The Lancet vs The BMJ: Which to Submit To
How The Lancet and The BMJ differ on submission requirements, including The BMJ's distinctive patient and public involvement statement.
Guide
The Lancet and The BMJ are both leading general-medicine journals, but they differ in house style. The BMJ publishes research open access and is well known for requiring a patient and public involvement statement and a What this study adds box. This page compares their submission requirements and what CheckMyManuscript checks for both.
The Lancet vs The BMJ
| The Lancet | The BMJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | General medicine, broad importance | General medicine, broad readership |
| Abstract format | Background / Methods / Findings / Interpretation / Funding | Structured abstract |
| Distinctive element | Research in Context panel | PPI statement + What this study adds box |
| Open-access model | Hybrid (OA option) | Open access (flagship research) |
| Reporting guidelines | CONSORT / PRISMA / STROBE | CONSORT / PRISMA / STROBE |
| Trial registration | Required | Required |
| Portfolio note | Lancet specialty journals separate | BMJ specialty journals + BMJ Open separate |
How The Lancet and The BMJ differ
The Lancet uses a five-part structured abstract and a Research in Context panel. The BMJ uses its own structured abstract and is distinctive for requiring a patient and public involvement (PPI) statement and a What this study adds box. The BMJ flagship publishes research open access; note it is distinct from the wider BMJ specialty portfolio and BMJ Open.
Which should you submit to
Both want findings relevant to a broad medical readership. If your study involved patients and the public, The BMJ's PPI requirement is central; prepare that statement early. Reporting-guideline requirements are the same across both.
The Lancet: five-part structured abstract + Research in Context
The BMJ: PPI statement + What this study adds box, open access
Both: trial registration, data sharing, reporting guideline
What CheckMyManuscript checks for both
CheckMyManuscript flags the presence and structure of the required elements for either journal, structured abstract, the PPI statement and What this study adds box for The BMJ, trial registration, and the matching reporting-guideline checklist. It checks presence and structure, not methodological quality.
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Frequently asked questions
The BMJ is well known for requiring a patient and public involvement (PPI) statement and a What this study adds box for research articles. The Lancet does not require a PPI statement in the same way, though both expect reporting-guideline compliance.
The BMJ flagship publishes research open access. It is distinct from the wider BMJ portfolio of specialty journals and the open-access journal BMJ Open, which have their own instructions.
Yes. CheckMyManuscript checks the presence and structure of each journal's required elements, including The BMJ's PPI statement. It does not replace peer review.