Special Issues and Guest Editing

A special issue of Clinical Medicine and Pharmacology brings together work on a defined clinical or pharmacological question. It is an editorial collection, not a route around independent peer review. A conference presentation, invitation from a guest editor, institutional partnership or payment by a sponsor does not confer acceptance or reduce the protections applied to patients and the scholarly record.

Proposal and appointment

A proposal should explain the clinical rationale, intended readership, boundaries of the topic, proposed article types and the expertise of the guest editors. It should identify any manufacturer, professional society, conference organiser or institution providing support. The Co-Editors-in-Chief assess the proposal and approve appointments after checking qualifications and conflicts. The public call identifies guest editors and their affiliations, the submission route and applicable charges.

Scope and clinical safeguards

Every paper must fall within CMP’s scope and satisfy its requirements for research ethics, trial registration, informed consent, reporting and data transparency. A collection devoted to a drug or device must allow critical findings and safety evidence; sponsorship cannot limit conclusions to favourable results. Conference organisers must disclose earlier abstracts or proceedings so that overlap and rights can be assessed.

Review and decision authority

Guest editors may coordinate subject advice but operate within CMP’s documented review process. Substantive manuscripts require double-anonymous assessment by at least two independent external reviewers who are not members of the editorial team or board, as specified in Peer Review. The Co-Editors-in-Chief retain oversight and responsibility for final editorial standards and may reassign a manuscript, obtain another review or decline a collection that cannot meet those standards. Guest editors must not guarantee publication, select unverified reviewers or allow organisers to control decision letters.

Guest editor submissions and concentration

A guest editor’s own contribution, or a submission involving a close collaborator or another material conflict, is handled entirely by an independent qualified editor. The affected guest editor cannot access confidential reports or influence the decision. Papers submitted by the guest editors must not exceed 25 percent of the special issue’s total published papers. CMP also monitors editorial involvement across recent issues so that a collection does not become an internal publication channel.

Publication and continuing responsibility

The collection’s editorial introduction distinguishes its scientific purpose from any financial support and identifies departures from the ordinary article workflow. Changes in guest editors, scope or sponsorship require approval and an accurate public notice. Once articles are published, complaints and corrections remain the journal’s responsibility even if the guest appointment has ended. Reports of coordinated manipulation are assessed article by article and may lead to further review or withdrawal of the proposed collection. Questions or supporting documents should be sent through the CMP editorial office at cmpeditorialoffice@jandoopress.com, identifying the manuscript number or article DOI where available.

Last updated: 17 September 2026