Editorial Submissions

The Editor welcomes editorial submissions and enquiries to The Journal of Complementary Medicine. Due to its busy readership’s time constraints, however, the Journal regrettably cannot publish full-text original research articles, systematic reviews or meta-analyses. Editorial emphasis is on material that is relevant to its readership’s clinical practice.

Generally, the editorial style is as concise, practical and straightforward as possible, and sensitive to its readership’s scientific background. Clinical content should be evidence-based, endnoted in Vancouver style, and may be subject to peer review. Contact the Editor for more information.

Commercial promotional material is not run in editorial — contact Sales & Marketing for advertising and advertorial enquiries.

There are a number of ways in which editorial can be contributed to the JCM:

• Letters to the Editor — these can address any topic related to natural healthcare, but their publication will depend on their relevance and interest to readers. They should be no more than 200 words and may be edited. Correspondents not wishing their letter to be published should advise that their letter is not for publication

• News Briefs — short news items on issues affecting complementary health and its interface in mainstream primary healthcare, both in Australia and abroad. Material of interest usually includes relevant media releases, epidemiological studies, population surveys, clinical trials or published reviews or meta-analyses

• Acute & Chronic — comprehensive, evidence-based review articles on complementary treatments for health conditions and complaints that commonly present in surgeries or pharmacies. Each condition has the evidence of the most popular or researched modalities used to prevent or manage it reviewed *

• Therapy in Focus — a complementary therapy or practice reviewed for its background, theory, techniques, evidence, patient assessment and treatment, education, regulation, professional associations and integration with mainstream medical treatment *

• At Work — practical articles for GPs or pharmacists, explaining how complementary medicines or therapies can be integrated with their clinical practice. This section is more freestyle than others in the Journal, and articles may include particular interventions for specific conditions, peripheral issues, commentary or case studies

• Botanical Medicine — includes a monograph on a commonly used herbal medicine, commentary on a topical issue by a phytotherapist, and a review article on Herb–Drug Interactions by the University of Sydney’s Herbal Medicines Research and Education Centre * CPE

• Debates & Issues — debates usually involve two parties adopting an argument for and against a specific proposition; issues involve a few or several parties addressing one of the many topical issues in complementary medicine.*

•Lifestyle — reviews of therapies or conditions that are closely associated to lifestyle factors that patients can readily engage with and that primary healthcare practitioners may prescribe or recommend*

•Nutrition Notes — reports, commentary or analyses of nutrients or nutraceuticals and their role in health maintenance or disease treatment*

•Functional Foods — the interface between therapy and diet, where foods with specific health benefit beyond their inherent nutritional value are used to prevent or treat health conditions*

• Diet Analysis — popular diets, whether for weight loss, therapeutic intervention or general health maintenance, reviewed for their impact and advice on how to manage a patient who goes on one. *

• Women’s Health — reviews on complementary treatments available for diseases and conditions more relevant to female health. Women are prime consumers of complementary medicine, so the JCM devotes a section to natural therapies they use. *

• Journal Digest — short summaries of recently published articles on complementary, integrative and natural medicine from the world’s biomedical journals. If you know a study that may be worth summarising, contact the Editor

• On the Fringe — a brief review of a modality or medicine that may not have scientific evidence to support its use, but which may be of therapeutic interest to consumers and hence their primary healthcare practitioners.

• Resource Review – reviews of recently published books, websites or CD–ROMs on complementary or integrative medicine. If you would like to review a resource or can recommend one suitable for review, contact the Editor

• Reference Section — a MIMS-style, fact-based essential reading section with cut-out-and-keep value. If you have data that readers would consider indispensable, contact the Editor

• Professional Development — a calendar of events for readers, listing relevant conferences, exhibitions, trade shows, seminars, courses, symposia and workshops. For inclusion of an event, contact the Editor

• Complement Fixation — irreverent comment from the coalface of integrative medical practice. If you have anything that may amuse its author, contact The Chimera

* These articles are peer reviewed by the Editorial Board or other appropriate authorities
CPE These articles accredited for Continuing Pharmacy Education by the Australian College of Pharmacy Practice, see Continuing Education