Physician Leadership Journal Publication Policies
Physician Leadership Journal Aims and Purpose
The Physician Leadership Journal welcomes articles about health care leadership topics. Articles spotlight original research, operational interventions and findings, and discussions that orient readers to important topics. We seek original articles that advance the scope and practice of leadership. Articles may not be under consideration for publication elsewhere, nor published previously.
ARTICLE TOPICS: Articles must address one of these 11 competencies to qualify for peer review:
Careers: The journey of a physician leader throughout his or her clinical and/or executive maturation. Communication: Strategies to convey meaning from one entity or group to another.
Finance: Dealing with the operational aspect of budgeting and planning as a physician leader.
Health Care Organizations: The organizational role of the physician leader within health care systems.
Health Care Professionals: The role of the physician leader within clinical practice.
Health Law and Policy: Current or past policy issues or topics influencing physician leadership.
Innovation: The use of novel and creative methods to enhance the role or capabilities of leaders.
Leadership: Tactics to develop and/or enrich a leader’s ability to guide individuals and teams.
Management: Pertaining to the administration of any organization as a physician leader.
Patient Care and Quality: The scientific improvement of quality and patient safety for physician leaders. Technology: Tools and technologies influencing leadership.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality Policy: Submitted manuscripts are considered both CONFIDENTIAL and EMBARGOED from the time of submission. In compliance with the Embargo Policy, no information beyond that contained in the Abstract, can be made public before the manuscript has been published. Manuscripts containing a substantial amount of overlapping information that has been previously published or made available to the readership through other venues are ineligible. For more information on Physician Leadership Journal’s originality requirements and what constitutes prior publication, please scroll down to the Originality section below.
The Confidentiality and Embargo Policies require that, prior to the embargo being lifted, all authors of the research are not allowed to:
Publish the information or provide it to others who may publish or disseminate it through other venues,
Use the information for trading in the securities of any issuer, or provide it to others who may use it for securities trading purposes.
The corresponding author is responsible for conveying this information to all parties.
Author Conduct
The American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL) is the world’s premier organization for all aspects of physician leadership in every sector of health care.
AAPL carries out this mission in significant part through its publication, the Physician Leadership Journal, and strives to attract the best authors, whose excellent work contribute to the Journal’s reputation for quality and integrity.
Because the Physician Leadership Journal strives to publish the highest quality manuscripts dedicated to physician leadership, the AAPL takes concerns about the integrity of manuscripts submitted for publication and of published content very seriously. Though these concerns are not common, the following Author Conduct Policy (“Policy”) describes the responsibilities of authors who submit and publish their work in the Physician Leadership Journal and sets out the AAPL’s approach to addressing potential Author Misconduct when concerns arise.
The Conduct Policy describes the responsibilities of authors, reviewers, and editors, and sets out the Physician Leadership Journal’s approach to addressing potential misconduct when concerns arise.
The Journal follows algorithms suggested by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and requirements set out by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) as reference points for author conduct matters, in addition to the Conduct Policy.
Author Responsibilities
The responsibilities of authors who submit and publish work in the Physician Leadership Journal include ensuring that a submitted manuscript accurately represents their original work and that of their co-authors (unless otherwise noted), acknowledging the work of other authors through appropriate attribution or citation, and reviewing proofs of their manuscripts rigorously and in a timely manner prior to publication online or in print. Where the authors base their manuscripts on scientific research, the research should meet legal requirements and accepted ethical and scientific standards. * Authors are also responsible for disclosing relationships relevant to their manuscripts in accordance with AAPL’s Conflict of Interest Policy.
Definition of Author Misconduct Potential:
Misconduct may arise from both submitted manuscripts and published articles. For purposes of this Policy, Author Misconduct may include but is not limited to:
Fabrication or falsification of data;
Plagiarism, either of one’s own work, ideas, processes, results, or words, or those of another person;
Redundant publication of content that overlaps substantially with content already published in print or electronic media;
Failure to credit an author, including removal of an author without the author’s consent and the consent of other co-authors;
Inappropriate credit of an author, including adding as a “gift” or “guest” author an individual whose contribution does not meet the Journals’ definition of authorship;
Submitting as one’s own work “ghostwritten” manuscripts, where the listed author(s) is unfamiliar with the underlying data and relevant documentation and had minimal or limited input in the development and/or writing of the article;
Treatment of research subjects in a manner that does not comport with applicable laws or accepted standards of ethics; and
Failure to disclose relationships in accordance with AAPL’s Conflict of Interest Policy, available here.
