Making the most of an accredited South African Pharmaceutical Journal

Abstract

For many years, whenever the possibility of achieving recognition for the South African Pharmaceutical Journal (SAPJ) as an accredited, peer-reviewed academic publication was raised, South African pharmacy academics were implored to “sacrifice” their own or their students’ work by publishing it in the journal. The assumption was that, through demonstrating the existence of an appropriate peer review process and the publication of academic articles, the relevant authorities could be persuaded to recognise the publication as worthy of accreditation. Those publications submitted prior to accreditation would not be recognised as peer-reviewed and would not attract the subsidy provided to universities by the education authorities. They would, however, be considered “published”, so could not be submitted elsewhere. Academics’ reluctance to contribute to this process was thus understandable.