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Editorial: We are moving …
2009 Volume 14 No 1 JEMDSA
In the previous issue of the Journal, our readers were informed that SEMDSA had decided, after much deliberation and debate, to sever its decade-long ties with the South African Medical Association, that the Health and Medical Publishing Group was to be replaced with a private publishing house, Medpharm Publications, and that it was now “time to move on…”
Well, I think it is fair to say that in the short scope of the past 3 months we have indeed moved along. Strategically, it is exciting to reflect on the fact that JEMDSA is now the official journal of no less than 6 scholarly professional medical societies in this country – SEMDSA (Society for Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes of South Africa), DESSA (Diabetes Education Society of South Africa), LASSA (Lipid and Atherosclerosis Society of South Africa), NOFSA (National Osteoporosis Foundation of South Africa), SASOM (South African Society of Obesity and Metabolism), and PAEDS-SA (Paediatric Endocrinology Society of South Africa). SEMDSA has, for many years, strived to be an umbrella organisation for affiliated South African professional societies with a vision to advance research, education and patient care in endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes. With JEMDSA acting as the mouthpiece of these learned societies, I have no doubt that improved communication, collaboration, training, scientific endeavour and ultimately patient care will prevail. I would like to thank each of the sister organisations for their trust and faith in JEMDSA, and their undertaking to utilise, support and take ownership of JEMDSA as their society journal.
At an operational level we have likewise progressed rather nicely. The need to establish an entirely new Editorial Board has been apparent for some time. It is envisaged that such an Editorial Board would comprise an Editor-in-Chief, a Deputy Editor, a Managing Editor, Associate Editors and regular members. Associate or Sectional Editors are deemed to play a key role in driving the Journal, staying abreast of their field, ensuring efficient reviewing of manuscripts in their section, as well as the recruitment of review articles, clinical cases, protocols for debate, national guidelines etc. No less than three Associate Editors (AEs) have been appointed to cover the enormous field of Diabetes: Clinical and Epidemiology, with an additional AE for Diabetes Education and a further AE for Basic Research in Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes. General Endocrinology will be served by two AEs. Given the differences in adult and paediatric Metabolic Bone Disorders, two AEs were also allocated to this discipline, with one AE covering each of the following sections, Lipidology, Obesity and Paediatric Endocrinology. Eight sections of endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes will therefore be served by 12 Associate or Sectional Editors. As indicated elsewhere in the
Journal, all the editors of JEMDSA have now been appointed and are already hard at work. Currently a number of regular Editorial Board members, including International EB members are being recruited.
Further developments which have now largely been completed thanks to our publisher and the newly appointed Managing Editor of JEMDSA, Dr Douw Greeff, include the establishment of an Editorial and Review Policy, Instructions to Authors, Advertising Policy, a Business Model, Journal Website [www.JEMDSA.co.za] and of course the bold new-look cover page.
The vision of JEMDSA is to publish world-class papers in endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes, and to establish itself as the undisputed local leader in the field. To date, JEMDSA is published every 4 months and is accredited by the National Department of Education and earns research subsidies for academic institutions.
In future, we aim to publish every 3 months and to be indexed in all world data bases. If the current edition of JEMDSA is anything to go by, we are indeed well on the way to setting the high standard and establishing the appropriate benchmark to achieve these goals.
This issue of JEMDSA contains four Editorials, including one by Prof Roy Shires which introduces the 44th SEMDSA Congress, one by Prof Derick Raal on the 9th LASSA Congress, and another by Prof Dinky Levitt which explains how the new SEMDSA Diabetes Guidelines were developed and what they plan to achieve. An excellent review article by Prof Derick Raal on the management of hypercholesterolaemia is followed by original research articles and an interesting case history on phaeochromocytoma. No less than two national guidelines, the SEMDSA Guideline for Diagnosis and Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus for Primary Health Care – 2009, as well as the NOFSA Guideline, compiled by Dr Sue Brown, on the indications for the use of teriparatide/PTH (1–34) in the management of osteoporosis, feature in this issue. And then there are of course all the SEMDSA and LASSA abstracts.
So, the future of JEMDSA does indeed seem bright. There’s little doubt in my mind that if we succeed in channeling the collective energies, knowledge and expertise of those in academia, those in private practice, in industry, as well as our international colleagues and collaborators in the right direction, JEMDSA has the potential to not only publish top research papers, clinical reviews, and practical guidelines in endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes, but to also aid the different professional societies which it serves, to achieve their vision and mission.
Stephen Hough Editor-in-Chief
