Medical Assn. Names First Female Editor of Journal
A woman who is a vice dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine today was named editor of the American Medical Assn.’s influential journal, the first female editor in its 116-year history.
At a New York City news conference, Dr. Catherine D. De Angelis was introduced as editor of the Journal of the American Medical Assn., succeeding Dr. George Lundberg. Lundberg’s firing in January provoked a controversy over the journal’s editorial independence.
“JAMA is now positioned and poised for the 21st century,” said Dr. Roger Rosenberg, chairman of the search committee that appointed De Angelis.
De Angelis is the editor of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, published by the AMA, as well as a member of JAMA’s editorial board. At Johns Hopkins’ medical school, she is vice dean for academic affairs and faculty.
Asked whether she was given any guidelines about editing the journal in the wake of Lundberg’s dismissal, she replied, “Absolutely not.” She described Lundberg as “a friend and a colleague.”
“Editorial freedom is essential. I have no doubt that editorial freedom will be the byword,” she said, adding that she might focus more on presenting issues linked to women’s and children’s health, along with concerns about substance abuse.
JAMA has been run by interim co-editors since Lundberg’s firing. He was dismissed after the journal published a survey of college students’ sexual attitudes that coincided with President Clinton’s impeachment trial. Dr. E. Ratcliffe Anderson, executive vice president of the AMA, said Lundberg inappropriately injected the organization into a political debate.
Lundberg, who took a job as editor in chief for an online medical information site, was highly critical of the AMA after his firing, saying he had to battle AMA leaders, members and lobbyists to retain editorial independence of his publication.
The association has since created a board to serve as a buffer between the editor in chief and the organization’s management.
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