Good Publication Practice (GPP): What Medical Writers Need to Know and Share
Medical writers specializing in publications play a key role in ensuring that industry-sponsored research is transparent, ethical, and scientifically rigorous. Adhering to Good Publication Practice (GPP) principles is essential for maintaining credibility and compliance in medical communications. However, beyond simply following these guidelines, we also have an obligation to educate industry sponsors on GPP and help them navigate compliance.
What is GPP?
GPP is a set of ethical and professional guidelines that describe best practices for authorship, transparency, and responsible reporting in industry-sponsored research. The guidelines were authored by a steering committee composed of medical writers and editors, ethics specialists, and academic and industry stakeholders, and were supported by the International Society of Medical Publication Professionals. First published in 2003, GPP described basic ethical guidelines for publishing clinical research and has been revised 3 times to include topics like data sharing, patient involvement, conflicts of interest disclosure, and clarifying the role of the medical writer, among others. The most recent version was published in 2022.
Here is how you can apply GPP and educate sponsors in your everyday work:
Educate sponsors on the importance of disclosing funding, affiliations, and potential conflicts of interest to ensure transparency.
Encourage teams to comply with International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) authorship standards to ensure proper contributor recognition. Ghost authorship, writing on behalf of someone who did not make an intellectual contribution to the work, is strongly discouraged, so medical writers should play a supportive role rather than a primary role in writing manuscripts unless authorship is granted.
Work closely with researchers and statisticians to ensure accurate data interpretation, avoid bias, and maintain data integrity.
Help sponsors understand journal requirements, such as ICMJE, CONSORT, and COPE. Research these requirements early in the process of developing the manuscript when target journals are selected.
Proactively educate industry teams on why GPP compliance matters and how it protects scientific credibility and fosters ethical collaboration.
For more information about GPP:
Graf C, Battisti WP, Bridges D, et al. Good Publication Practice for Communicating Company-Sponsored Medical Research: GPP 2022 Update. Ann Intern Med. 2022 Sep;175(9):1298-1304.
Full guidelines: https://www.ismpp.org/gpp-2022
By implementing GPP in our daily work and educating sponsors, we not only enhance the credibility of industry-sponsored research, but we also strengthen trust in medical publications.
How we can help develop your publications while ensuring compliance with key publications guidance? Our expertise in strategic publication planning, project management, and publications development ensures that your work meets the highest standards, maximizing its impact and visibility. Learn more about our services here.
Pam Harvey, Director of Medical and Scientific Publications
