Indexing An Online-Only Journal

Some Latin-American colleagues taking into consideration I am a WAME member asked me a question about journal indexing in PubMed, and I request from you some help and advice.

Is there any specific policy in the Index section of the NLM to become a printed/online journal (a Latin-America one) in an online-only journal?

Daniel Limonta
Associate Editor, Journal of Infection in Developing Countries (JIDC)
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Note the following information taken from the NLM Web site as to your query:

How do I get an electronic journal reviewed?

The same review process used for print journals (see Question 1) also applies to electronic journals. Quality, originality, and importance of the scientific content are primary considerations. In addition, electronic journals must contain articles that are citable and indicate how frequently articles will be published online. Once an electronic journal has been accessible for at least six months, an editor or publisher may request that the journal be reviewed for possible indexing if at least 20 articles have been published and made available online.

Before NLM can begin indexing your electronic-only journal in MEDLINE, we must be satisfied that you will submit all articles published in a digital archive. We seek to ensure that our users will always have access to the full text of every article that we cite. The permanent archive must be PubMed Central or another site that is acceptable to NLM. If it is not, we will delay indexing until an acceptable arrangement has been identified. You must also be able to submit the citation data electronically in XML format. See XML Help for PubMed Data Providers for more information.

Besides, try the following link for extra data:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/j_sel_faq.html#a2

MB Rokni
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I thank your message very much. Although my colleagues have indexed their printed/online journal for more than 40 years, I think they will need to apply to the Literature Selection Technical Review Committee (LSTRC) anyway.

Daniel Limonta
Associate Editor, Journal of Infection in Developing Countries (JIDC)
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My colleagues  have asked me how long the PubMed index section waits to carry out the indexing if print issues have not been sent. In the meantime, there are gaps in MEDLINE/PubMed indexing of the journal. I understand the PubMed index section will not wait “forever”.

I would appreciate your help.