New freedom for new editor-in-chief of Canadian Medical Association Journal
The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) has a new editor-in-chief, the outcome of months of dispute and disagreement over editorial independence.
Apparently, the new editor, Paul Hébert of Ottawa, a critical care physician, will be enjoying not only greater freedom from interference by the association, but also an enhanced budget to improve the quality and quantity of the research that the journal publishes, at least according to what he told the Canadian Press. Dr. Hébert called it "the job of a lifetime"
The CMAJ's reputation took a battering when the long-time editor-in-chief, Dr. John Hoey and his deputy, senior editor Ann Marie Todkill, were fired by the CMA board. The magazine had been "privatized" under a separate division and there were serious disagreements between the editors and the publisher, Graham Morris, over editorial integrity. There were more resignations, including most of the magazine's advisory board and serious talk about starting a rival medical journal, possibly online.
The dispute got the CMAJ a black eye on the pages of the New York Times and the New England Journal of Medicine. Finally, it had to strike an expert panel to look into the issue of governance. Even that didn't run smooth, with the panel chairman resigning partway through for reasons of health. Eventually, Dick Pound, perhaps better known as the czar of the organization fighting doping in sport, took the chair and a report was issued that recommended clear guidelines for the editorial independence of the journal.
The journal has, until now, had an acting editor in chief in Dr. Noni MacDonald, who wrote a departing editorial in the December issue. Dr. Hébert , whose appointment was announced in a release by the CMA, praised her work through the difficult interregnum. "My sense is, let's just move on from here," he told CP.
Here are but some of the previous postings about this tangled affair:
Apparently, the new editor, Paul Hébert of Ottawa, a critical care physician, will be enjoying not only greater freedom from interference by the association, but also an enhanced budget to improve the quality and quantity of the research that the journal publishes, at least according to what he told the Canadian Press. Dr. Hébert called it "the job of a lifetime"
The CMAJ's reputation took a battering when the long-time editor-in-chief, Dr. John Hoey and his deputy, senior editor Ann Marie Todkill, were fired by the CMA board. The magazine had been "privatized" under a separate division and there were serious disagreements between the editors and the publisher, Graham Morris, over editorial integrity. There were more resignations, including most of the magazine's advisory board and serious talk about starting a rival medical journal, possibly online.
The dispute got the CMAJ a black eye on the pages of the New York Times and the New England Journal of Medicine. Finally, it had to strike an expert panel to look into the issue of governance. Even that didn't run smooth, with the panel chairman resigning partway through for reasons of health. Eventually, Dick Pound, perhaps better known as the czar of the organization fighting doping in sport, took the chair and a report was issued that recommended clear guidelines for the editorial independence of the journal.
The journal has, until now, had an acting editor in chief in Dr. Noni MacDonald, who wrote a departing editorial in the December issue. Dr. Hébert , whose appointment was announced in a release by the CMA, praised her work through the difficult interregnum. "My sense is, let's just move on from here," he told CP.
Here are but some of the previous postings about this tangled affair:
CMA Journal editors fired
New England Journal of Medicine looks north
The money elephant in the corner
Follow the money at the CMA...
CMA accepts recommendations for editorial independence at its journal
posted by D. B. Scott at
5:15 am
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