The Editor will perform an initial appraisal of each manuscript. Manuscripts are judged on the interest and importance of the topic, the use of the scientific method, the clarity of the presentation, and the relevance to the Journal's readers. Articles meeting the appropriate criteria are then passed to external peer review.
The aim of the peer review process is to ensure publication of unbiased, scientifically accurate and clinically relevant articles. All articles in Drugs are reviewed by members of the Journal's international Editorial Board and/or other specialists of equal repute before a decision on publication is made.
Peer reviewers are required to disclose potential conflicts of interests that may affect their ability to provide an unbiased review of an article. Peer review identities are kept confidential, but author identities are known to the reviewers.
Peer reviewers are asked to fill out a referee report form and to provide general comments to the editor and both general and specific comments to the author(s). Constructive comments that might help the authors improve their work are passed on anonymously (even if we do not accept the paper). Revised manuscripts may be reviewed a second time if appropriate. The final decision on acceptability for publication lies with the Journal Editor.