Author misconduct does not include honest errors or differences of opinion, which may be managed through the Journals’ errata processes.
Journal Response to Potential Author Misconduct
Notice of Potential Misconduct and Response to Complaining Party
Notification of potential Author Misconduct is immediately referred to the Publisher to which the relevant article was submitted or in which it is published. The individual who notifies the Journal of the potential Misconduct will receive acknowledgement that the Journal has received the notice and is reviewing it in accordance with this Policy. The individual who notifies the Journal of the potential Misconduct will generally not be entitled to any further notice or role in the investigation, except in limited circumstances where he or she is affected personally by the potential Misconduct (e.g., his or her work was plagiarized). Notification of potential author misconduct may also arise internally, where a Journal staff member becomes aware of potential Author Misconduct and alerts the Publisher.Author Notification and Investigation
Upon receiving notice of potential Author Misconduct, the Journal will conduct a preliminary investigation of available information concerning the potential Misconduct, which may include additional communication with the individual who notified the Journal of the potential Misconduct, and the reviewers, editors, and staff members responsible for the manuscript or published article.
If, upon investigation, the reported behavior appears to constitute Author Misconduct, the Publisher and the Editor-in-Chief will generally determine that additional investigation is warranted. The Journal will then notify in writing the corresponding author of the potential Misconduct and ask for an explanation. If no response is received within a reasonable period, or the Journal receives an unsatisfactory response, the Journal will contact the corresponding author’s institution and co-authors, as appropriate.
If the potential Misconduct implicates work published in an outside Journal, the Editor in-Chief or the Publisher of the Journal may contact the Editor or Publisher of that Journal. If the potential Misconduct relates to scientific research, the Editor-in-Chief or Publisher of the Journal may ask the institution where the research was conducted to provide study data and other information to establish the legitimacy of reported research results. The Journal may also seek outside assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Research Integrity.
Throughout this process the Journal will use as reference points algorithms suggested by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), which are available online at http://publicationethics.org/resources/flowcharts and requirements set out by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), which are available online http://www.icmje.org/recommendations.
If at any point during the Journal’s investigation, an author admits to Misconduct or provides a satisfactory explanation, the Journal will conclude its investigation and consider sanctions.
Sanctions
If Misconduct is verified or admitted, the Journal may apply sanctions against the author(s) at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief and Publisher. Sanctions may vary depending upon the severity of the Misconduct, and whether the manuscript in question was submitted or published. Authors will be notified of any sanctions in writing. Sanctions may include, but are not limited to:
Letter of reprimand to author(s) of a submitted or published manuscript;
Notice to author’s institution and/or institution where research was conducted;
Restriction on author(s) publishing in the Journals for a specified period; and
The Journal reserves the right to reject a submitted manuscript, and to retract or publish an erratum or statement of concern about a published article, as appropriate.
Policies for Editors and Reviewers
Like authors, Physician Leadership Journal editors and reviewers are expected to abide by high standards of integrity and ethical behavior. Among other things, editors and reviewers are expected to comply with AAPL’s Conflict of Interest Policy, and to treat all submitted material as confidential.
*The Physician Leadership Journal adheres to the guidelines on authorship established by the ICMJE. http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html
According to these guidelines, the criteria established for authorship are intended to present an honest account of what took place. Those who have participated in the writing of the manuscript or made substantial intellectual contributions should be included as authors. Entering patients for study or providing funding or administrative oversight are not enough for authorship; instead, these contributions should appear in the Acknowledgments section. If someone other than the authors, such as a science writer or corporate employee, has participated in writing the paper, this participation should be disclosed in the Acknowledgments section. If a multicenter group conducted the research, the group should identify a writing committee that accepts direct responsibility for the manuscript.
Physician Leadership Journal Editors (including the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board Members, and Consulting Editors) and Reviewers are required to recuse themselves when the following circumstances arise:
The Editor or Reviewer is the spouse, domestic partner, parent, sibling or child of an author on the manuscript.
