The New England Journal of Medicine

The New England Journal of Medicine
Title	The New England Journal of Medicine
Discipline	Medicine
Language	English
Publisher	Massachusetts Medical Society
Country	United States
Frequency	Weekly
History	1812–present

The New England Journal of Medicine is a weekly peer-reviewed medical journal published in the United States. Founded in the early 19th century, it has become one of the most influential clinical journals globally, frequently cited in clinical practice, public health guidance, and medical education. It publishes original research, review articles, editorials, and case reports that shape practice across specialties including cardiology, oncology, infectious disease, and surgery.

History

The journal traces its origins to the early 1800s in Massachusetts with antecedents linked to the Massachusetts Medical Society, evolving through mergers and title changes contemporaneous with institutions such as Harvard Medical School, Boston Medical Library, and the broader medical community in Boston. During the 19th century, editors and contributors included figures associated with American Civil War era medicine and institutions like Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston City Hospital. In the 20th century the journal published landmark reports from investigators at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mayo Clinic, and Rockefeller Institute that influenced practice during events such as the 1918 influenza pandemic and the later polio outbreaks addressed by Jonas Salk. The postwar era saw the journal disseminate randomized controlled trials and methodological advances associated with researchers from Oxford, Princeton University, and Columbia University. In recent decades, the journal engaged with global health issues intersecting with organizations such as the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and multinational research consortia including those linked to World Bank–funded programs.

Editorial Structure and Policies

Editorial leadership has historically been affiliated with the Massachusetts Medical Society and academic centers including Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital. The editorial office follows peer review practices developed alongside standards from bodies like the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and ethical guidelines informed by documents associated with the Nuremberg Code and subsequent regulatory frameworks at agencies including the Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health. Editorial policies address conflicts of interest, trial registration in registries such as those referenced by initiatives at NIH and transparency measures promoted by entities including the Cochrane Collaboration and the Committee on Publication Ethics. The journal’s editorial decisions have interacted with investigative reporting by outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and investigative committees within legislatures like the United States Congress.

Publication Content and Formats

Content types include original clinical trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, case reports, perspectives, and clinical-pathological conferences comparable to formats used by journals like The Lancet, JAMA, and BMJ. The journal introduced formats for reporting randomized trials aligned with standards such as CONSORT developed with contributors from University of Oxford and University of Toronto. Notable published studies have involved investigators from institutions including Stanford University, University of California, San Francisco, University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, and international centers such as Karolinska Institute and Imperial College London. The journal also produces multimedia content and clinical decision tools intersecting with platforms linked to UpToDate and educational efforts at medical schools like Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Impact, Reputation, and Indexing

The journal is indexed in major bibliographic databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, Science Citation Index, and is tracked by citation metrics monitored by organizations such as Clarivate Analytics. Its articles have influenced policy and practice cited by advisory bodies including World Health Organization, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and guideline committees from specialty societies such as the American College of Cardiology and American Society of Clinical Oncology. The journal’s reputation places it alongside peer publications like The Lancet, JAMA, and Annals of Internal Medicine in bibliometric comparisons used by universities including Harvard University and funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation.

Controversies and Criticisms

The journal has faced scrutiny over issues including conflict-of-interest disclosures linked to pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Merck & Co., debates over peer review transparency similar to controversies involving Elsevier, and critiques over retraction handling in cases compared with incidents at journals like Nature and Science. It has been involved in public disputes concerning clinical trial data sharing paralleling discussions at European Medicines Agency and litigation and policy debates referenced by the United States Department of Justice and regulatory hearings before United States Congress committees. Editorial choices have occasionally triggered commentary from academics at institutions such as University of California, Berkeley and patient advocacy organizations including American Cancer Society and HIV/AIDS Advocacy Groups.

Access, Distribution, and Business Model

The journal is published by the Massachusetts Medical Society with subscription and single-article sales and has adapted to digital distribution via platforms indexed by PubMed Central and library services at institutions including National Library of Medicine and university libraries such as Yale University Library. Its business model involves institutional subscriptions held by hospitals like Mayo Clinic and networks such as Kaiser Permanente, licensing arrangements with aggregators including EBSCO and ProQuest, and article processing considerations analogous to open-access debates involving publishers like Elsevier and initiatives such as the Plan S consortium. The journal’s access policies have been part of broader discussions on open science advocated by research funders like Wellcome Trust and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Category:Medical journals