International wound journal obtains MEDLINE listing

Our editorials in recent editions have mentioned our application to MEDLINE. We are delighted to report that we have been successful on our first application at listing. This is a significant milestone for our journal and is symbolic of the quality of the papers we have published and the importance of the subject we are dealing with in the field of medicine. Many of our readers will be familiar with MEDLINE but few may be aware of the rigorous review process. In view of the significance of this event, we have combined our editorials to explain what MEDLINE is, its significance and the assessment procedure and criteria, providing some insight as to the importance of this achievement to the future of the IWJ. MEDLINE is the world's most comprehensive source of life sciences and biomedical bibliographic information. It contains nearly 11 million records from more than 7300 different publications dating from 1965. As of January, 2006, there are some 4959 journals being indexed for MEDLINE. The world-wide users of MEDLINE are researchers, health care practitioners, educators, administrators and students. Users can select from a variety of search interfaces. Results can be downloaded in a variety of formats, including the most popular citation management software. MEDLINE is the primary component of PubMed®. The decision whether or not to index a journal for this service is an important one and is made by the Director of the National Library of Medicine, based on considerations of both scientific policy and scientific quality. As a result of these reviews, currently indexed titles may be dropped and new titles added. A selection and review committee meets three times a year and considers approximately 140 titles at each meeting. Journals are assessed according to guidelines that cover a number of critical elements to ensure the most appropriate coverage of biomedical subjects. The elements of a journal that are considered include the following: The journals brought to the Committee for review will contain articles predominantly on core biomedical subjects. A journal whose content is predominantly a subject peripheral or related to biomedicine is occasionally brought to the Committee when they have some biomedical content. In these cases, the Committee's advice is sought not only on the quality of the content but also on the contribution it makes to the coverage of the subjects in question. Generally, such journals will not be indexed if their biomedical content is already adequately covered. Scientific merit of a journal's content is the primary consideration in selecting journals for indexing. The validity, importance, originality and contribution to the coverage of the field of the overall contents of each title are the key factors considered in recommending a title for indexing, whatever the intended purpose and audience. The journal should demonstrate features that contribute to the objectivity, credibility and quality of its contents. These features may include information about the methods of selecting articles, especially on the explicit process of external peer review; statements indicating adherence to ethical guidelines; evidence that authors have disclosed financial conflicts of interest; timely correction of errata; explicit responsible retractions as appropriate and opportunity for comments and dissenting opinion. Neither the advertising content nor commercial sponsorship should raise questions about the objectivity of the published material. Sponsorship by national or international professional societies may be considered. Quality of the layout, printing, graphics and illustrations are all considered in assessing a journal. MEDLINE is intended primarily for those in the health professions: researchers, practitioners, educators, administrators and students. The phrase health professionals includes physicians, nurses, dentists, veterinarians and the many types of allied health professionals in the research and health care delivery systems. Journals whose contents consist of one or more of the following types of information will be considered for indexing: Reports of original research Original clinical observations accompanied by analysis and discussion Analysis of philosophical, ethical or social aspects of the health professions or biomedical sciences Critical reviews Statistical compilations Descriptions of evaluation of methods or procedures Case reports with discussions All of these forms of information should be included in MEDLINE to fulfill the needs of users. However, coverage of a field tends to create a priority approximately parallel to the order in which the types are listed. For example, journals reporting original research are more likely to contain unique contributions to the coverage of a field and therefore are selected more often than those that contain only case reports. Criteria for selection are the same as for those written in English. To extend the accessibility of the journal's content to a wider potential readership, the majority of published articles in the review issues must contain an English-language abstract before the title will be considered for possible indexing. The highest quality and most useful journals are selected without regard for place of publication. To provide broad international coverage, special attention is given to research, public health, and epidemiology, standards of health care and indigenous diseases. Journals will generally not be selected for indexing if the contents are subjects already well represented in MEDLINE or that are being published for a local audience. We cannot underestimate the importance of this achievement for the journal and the subject of wound healing. We are only the second journal focused on this subject to be listed on MEDLINE, and we believe we are rapidly becoming the leading international reference source for clinically orientated work in this area. This development is a symptom of the increasing recognition and importance of the subject of wound healing. In the UK in 2006, there will be the first national wounds day on 22 June. At the same time, the well-established Oxford Summer School will be running, and there is an international meeting on Negative Pressure Therapy in Brighton. The previous week, the Wound Healing Research Unit in Cardiff will celebrate its 15th birthday and an ABC series on wound healing aimed at doctors and medical students will be published. These activities coupled with the emerging plans for the second World Union of Wound Healing Societies meeting in Toronto in 2008 provide evidence of the rapidly changing and increasingly high profile of wound healing as a subject. •Editor-in-ChiefProf. Keith Harding •EditorDr Douglas Queen •StatisticianProf. Patricia Price •Editorial ExecutivesProf. David Armstrong Dr Paul Banwell Dr Kyoichi Matsuzaki Prof. Christine Moffatt Heather Orsted Prof. Marco Romanelli Prof. Hiromi Sanada Prof. Gregory Schultz Prof. Gary Sibbald Prof. Mike Stacey Geoff Sussman Dr Luc Téot •Editorial OfficeInternational Wound JournalPO Box 2394 Cardiff CF23 9WQ UK •Editorial AssistantSue Harding •Production EditorEmer Allan Prof. Zulifiqarali Abbas, Tanzania Prof. Bishara Atiyeh, Lebanon Dr Adrian Barbul, USA Suzie Calne, UK Dr Robertto Cassino, Italy Dr Celalettin Çelebi, Turkey Dr George Cherry, UK Dr Mike Clark, UK Dr Diane Cooper, USA Dr Ian Darby, Australia Dr Jeff Davidson, USA Dr Sebastian Debus, Germany Dr William Ennis, USA Dr Vincent Falanga, USA Dr Mieke Flour, Belgium Evonne Fowler, USA Prof. Peter Franks, UK Prof. Xiabong Fu, China Prof. Finn Gottrup, Denmark David Gray, UK Dr Satsue Hagisawa, Japan Dr Eva-Lisa Heinrichs, UK Dr Dirk Hollander, Germany Dr Joon Pio Hong, Korea Dr Pamela Houghton, Canada Prof. Kent Jönsson, Zimbabwe Dr David Keast, Canada Dr Kazuo Kishi, Japan Dr Diane Krasner, USA Dr Stephan Landis, Arab Emirates Prof. David Leaper, UK Dr Luis Fernando Lira, Mexico Dr Courtney Lyder, USA Dr Mario Marazzi, Italy Dr Sylvie Meaume, France Dr Joe McCulloch, USA Yvette Moulin, Canada Dr Manoj Pandey, India Nancy Parslow, Canada Prof. Hugo Partsch, Austria Prof. Hermelinda Pedrosa, Brazil Dr Elaine Pina, Portugal Dr Elia Ricci, Italy Dr Ricardo Roa, Chile Dr George Rodeheaver, USA Dr Jose Contreras Ruiz, Mexico Prof. Vijay Shukla, India Dr Mark Tang, Singapore Cath Vowden, UK Dr Peter Vowden, UK

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