BMJ and the Lupus Foundation of America join forces to publish first open access journal dedicated to lupus

International knowledge healthcare provider BMJ and the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) have announced that they have joined forces to publish the first open access journal dedicated to the poorly understood and potentially life threatening disease, lupus.

Lupus Science & Medicine will offer timely global access to the latest scientific advances in lupus. The title will officially launch early next year.

Lupus Science & Medicine will be edited by Jill P Buyon, Division Director of Rheumatology, Professor of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine, and Ronald F van Vollenhoven, Professor and Chief, Unit for Clinical Therapy Research, Inflammatory Diseases (ClinTRID) The Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

Lupus research is currently published in a wide array of journals, particularly those in the specialties of rheumatology, immunology, dermatology and nephrology.

And the new online title will offer scientists and clinicians a unique focal point for new developments in the understanding and treatment of this complex and unpredictable autoimmune disease, the causes of which are still not clear.

Lupus represents a significant public health problem, affecting millions of people around the globe. In lupus the body’s immune system is out of balance, causing inflammation and tissue damage to any organ system in the body, including the skin, joints, heart and kidneys. Symptoms are varied and changeable, often mimicking other conditions, making lupus hard to diagnose and treat.

Lupus Science & Medicine is owned by the Lupus Foundation of America, and will be published by BMJ as a peer reviewed open access online title, with submissions on basic, clinical, translational, and epidemiological studies on all aspects of lupus and related diseases.

In common with the other open access titles, published by BMJ, the journal will enjoy fast editorial decisions and short publication times, bringing the latest research on lupus to a global audience.

Commenting on the new venture, BMJ Publishing Director Peter Ashman said: "We are delighted that the Lupus Foundation of America has chosen BMJ as their publishing partner to launch this important and exciting new journal. The complexities of lupus mean that it deserves a dedicated platform for the publication of quality research and for discussion among clinicians, researchers and people with lupus.”

He continued: “BMJ's position as part of the global medical community, partnered with the Lupus Foundation of America’s decades of leadership in the field will ensure that this platform will help make strides towards finding cures for lupus.”

Sandra C Raymond, President and CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America, added: “Ten years ago, we developed Lupus Now, the first and only national publication devoted to addressing the complexities of living with lupus for people with the disease, their families, and care-givers.

With the advent of Lupus Science & Medicine, we are continuing our efforts to provide authoritative information on lupus to ensure that all stakeholders can easily access the latest research findings free of charge.”

Link to podcast by co-editor Ronald van Vollenhoven: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/what-to-expect-from-lupus/s-PIlxt