Submissions

Focus and Scope

The editors of Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal (IMCJ) (e-ISSN 1945-7081 & p-ISSN 1546-993X) invite authors to submit original papers for consideration. Papers most likely to be accepted for consideration are those that present authoritative information on the integration of alternative therapies with conventional medical practices in preventing and treating disease, healing illness, and promoting health. We are particularly interested in articles that focus on the use of nutritional supplements, botanicals, diet, and lifestyle. All papers are subject to peer review. We publish original research, viewpoints, case reports and reviews.

The target audience of IMCJ includes physicians, chiropractors, nurses, nutritionists, dietitians, and caregivers. IMCJ is indexed in PubMed Central, Scopus, and CINAHL. All articles undergo careful copyediting. Note that an article processing fee could apply upon acceptance.

Types of Manuscripts to Submit

Visit our manuscript guidelines page for specific information for each article type. Here is a quick summary of article types we consider for publication.

Peer-Reviewed Submissions

Original Research Manuscripts

• Original Research
• Randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
• Brief Reports
• Pilot Studies

Review and Syntheses Manuscripts

• Narrative/ Literature Reviews
• Systematic Review
• Meta-analysis

Clinical and Educational Content

• Case Reports
• Case Series

Non–Peer Reviewed Submissions

Commentary and Opinion

• Editorials
• Perspectives/ Viewpoints
• Letters to the Editor
• Author Reply Letters
• Book Reviews

Manuscript Formatting And Other Details

Publishing in IMCJ
IMCJ is published six times per year in the following months: February, April, June, August, October, December. All published articles are loaded into PubMed Central for indexing and archiving. Articles are published open access, there is a 12 month embargo period. Authors can request immediate open access publication, the editor in chief or publisher will approve these requests. Subscribers to the journal have access to all published articles and have the option to receive an issue in print.

Manuscript Content
Your manuscript should be formatted according to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Authorship
Disputes over authorship, and multiauthorship in particular, are better resolved early on, preferably before a study begins. The author who is designated as “corresponding author” when the manuscript is submitted will be asked to approve editorial changes to the article on behalf of all authors prior to publication of the article.

Ethics
When human experimentation is being reported, include a statement to confirm that the work was done in accordance with the appropriate institutional review body and carried out with the ethical standards set forth in the Helsinki Declaration of 2024. When laboratory animals are used, there should be a statement that the work was carried out according to the National Research Council’s protocol for, or any national law on, the care and use of laboratory animals. For more information please visit our Publication Ethics Page.

Timeliness and/or Publication Volume

Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal publishes one volume per calendar year, which consists of six bimonthly issues. We maintain a publication volume of 45-60 scholarly papers annually. This output reliably represents the full breadth of our scope in integrating alternative therapies with conventional medicine while maintaining rigorous, COPE-aligned peer review standards.

Plagiarism 

Misappropriating another person’s intellectual property constitutes plagiarism. This includes copying sentences or paragraphs verbatim (or almost verbatim) from someone else’s work, even if the original work is cited in the references.

For more information, please see the following guidelines regarding plagiarism:

• COPE guidelines on Suspected plagiarism in a submitted manuscript
• COPE guidelines on Suspected plagiarism in a published paper
• ORI Policy on Plagiarism
• ORI module on Ethical Writing
• ICMJE Recommendations

Abstracts
Abstracts should be up to 350 words for original research and reviews and are used to summarize the paper. Abstracts are not required for hypotheses, research letters, case reports, editorials, columns or commentaries, book reviews, or other intermittent special publications. Abstracts for original research and reviews should include the following headings whenever possible: Background/Context, Objective, Methods/Design, Setting, Participants, Interventions, Primary Outcome Measures, Results, Conclusions, and Trial Registry information. Please use the following PRISMA checklist. The structure for abstracts is as follows:

• Background: One or two sentences explaining why this study is necessary and important.
• Primary Study Objective: What are the primary study objectives?
• Methods/Design: Outline the key elements of the study design, including a sample size calculation.
• Setting: Where the study was done (how many sites, what kind of sites, etc).
• Participants: Who participated in the study as well as their key demographic characteristics, the dropout rate, adverse events, etc.
• Intervention: The key features of the intervention must be described. Trademarked product name once each in the abstract and body of the text.
• Primary Outcome Measures: What outcome measures were used to measure the primary study objectives. These should be specified in advance (in the trial registry, for example).
• Results: The results of the primary outcomes of the study, such as risk, confidence intervals, numbers needed to treat, or P-values, should be quantified and reported.
• Conclusion: Conclusions supported by the results should be discussed as well as the clinical implications.

Additional resources for abstracts can be found at International Committee of Medical Journal Editors’ Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals and National Information Standards Organization’s ANSI/NISO Z39.14-1997 (R2015) Guidelines for Abstracts

References
Start references on a separate page following the text, and number them consecutively in the text by order of appearance. In the text, designate reference numbers either as superscript or on the line in parentheses. (Do not use the footnote or endnote function in Word.) Abbreviate journal titles according to the NLM Catalog/PubMed. If in doubt, cite complete journal name. Follow the format and punctuation set forth in the AMA Manual of Style, 11th ed, as illustrated in the following examples. Do not use periods in abbreviations of journal titles. List all authors, but if the number exceeds 6, list the first 3 names followed by “et al.”

Journal article

• Pert CB, Dreher HE, Ruff MR. The psychosomatic network: foundations of mind-body medicine. Altern Ther Health Med. 1998;4(4):30-41.

Book chapter

• Schiffman JD. Immunology of influenza. In: Cane MB, ed. Viruses and Influenza. Orlando, Fla: Academic Press; 1990:191-196.

Book

• Avery GB. Neonatology: Pathophysiology and Management of the Neonate. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: JB Lippincott; 1987:77-80.

Tables
Number and title tables consecutively in the order in which they are mentioned in the text. Each column within a table should have a heading. Define abbreviations in the legend.

Figures
If you are unable to submit figures electronically, submit 1 copy by post. On the back of the copy note the figure number, last name of the primary author, and orientation (top/left/right). Include the name of the photographer or illustrator, if applicable. In clinical photographs in which the patient can be recognized, include a release signed by the patient or guardian granting permission to publish the photograph. If permission is not obtained, the photograph will be edited to ensure anonymity.

Permissions
If any material in the manuscript is from a prior copyrighted publication, a letter of permission from the copyright holder to reproduce the material should be included. If a photo or illustration does not belong to the author, it must be accompanied by a letter of permission from the copyright holder to reproduce it. Those cited in personal communications (verbal or written) also must grant the author written permission for the use of their names and/or material.

Proprietary Interest
All authors must submit a completed and signed Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form disclosing any financial or proprietary interest in the subject matter or materials discussed (eg, employment, stock ownership, honoraria, etc). Manuscripts will not be accepted unless all authors have completed and submitted this form.

Drug Names
Use full generic names only, including inactive moiety. The trade name of a drug may be cited in parentheses the first time the generic name appears.

Abbreviations and Symbols
With the exception of standard units of measurements, avoid abbreviations. Do not use abbreviations in the title or abstract. When using a large number of abbreviations, list them in a table.

Reprints
Upon publication, authors will receive 2 complimentary copies of the issue in which their article appears. If you wish to purchase additional copies or reprints, notify the managing editor when you grant final approval of your edited article.

Submitting Manuscripts

Authors may choose to request retraction of their own article by emailing imcjsubmissions@innovisionhm.com. These requests will be reviewed by IMCJ and the Journal Editor and may be declined if they are not in line with COPE guidance and IMCJ policies, or if they have been made during a IMCJ-initiated investigation.