Frequently Asked Questions
Do you work as research collaborators or as a publishing support service?
We work as research collaborators and offer comprehensive support across the full biomedical research and publication lifecycle. Our experts can engage with you at any stage of the process, from the initial research idea through to publication and dissemination.
At one end of the spectrum, we can work with you from inception – helping shape the research question, develop grant applications and research proposals, identify suitable co-authors, advise on funding opportunities, and design scientifically robust studies.
We support original research, literature reviews, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, real-world and Phase IV observational studies, and can manage complex multicentre or consensus-driven projects involving multiple institutions and stakeholders. This work often forms the evidence base that informs best practice and contributes to guideline development.
At the other end, we can take a light-touch role, providing strategic advice on manuscript preparation, journal selection, reviewer responses, or editing, while you retain full control of the research and submission process.
Our involvement is always adaptable, collaborative, and led by your objectives – whether you are looking for end-to-end research partnership or targeted expert support.
We will also consider other projects. Visit the contact page on our website to let us know what you need.
Are your experts specialised in my therapeutic area?
Yes. We work with specialised medical doctors, researchers, and senior medical writers who have deep experience in specific therapeutic areas. Projects are matched to experts with relevant clinical and research backgrounds.
Do you cover journal publication or open-access fees?
No. Journal publication and open-access fees are the responsibility of the author or their institution.
However, in certain cases, an expert working on your project may offer to collaborate as a co-author. Where this applies, and only when the expert is both a co-author and the corresponding author, they may agree to cover the publication fee for specific journals that have been pre-selected as suitable for the study.
If you prefer to submit to a journal outside this list, or to act as the corresponding author yourself, any publication or open-access fees would remain your or your institution’s responsibility.
Do you provide peer-level scientific review before submission?
Yes. We strongly recommend peer-level pre-submission review to assess scientific logic, data interpretation, structure, and alignment with journal expectations before a manuscript enters formal peer review.
Can you challenge assumptions or highlight gaps in our analysis?
Yes. As collaborators, we are able to question assumptions, identify gaps, and flag areas that may be challenged by reviewers.
Can you help me find the most suitable journal for my manuscript?
Selection of the right journal is extremely important in order to improve the chances of your manuscript being accepted. The journal selection can make the difference between rapid dissemination of your findings and a paper that is difficult to find and rarely cited. We can help you select the most suitable journal for your study. Our team of expert editors, consisting of published authors and former peer reviewers of various journals, will analyze your manuscript and recommend journals with the maximum chance of publication success and covering the appropriate target audience. For more information please have a look at journal selection service
Do you advise on publication strategy across multiple manuscripts?
Yes. We frequently advise on publication strategy across a programme of work, including manuscript sequencing, journal selection, positioning of secondary analyses, and long-term publication planning.
Can you help me find suitable reviewers to recommend to a journal with my submission?
Selecting suitable reviewer(s) is critical to facilitating and surviving the peer-review process. Let our experts who are current or past editors/peer-reviewers for international journals, with extensive experience on both sides of the peer-review process, help you select potential reviewers to recommend to your target journal. Our experts will screen for research expertise in your subject area, and select potential reviewers based upon their recent publication record, academic experience, reputation, and geographic location.
Can you support study design and protocol development?
Yes. We support study design and protocol development, including research questions, objectives, methodology, and alignment with regulatory, ethical, and publication standards.
Can you help identify a novel angle or unmet need in existing data?
We regularly work with investigators to identify new or more compelling angles within existing datasets, including unmet needs, underexplored subgroups, or alternative framings better suited to specific journals.
Can you support Phase IV, multi-centre and real-world observational studies?
Yes. We support Phase IV clinical studies and real-world observational research, including study design, protocol development, site coordination, ethics submissions, data management, and publication strategy.
We have extensive experience setting up and managing multi-centre studies, working with investigators, hospitals, and sponsors to ensure studies are scientifically robust, operationally feasible, and publication-ready from the outset.
We cover site coordination, ethics submissions, data governance considerations, and harmonised publication strategies.
Will we retain full scientific ownership of our work?
Yes. Scientific ownership always remains with you and your institution. You retain full control over the direction of the research, the data, and all publication decisions.
In some projects, you may choose to invite a Research Medics expert to contribute at a level that qualifies for co-authorship under international guidelines. Where this applies, authorship is discussed transparently in advance and only proceeds with your agreement. It does not transfer ownership of the research and is never a requirement for working with us.
Whether our role is advisory, collaborative, or includes co-authorship is entirely your decision and is adapted to your preferences and needs.
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