Pleasing the reader by pleasing the eye—Part 1 The role of format and design in readability - Volume 21, Issue

Whoever writes wants to be read. Yet, even if we succeed in creating an informative, logically structured, and adequately worded text tailored to our target audience, i.e., text we consider to have an adequate level of readability, our documents may…

Writing for lay audiences - Volume 24, Issue

For most of us, medical writing is highly technical. We prepare regulatory or clinical documents or write materials targeted to medical doctors. Medical writing for lay audiences is different, and it does not come naturally to most of us because…

Medical Writing

Medical Writing is a quarterly publication that aims to educate and inform medical writers in Europe and beyond. Each issue focuses on a specific theme, and all issues include feature articles and regular columns on topics relevant to the practice of…

Creating educational materials about clinical research data for patients and the public: A multifaceted journey in the current digital age - Volume 33, Issue

With scientific advances during the COVID- 19 pandemic and expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) in research, there has been a simultaneous increase in misinformation about data collection, privacy, and sharing in clinical trials. This increase h…

Medical journalism: Another way to write about science - Volume 24, Issue

True journalism differs from public relations and uncritically reproducing press releases. It involves doing background research into the context surrounding the finding being reported, seeking comments from independent experts, and highlighting the…

Science for all: Is it all about the publication of data, or beyond? - Volume 31, Issue

This article presents an overview of open access initiatives by researchers, journals, government bodies, and regulatory authorities. Open access initiatives are valuable to the scientific community and have increased the amount of clinical research…

The hard truth about soft skills in medical writing - Volume 33, Issue

Historically, hard skills – such as technical, digital, or life sciences qualifications – have been seen as more valuable than soft skills in successful medical writing. However, hiring managers now recognise soft skills as one of the top…

What do writers need to know about user testing? - Volume 24, Issue

Increasing amounts of information are being made available to patients – but how do we know if we are getting it right and meeting people's needs? In this article, we describe how we have employed user testing to test and improve not just…

How to write about coronavirus: Best practices for health writers - Volume 30, Issue

FOCUS ON FACTS AND EVIDENCE-BASED REPORTING 

what we know, not what we think might happen

AVOID FEAR-MONGERING

watch your language

Global perspectives on EDIB: Advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and Belonging in medical communications - Volume 33, Issue

The integration of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) principles within the field of medical communications is of paramount importance. EDIB principles, aligned with global guidelines on sustainability – encompassing labour…