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The Lancet

The Lancet is an independent, international general medical journal founded in 1823 by Thomas Wakley. It publishes weekly issues and Online First content and is committed to applying scientific knowledge to improve health and advance human progress.

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Subject Medicine, General & Internal
Impact Factor 88.5
Quartile Q1
Open Access Type Hybrid
ISSN 0140-6736
eISSN 1474-547X
Invitation Only No
Cost Range USD 9,550 APC

Submission Instructions

The Lancet accepts the following article types. Click on an article type to view submission instructions.

Article

Cover Letter A cover letter is required for first submissions. The cover letter should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere.
Abstract A semistructured abstract is required. Abstract must be no more than 300 words. Abstract must be semistructured in five paragraphs. Abstract headings must be Background, Methods, Findings, Interpretation, and Funding.
Manuscript Articles should be up to 3500 words, but randomised controlled trial Articles may be up to 4500 words. Primary research Articles must include a research in context panel, and reports of randomised trials should include a "Randomisation and masking" section within the Methods section. The manuscript must include individual contributor statements at the end of the text, an AI declaration statement at the end if AI tools were used for manuscript preparation, declaration of interests and funding statements, and a research in context panel.
References Articles should have 30 references. References must use Vancouver numbering style. References must be cited sequentially as superscript numbers after punctuation, with all authors listed when there are six or fewer and the first three followed by et al when there are seven or more.
Figures & Tables First submissions should include the manuscript including tables and panels, and should include figures. When reporting Kaplan-Meier survival data, numbers at risk must be included at each timepoint.
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Seminars

Cover Letter A cover letter is required for first submissions. The cover letter should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere.
Abstract A 150-word unstructured summary is required. The summary must not exceed 150 words. The summary must be unstructured.
Manuscript Seminars should be no more than 5000 words. The paper should include a brief section entitled "Search strategy and selection criteria" stating the sources of the material covered and the criteria used to include or exclude studies. An AI declaration statement at the end of the manuscript is required if AI tools were used for manuscript preparation.
References Seminars should have a maximum of 140 references. References must use Vancouver numbering style with superscripted numbers after punctuation marks. References must be cited sequentially, list all six authors when there are six or fewer, list the first three followed by et al when there are seven or more, and must not appear in the Search strategy and selection criteria panel.
Figures & Tables Seminars should include about five illustrations to aid the reader. The manuscript including tables and panels and the figures must be included in the first submission.
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Reviews

Cover Letter A cover letter is required at first submission and should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere. The cover letter should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere.
Abstract A 150-word unstructured summary is required. The summary must not exceed 150 words. The summary must be unstructured.
Manuscript Reviews should be no more than 4500 words. Reviews should include a brief section entitled "Search strategy and selection criteria" stating the sources of the material covered and the criteria used to include or exclude studies. The manuscript must include an AI declaration statement at the end if AI tools were used for manuscript preparation, and reviews should include about five illustrations.
References Reviews should have a maximum of 100 references. References must use Vancouver numbering style with sequential superscript citation numbers after punctuation marks. List all authors when there are six or fewer, list the first three followed by et al when there are seven or more, and do not place references in the Search strategy and selection criteria panel.
Figures & Tables Reviews should include about five illustrations. First submissions should include the manuscript including tables and panels and should include figures.
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Correspondence

Cover Letter A covering letter is required for first submissions and should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere. If AI has been used, the submission must include a declaration fully describing how AI was used.
Abstract Abstract requirements are not specified.
Manuscript Letters responding to published journal content must be submitted within 2 weeks of publication and should be no longer than 250 words for print, while letters of general interest unlinked to journal content can be up to 400 words. A separate AI declaration statement at the end of the manuscript must disclose any AI use, and all authors’ contributions plus declaration of interests and source of funding statements must appear at the end of the text.
References No more than five references are permitted. References must use Vancouver numbering style with superscript numbers cited sequentially after punctuation marks. List all authors when there are six or fewer, list the first three followed by et al when there are seven or more, and include URLs with access dates for online material.
Figures & Tables Only one table or figure is permitted. First submissions should include the manuscript including tables and panels and should include figures.
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Comment

Cover Letter A covering letter must be included with the first submission. The covering letter should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere.
Abstract Abstract requirements are not specified.
Manuscript Comments should be about 700 words. An AI declaration statement describing any AI use must be included at submission, and required forms must be uploaded at submission.
References Comments should have ten references. References must use Vancouver numbering style with superscripted citation numbers. References must be cited sequentially, list all authors when there are six or fewer, and list the first three authors followed by et al when there are seven or more.
Figures & Tables The manuscript must include tables and panels with the first submission, and figures must also be included with the first submission.
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Adverse Drug Reactions

