The Lancet vs Nature Medicine: Which to Submit To
How The Lancet and Nature Medicine differ on submission requirements, clinical flagship versus Nature-portfolio translational medicine.
The Lancet is a clinical general-medicine flagship, while Nature Medicine is a Nature-portfolio journal focused on biomedical and translational research. Their submission requirements reflect those different houses. This page compares them and what CheckMyManuscript checks for both.
The Lancet vs Nature Medicine
| The Lancet | Nature Medicine | |
|---|---|---|
| House | Clinical general-medicine flagship | Nature portfolio (biomedical/translational) |
| Abstract / summary | Background / Methods / Findings / Interpretation / Funding | Abstract per Nature Medicine instructions |
| Distinctive element | Research in Context panel | Reporting summary + CRediT |
| Data availability | Statement required | Mandatory, named repositories |
| Open-access model | Hybrid (OA option) | Hybrid (OA option) |
| Trials | Registration + CONSORT | Registration + CONSORT |
| Bridges to | Lancet specialty journals | Nature, Nature Communications |
How The Lancet and Nature Medicine differ
The Lancet uses a five-part structured abstract and Research in Context panel and emphasises clinical reporting standards. Nature Medicine applies Nature-portfolio policies, a mandatory data availability statement with named repositories, a life-sciences reporting summary, CRediT author contributions, and code availability, combined with clinical-research expectations such as trial registration and CONSORT for trials.
Which should you submit to
Choose on whether your work reads as clinical (The Lancet) or biomedical/translational (Nature Medicine). The mechanical requirements differ most around data and reporting: Nature Medicine's reporting summary and repository expectations versus The Lancet's structured abstract and Research in Context.
- The Lancet
- five-part structured abstract + Research in Context
- Nature Medicine
- data availability + reporting summary + CRediT
- Both
- trial registration and CONSORT for trials
What CheckMyManuscript checks for both
CheckMyManuscript flags the presence and structure of each journal's required elements, the structured abstract and Research in Context for The Lancet, and data availability, reporting summary, and CRediT for Nature Medicine, plus trial registration for both. It checks presence and structure, not methodological quality.
Frequently asked questions
Mostly around data and reporting. Nature Medicine applies Nature-portfolio policies, a mandatory data availability statement with named repositories, a life-sciences reporting summary, and CRediT, while The Lancet emphasises its five-part structured abstract and Research in Context panel. Both require trial registration and CONSORT for trials.