Advancing the Adoption of Integrative Medicine: A Quick Guide to Publishing Research in Integrative Medicine International

Abstract

Researchers and clinicians in integrative medicine (IM) are well aware that the research and reporting methods they use should be as scientifically rigorous as those used in conventional medicine. To establish the scientific evidence needed to promote the further adoption of traditional medicine (TM) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) into healthcare systems worldwide, it is important that doctors of IM publish their findings in English. The English-language, cross-disciplinary journal Integrative Medicine International aims to publish such work, by focusing on reporting ‘new methods in [TM/CAM] research and therapy to complement and extend the methods of Western medicine'. The journal acts as a portal for the latest innovations, developments, trends, opinions, and achievements in TM. The purpose of this editorial is to encourage and support authors across a wide range of disciplines to report their research and clinical findings in IM. The article starts by explaining the process of preparing a suitable manuscript for the journal and then describes the general process of manuscript preparation, peer review, and publication that is common to many international journals. Some advices are also given to authors who are nonnative speakers to help them submit manuscripts of sufficient quality of English for review and in accordance with ethical publishing standards.