Journal of the American Medical Association

Journal of the American Medical Association
source
Title	Journal of the American Medical Association
Abbreviation	JAMA
Discipline	Medicine
Publisher	American Medical Association
Country	United States
History	1883–present
Frequency	Weekly
Impact	157.335 (2024)

Journal of the American Medical Association is a weekly peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association. It is one of the oldest and most widely circulated general medical journals, serving clinicians, researchers, and policymakers across United States, United Kingdom, and international health communities. The publication is known for clinical research, systematic reviews, and editorials that influence practice in hospitals such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and institutions like Johns Hopkins Hospital.

History

Founded in 1883 during the presidency of Alton Ochsner's mentors and within the milieu of post‑Reconstruction professionalization, the journal evolved alongside institutions like Columbia University, Harvard Medical School, and University of Pennsylvania. Early editorial leadership intersected with figures associated with Flexner Report, American Public Health Association, and public health reforms influenced by events such as the 1918 influenza pandemic and the development of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Throughout the 20th century the journal published work related to breakthroughs at Rockefeller University, clinical trials from National Institutes of Health, and debates tied to legislation such as the Social Security Act. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries the journal adapted to digital publishing trends pioneered by organizations like The Lancet and New England Journal of Medicine.

Scope and Content

The journal covers original research, clinical trials, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, case reports, viewpoints, and editorials relevant to specialists at Massachusetts General Hospital, Stanford Health Care, and community clinics. Content spans specialties referenced by societies such as the American College of Physicians, American College of Cardiology, and American Academy of Pediatrics and topics intersecting with agencies like World Health Organization and Food and Drug Administration. Frequent subjects include cardiovascular disease studies tied to cohorts like the Framingham Heart Study, oncology research from centers such as MD Anderson Cancer Center, and infectious disease reports concerning pathogens studied at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

Editorial Process and Policies

Peer review follows practices comparable to journals like Nature Medicine and BMJ, with editorial oversight by committees that have included editors affiliated with Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and Yale School of Medicine. Policies address conflict of interest disclosures involving corporations such as Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and funding from agencies like the National Science Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Ethical standards reference historical precedents including debates after the Tuskegee syphilis experiment and regulations influenced by the Declaration of Helsinki and the Common Rule. The journal implements data sharing and reproducibility guidelines similar to guidance from International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.

Impact and Reception

The journal's influence is reflected in citation networks linking to work from Harvard School of Public Health, Imperial College London, and clinical guidelines from bodies such as the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association. It has affected public policy during crises like the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the 2009 swine flu pandemic, and the COVID‑19 pandemic, informing responses by entities including Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and international ministries of health. The title has been both lauded by institutions like National Academy of Medicine and critiqued in commentary by outlets including The New York Times and The Washington Post regarding editorial decisions and publication ethics.

Notable Publications and Controversies

Published landmark randomized controlled trials and reviews have involved investigators connected to Duke University School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, and University of Toronto. High-profile studies have influenced practice in cardiology, oncology, and infectious disease, and have intersected with controversies over industry ties exemplified by disputes involving Merck & Co., patent litigations referencing AbbVie, and retractions that prompted scrutiny similar to cases at The Lancet and Nature. Debates over publication of sensitive clinical trials invoked responses from legal entities such as United States Department of Justice and bioethics analyses from centers like Kennedy Institute of Ethics.

Access and Distribution Methods

The journal is distributed in print and digitally via platforms that parallel services used by Elsevier and Wolters Kluwer. Institutional access is common at academic libraries such as those of Princeton University, University of Chicago, and University of California campuses, while individual subscriptions and open access initiatives align with policies endorsed by funders like the Wellcome Trust and Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Supplemental materials and datasets are hosted in repositories akin to Dryad and guidelines for preprints relate to servers such as bioRxiv and medRxiv.

Category:Medical journals Category:Publications established in 1883