December 20, 2010 – Briarcliff Manor, NY - The International Society for Medical Publications Professionals (ISMPP) has released a newly updated ISMPP Code of Ethics.
Revisions to the Code were undertaken by the ISMPP Ethics Committee to ensure that the ethical principles governing the conduct of medical publications professionals remain up to date and consistent with evolving perspectives on the profession.
While the ethical principles underpinning the medical publication profession have not changed since the Code was first released in 2007, the Ethics Committee determined that the document could be strengthened by making a number of key additions and amendments:
• The Code now refers to Ethics Principles governing ISMPP member conduct rather than Guidelines, which could be perceived as optional or less definitive.
• The wording of the Code has been strengthened throughout so that the ethical principles are stated more definitively; for example, wording such as "avoid" and "refrain from" has been replaced by words such as "oppose".
• The revised Code adopts a more positive tone, with listing ethical principles that ISMPP would like to encourage first and unethical conduct that ISMPP wishes to discourage listed towards the end of each section.
• A new subsection on ethical principles underpinning publication planning activities has been included.
ISMPP will host a webinar for its membership on January 20, 2011 in order to provide further details regarding the Code update and explain how members can act as advocates for the revised document.
“It is very timely for ISMPP to release this updated code, which continues to raise the bar and calls upon publication professionals to think about how they can more actively encourage others at act in accord with the highest ethical standards,” according to Julia Ralston, President of ISMPP.
ISMPP developed the Code of Ethics to serve as a professional resource for publication planners, medical writers and communicators, editors, publishers, and other professionals that ISMPP members represent. The updated Code has been released as part of ISMPP's continuing mission to drive integrity, excellence, and transparency in medical publications.
The updated ISMPP Code of Ethics is available for download at www.ismpp.org, under the ISMPP Policies and Publications tab.
About the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals: ISMPP is an independent non-profit professional association with members from the pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology industries; publication planning and medical communication companies; academia; and medical journal staff, including editors and publishers. Its goals are to support the educational needs of medical publication professionals and to develop best practices that ensure the rigorous maintenance of all ethical standards for reporting results of medical research. Additional information about ISMPP is available by contacting the organization's Executive Director, Kimberly Goldin (phone: 914-945- 0507; email: kgoldin@ismpp.org), or online at http://www.ismpp.org/.
Revisions to the Code were undertaken by the ISMPP Ethics Committee to ensure that the ethical principles governing the conduct of medical publications professionals remain up to date and consistent with evolving perspectives on the profession.
While the ethical principles underpinning the medical publication profession have not changed since the Code was first released in 2007, the Ethics Committee determined that the document could be strengthened by making a number of key additions and amendments:
• The Code now refers to Ethics Principles governing ISMPP member conduct rather than Guidelines, which could be perceived as optional or less definitive.
• The wording of the Code has been strengthened throughout so that the ethical principles are stated more definitively; for example, wording such as "avoid" and "refrain from" has been replaced by words such as "oppose".
• The revised Code adopts a more positive tone, with listing ethical principles that ISMPP would like to encourage first and unethical conduct that ISMPP wishes to discourage listed towards the end of each section.
• A new subsection on ethical principles underpinning publication planning activities has been included.
ISMPP will host a webinar for its membership on January 20, 2011 in order to provide further details regarding the Code update and explain how members can act as advocates for the revised document.
“It is very timely for ISMPP to release this updated code, which continues to raise the bar and calls upon publication professionals to think about how they can more actively encourage others at act in accord with the highest ethical standards,” according to Julia Ralston, President of ISMPP.
ISMPP developed the Code of Ethics to serve as a professional resource for publication planners, medical writers and communicators, editors, publishers, and other professionals that ISMPP members represent. The updated Code has been released as part of ISMPP's continuing mission to drive integrity, excellence, and transparency in medical publications.
The updated ISMPP Code of Ethics is available for download at www.ismpp.org, under the ISMPP Policies and Publications tab.
About the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals: ISMPP is an independent non-profit professional association with members from the pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology industries; publication planning and medical communication companies; academia; and medical journal staff, including editors and publishers. Its goals are to support the educational needs of medical publication professionals and to develop best practices that ensure the rigorous maintenance of all ethical standards for reporting results of medical research. Additional information about ISMPP is available by contacting the organization's Executive Director, Kimberly Goldin (phone: 914-945- 0507; email: kgoldin@ismpp.org), or online at http://www.ismpp.org/.