Medical Journals Tighten Rules on Author Conflicts

Stung by persistent concerns over bias, at least a dozen medical journals — including The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and the Journal of the American Medical Association — are planning even tougher rules on the disclosure by their authors of possible conflicts of interest in their research, even covering religious and political affiliations, The Wall Street Journal reported. The effort includes standardizing what researchers report to journals through the use of a uniform disclosure form, developed by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.