The Editor or Reviewer is currently employed by or has his or her principle practice or research site at, the same institution or organization as an author on the manuscript.
The Editor or Reviewer is involved in ongoing, direct research collaboration with the author, including as a co-investigator or co-author on a different manuscript.
[Note: Membership in the same cooperative group as an author is not grounds for recusal. However, participation as an investigator on the same cooperative group study as an author is grounds for recusal.]The Editor or Reviewer has a relationship with a commercial interest that is relevant to the subject matter of the manuscript.
The Editor or Reviewer has a relationship, not listed above, that would impact his or her ability to provide a fair and objective review.
Recusal is also required upon request by the Physician Leadership Journal Editor-in-Chief.
Questions about the recusal process should be directed to the Physician Leadership Journal staff, who will provide advice in consultation with the Editor-in-Chief, as appropriate.
Permissions
Authors submit manuscripts with the understanding that, if accepted, the copyright of the article, including the right to reproduce the article in all forms and media, shall be assigned exclusively to the AAPL.
If any portion (e.g., a figure or table) of a manuscript submitted for consideration has been published previously, authors must acknowledge the original source, and submit written permission from the copyright holder to reproduce the material. Permission is required regardless of authorship or publisher, except for documents in the public domain.
Upon submission, authors are required to submit these permission statements from the copyright holder. An accepted manuscript will not be published if the necessary permissions have not been granted.
AAPL will not refuse any reasonable request for permission to reproduce any material published in the Physician Leadership Journal. Authors should e-mail requests to journal@physicianleaders.org
Originality
Manuscripts must contain original material that is not already available elsewhere. However, authors can submit and present abstracts (i.e., oral or poster presentations) of their research in open, scientific meetings.
The title page and cover letter should include a statement verifying the originality of the work, and disclose any previous abstracts, presentations, reports, or publications that contain material that might be perceived to overlap with the current submission. If a similar publication exists, the authors should upload a copy as a supplemental file as part of the submission process and justify why their submission is considered non-overlapping and novel. If applicable, authors should cite any previously published or closely related work within the text.
Physician Leadership Journal will not accept for review any manuscript that is currently under review at another journal.
Authors can post their results in clinical trial registries or submit them to government regulatory agencies (e.g., FDA or EMA) without the manuscript being considered previously published or an overlapping publication.
Physician Leadership Journal follows the guidelines from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors section on Overlapping Publications (Overlapping Publications )
On rare occasions, Physician Leadership Journal will consider co-publication of guidelines manuscripts with a limited number of other journals, if the following conditions are met:
A written request must be approved by the Editor-in-Chief prior to guidelines manuscript submission, justifying the need for co-publication, as well as indicating the specific journals being considered.
AAPL retains responsibility for evaluating the guidelines manuscript and deciding its appropriateness for Physician Leadership Journal, including peer review, revision, and final decision making.
Should the guidelines manuscript be accepted by Physician Leadership Journal, transfer of the copyright to AAPL will occur per our usual process. Such a copyright may be shared with the other journals involved.
Online co-publication of the guideline’s manuscript must occur simultaneously in all involved journals. The corresponding author of the guideline’s manuscript accepts responsibility for ensuring that this will occur.
Author Conflict of Interest
All contributors to journal authors are required to submit their disclosures. AAPL uses a general disclosure model, requiring disclosure of all relationships. Failure to disclose in compliance with AAPL policies may result in penalties.
Please complete your conflict of interest disclosure to include all financial relationships with for-profit healthcare Companies. Conflict of Interest (COI) Form
Important Reminders About Your Disclosure
Please note that Physician Leadership Journal expects authors to be complete and transparent in their conflict of interest (COI) disclosures. It is the sole responsibility of each author to ensure that their COI information is comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date.
AAPL requires general or full disclosure as opposed to activity-specific disclosure. This means you must answer each question to reflect all your financial relationships with Companies over the past 2 years, regardless of whether any relationships with a Company is specifically related to the subject matter of a manuscript.
All relationships including research funding must be disclosed even if the funding is paid to your institution.
