Move to open access set for JFMS
"The AAFP is enthusiastic and eager for more veterinary professionals to receive access to the leading publication for feline scientific and veterinary research" - Heather O'Steen, AAFP.
The Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (JFMS) has announced that the journal will join the open access movement.
Owned by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), the majority of the journal's articles are behind a paywall, and can be accessed only by ISFM and AAFP members and JFMS subscribers.
In a move designed to further the IFSM and AAFP's united goal of improving cat welfare by empowering the veterinary community to provide outstanding cat care, JFMS will become a Gold Open Access journal.
This means that all papers published by the journal will be freely available to read by anyone immediately following publication.
Claire Bessant, chief executive of ISFM's parent charity International Cat Care, said: “It will be so wonderful to make this vast resource of information available to all veterinary professionals who see cats.
“Making JFMS open access will contribute hugely to International Cat Care’s mission of enabling more people to act in a cat friendly way to improve cat welfare.
“We know that veterinary training in feline medicine and surgery is sometimes not a priority, yet cats are becoming more popular as pets worldwide and owners want good veterinary care for their pets.
“We are all continually learning about cats and being able to share JFMS more widely is very exciting.”
Alongside the journal becoming open access, the full JFMS archive will be made free to view, with more than 2300 papers currently archived.
The IFSM and AAFP will also continue to produce their Clinical Review articles, published open access from 2023 onwards.
Members of each organisation will still receive unique benefits, with the IFSM and AAFP offering exclusive resources such as podcasts, videos and interviews. Members will also receive monthly emails that summarise the most clinically relevant research.
CEO of the AAFP, Heather O'Steen, added her support and excitement for the move to open access: “The AAFP is enthusiastic and eager for more veterinary professionals to receive access to the leading publication for feline scientific and veterinary research, helping to advance the standards of feline medicine worldwide.”
Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.
