Publisher Elsevier to revise journal sponsorship rules

Elsevier, the publisher of some of the top medical and scientific journals in the world, says it will revise its guidelines on partnering with pharmaceutical companies following controversy over a fake journal.

Elsevier published the Australasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine without disclosing that the journal was sponsored by the pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. The publication contained information favourable to Merck products.

"Elsevier will review practices related to all article reprint, compilation or custom publications and set out guidelines on content, permission, use of imprint and repackaging to ensure that such publications are not confused with Elsevier's core peer-reviewed journals and that the sponsorship of any publication is clearly disclosed," the company said in a statement on Thursday.

The company expects to complete its review and issue new guidelines by June 30.

An internal review showed a series of publications produced in Australia between 2000 and 2005 used the words "Journal of" in their name but lacked proper disclosure of sponsors, were not, in fact, journals and should not have been titled as such, the company said.

The Australasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine was the only title identified as having a single undisclosed sponsor. Another eight "Journal of" titles included ads from multiple advertisers.

Michael Hansen, CEO of Elsevier Health Sciences, added he wanted to assure authors, editors and customers that the integrity of the company's peer-reviewed research journals "has not been compromised in any way."

The company said the Australian journal series was an isolated practice led by former employees in a local pharmaceutical services division.

In a statement last month, Merck said it "agrees with Elsevier about the importance of appropriate disclosure of financial support, and we remain committed to providing journals with the information that permits such disclosures to be made."

Merck's statement went on to say the company "understood that Elsevier envisaged the complimentary publication would draw on the vast resources of Elsevier … to deliver novel and timely full text articles and abstracts to physicians."