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…

From the Editor - On social media: Once a passive observer – now an active user - Volume 30, Issue

It is with great pleasure that I write my first editorial for this amazing issue on social media. The idea of this issue came to me in 2019, inspired by two special colleagues.

I had social media accounts even before I became a medical writer. I rec…

Medicines information for patients: Insights into research and practice for medical writers - Volume 21, Issue

Many people do not take their medicines as prescribed, and medicines can cause harm if not used appropriately. In addition, in most health systems there is increasing discussion about involving patients in decisions about their health – including…

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 in paediatrics: Children and the future - Volume 21, Issue

‘Children are one-third of our population and all of our future.’ Select Panel for the Promotion of Child Health, 1981 With the falling birth rate I wonder if they still are a third of the population, but there is no doubt that they are our…

Datavision™ – What do medical writers need to know? - Volume 23, Issue

Datavision™ is a publication planning software tool that is widely used across the healthcare industry to manage publication programmes. Medical writers are one of the key Datavision user groups, and need to know how to use the elements of the…

Getting more out of PowerPoint® - Volume 23, Issue

PowerPoint® is unavoidable in today's society. It is equally loved and hated. Although it is ubiquitous, many users of the program fail to understand why their presentations are not achieving the desired effects. The answer to this lies in part…

Gained in Translation - Volume 25, Issue

Welcome to the Translation Section editorial! The Italian word Itangliano means Italian that is very much influenced by the English language and most of all it refers to the great presence of English words that are not adapted into Italian.…

News from the EMA - Volume 31, Issue

EMA is putting in place special support to developers to replace, reduce and refine animal use for the development, manufacturing and testing of human and veterinary medicines. The Agency is promoting these three principles replace, reduce and…

Non-clinical health writing - Volume 23, Issue

We medical writers have a unique and valuable skill set, which includes, most notably, the ability to understand and clearly communicate complex medical information. We are also experts at working with multifunctional teams, compiling detailed…