12.05.2025
Advertising in a Medical Journal
This text is based on the Recommendations on Publication Ethics Policies for Medical Journals WAME.
Many scientific journals receive income from advertising or reprints, which almost always involves potential conflicts of interest. Editors' decisions should not be influenced by the cost of advertising or reprint printing. The functions of the editor and the advertising manager in a journal should be separate. Advertisers and sponsors should not have control over editorial decisions, regardless of the terms of advertising or other agreements.
Reprints should be published only in the form in which they were originally published in the journal (including subsequent corrections), so they should not contain additions or changes.
The content of special supplementary issues (if any) should be governed only by the editor's decisions, and should not be influenced by sponsors or advertisers.
Restrictions on the amount of advertising in the journal should be described and included in the journal's policies. If articles in supplementary issues undergo peer review that differs from the standard procedure adopted by the journal, this must be reflected on the journal's website.
Journals must have an official advertising policy, which must be available to all participants in the editorial and publishing process. In short: all advertisements must clearly identify the advertiser and the product or service offered. Advertisements for medicinal products must indicate the full name of each active ingredient.
Commercial advertising must not be placed next to any editorial or article discussing the advertised product, and it must not contain links to the issue of the journal in which it is placed.
Advertising content must be distinct from editorial and other materials so that the difference between them is obvious.
Advertising must not deceive or mislead. Advertising must not exaggerate the real characteristics of the advertised product. Advertising must not contain offensive religious, racial, or religious considerations.
Advertised products must be oriented towards medical practice, medical education or provision of medical care.
The journal must have the right to refuse to publish any advertisement for any reason. The decision to publish an advertisement must be made only with the participation of the editor and the editorial board of the journal.
