Medical writing

Medical writing for the pharmaceutical industry can be classified as either regulatory medical writing or educational medical writing.{{cn|date=May 2023}}

Regulatory medical writing means creating the documentation that regulatory agencies require in the approval process for drugs, devices and biologics. Regulatory documents can be huge and are formulaic. They include clinical study protocols, clinical study reports, patient informed consent forms, investigator brochures and summary documents (e.g. in Common Technical Document [CTD] format) that summarize and discuss the data a company gathers in the course of developing a medical product.{{cn|date=May 2023}}

Educational medical writing means writing documents about drugs, devices and biologics for general audiences, and for specific audiences such as health care professionals. These include sales literature for newly launched drugs, data presentations for medical conferences, medical journal articles for nurses, physicians and pharmacists, consumer education and programs and enduring materials for continuing education (CE) or continuing medical education (CME). It plays a very important role in promotion of various pharmaceutical brands both to the HCPs and the consumers. Different types of communication use different media to present the writings.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

Other types of medical writing include journalism and marketing, both of which can have a medical writing focus.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

Regardless of the type of medical writing, companies either assign it to an in-house writer, or "outsource" it to a freelance or contract medical writer.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

Several professional organizations represent medical writers around the world.{{cn|date=May 2023}} These include:

• American Medical Writers Association (AMWA){{cite web |url=http://www.amwa.org/ |title=Home |website=amwa.org |access-date=2022-08-08 |archive-date=2020-11-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115202052/https://www.amwa.org/ |url-status=live}}
• Australasian Medical Writers Association (AMWA)
• European Medical Writers Association (EMWA){{cite web |url=http://www.emwa.org/ |title=Home |website=emwa.org |access-date=2022-08-08 |archive-date=2020-11-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125052309/https://www.emwa.org/ |url-status=live}}
• Indian Medical Writers Association (IMWA){{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/signup|title=Sign Up | LinkedIn|website=www.linkedin.com}}
• Chinese Medical Writers Community (CMWC)

These organizations provide a forum where medical writers meet and share knowledge and experience. They promote professional development and standards of documentation excellence, and help writers find career opportunities. All these organizations offer fundamental medical writing training.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}

Stephanie Deming of the Council of Science Editors compiled in 2003 a list of books that might be helpful in medical and/or science writing.{{cite journal|title=The Science Editor's Bookshelf: Some Favorite Resources of CSE Members|journal=Science Editor|date=July–August 2003|volume=26|issue=4|pages=111–117|url=https://www.councilscienceeditors.org/wp-content/uploads/v26n4p111-117.pdf|archive-date=2014-09-01|access-date=2019-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140901191137/http://www.councilscienceeditors.org/wp-content/uploads/v26n4p111-117.pdf|url-status=dead}} In 1978 the BMJ editor Stephen Lock recommended Hawkins's 1967 book Speaking and writing in medicine and 4 other books.{{cite journal|author=Lock, Stephen|title=In their own write|journal=Br Med J|date=13 May 1978|volume=1|issue=6122|pages=1267–1268|pmc=1604607|doi=10.1136/bmj.1.6122.1267 }}

{{blockquote|The single most important feature of any article is lucidity. Useful guidelines are to write in fairly short sentences, keeping the words and phrases as simple as possible. Reading the article aloud is a good way of discovering how intelligible it is and some authors normally write their first drafts by using a tape recorder. It is also helpful to read articles written by masters of medical style, such as Richard Asher and William Boyd.{{cite journal|author=Lock, S.|title=Writing for a journal|journal=British Journal of Anaesthesia|volume=42|issue=9|year=1970|pages=764–767|doi=10.1093/bja/42.9.764|pmid=5470060|doi-access=free}}}}

