New guidance to empower patient authors

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Taylor & Francis has launched a new resource aimed at empowering patients to actively contribute to medical research publications. Guidance for Patient Authors offers clear, step-by-step instructions and resources to help patients navigate the publication journey.

Patients are increasingly involved in both research projects and reporting on findings, bringing their valuable perspectives to medical literature. However, patient authors typically have less familiarity with the publishing process than their research colleagues and may also have additional considerations for their involvement, such as the implications for confidentiality.

The new resource addresses these needs by going beyond standard authorship guidance, outlining what prospective patient authors should do and expect at each stage of the process. This includes how patient authors can contribute to an article, what information about themselves they will need to provide, and what happens after submission.

In addition, the guide will help those working alongside patient authors, such as pharmaceutical companies and medical communications agencies, understand the specific requirements for articles with patient authors. This includes adding ‘Patient Author’ as the title of their affiliation, to improve the visibility of patient-authored publications.

“We are excited to launch one of the first ever guides for patient authors,” said Dr Mithi Ahmed-Richards, Executive Editor for Current Medical Research & Opinion at Taylor & Francis. “We believe that including patients is crucial for producing more relevant and impactful medical research publications. This guide is therefore a significant step towards making knowledge more accessible and inclusive.”

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