Editorial statement: duplicate publication

Journal

of Hospital

Infection

Editorial

(1991)

19, 81

statement:

duplicate

publication

Recent editorial statements ‘~4 in the medical literature on the subject of duplicate publication of scientific data reflect concern among journal editors The Journal of Hospital Infection that this is an increasing problem. regrettably has had experience of such an incident.5’6 In the Journal’s Instructions to Authors it is clearly stated that submission of a manuscript will be held to imply that the work is original, has not been accepted and will not be submitted for publication elsewhere without the Editor’s permission. The editors of the Journal of Hospital Infection acknowledge that it can be difficult to define what constitutes duplicate or redundant publication and are concerned about the trend. towards publishing several papers based on ‘different’ aspects of the same study. Prospective authors should fully inform the Editor of the facts relating to such circumstances so that decisions on acceptance can continue to be made in good faith. T. R. F. Rogers

Editor References 1. Bier DM, Fulginiti VA, Garfunkel JM et al. Duplicate publication and related problems. Pediatrics 1990; 86: 997-998. 2. Dobson RL. Dual publication and manipulation of the editorial process. J Am Acad Dermatol 1990; 23: 1181-l 182. J Antimicrob Chemother 1990; 25: 731-732. 3. Speller D. Double publication. 4. Editorial Comment. Notice of inadvertent duplicate publication. Br Med J 1990; 301: 1133 _.__.

5. Wenzel

RP, Maki DG, Crow S, Schaffner W, McGowan JE. Duplicate publication of a manuscript. Infect Control Hasp Epidemiol 1990; 11: 341-342. of a manuscript. Infect Control 6. Seto, WH, Ong SG, Ching TY. On duplicate publication Hasp Epidemiol 1990; 11: 336.

019556701/91/090081

+Ol

EO3.00/0

0

81

1991

The

Hospital

Infection

Society