JO

Journal of Medical Ethics

Journal of Medical Ethics covers the whole field of medical ethics and promotes ethical reflection and conduct in scientific research and medical practice. It publishes articles on ethical aspects of health care relevant to health care professionals, clinical ethics committees, medical ethics professionals, researchers, bioscientists, policy makers and patients.

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Subject Medical Ethics
Impact Factor 3.4
Quartile Q1
Open Access Type Hybrid
ISSN 0306-6800
eISSN 1473-4257
Invitation Only No
Cost Range Subscription; with hybrid open access option

Submission Instructions

Journal of Medical Ethics accepts the following article types. Click on an article type to view submission instructions.

Original Research

Cover Letter Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract Abstract is required for Original Research articles. Abstract must be no more than 250 words.
Manuscript Manuscript must be up to 3,500 words, excluding the title page, abstract, tables, acknowledgements, contributions, and references.
References References requirements are not specified.
Figures & Tables Original Research articles may include up to 5 tables and/or illustrations.
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Original Research - Extended Essay

Cover Letter Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract Abstract is required and must not exceed 250 words. Abstract must be up to 250 words.
Manuscript Manuscript must be up to 7,000 words, excluding the title page, abstract, tables, acknowledgements, contributions, and references.
References Manuscript may include up to 50 references.
Figures & Tables Manuscript may include up to 5 tables or illustrations.
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Current Controversy

Cover Letter Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract Abstract is required. Abstract must be no longer than 250 words.
Manuscript Manuscript must be up to 3500 words, excluding the title page, abstract, tables, acknowledgements, contributions, and references.
References References may include up to 25 entries.
Figures & Tables Articles may include up to 5 tables or illustrations, with any additional items subject to editorial discretion.
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Response

Cover Letter Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract Abstract is required for Response articles. Abstract must be no more than 250 words.
Manuscript Manuscript must be 1,500 words, excluding the title page, abstract, tables, acknowledgements, contributions, and references.
References Response articles may include up to 10 references.
Figures & Tables Illustrations may be included at editorial discretion.
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Student Essay

Cover Letter Cover letter is required. Cover letter must include information about the course of study.
Abstract Abstract is required. Abstract must be no more than 250 words.
Manuscript Manuscript must be no more than 3,500 words, excluding the title page, abstract, tables, acknowledgements, contributions, and references.
References Manuscript may include up to 25 references.
Figures & Tables Manuscript may include up to 5 tables or illustrations.
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Recent Publications

Reflections on AI use declarations in JME manuscripts

Joshua Parker

10.1136/jme-2026-112675
View Publication

Staging disease without illness: ethical issues of the Huntington’s Disease Integrated Staging System (HD-ISS)

Max J Rensink, Bjørn M Hofmann

10.1136/jme-2025-111586
View Publication

MacIntyrean bioethics: reappraisal and outline of a research programme

Morten Magelssen, Søren Holm, Eilev Hegstad, Skylar Christoffersen

10.1136/jme-2026-112142
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Ethics of opportunistic genomic screening in paediatrics: rethinking the risk-benefit ratio

Emily Wheeler, Wayne Shelton, Gina Geis

10.1136/jme-2026-111946
View Publication

What does AI health resource allocation make visible?

Daniel Weissglass, Yantong Ou, Jiaming Li, Yawen Sun, Hollie Wright, Wenrui Wu, Xinwei Xu, Rui Yu, Hanting Zhang, Yihe Zhang

10.1136/jme-2026-112504
View Publication

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to publish?

Time to first decision without review is 4 days median, time to first decision with review is 75 days median, and time from acceptance to publication is 16 days median.

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Is a cover letter required?

Cover letter information is specified for student essays, where course of study should be included in the cover letter.

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What are the publication costs?

Hybrid journal with open access information and article processing charges available.

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Research Topics

Ethics in medical practice Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues Ethics in Clinical Research Patient Dignity and Privacy Reproductive Health and Technologies Biomedical Ethics and Regulation Organ Donation and Transplantation Healthcare cost, quality, practices Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health Medical Malpractice and Liability Issues Mental Health and Psychiatry Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare Innovations in Medical Education Empathy and Medical Education Healthcare Policy and Management Child and Adolescent Health Health and Conflict Studies Torture, Ethics, and Law Disaster Response and Management Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment Prenatal Screening and Diagnostics

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