About NEJMEditorial Policies
Pre-Publication Policies
No Prior Publication
The NEJM expects that the articles it publishes will not have been published or released elsewhere before they are published in NEJM. Referred to by many as “the Ingelfinger Rule,” this policy exists for two reasons: to allow time for the independent peer review of scientific findings before public dissemination and to protect the originality of content. The rule also asks that author-researchers not release the details of their findings to the mass media before their work can undergo peer review and be published. Most medical journals have similar rules in place.
Further discussion can be found in past editorials written on this topic:
The Ingelfinger Rule Revisited (November 7, 1991)
The Ingelfinger Rule (October 1, 1981)
Definition of “Sole Contribution” (September 18, 1969)
Embargo Policy
Like most medical journals, NEJM employs an embargo system. NEJM content is made available on the Friday before publication to qualifying journalists who agree not to publish stories before Wednesday at 5PM Eastern time. There are two fundamental reasons for our embargo: it allows the media time to report accurately on complex and important new research findings, and it allows subscribers to read and understand the full reports in NEJM before media reports on them appear, which often leads patients to ask their physicians for interpretation and guidance.
When the information concerns a matter of immediate interest to the public health, the NEJM provides expedited peer review and expedited online publication. Articles may be published online in advance of print for reasons other than public health implications, including to coincide with a presentation at a medical meeting, or because the topic is timely.
Medical Meetings and Government Oversight
Presenting research at a scientific meeting or submitting results to a government oversight board prior to publication does not violate NEJM’s policies.
For more information:
Internet-Only Publication (Aug 2, 2001)
Prepublication Release of Journal Articles (Dec 11, 1997)
Redundant Publication: A Reminder (Aug 17, 1995)
Post-Publication and Access Policies
Six months after publication, free full text of all Original Articles and Special Articles is available at NEJM.org. Additional material may be made free at the editors’ discretion. Other article types are available only to subscribers or for purchase.
NEJM makes unrestricted online access free to more than 100 low-income countries.
If an article arose from research funded by a not-for-profit organization that requires authors to submit to a publicly available, not-for-profit repository (such as the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed Central), the researchers may submit the final published version of the paper for public posting six months after publication.
A New Web Site and a New Policy (May 31, 2001)
Copyrights/Permissions
Material published in the New England Journal of Medicine (ISSN 0028-4793) and the New England Journal of Medicine Online (ISSN 1533-4406) is covered by copyright. All rights are reserved under United States and international copyright and other laws and conventions. No copyright is claimed to any work of the U.S. government.
For more information, see Permissions.
Peer Review/Publication Process
The New England Journal of Medicine employs a highly rigorous peer-review process to evaluate manuscripts for scientific accuracy, novelty, and importance.The peer-review process often works to improve research while preventing overstated results from reaching physicians and the public. The careful editing process often requires extensive revisions and assures detailed checking for accuracy.
For more information:
Peer Review in the Balance (May 22, 2008)
Too Close to Call (when one of our editors submits a paper; September 13, 2001)
Tracking the Peer Review Process (November 16, 2000)
In Search of Perverse Polymorphisms (policy on genetic association studies; January 8, 1998)
The Journal's Policy on Cost-Effectiveness Analyses (September 8, 1994)
Statistics in Medicine — Reporting of Subgroup Analyses in Clinical Trials (November 22, 2007)
Authorship
It is the responsibility of every person listed as an author of an article published in NEJM to have contributed in a meaningful and identifiable way to the design, performance, analysis, and reporting of the work.
Prior to publication, we require authors to document their role by signing the following statement: “I, the undersigned, certify that I accept responsibility for the content of this article. I helped write this manuscript, and agree with the decisions about it. I meet the definition of an author as stated by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, and I have seen and approved the final manuscript. Neither the article nor any essential part of it, including tables or figures, will be published elsewhere before appearing in the Journal.”
For more information:
On Authors and Contributors (July 4, 2002)
Sponsorship, Authorship, and Accountability (September 13, 2001)
Financial Associations/Conflict of Interest
The New England Journal of Medicine is committed to publishing the highest quality research and reliable, authoritative review articles that are free from commercial influence.
For all research articles we publish, NEJM lists study sponsorship and all relevant financial information as disclosed by the authors. The disclosure forms of all authors are available online with the full text of each article. Additional information about the contributions of authors may also appear in the Methods section of research articles.
A separate policy applies to Review Articles and editorials, which comment on published articles but do not present new research. NEJM expects that authors of such articles not have any significant financial interest in any biomedical company relevant to the topics and products discussed in the article. When a prospective author does have financial ties to disclose, the editors decide whether they are relevant to the topic and whether they are de minimus.
None of the NEJM editors has any financial relationship with any biomedical company.
For more information:
Uniform Format for Disclosure of Competing Interests in ICMJE Journals (November 5, 2009)
Financial Associations of Authors (our current conflict of interest policy; June 13, 2002)
Full Disclosure and the Funding of Biomedical Research (April 24, 2008)
Clinical Trial Registration
In 2005, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) initiated a policy requiring investigators to deposit information about trial design into an accepted clinical trials registry before the onset of patient enrollment. This policy aims to ensure that information about the existence and design of clinically directive trials is publicly available.
Further discussion can be found in past editorials written on this topic:
Clinical Trial Registration — Looking Back and Moving Ahead (June 28, 2007)
Is This Clinical Trial Fully Registered? (June 9, 2005)
Clinical Trial Registration: A Statement from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (September 16, 2004)
