Editorial Board Interlocking and Its Potential Implications for Editorial Governance in Iranian Medical Science Journals
Journal of Medical Library and Information Science,
Vol. 7 No. 7 (2026),
6 May 2026
https://doi.org/10.22037/jmlis.v7i7.53447
Abstract
of two or more journals. This descriptive study examines how common and concentrated multiple editorial memberships are across Iranian medical science journals and considers their potential implications for editorial governance.
Methods: A cross-sectional review of journal websites identified 11,451 editorial appointments across 403 of the 429 Iranian medical science journals listed in the Iranian Research Information System. Data were collected from July to October 2025. Names were manually disambiguated, and descriptive analyses quantified the distribution of editorial appointments among the identified individuals.
Results: A total of 8,780 individuals held editorial appointments. Of these, 1,509 (17.2%) served on the editorial teams of two or more journals, accounting for 4,180 appointments (36.5% of all appointments). Most individuals with multiple memberships served at two or three journals (1,271; 84.2%). Eighteen individuals held ten or more memberships, collectively accounting for 230 appointments (2.0% of the total). The highest number of memberships held by any one individual was 29.
Conclusion: Although holding multiple memberships may facilitate the exchange of editorial experience, it also raises concerns about editorial commitments, potential conflicts of interest, and recruitment practices. Appointment counts alone do not adequately reflect workload, decision-making authority, actual conflicts of interest, or editorial independence. These potential governance implications call for further investigation. The documented patterns support considering transparent appointment criteria, clearly defined role expectations, and regular reviews of editorial memberships.
- Editorial board interlocking
- Interlocking editorship
- Medical science journals
- Editorial appointments
- Editorial governance
- Iran
How to Cite
References
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