Ethics Forum - The Role of the Ombudsman in Biomedical Journals

Recently, a researcher from a Delhi-based medical college faced a serious ethical problem in the publication, based on one of his research projects. Part of this work was presented at a national meeting with names of all the co-workers listed. The complete version was subsequently published in a well-known journal, but his name was left out. On appeal, the corresponding author agreed to make amends. The aggrieved author wrote a letter to the editor explaining that his name has been left out and that the other authors were agreeable for a correction in the authorship. The corresponding author also wrote to the editor admitting the error. The editor while publishing both the letters in his journal pleaded inability to change the authorship of a published paper as the Vancouver (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, ICMJE) Guidelines do not permit change of authorship after publication.