Suggestions for IME

I feel bad that the journal, which is perhaps the only representative of any remnants of ethical core of health care in India, is floundering due to problems with funds.

I have thought about it – with empathy born of having to sustain a bulletin on medical education myself – and feel that there are many reasons for this problem.

Your cover MUST look more appealing; not the same sepulchral black border and depressing images every time. After all, two colours are being used on the cover; why not design it better? Maybe a layout artist can help. With a mix and match of the two foreground colours, plus the background white, the cover can really be made attractive and refreshing every time.

Announce some prizes (more like a citation or a certificate which costs little but means a lot) for the best letter, the best essay on a topic (for medicos?). The winners could be offered a special subscription.

The content need not be depressingly pessimistic. There are doctors and health facilities all over India doing ethical and humane work. Such positive items could be highlighted. For example, The Hindu covered a survey of people’s beliefs on corrupt professions (I think in 1998); the medical profession was voted the lowest while the law and politicians scored highest on the corruption scale! What I mean is there is a need to appreciate that at least half the cup is filled, even while lamenting that the other half is empty.

You do quite a few book reviews. Most of these books find it difficult to get sold. You can try a symbiotic approach: for subscribers of the journal, offer a discounted sale price of the books. It may help all the three parties concerned – the writer to increase sales, the subscriber to get more value for money spent and yourselves in terms of increasing subscriptions.

There is a need to put on the “what is in it for me” cap and plan out an allwin strategy.

This may be a bitter medicine for you, but I think you can allow sponsorship by ethical firms, just displaying their name and logo without any advertising on their products. It is not unethical to do so.

Finally, I have written a book entitled Trick or Treat, to be published with the help of the Consumer InternationalRegional office for Asia Pacific (CIROAP), Penang, Malysia. I can submit one chapter per issue of Issues in Medical Ethics; there are 52 chapters big and small, and this could go on for a few years as a serial. I can also work out a big discount for your subscribers. This is the least I could do to support your cause.