# Publication Ethics Insight | Who Really “Owns” a Manuscript? (ICMJE Perspective)

**URL:** <https://www.medboundhub.com/t/publication-ethics-insight-who-really-owns-a-manuscript-icmje-perspective/14399>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [February 16, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://www.medboundhub.com/t/publication-ethics-insight-who-really-owns-a-manuscript-icmje-perspective/14399 "2026-02-16T18:10:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![drsayalee](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex033/user_avatar/www.medboundhub.com/drsayalee/32/2520_2.png) [@drsayalee](https://www.medboundhub.com/u/drsayalee)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://www.medboundhub.com/t/publication-ethics-insight-who-really-owns-a-manuscript-icmje-perspective/14399/1 "2026-02-16T18:10:35Z")

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In scientific publishing, authorship is often seen as a title something reserved for investigators or key opinion leaders.

But here’s a question worth asking:  
👉 **Is authorship about designation… or contribution?**

According to the **ICMJE Recommendations** , authorship is not about your job title it’s about **your intellectual ownership of the work**.

This challenges a long-standing misconception:

> _Medical writers should not be authors._

In reality, **medical writers can and should be authors** _if they meet the required criteria_.

🔹 **Authorship is earned when all four criteria are met:**  
✔ Significant intellectual contribution to the work  
✔ Drafting or critically revising the manuscript  
✔ Final approval of the version to be published  
✔ Accountability for the accuracy and integrity of the content

If even one of these is missing, authorship may not be appropriate.

But that doesn’t mean invisibility.

🔹 When medical writers contribute without meeting all criteria, **transparent acknowledgment is essential**  
not just as a courtesy, but as an **ethical responsibility**.

Because failing to acknowledge contributions leads to a deeper issue:  
👉 **Ghostwriting one of the most serious ethical concerns in medical publishing**

* * *

💡 **A shift in perspective**

Instead of asking:  
❌ “Should medical writers be authors?”

We should be asking:  
✅ “Did they contribute intellectually and take responsibility for the work?”

Because ethical authorship is not about hierarchy  
it’s about **accountability, transparency, and trust**.

* * *

💬 **Let’s discuss:**  
Do you think medical writers are still under-recognized in authorship decisions even when they meet the criteria?

MBH/AB

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**Author:** ![Vaishnavi5](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex033/user_avatar/www.medboundhub.com/vaishnavi5/32/3245_2.png) [@Vaishnavi5](https://www.medboundhub.com/u/Vaishnavi5)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 6:23pm UTC](https://www.medboundhub.com/t/publication-ethics-insight-who-really-owns-a-manuscript-icmje-perspective/14399/2 "2026-02-16T18:23:07Z")

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I completely agree that authorship should reflect intellectual contribution, not hierarchy.

What I don’t understand is how these “ghostwriter” positions are still openly available for candidates to apply, when transparency is supposed to be central to ethical publishing.

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**Author:** ![Dr.Anushka](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex033/user_avatar/www.medboundhub.com/dr.anushka/32/2831_2.png) [@Dr.Anushka](https://www.medboundhub.com/u/Dr.Anushka)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 6:24pm UTC](https://www.medboundhub.com/t/publication-ethics-insight-who-really-owns-a-manuscript-icmje-perspective/14399/3 "2026-02-16T18:24:01Z")

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Well written!