A guide to applying the Good Publication Practice 3 guidelines in the Asia-Pacific region

Abstract

Numerous recommendations and guidelines aim to improve the quality, timeliness and transparency of medical publications. However, these guidelines use ambiguous language that can be challenging to interpret, particularly for speakers of English as a second language. Cultural expectations within the Asia-Pacific region raise additional challenges and several studies have suggested that awareness and application of ethical publication practices in the Asia-Pacific region is relatively low compared with other regions. However, guidance on applying ethical publication practice guidelines in the Asia-Pacific region is lacking. This commentary aims to improve publication practices in the Asia-Pacific region by providing guidance on applying the 10 principles of the Good Publication Practice 3 (GPP3) guidelines and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) criteria for authorship. Recommendations are provided for encore presentations, applying the ICMJE authorship criteria in the context of regional cultural expectations, and the role of study sponsors and professional medical writers. Ongoing barriers to compliance with guidelines are also highlighted, and additional guidance is provided to support authors submitting manuscripts for publication. The roles of regional journals, regulatory authorities and professional bodies in improving practices are also discussed.

<strong>Applying the Good Publication Practice 2022 Guidelines in the Asia-Pacific Region: A Practical Guide </strong>

“…As discussed previously [10], proactive efforts should be made to ensure transparency by seeking disclosures from authors regarding any relationships or potential competing interests relating to the research on both an individual and institutional level. Disclosures should include any financial, personal, social, or other interests that may be perceived to directly or indirectly influence the conduct of the author(s) when developing a publication [ 52,53].…”

“…2 of 20 barriers encountered in this region. Indeed, the challenges of developing a universal definition of ethical publication practices are well known [8,9], and several initiatives have been developed to align expectations on ethical publication practices, particularly regarding industry-sponsored clinical research [10].…”

“…Therefore, it is heartening that improvements have been observed in APAC over the last decade, such as a reduction in the prevalence of unethical publication practices [11,12], alongside other efforts, such as benchmarking the time to publication of publicly funded research against international peers [13]. These improvements have been paralleled by increasingly frequent localized commentaries on publication ethics [10,[14][15][16].…”

“…This review aims to provide a practical guide on applying the GPP 2022 guidelines for developing biomedical publications and implementing innovative publications practices for authors, publication professionals, and study sponsors in APAC, as well as other stakeholders who collaborate with authors and publication professionals. It is important to note that this manuscript does not replace earlier recommendations for applying ethical publication practices in APAC [10]. Instead, it provides practical guidance for applying these guidelines in the context of situations that are relevant to stakeholders in APAC.…”

Intellectual property and quality of education: Exploring the academic integrity among medical students

“…The Good Publication Practice (GPP) also contains recommendations for improving the quality of scientific publications, the relevance, and transparency of medical papers. Good Publication Practice requirements include: The absence of ghost writers; unambiguous, not distorted research information; and information about research sponsors (Hesp et al, 2019). Scopus-Elsevier's abstract and citation database-is a proactive fighter for the research authorship (Elsevier, 2021).…”