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Editorials

Academia–Pharma Intersect: Providing a Broader Perspective on Drug Development Synergies between Academia and Industry

Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; and Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston Massachusetts, USA

Disclosures: Bruce A. Chabner: Employment: Partners HealthCare; Intellectual property rights: Trimetrexate: Ownership interest: Zeltia (PharmaMar), Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Epizyme, Cougar, Curis, Aptium.

In the discussions and debates about ghostwriting and pharmaceutical-industry-sponsored manuscripts, at times the public, Congress, and the academic community lose sight of the tangible contribution of the pharmaceutical industry to the development of valuable new treatments, and the expansion of knowledge about why drugs work and why they fail. This valuable work is often done in collaboration with academic investigators, supported by industry. Much of this work is reported as original research in major journals. However, the broader perspective, as presented in well-written papers that review a drug or drug class, also deserves to be heard. By closing the door to manuscripts written and supported by industry, we stand the chance of losing valuable insights and useful experience. The Editors of this journal have personally reviewed and have seen the value of some of these papers, which we have heretofore rejected, and we have pondered how to create an opportunity for their publication.

We have come to the conclusion that we should offer an alternative for industry-sponsored or supported reviews. We will, therefore, introduce a new section of the journal, Academia–Pharma Intersect, with Professor H. M. Pinedo, M.D., Ph.D., and Howard A. Burris III, M.D., as Section Editors. The new section will publish papers sponsored and supported by industry, but including academic contributors. All authors must affirm responsibility for the content of their paper, and all authors, including professional medical writers hired by the company, will be identified in the byline. These industry-sponsored papers, which are expected to include information about the broader range of therapeutic options relevant to the discussion, will be peer reviewed and must meet standards of objectivity and fairness.

Our intent is to provide the same high quality of content found in the rest of the Journal, but from the broader perspective found at that intersection where academia and industry meet.

Bruce A. Chabner, M.D.
Editor-in-Chief, The Oncologist
Clinical Director
Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center

The Academia–Pharma Intersect

A new section of The Oncologist

Dr. Bruce A. Chabner, Editor-in-Chief:

For the regular monthly issues of The Oncologist, we will accept papers for peer review only if the article is written, endorsed, and offered for publication by all the authors identified in the byline. In consideration of the role of a commercial entity and its employees in offering papers describing original, previously unpublished research, we accept that a company has a necessary role in reporting the work. If a company employee participates in the design and execution of a clinical trial and/or takes part in the writing and editing of the manuscript describing that trial, it is not only appropriate but it is necessary that the employee be recognized as an author. The reporting of original research involving a company product may be assisted by a professional writer hired by the company to organize and/or expedite the manuscript's submission. This assistance must be acknowledged by the authors. However, if the actual writing of the article is done by a professional medical writer, the article will be considered for publication only when the professional writer is included as an author and the role explicitly acknowledged.

With regard to scholarly reviews, we will accept for peer review manuscripts that are written by academic researchers and professional writers who are identified in the byline. The authors must attest that the paper represents their own work, for which they take full responsibility, and not the work or sole opinion of a commercial entity. Professional writers should be included as authors when they draft or otherwise substantially contribute to the manuscript. If a professional writer edits the manuscript, the nature and source of the financial support for that role must be clearly described in the manuscript.

Manuscripts written by a professional medical writer, supported directly or indirectly by a party with a commercial interest in the content of the article, will be considered for peer-accepted publication in the new section of the Journal called The Academia–Pharma Intersect, as described in the accompanying editorial statement.

The Oncologist's editors and editorial board are responsible for the strict peer-review, acceptance or rejection of all submissions.

Section Editors: H. M. Pinedo, M.D., Ph.D.; Howard A. Burris III, M.D.

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This Article Free via Open Access: OA Full Text (PDF) OA All Versions of this Article: theoncologist.2009-0338v1 theoncologist.2009-0338v2 15/1/1    most recent eLetters: Submit a response to this article Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services E-mail this article link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints/Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Google Scholar Articles by Chabner, B. A. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Chabner, B. A.