THE JOURNAL OMBUDSMAN: A PRECURSOR TO A SCIENTIFIC PRESS COUNCIL?
Richard Horton
The Lancet, 42 Bedford Sq, London WC1B 3SL, UK
Altman et al were the first to call for the creation of an international medical and scientific press council (JAMA. 1994;272:166-67). The concern that editors may abuse the trust and power invested in them by authors, readers, and publishers had grown with the careful documentation of instances of unambiguous editorial misconduct. Altman et al invited the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors to "explore possible procedures for allowing authors' grievances to be heard and for possible sanctions if complaints are upheld." However, an obstacle seemed to be the logistic complexity of coordinating, at the international level, an appeals procedure through a single body. In an effort to open wider discussion about editorial accountability, The Lancet established an ombudsman in July 1996 (Lancet.1996;48:6). Clear criteria, modeled on the UK Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, were drawn up. The ombudsman could investigate delays in handling manuscripts and letters; editorial discourtesy; failure to follow stated editorial procedures; failure to take reasonable account of representations by authors and readers; and challenges to the publishing ethics of the journal. Complaints about the substance of editorial decisions were ruled out of the ombudsman's remit. After 6 months, the ombudsman had received 8 complaints. These, and others submitted during 1997, will be reviewed. The effects of this initiative on The Lancet's editorial process will also be discussed. Does this journal's experience support a case for wider implementation of the ombudsman concept among scientific journals?
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