Reaching a new milestone: Indexing of Journal of Integrated Standardized Homoeopathy in Embase

Why do we consider this significant?

The quality of a scientific journal is measured based on how many abstracting and indexing services cover that journal. As newer journals are being launched at a rapid speed, indexing becomes essential to enable a journal to stand out in the crowd. Moreover, a journal being indexed in one or more leading databases goes a long way in enhancing its credibility amongst the scientific community.^[1]

The first issue of the JISH was published in 2018; we have not looked back since. Thanks to the unwavering support of the homoeopathic community, JISH has gone from strength to strength in the past 6 years. Getting indexed in Embase is an important milestone; it ensures that our journal is aligned with the standards required for academic recognition and credibility within the medical community. This achievement not only reflects the high-quality research and scholarly content published in our journal but also enhances its global visibility and accessibility to researchers and professionals worldwide.

Why is this noteworthy, you may ask?

Medical professionals generally aim towards getting their work published in indexed journals. In India, it is now a requirement for the promotion of teaching faculty in medical colleges and institutions. Further, the publication is now mandatory for PhD completion; there is also an emphasis on the publication of findings from postgraduate dissertations.

Readers unfamiliar with this aspect of scientific writing may ask:

‘What is journal indexing?’

An abstracting and indexing service is a product; it may be subscription-based, with charges or free. The journal contents are searched using headings (keywords, author’s names, title, abstract, etc.) in an available database. Being represented in the relevant online abstracting and indexing services is an essential factor for the success of a journal, as nearly all data searching at present is conducted online.^[2]

Therefore, getting indexed in one of these databases is important for a journal to get more visibility in terms of published research while attracting prestigious researchers and clinicians and measuring its impact. Further, publishing in an indexed journal increases readership and citations of papers, which increases the author’s reputation in their field.^[3] This is a win-win situation for both parties.

The Web of Science by Clarivate Analytics and Elsevier’s Scopus databases are synonymous with data on international research and are considered the two most trusted or authoritative sources of bibliometric data for peer-reviewed global research across disciplines.^[4]

In the 1960s, The United States National Library of Medicine created MEDLARS, a bibliographic database, which later became MEDLINE. With time, due to the global dissemination of the internet, MEDLINE evolved into Entrez and PubMed.^[5]

Other important indexing citation services are Indian Citation Index,^[6] Index Copernicus (IC) and Embase, which is the database of Experta Medica (a print version) and a biomedical pharmacological database formed of published literature.^[1] A paper published in any of these indexes is of great value.

It is pertinent to note that the National Medical Commission of India only recognises publications if they are indexed in either Scopus, PubMed, Medline, Embase/Excerpta Medica, Index Medicus and IC.^[7] Hence, now, it is possible for our prospective authors (clinicians and researchers) to ensure that their work receives adequate attention worldwide.

What do we value?

JISH focuses on evidence-based homoeopathy and believes in publishing original research papers which showcase the application of homoeopathy in diverse areas. In addition to clinical research, we have published research from areas such as Educational Research in Homoeopathy (a unique and noteworthy phenomenon), Agro-Homoeopathy, Veterinary Homoeopathy, in vitro studies and ultra-high dilution studies. JISH also has a space for review articles and evidence-based case reports.

In the current issue, we have an interesting paper pertaining to agro-homoeopathy. The findings suggest that homoeopathic treatment plays a significant role in improving overall plant health and resilience under stress conditions.^[8] Research papers like this will help create awareness about integrating homoeopathic treatments into broader agricultural management strategies. In addition, we have a review article, case series and case reports, all demonstrating evidence-based homoeopathy.

As JISH moves into a newer phase of its journey, we aim to ensure that the standards set by the journal in the past 6 years are upheld and we continue to strive for excellence. We are ushering in a new phase by publishing more research-based papers and review articles in addition to evidence-based case reports. In the coming year, we will be significantly increasing our attention toward the area of homoeopathic education. We will also be adding new categories on ‘Homoeopathic Philosophy and discussion’ and ‘Homoeopathy at the Grassroots.’ This will allow us to publish papers on the basic tenets of homoeopathic philosophy and showcase all the bold experiments that aim to take Homoeopathy to the masses. JISH will continue on its path of publishing peer-reviewed evidence-based homoeopathy and will be aiming to get into bigger indexing agencies in the future. We are confident that more sincere and committed researchers and authors will join us in this exciting blooming of our efforts.

The way ahead

The journey of JISH has been a great learning experience. Every time we do something new in our journey, we learn and grow; in doing so, we trust ourselves and the scientific process. We know that the outcome will be the right one for us. A step at a time enjoying each step will be the primary objective of the journey. I am reminded of these lines from the poem ‘The Journey’ by stalwart American poet Mary Oliver:

“But little by little, as you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds, and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own”.^[9]

These lines remind us that we will gain clarity regarding our purpose as we continue to move ahead in our quest. We can then embellish it with new awareness and renewed purpose of publishing and promoting scientific, evidence-based homoeopathy.

We have come this far only with the efforts, support and help of our esteemed Editorial Board and our trusted publishers, Scientific Scholar LLP. They will remain our partners as we move ahead.

Most importantly, I would like to thank our readers – without whom we would not have sustained. I hope that the New year brings warmth and happiness in your lives and that of your loved ones. On behalf of the entire editorial board of JISH, I wish you all a very Happy New Year!