Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) and epidemiology studies in the community are the most important research which always gets high preference. In addition there are other different types of studies which can also be included in original article but KAP studies and simple online or face to face surveys cannot be accepted as original article. However, unfortunately a vast majority of the healthcare professional’s particularly junior faculty members and young researchers are not fully aware of it. Not only that even some editors of biomedical journals published in Pakistan are also not aware of it hence they publish most of the manuscripts they receive as original articles. Since members of the regulatory bodies in Paksitan are not always academicians with research background they also fail to realize the importance of these studies with the result that many authors of survey reports, and KAP studies also manage to get credit equivalent to original research work which takes much longer period to complete and publish for promotion.
This issue came under discussion at the recent meeting of PM&DC Journals Evaluation Committee meeting as well hence it was decided that Guidelines on various studies which can be included and published as original articles should be finalized and published on PM&DC website and also shared with the medical profession and editors of biomedical journals. This was discussed among a few Medical Editors of Impact Factor Journals with few decades of experience and the draft guidelines which are being shared with the PM&DC regarding studies which can be covered as original article are as under:
“The papers covering following studies can be given credit for original article as primary studies:
- Randomized Control Trials (RCTs)
- Quasi experimental studies
- Cohort studies
- Case control studies
- Cross sectional studies
- Cross sectional descriptive studies
- Clinical Case series
- Retrospective studies
Secondary Studies - Systematic reviews
- Meta-analysis
- Note: A large community based exploratory studies can also be considered depending upon the subject covered
Writing Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis though come in secondary studies but requires lot of research work, hence they can also be given credit of original article. However, the editors of medical journals must mention the word original article only when the above mentioned studies are being published to avoid any confusion at the regulatory body level.
No KAP, simple online or face to face surveys on unimportant topics can be given credit of original article.