With the invention of the internet, social media has become a main source of information for patients concerned with certain health issues.{{Cite journal |last=Ferrão |first=Sara |date=December 2020 |title=Social media: A tool that can benefit public health? |url=https://doi.org/20474814. |journal=Writing for Patients |volume=29 |issue=4 |pages=44–49}} It differs from other sources through characteristics such as instantaneous and limitless reach and user-generated content. {{Cite journal |last1=Bulaeva |first1=Ekaterina |last2=Iljasova |first2=Amalia |date=March 2021 |title=Social Media Video Content for the Healthcare Industry |url=https://doi.org/20474814 |journal=Medical Writing |volume=30 |issue=1}} Unfortunately, these aspects can lead to a lack of quality and reliability. User-generated content often leads to content written by unknown authors where the information itself may be incomplete, unreferenced, or informal. Also, unlike evidence-based medicine, social media tends to magnify anecdotal reports.{{Cite journal |last=Ventola |first=C Lee |date=July 2014 |title=Social Media and Health Care Professionals: Benefits, Risks, and Best Practices |journal=P & T: A Peer-Reviewed Journal for Formulary Management |volume=39 |issue=7 |pages=491–520 |pmid=25083128 |pmc=4103576 }} However, there are measures available to decrease this issue. Individuals can help reduce health misconceptions online by countering false or misleading claims with clear, evidence-based responses and cited sources.{{Cite journal |last=Trethewey |first=Samuel P |date=1 May 2020 |title=The FPM International Awards for Medical Writing in Social Media: A Step in the Right Direction |url=https://pmj.bmj.com/content/96/1135/304 |journal=Postgraduate Medical Journal |volume=96 |issue=1135 |page=304 |doi=10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-137772 |pmid=32241882 |s2cid=214772913 |via=The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine |doi-access=free |archive-date=1 May 2023 |access-date=1 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501151612/https://pmj.bmj.com/content/96/1135/304 |url-status=live }} Social media presents communication challenges in health discussions, but these can be addressed by minimizing technical jargon, using plain language, and maintaining a concise, professional tone. Identifying the target audience allows for a more precise and relevant approach.{{Cite web |last=Kalthoff |first=Gretchen |date=6 November 2016 |title=Do's and Don'ts of Healthcare Social Media |url=https://www.medicalwebexperts.com/blog/dos-and-donts-of-healthcare-social-media/ |access-date=27 March 2023 |website=Medical Web Experts |archive-date=1 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501151617/https://www.medicalwebexperts.com/blog/dos-and-donts-of-healthcare-social-media/ |url-status=live }} Skilled medical writers understand medical language and culture, enabling them to effectively tailor content for specific readerships.{{Cite web |last=Oliveira |first=Kelsey |date=13 April 2023 |title=Content Writing for Medical Practices |url=https://harrisambulatory.com/content-writing-for-medical-practices/ |access-date=26 March 2023 |website=Harris Ambulatory Group |archive-date=1 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501151612/https://harrisambulatory.com/content-writing-for-medical-practices/ |url-status=live}}

Medical writing is a growing sector in the freelance market, with writers specializing in healthcare-related content.{{Cite web |title=ÄRZTESTELLEN - Verschiedenes (gewerblich) |url=https://www.aerzteblatt.de/anzeigen/sonstiges/anzeige?id=674939&s= |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=Deutsches Ärzteblatt |language=de}}{{Cite journal |last=Singh |first=Namrata |last2=Shah |first2=Shruti |date=2023-06-01 |title=The freelance medical writer and the medical writing agency: A symbiotic relationship |journal=Medical Writing |volume=32 |pages=48–52 |doi=10.56012/pydv4748 |issn=2047-4814 |doi-access=free}} Freelance medical writers offer services such as writing medical articles, research papers, case studies, and regulatory documents. Many hold advanced degrees in medicine, biology, or related fields and possess expertise in medical terminology and concepts, enabling them to produce accurate and informative content.{{Cite journal |last=Woolley |first=Karen L. |last2=Ely |first2=Julie A. |last3=Woolley |first3=Mark J. |date=2006-08-23 |title=Declaration of Medical Writing Assistance in International Peer-Reviewed Publications |journal=JAMA |volume=296 |issue=8 |pages=[https://essayservice.com/ 929–934] |doi=10.1001/jama.296.8.932-b |issn=0098-7484 |doi-access=free}}

One of the advantages of working with freelance medical writers is the ability to review their portfolio and samples of their work. Clients can also read reviews from other clients who have worked with them in the past, which helps them make informed decisions about who to hire and ensures that they receive high-quality work.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

In addition, freelance medical writers offer a range of pricing options, making it possible to find a writer who fits within your budget. Some medical writers charge by the hour, while others charge by the project. This flexibility allows clients to find a writer who can provide the services they need at a price they can afford.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

• AMWA Journal
• Medical ghostwriting
• Scientific writing
• World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)

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