If a misinformed voice speaks out in the wilderness and no one refutes it, does it make a sound? A call to advocacy - Volume 22, Issue

The pharmaceutical industry has been a soft target for many years. Attacks by journalists, politicians, and the lay public tend to be triggered by publications with which professional medical writers are associated. Fault is found, either in the…

Attribution, advocacy, disposable authors, corporate ghosts and cultural assimilation: new themes in the ethical critique of commercial medical literature - Volume 25, Issue

This interview provides solutions to some of the common pitfalls that face medical writers when working with large teams. Practical tips are provided on key topics including manuscript planning, agreeing on key messages and the use of figures,…

Connecting through screens: Navigating relationships with patients and advocacy groups in a digital world - Volume 33, Issue

As a Healthcare Publications Editor at Karger Publishers, I write, edit, and oversee the development of patient information resources in our Fast Facts for Patients series. Soft skills are vital in my role at Karger, where we are committed to…

Medical Communications and Writing for Patients - Volume 33, Issue

Section Editor: Lisa Chamberlain James

Involving patients in company-sponsored medical publications: Learning from collaboration with a patient advocacy group to engage patient authors

Authors: Aki Yoshikawa, Atsuko Iwata, Miho Hatano, Yuko Koji…

Science writing workshops for AIDS vaccine researchers in Africa - Volume 22, Issue

The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) is a global scientific and advocacy organisation dedicated to ensuring an AIDS vaccine for use worldwide. In Africa, IAVI partners with seven research centres who conduct vaccine trials and studies.…

A decade of change: A new ISMPP has arrived - Volume 22, Issue

Founded originally as a not-for-profit society to provide education, advocacy, and best practices for those involved in medical publication planning, the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals (ISMPP) has grown in size to over…

Creation of a patient-centric patient lay summary in the local language - Volume 26, Issue

Prior to this project, no patient lay summary (PLS) had ever been developed locally in Japan. In order to create a PLS that is more tailored to local patients, we attempted to develop one in and for Japanese. Such PLS was drafted based on the…

Profile: An Interview with Michael Markie - an open science and open data advocate - Volume 26, Issue

Medical writers commonly are hired to write for traditional journals targeting the highest possible impact factor. However, as medical writers, we should be aware of alternative options. In September last year, I had the pleasure to meet Michael…

Partnering with patient associations: Engaging medical writers to support health literacy for patients - Volume 29, Issue

As patients are increasingly involved in healthcare decisions, there is a growing need for them to have access to appropriate health information. Medical writers, being a link between medical research and published data, are well placed to make…

Out on our own - Volume 25, Issue

Editorial This is the last OOOO edited by Kathryn White and Alistair Reeves, with Sam Hamilton in the background. After many years all three stepped down from their freelance advocate activities at the conference in The Hague, and have handed the…