We must publish on Tropical Medicine in the most interested countries

It is unusual for Brazilian medical journals to have high impact Maybe for lack of funding, maybe for lack of professionalism

How do researches in tropical medicine most interest? the rich or the poor countries? The answer may seem obvious, but it brings along some important issues. Researchers, in order to have their curriculum with greater approval, end up opting for impact journals if the work is very good, says infectious diseases expert Marcos Boulos.

Interviewed by the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicines (BSTM) press office, doctor Boulos defends that researches on tropical medicine should be published in the interested countries. However, he stresses that local journals need changes in order to have the greatest impact. It is unusual for Brazilian journals to have a high impact. Maybe for lack of funding, maybe for lack of professionalsim. And this is the same in other tropical countries, he said.

Find the full interview below:

BSTM: Publishing about Tropical Medicine in the countries most interested in the theme should be the ideal? Or drawing attention to the theme in the most prestigious journals is the best way?

Dr. Marcos Boulos: We should publish about Tropical Medicine in the most interested countries. That is because most of the contempt regards people dealing with these diseases. However, this does not happen Researchers, in order to have a better approved curriculum, eventually choose to publish in greater impact journals if the paper is very good.

BSTM: Whats missing, in your opinion, for researchers to publish more impact studies on tropical countries journals?

Dr. Marcos Boulos: The fact that journals have greater impact. And, in order to achieve this greater impact, they need several things. First, the paper must be in English. Second, it must in fact contain highly regarded articles, thar are well read and have a very large coverage. This is why us, in Brazil, have very few journals compared to the greatest international journals. But we have good ones.

BSTM: Shoud the journals in tropical countries receive greater support through public resources?

Dr. Marcos Boulos: Yes. Tropical countries journals should receive more public funding because we cannot, only with contributions, payments and associates, make our journals have a greater quality. This is why I believe public funding would be of great aid.

BSTM: Is it possible for journals from tropical countries to become reference in the short-term?

Dr. Marcos Boulos: It is very unlikely. Thay can become reference in the countries where they were published. Especially if the theme is related to conducts. For example, the treatment of a tropical disease, that is relevant to those living there, then it might become a reference. We have the journal of the BSTM, that sometimes is reference for bringing practical use subjects for several physicians and health professionals.

BSTM: In your opinion, are there journals in Brazil able to compete in impact researches against international journals? And against other tropical countries?

Dr. Marcos Boulos: It is hard to tell. We have very important ongoing researches. And some papers could be referenced by foreign researchers. But it is unusual for Brazilian journals to have a very high impact. Maybe for lack of funding, maybe for lack of professionalism. As it happens in other tropical countries. The difficulty is to have high impact journals in these nations – except Australia, if we consider it a tropical country, where we can find some impact journals.

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