An Interview with Dr Bassil Akra The successor of the currently applicable Medical Device Directives (MDD 93/42/EEC and 90/385/EE) combines both directives…

Message from the President - Volume 21, Issue

Dear Members I am sure you are all very familiar with this situation – sitting in front of a blank piece of paper (or to be more accurate a blank screen) and wondering where to start. Beginnings and endings always seem to be the trickiest part, but…

Challenges of paediatric drug development and impact of paediatric legislation - Volume 21, Issue

Medical writers are increasingly involved in designing and documenting overall plans in paediatric drug development, e.g. EU PIPs (Paediatric Investigation Plans) and individual components, e.g. protocols and study reports. It is essential to…

Combined workshops on medical writing and publication ethics for Japanese postgraduate students and faculty members - Volume 22, Issue

Although the importance both of skills in medical writing in English and of an understanding of ethics in medical publishing is increasingly recognised, these subjects are not comprehensively taught to Japanese medical doctors and students. Limited…

Medical writing for cancer trials and submissions - Volume 21, Issue

Cancer is currently a high-priority area for drug development. Most cancers are immediately life-threatening diseases demanding urgent treatment and therapies are usually highly toxic. This poses a range of specific challenges for the ethical…

ADHD: A true neurodevelopmental disorder? - Volume 21, Issue

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders. First described in 1798 by Alexander Crichton, ADHD became widely known outside the medical profession with the publication of the story of Fidgety Phil…

Results of the 2012 EMWA salary survey - Volume 22, Issue

EMWA members were surveyed in late 2012 and early 2013 about their current salary levels. A total of 320 individuals responded. Most were women, between 31 and 50 years of age, and native speakers of English or German. About half had 2–10 years of…

Pharmaceutical medical writing competencies: Comparing self-perception with employers' expectations - Volume 21, Issue

In the recently published ‘Pharmaceutical Medical Writing Competency Model’, a group of medical writers describes the knowledge, skills, and behaviours they considered essential for successful medical writers. Thus, this model represents a list of…

Medical Communications - Volume 25, Issue

Most medical writers cut their teeth on manuscripts, and these documents are often mistakenly believed to be ‘easy’ to write. However, the truth is that with all documents, they are easy to write badly but require skill and knowledge to write well.…