Biomed Imaging Interv J 2006; 2(4):e54-13
doi: 10.2349/biij.2.4.e54-13
© 2006 Biomedical Imaging
and Intervention Journal
ABSTRACT
The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors
Martin van der Weyden
The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) was founded in 1978 by a group of medical journal editors meeting in Vancouver, Canada. Initially called the International Steering Committee this was soon changed to the ICMJE. It is also often referred to as the “Vancouver Group”.
Beginning as a movement to support standardisation of manuscripts and references, it soon produced the Uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to biomedical journals (the URM) in 1979. Over the years, the URM has grown and undergone at least five iterations (see www.icmje.org). In addition to details related to manuscript preparation and submission, it also offers guidance for ethical considerations in the conduct and reporting of research such as authorship and contributorship, the role of the editor and editorial freedom, peer review, conflict of interest, and privacy and confidentiality of patients and study participants. The URM also provides guidelines for issues related to publication such as corrections, retractions and expressions of concern, copyright, overlapping publication, and the relationship between journals and the general media. The journals currently represented on the ICMJE include: the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, Annals of Internal Medicine, the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the Lancet, the British Medical Journal, the Croatian Medical Journal, the Journal of the Danish Medical Association, the Dutch Journal of Medicine, the Norwegian Medical Journal, the Medical Journal of Australia, the New Zealand Medical Journal, along with the National Library of Medicine (MEDLINE). The authority of the ICMJE lies in its ability to speak with a unified and authoritative voice. It has no constitution, office bearers or budget and meets each year in a location nominated by the member journals. Of late, the ICMJE has taken on a more interventional role by publishing committee-written editorials (see www.icmje.org) published simultaneously by member journals. The evolution and success of the ICMJE over nearly 30 years is a testament that “a small group of decision makers unhampered by bureaucracy can accomplish much”.[1] - Huth EJ, Case K. The URM: twenty-five years old. Science Editor 2004; 27: 17-21.
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