Cover Letter A cover letter is required for first submissions and should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere. The cover letter should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere.
Abstract Abstract requirements are not specified.
Manuscript Manuscript length must not exceed 800 words. An AI declaration statement must be included at the end of the manuscript on submission, stating the name and version of the AI tool used, the purpose of its use, the extent of author oversight, and prompts where applicable.
References No more than five references are permitted. References must use Vancouver numbering style with superscript numbers after punctuation marks. List all authors when a reference has six or fewer authors, list the first three followed by et al when there are seven or more authors, and cite references sequentially in the order mentioned.
Figures & Tables Only one table or figure is permitted. First submissions should include the manuscript including tables and panels and should include figures.
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Clinical Rounds

Cover Letter A cover letter is required for first submissions and should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere. The cover letter should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere.
Abstract Abstract requirements are not specified.
Manuscript Clinical Rounds should be 300 to 1500 words. The text should include a short and engaging clinical or scientific scenario outlining the clinical case and two or three sharply focused learning points or takeaways. The manuscript must include individual contributor information at the end of the text, declaration of interests and funding statements, and a separate AI declaration statement at the end of the manuscript if AI tools were used for manuscript preparation.
References Clinical Rounds should have up to 5 references. References must use Vancouver numbering style. References must be cited sequentially as superscript numbers after punctuation, with all authors listed if there are six or fewer and the first three followed by et al if there are seven or more.
Figures & Tables First submissions should include the manuscript including tables and panels, and figures should be submitted with the submission.
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Clinical Picture

Cover Letter A covering letter must be included with the first submission and uploaded at the Enter Comments stage. The covering letter should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere.
Abstract Abstract requirements are not specified.
Manuscript An AI declaration statement at the end of the manuscript must disclose the name and version of any AI tool used, its purpose, the extent of oversight, and applicable prompts.
References References must use Vancouver numbering style. References must be cited sequentially as superscript numbers after punctuation, with all six authors listed when there are six or fewer and the first three followed by et al when there are seven or more.
Figures & Tables The first submission must include the manuscript including tables and panels, and figures.
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Grand Rounds

Cover Letter A covering letter is required for first submissions. The covering letter should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere.
Abstract Abstract requirements are not specified.
Manuscript The manuscript must include individual contributor statements and an AI declaration statement at the end of the manuscript, with any AI use in the research process described in the Methods section.
References References must use Vancouver numbering style. References must be cited sequentially as superscript numbers after punctuation, with up to six authors listed in full and seven or more shown as the first three followed by et al.
Figures & Tables First submissions should include the manuscript including tables and panels, and figures.
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Recent Publications

Intersectionality in climate and health equity research

Aaron Koay, Gurpreet Kaur, Muskaan Khepla, Renzo R Guinto

10.1016/s0140-6736(26)01417-0
View Publication

Department of Error

-

10.1016/s0140-6736(26)01492-3
View Publication

Governance for artificial intelligence in health

Talha Burki

10.1016/s0140-6736(26)01495-9
View Publication

Salim Yusuf: climbing mountains in cardiology

Conrad Keating

10.1016/s0140-6736(26)01437-6
View Publication

Department of Error

-

10.1016/s0140-6736(26)01493-5
View Publication

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to publish?

8 days from submission to first decision; 35 days from submission to decision after review; 28 days from submission to acceptance; 58 days from acceptance to first online publication for papers published online.

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Is a cover letter required?

A covering letter should be uploaded at the Enter Comments stage of online submission and should explain why the paper should be published in The Lancet rather than elsewhere. Detailed responses to reviewers’ comments in a covering letter are necessary with revisions.

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What are the publication costs?

Research Topics

Human auditory perception and evaluation Diverse Scientific and Economic Studies Earthquake and Disaster Impact Studies Primary Care and Health Outcomes Healthcare Policy and Management Medical History and Innovations History of Medical Practice Educational Leadership and Practices Legal case studies and regulations Child and Adolescent Health Legal Cases and Commentary Financial Crisis of the 21st Century Historical Studies on Reproduction, Gender, Health, and Societal Changes Health and Conflict Studies Historical and Architectural Studies History and Developments in Astronomy Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology Dental Education, Practice, Research Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health History of Medicine Studies Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare Ophthalmology and Visual Health Research Scottish History and National Identity Engineering and Material Science Research

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