Time to say goodbye

After 61 years, this December issue, no. 12/2011, of “Arzneimittelforschung” (Arzneimittel-Forschung/Drug Research) is the last one to be published by ECV · Editio Cantor Verlag. As of January 2012 the journal will be published by Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart (Germany).

In issues 10/2011 and 11/2011 as well as on our website we have announced the change, which is the result of a change in the strategic direction of ECV · Editio Cantor Verlag.

The journal’s development over five decades has been outlined in great detail in an Editorial in the journal’s January 2000 issue (Arzneimittel-forschung 2000;60(l): l–4). In an era when Germany was labeled as “pharmacy of the world”, with a plethora of new medicinal products entering the market, “Arzneimittelforschung” ranked as one of the leading journals that covered (especially so in its supplement issues) all aspects of drug development including chemistry/ synthesis, pharmacology, toxicology, and all clinical trial phases. While developing from an originally German to an English-language journal “Arzneimittelforschung” took up the challenge of fulfilling major international requirements and took into consideration new trends including genetic engineering and translational medicine.

Since the journal’s foundation the editors-in-chief, editorial advisory board and editorial office have been devoted to provide highest-quality publications, focussing on two principles: (1) The author’s personal responsibility and respect of his/her reputation and dignity (the reputation or career was not to be damaged by a devastating assessment by any means); (2) unconditional acceptance and reasonable fulfillment of the editorial advisory board’s requirements. These basic philosophies were a major concern for the editors-in-chief and the editorial office.

As of the beginning of the year 2012, the tradition journal “Arzneimittelforschung” will be published under the blue flag of the renowned, internationally oriented publisher, Georg Thieme Verlag. It may be considered as mutual trust and acknowledgment of the scientists acting as editors-in-chief or members of the editorial advisory board that – except for retirement due to age – no major changes occur among them.

We particularly wish to extend our thanks to the cooperative authors, the competent editorial advisory board, and – last but not least – the committed editorial office staff.

We wish the new team a successful future!

Scientific Editors-in-Chief Editorial Office

Prof. Dr. Hans-Georg Classen Viktor Schramm

Prof. Dr. Martin Wehling