Failure to provide complete and accurate disclosure is a violation of AAPL policies and could result in errata, retraction, or restrictions on future publication with AAPL.
AAPL encourages you to double check your disclosure against other sources to identify any publicly reported interactions with Companies that you may have inadvertently omitted. If you are a U.S. licensed physician, the Open Payments database is an available point of comparison.
Editors and Reviewers
Editors and reviewers are required to disclose financial interests or relationships and are asked to answer the same questions as authors. Reviewers' disclosures are held in confidence within the Editorial Office.
If in doubt about reporting any potential conflict of interest, it is better to declare a conflict than not.
Peer Review Process
Once a manuscript is submitted to the Journal’s editorial office, three editorial board members are selected as reviewers based on their competencies. Upon acceptance to review, the reviewer receives a blinded manuscript, instructions for review and a manuscript recommendation form to complete within 2-3 weeks. After completion of a review by 3 reviewers, a final review decision is completed by the Editor-in-Chief based on all three reviewer recommendations. Final review decisions include acceptance, accept with minor revisions (AWR), revise and resubmit (R&R), and reject. The submissions are then sent back to the author with all reviewer recommendations for revisions. Overall, the process for an initial review of a manuscript takes approximately one month to complete. Specific questions about the peer review process may be directed to: journal@physicianleaders.org
Authorship Contributions
Physician Leadership Journal adheres to the guidelines on authorship established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors statement on Authorship and Contribution . According to these guidelines, the criteria established for authorship are intended to present an honest account of what took place. Those with substantial intellectual contributions or who have written the manuscript should be included as an author.
Entering patients for study or providing funding or administrative oversight are not enough for authorship; instead these contributions should appear in the Acknowledgment section.
If someone other than the authors, such as a science writer or corporate employee, has participated in writing the paper, this participation must be disclosed. If a multicenter group conducted the research, the group should identify a writing committee that accepts direct responsibility for the manuscript.
Authors themselves, not Physician Leadership Journal, are responsible for settling any disputes about authorship, acknowledgements, or institutional affiliations. In addition, the authors themselves, not Physician Leadership Journal, are responsible for ensuring proper attribution of institutions and agencies where the research was conducted.
At revision or acceptance co-authors will receive an email prompting them to confirm their contributions to the submission. Each author is responsible for responding to this email via the appropriate link, “Yes, I am an author” or “No, I am not an author”. Authors who encounter any difficulties with the process may contact the editorial office at journal@physicianleaders.org
Corresponding Author
Selecting the corresponding author:
The corresponding author is the primary contact with the journal.
Any author can be the corresponding author.
Only one author can be the corresponding author.
Role of the corresponding author:
meets submission requirements and submits the manuscript to the journal
ensures all authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript prior to submission
ensures completion of authorship forms—this includes conflicts of interest forms for all authors
distributes decision letters, reviewer comments, and other messages from the journal, and distributes proofs among coauthors for review
returns corrections and ensures that all authors approve each version of the article
PLJ Editorial Board
The Physician Leadership Journal is a peer-reviewed publication, with 20+ physician leaders commissioned to review submitted manuscripts.
Preprint Policy for Physician Leadership Journal
Physician Leadership Journal will consider publication of manuscripts that contain information previously posted on preprint servers. However, authors should be advised that the degree to which the submitted manuscript overlaps with what is already posted on the preprint server may affect the novelty of the findings for Physician Leadership Journal readership, and this will be considered in the evaluation of the manuscript. If a report has been published on a preprint server prior to manuscript submission, this must be acknowledged during the submission process. In addition, a link to that document must be provided so that reviewers and editors can evaluate the preprinted information and compare it with the submitted manuscript. Failure to acknowledge prior dissemination of research posted on preprint servers or similar databases will jeopardize the status of the submission. When such a manuscript has been submitted to the Physician Leadership Journal, no revisions should be posted to the preprint server during the manuscript's peer review process. If the manuscript is eventually accepted for publication, no revisions should be posted on the preprint server until the final manuscript is published online by AAPL, and any such revisions must not deviate from the final version of the manuscript published by AAPL. Finally, once the manuscript has been published by the Physician Leadership Journal, any future changes to the manuscript such as errata, discovered by the authors after journal publication for instance, must be first submitted, approved, and published by AAPL, prior to making any changes to the preprint document. Violation of this preprint policy will be considered grounds for article retraction.
