Journal profile · Multiple
THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS
ISSN 1386-7415 · eISSN 1573-1200 · Springer Nature · 6 issues per year
THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS: CAS Zone 3 · Philosophy (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.73; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,090; median 182 days to acceptance (40 articles, last 24 months); 42 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS is published by Springer Nature and is in Zone 3 of Philosophy in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Ethics in medical practice, Mental Health and Psychiatry and Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare, together about 42.6% of its articles. Its main subfields are Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
AIMS & SCOPE Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics examines clinical judgment and reasoning, medical concepts such as health and disease, the philosophical basis of medical science, and the philosophical ethics of health care and biomedical research Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics is an international forum for interdisciplinary studies in the ethics of health care and in the philosophy and methodology of medical practice and biomedical research. Coverage in the philosophy of medicine includes the theoretical examination of clinical judgment and decision making; theories of health promotion and preventive care; the problems of medical language and knowledge acquisition; theory formation in medicine; analysis of the structure and dynamics of medical hypotheses and theories; discussion and clarification of basic medical concepts and issues; medical application of advanced methods in the philosophy of science, and the interplay between medicine and other scientific or social institutions. Coverage of ethics includes both clinical and research ethics, with an emphasis on underlying ethical theory rather than institutional or governmental policy analysis. All philosophical methods and orientations receive equal consideration. The journal pays particular attention to developing new methods and tools for analysis and understanding of the conceptual and ethical presuppositions of the medical sciences and health care processes. Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics publishes original scholarly articles, occasional special issues on important topics, and book reviews. Related subjects » Applied Ethics & Social Responsibility – Bioethics – Ethics – Epistemology & Philosophy of Science – Medical Ethics – Medicine – Philosophy – Philosophy of Medicine – Surgery
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Multiple
Editor-in-chief Daniel P. SulmasyPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 17, United Kingdom 4, Germany 2, Italy 2, Netherlands 2 (34 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Ethics in medical practiceHealth Professions21.7%
- Mental Health and PsychiatryArts and Humanities11.6%
- Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric HealthcareMedicine9.2%
- Empathy and Medical EducationMedicine6.6%
- Palliative Care and End-of-Life IssuesMedicine5.6%
- Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical InnovationsNeuroscience5%
- Patient Dignity and PrivacyMedicine4.9%
- Ethics in Clinical ResearchMedicine3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Philosophy Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Philosophy | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Ethics | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Social Issues | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Social Sciences, Biomedical | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Philosophy Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Philosophy | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Ethics | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Social Issues | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Social Sciences, Biomedical | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Philosophy Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Philosophy | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Ethics | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Social Issues | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Social Sciences, Biomedical | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
SCIEMEDLINEERIH PLUSCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, AGRICOLA, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.73LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.7Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.5Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 2.5LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.37LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.04LetPub ·
- h-index
- 66OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 584OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.69OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 5.9%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 47.37%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 25LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 183,800Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,662 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 31 | 11 | 11 |
| 2025 | 42 | 17 | 76 |
| 2024 | 41 | 15 | 106 |
| 2023 | 49 | 29 | 175 |
| 2022 | 43 | 22 | 200 |
| 2021 | 19 | 11 | 193 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
182 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 88 days – 266 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 15 days (64 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 202 days
- Sample
- 40 articles with submission and acceptance dates (84 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Submission to first decision
- 21 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,090 / EUR 2,490 / GBP 2,190 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted4, with length limits
- book reviewDepending on length (which includes discursive notes and references), your submission will be considered for inclusion in one of three sections: Articles: Artic…Length not stated
- letterDepending on length (which includes discursive notes and references), your submission will be considered for inclusion in one of three sections: Articles: Artic…main text ≤ 1,500 words
- letters to the editorDepending on length (which includes discursive notes and references), your submission will be considered for inclusion in one of three sections: Articles: Artic…Length not stated
- original researchDepending on length (which includes discursive notes and references), your submission will be considered for inclusion in one of three sections: Articles: Artic…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trial Registration
The World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a clinical trial is "any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes". The WHO defines health interventions as “A health intervention is an act performed for, with or on behalf of a person or population whose purpose is to ass…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Frequency
- 6 issues per year
- ISSN
- 1386-7415
- Electronic ISSN
- 1573-1200
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 47, Issue 5 (October 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS
What CAS zone is THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS is in Zone 3 of Philosophy, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Ethics / Social Issues / Social Sciences, Biomedical. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Philosophy. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.73; CiteScore 2.5, h-index 66.
How long does peer review take at THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS?
Based on the dates recorded on 40 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 182 days (interquartile range 88–266 days). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS based?
Of the 34 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (17), United Kingdom (4) and Germany (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS is indexed in SSCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists SCIE, MEDLINE, ERIH PLUS and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS open access, and what is the APC?
THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,090.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .