Accountability or acknowledgment? Untangling authorship and medical writing support in scientific publishing

The evolving landscape of scientific publishing has brought renewed attention to the concepts of authorship, contributorship, and acknowledgments. While authorship is a marker of intellectual contribution and accountability, the role of professional medical writers in the development of scientific and biomedical publications has evolved significantly, particularly in the context of industry-supported research. Drawing upon established guidance such as the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), Good Publication Practice (GPP) 2022, the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT), and other international standards, this review highlights credible authorship criteria, clarifies the role of medical writers in the publication process, and underscores the necessity of transparent and appropriate acknowledgment of their contribution to a publication. The current frameworks and perspectives are synthesized to support informed decision-making for authors and foster responsible recognition of medical writers as contributors in scientific publishing.