Policies on Financial Associations/Conflicts of Interest
The Physician Leadership Journal is committed to publishing the highest-quality research and reliable, authoritative review articles that are free from commercial influence. For all research articles appearing in the Journal, corresponding authors must list the details of the study sponsorship, and submit a CTA (Copyright Transfer Agreement), and Financial Disclosure Form for each author.
For review articles, or commentary on published articles (that do not present new research) the Physician Leadership Journal expects that authors of such articles have no significant financial interests in any biomedical company relevant to topics and products discussed in the subject they are reviewing or the article on which they are commenting. When prospective authors do have financial ties to disclose, the Physician Leadership Journal editors decide whether they are relevant to the subject or whether they are de minimis.
Additional Information:
Financial Associations of Authors (current conflict of interest policy; June 13, 2002)
Full Disclosure and the Funding of Biomedical Research (April 24, 2008)
Uniform Format for Disclosure of Competing Interests in ICJME Journals (November 5, 2009)
Human and Animal Rights Policy
When reporting experiments on human subjects, authors should indicate whether the procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national). If doubt exists whether the research was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards, the authors must explain the rationale for their approach, and demonstrate that the institutional review body explicitly approved the doubtful aspects of the study. When reporting experiments on animals, authors should be asked to indicate whether the institutional and national guide for the care and use of laboratory animals was followed.
Informed Consent Policy
The Physician Leadership Journal adheres to the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication.
Patient identifiers will not be published in the Physician Leadership Journal unless written informed consent is given and the content is essential for the scientific purpose and merit of the manuscript. Photographs of subjects showing any recognizable features must be accompanied by their signed release authorizing publication, as must case reports that provide enough unique identification of a person (other than name) to make recognition possible. Failure to obtain informed consent of patient prior to submission would result in manuscript rejection.
Additional Information:
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication.
October 2007. http://www.icmje.org/index.html
Data Sharing Policy
The ICMJE and, therefore, Physician Leadership Journal require investigators to submit a data-sharing statement and register a data-sharing plan when registering a trial. Physician Leadership Journal has not yet formulated a policy on which types of data-sharing plans are acceptable.
Additional Information:
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe1705439#t=article
Advertising Policy
Principles Governing Advertising in Physician Leadership Journal of the Association for Physician Leadership.
(May 19, 2019)
These principles are applied by American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL) in order to adhere to ethical standards of advertising and to assure the independence of AAPL-produced content.
AAPL is a nonprofit publisher of scientific and educational works in the field of physician leadership. As a matter of policy, AAPL will sell advertising space in its Publication, Physician Leadership Journal, when the inclusion of advertising does not interfere with the mission or objectives of AAPL or its journal.
To maintain the integrity of the Physician Leadership Journal, Publications, advertising interests (i.e., advertising representatives, Companies, or other advertisers) cannot influence editorial decisions or editorial content. Decisions to sell advertising space are made independently of and without reference to specific editorial content. AAPL’s advertising sales representatives have no prior knowledge of specific editorial content before it is published. Planned placement of print advertising adjacent to (i.e., next to or within) editorial content on the same topic is prohibited. Advertisements that appear on a given page of a Publication’s website may coincidentally be related to the subject of an article, but such juxtaposition must be random.
The ideas and opinions expressed in the Publications do not necessarily reflect those of AAPL.
The mention of any company, product, service or therapy in the Physician Leadership Journal or in any advertisement in AAPL Publications should not be construed as an endorsement by AAPL of the
company, product, service or therapy mentioned. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or other health care provider, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine drug dosages and the best treatment for the patient. Readers are advised to check the appropriate medical literature and the product information currently provided by the manufacturer of each drug to be administered to verify approved uses; the dosage, method, and duration of administration; or contraindications. Readers are also encouraged to contact the manufacturer with questions about the features or limitations of any products. AAPL assumes no responsibility for any injury or damage to persons or property arising out of or related to any use of the material contained in its Publications or to any errors or omissions.
By submitting advertisements for consideration, all advertisers agree to the Principles Governing Advertising in the Physician Leadership Journal and all Rate Card provisions, as amended from time to time.
