This week’s round of #MedComms insights focuses on adaptability in medical publications, therapeutic area narratives and authorship transparency.
ISMPP Europe 2026: The evolving role of medical publications
The 2026 European Meeting of the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals (ISMPP) in London brought together more than 400 professionals to explore how the field is evolving in an era defined by efficiency and artificial intelligence (AI). A keynote by leadership coach Michael Siller addressed the tension between speed and quality, highlighting resilience, adaptability and trust as critical factors for maintaining academic rigor while using AI.
Speakers emphasised the importance of establishing patient partnership in publications, maintaining clarity and safeguarding research integrity to overcome challenges such as peer review fatigue and predatory publishing. Several sessions also explored the risks associated with the use of AI.
Exploring the impact of therapeutic area narratives
Capturing the attention of healthcare professionals in a crowded information landscape is an ongoing challenge for pharmaceutical companies. A strategic tool that these companies employ is the therapeutic area narrative. A scientific story, narratives align a company’s research and service across multiple assets.
In a recent discussion on Transforming Medical Communications, experts highlighted how a well-developed narrative strengthens collaboration between the company’s teams. According to the speakers, Medical Affairs plays a vital role in combining scientific expertise and communication to ensure that narratives remain credible and meaningful. They highlighted that trust grows when messaging is consistent and clearly articulated – giving healthcare professionals a reliable sense of a company’s scientific vision.
Authorship transparency and ethical publishing
Clear authorship attribution is a cornerstone of ethical scientific communication. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides widely adopted guidance to help determine who qualifies as an author and who should be acknowledged as a contributor.
The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) recently published an article that educates readers on the ICMJE recommendations and their importance for any medical writer working in publications. According to these recommendations, individuals must meet four criteria to be considered authors. Those who contribute but do not fulfil the criteria should be acknowledged properly.
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