Journal Watch Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine OK'd for Feb. '02 Launch

Bolstered by market research, historical demand from physicians, and a pool of 62,000 potential subscribers, the MMS Publishing Division is preparing to launch its tenth title in the Journal Watch series: Journal Watch Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. The first issue is expected in February with an anticipated online launch following shortly thereafter.

Like the Journal Watch publications that preceded it, Journal Watch Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine is intended to fulfill the commitment of all JW publications: to "help medical professionals stay on top of the most important clinical research . . . and provide commentary to put the research into perspective."

"We've long felt that a pediatrics publication had great potential," said Alberta Fitzpatrick, publishing director of professional and consumer newsletters. "It was one of the holes in our coverage that we really wanted to fill."

For circulation, Fitzpatrick believes that "10 percent of the universe [approximately 62,000 practicing pediatricians in the U.S. alone] is a significant goal."

While a number of publications on the market target pediatricians, the Publishing Division is confident that their title will succeed, in part because of the "launch pad" being provided by Wyeth Laboratories. Wyeth is underwriting the initial distribution to a targeted list of 15,000 pediatricians. Current plans call for Wyeth's sponsorship to continue for one year. A direct mail campaign to solicit paid subscribers is slated for the fall of 2002 with subscriptions expected to cover the cost of production soon thereafter.

Fitzpatrick pointed out that Wyeth's involvement in the publication is strictly as a sponsor and advertiser. "They [Wyeth Laboratories] will have no editorial involvement in the publication," she noted. "Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine will adhere to the same high standards of all of our publications and draw its content from the journals that are most relevant to the practicing clinician," added Fitzpatrick.

Appointments of the editorial board and the editor-in-chief for JW Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine are expected to be announced sometime in late fall.

The look of the new publication, both printed and online, will be similar to the existing publications, which have grown steadily in number since the introduction of Journal Watch in 1987.

– David Graves