AAPL’s Role and General Eligibility Requirements for Print and Digital Advertising
AAPL’s Discretion to Accept or Decline Advertising: AAPL, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to accept or reject any submitted advertisement or to discontinue publication of any previously accepted advertisement.
Changes to Policy: AAPL may change this Advertising Policy at any time, but an advertisement for which the closing date occurs before the effective date of the policy change will not be subject to the new policy.
Eligible and Ineligible Advertisement Subject Matter
Health Care Products or Services Referenced in Advertising: Products or services eligible for advertising shall be commercially available for, germane to, effective in, and useful in (a) the practice of medicine, (b) medical education, (c) practice management, or (d) health care delivery. Institutional advertising germane to the practice of medicine and public service messages of interest to physicians may be considered eligible for appearance in the Physician Leadership Journal.
Non-Health Care Advertising: In addition to health care products and services as described in No. 1 immediately above, other products and services that are offered by responsible advertisers and that are of interest to physicians and other health professionals are also eligible for advertising.
Equipment, Instruments, and Devices: AAPL determines on a case-by-case basis the eligibility of advertising for equipment, instruments, and devices intended for preventive, diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. Complete scientific and technical data concerning the product’s safety, operation, and usefulness may be required. This data may be either published or unpublished. Samples of equipment, instruments or devices should not be submitted.
Books: AAPL may request a copy of the book for review to determine its eligibility to be advertised.
CME Programs: Advertisements for Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs will be considered if the CME sponsor is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and is an accredited medical school (or hospital affiliated with such a school), a state or county medical society, a national medical specialty society, or other organization affiliated with the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) member boards.
Classified Advertising: The primary purpose of classified advertising is to provide information related to physician placement opportunities (“help wanted” ads).
Miscellaneous Products and Services: Products or services that do not fall under the above classifications may be eligible for advertising if they satisfy the general principles governing eligibility for advertising in AAPL Publications and are not inconsistent with AAPL’s mission.
Miscellaneous Products and Services: Products or services that do not fall under the above classifications may be eligible for advertising if they satisfy the general principles governing eligibility for advertising in AAPL Publications and are not inconsistent with AAPL’s mission.
Ineligible Advertising Subject Matter: Alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and investment opportunities may not be advertised. Advertisements directed at patients or consumers are not eligible for inclusion in AAPL Publications. Advertisements for dietary supplements and vitamin preparations are not eligible unless the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the claim(s) as to the safety and efficacy of the product for a disease state.
Contact: Advertisers, media buyers, and others with specific questions about advertising acceptability in Physician Leadership Journal should send an email to journal@physicianleadership.org
Content of Advertisements
FDA and Other Regulatory Requirements: All advertisements for pharmaceuticals, drugs, devices, and other regulated health care products must meet all applicable legal requirements, including regulations of the FDA regarding advertisement and promotion. FDA regulations contain exacting legal controls over the claims that drug advertisers may make for their products and may require advertisements to identify contraindications, side effects, etc. Adherence to FDA and other legal requirements concerning the content of drug advertising is the manufacturer’s responsibility. AAPL’s acceptance of an advertisement is not an indication that the advertisement is legally compliant. AAPL
may require an advertiser to furnish a certification of legal compliance. AAPL Publications will allow pharmaceutical manufacturers to run “corporate” or “teaser” ads prior to a product’s official FDA approval. Such advertisements may not mention specific product names.
Advertising Message: An advertisement is the advertiser’s message and should not be considered a reader’s sole source of information regarding a product, service or therapy. All promotional claims must have complete citations of information to allow readers to critically evaluate the documentation.
Statistical or Research Claims: Claims that include statistical statements or clinical studies must be based on studies by qualified individuals and documented by specific references to content published in recognized scientific journals. Articles accepted for publication but not yet published may also be cited, but the name and issue date of the publishing journal must be furnished. Statements based on material approved by the FDA for the package insert are acceptable. Documentation based on scientific exhibits or personal communications are not acceptable.
Advertiser and Product Identified: The advertisement should clearly identify the advertiser of the product, service or therapy offered. In the case of pharmaceutical advertisements, the full scientific (generic) name of each active ingredient must appear.
