Abstract
Since our journal's inauguration in August of last year at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Vienna we have published three issues, all free and widely circulated. Although still a fledgling academic journal the number of scientific manuscripts received is encouraging, already exceeding that of our predecessor, the Journal of Cardiovascular Risk. These papers are coming from a wide diversity of scientists and practitioners across Europe and, importantly, from other regions - North America, Canada, Australia, South America and the Far East - reflecting the importance of cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation around the world. Our new journal aims to serve the scientific, clinical and public health disciplines that address the causes and prevention of cardiovascular disease from a population and clinical perspective. We want to become an international academic forum for all those who are researching and working to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.
Our aim is to publish the best science in EJCPR and to do so in a timely fashion. We and our Associate Editors are working hard to achieve our promise of rapid peer review within 6 weeks of submission, and publication within 2 months of acceptance. Our international editorial board members play a vital role in this review process. At the beginning we faced a backlog of scientific papers from the previous journal, some already accepted for publication which had to be printed in EJCPR, and this delayed both peer review of new papers and their publication in our new journal. Our virtual editorial office in Bern and London is now up to date so if you want an authoritative and prompt review of your work then submit your paper to our journal now. Articles published in EJCPR will be cited straightaway in Index Medicus because our journal has inherited our predecessor's impact factor. We want to increase our impact factor over the next 3 years, which means our gold standard is to publish only the best science. Currently we are accepting about one in three of all manuscripts submitted. Our journal has been prioritized by our publisher, Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, to have a fully electronic version of a new editorial manager system. This electronic editorial manager will facilitate the work of the Editors and our editorial board, and there will be transparency for our contributors - you will be able to keep track of your paper's progress online throughout the peer review process. This will empower editors and authors alike.
Original scientific papers are the backbone of our journal but our publication perspective is much broader. We are commissioning high quality scientific and clinical reviews by senior scientists and health professionals. We also welcome contributions on education and clinical practice and the Associate Editors (Guy de Backer, Birna Bjarnason-Wehrens, Joep Perk, Dag Thelle) responsible for these areas will be pleased to discuss your ideas. If you have news or other information of interest to a wider academic and professional audience then the News and Notices section, organized by Pantaleo Giannuzzi and Annika Rosengren, will provide you with a platform. We welcome reports from professional societies, heart foundations and other non-governmental organizations working for cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation.
Our International Editorial Board provides the foundation of our peer review process and we are grateful to all our senior scientific colleagues from around the world who fulfil this central role. If you would like to play a more active role in EJCPR why not consider applying to join our international editorial board? You need to be a senior scientist or health professional with a strong academic and service record. You can expect to work hard by reviewing numerous scientific papers in a timely manner. If you are interested then write to the Editors with a copy of your curriculum vitae.
Our new journal's future depends on meeting the scientific and professional interests of our readers and the multidisciplinary constituencies which make up the broad spectrum of cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation - from patients with disease, high-risk individuals in the community and whole populations. We also depend on your subscription for 2004 - we have to pay to publish your science. So sign up now for your six issues of EJCPR in 2004. For members of the Working Groups on Epidemiology and Prevention and Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology the cost is just 100 euros, and for other members of the European Society of Cardiology it is 133 euros. For other subscribers it is $269. As a subscriber you can access EJCPR online as well as receiving a printed copy of each issue. You can order your personal copy of EJCPR by contacting the ESC Publications Department (Mrs Micheline Iscache,
Contribute to and support EJCPR in 2004.