Unacceptable Ads: This class of advertisements includes those that contain unfair comparisons or unwarranted disparagement of a competitor’s products or services; deceptive or misleading claims; offensive language or art; attacks or derogations of a personal, racial, sexual, or religious nature; or are demeaning or discriminatory toward an individual or group on the basis of age, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, physical appearance, or disability.
Advertorials: Advertorials are not accepted for Physician Leadership Journal.
Additional Guidelines for Print Advertisements
Ad Placement: Advertisements will not be placed adjacent to any editorial matter that discusses the product being advertised, nor adjacent to any article reporting research on the advertised product.
Separate from Editorial Content: Layout, artwork, and format of advertisements shall be such as to be readily distinguishable from editorial content and to avoid any confusion with the editorial content of the AAPL Publication. The label “Paid Advertisement” may be required.
Competitive Products: AAPL makes every effort to separate ads for competing products but shall have no liability if ads for competing products run near or adjacent to each other.
Special Features: Special features such as bellybands and tip-on covers are allowed, subject to AAPL approval and compliance with this Advertising Policy.
Inquiries: Inquiries about advertising placement and current rates should be directed to
Additional Guidelines for Digital Advertising
Ad Types: Digital advertisements on Publication websites may appear as skyscrapers and fixed banners or as rotating advertisements. Multi-media digital advertisements may be placed at the beginning of multi-media content produced by AAPL.
Ad Placement: Advertisements that appear on pages of a Publication’s website may coincidentally be related to the subject of an article, but such juxtaposition must be random.
Confidentiality: AAPL does not release personally identifiable data on the users of its websites or e-mail service to advertisers. Digital advertisers may receive reports that show aggregated data about response to their advertisements, including the number of ad impressions and the number of times an advertisement was accessed.
Links Off-Site: Advertisements may link off-site to a commercial website, if viewers are clearly informed that they are viewing an advertisement. AAPL may require that a disclaimer about the off-site website be included. The advertiser’s website may not frame the Publication’s website content without express permission, shall not prevent the viewer from returning to the Publication’s website or other previously viewed screens, and may not redirect the viewer to a website the viewer did not intend to visit. AAPL reserves the right to disallow or remove links to other websites. The website URL to which the advertisement links must be provided to AAPL for review and prior approval, and must adhere to the following requirements:
The company sponsoring the website must be clearly displayed.
No registration of personal information (including DEA numbers) may be required before reaching the website.
Expanded Ad Units: For advertisements that display additional content on a larger space than the advertisement itself (i.e., PointRoll or other expandable ad units), the additional content must display only when the user clicks the ad or AAPL deems the roll-over delay to be an acceptable speed (two seconds being the current standard, subject to change at AAPL’s discretion). AAPL reserves the right to approve the size and content of expanded ads.
Miscellaneous Terms
Schedule: New advertising inserts must be submitted 15 working days before the ad closing date for review by AAPL to ensure compliance with AAPL advertising policies.
New run-of-book advertisements must be submitted 10 working days before the ad closing date. Any previously approved ad that has been changed must be submitted for review in its most current form 10 working days prior to the ad closing date.Payment for Advertising: In the event of nonpayment, AAPL serves the right to hold the advertiser and/or its advertising agency jointly and severally liable for such monies as are due and payable to AAPL and disallow placement of any additional advertisements until the payment obligation is met.
No Additional Conditions: AAPL will not be bound by any condition, printed or otherwise, appearing on any insertion order or copy instructions when such conditions conflict with the conditions set forth in the Publication’s rate card or with this Advertising Policy.
Incidental Damages: AAPL is not responsible for incidental or consequential damages for errors in displaying an ad or for failure to publish an ad. Should AAPL fail to publish an accepted ad for which an insertion order was received, AAPL will adjust the advertiser’s or agency’s account accordingly, and such adjustment shall be the advertiser’s sole remedy.
Indemnification. In consideration of publication of an advertisement, the advertiser and the agency, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless AAPL, its officers, directors, agents, volunteers, and employees against any and all expenses (including legal fees) and losses resulting from the publication of the contents of the advertisement, including, without limitation, claims or suits for libel, violation of privacy, copyright infringement or plagiarism.