Here’s what I found on the Journal:
“The International Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine is generally not considered reputable by the mainstream scientific community. Here's why:
- **Scientific Acceptance**: The field of orthomolecular medicine itself is controversial and not widely accepted within mainstream medicine. It advocates for the use of large doses of vitamins and other nutrients, which lacks robust scientific backing for many of its claims.
- **Journal Rankings and Indexing**: The journal is ranked in the bottom 10% of journals in the field of complementary and alternative medicine according to Scopus, with a CiteScore of 0.102, indicating low impact. It is not indexed by MEDLINE, which is a significant database for biomedical literature, suggesting that its content is not deemed sufficiently rigorous or relevant by the National Library of Medicine's standards.
- **Historical Context**: The journal was established by Abram Hoffer, who had difficulties publishing his research in mainstream medical journals due to the unorthodox nature of his studies. This led to the creation of the journal as an alternative platform, which might indicate a bias towards specific types of research not accepted elsewhere.
- **Criticism and Perception**: Posts on X and various sources on the web highlight skepticism about the journal's credibility. It's often criticized for publishing papers that have been rejected by more established scientific journals, and some of these papers are from authors who are part of the journal's editorial board, suggesting a potential lack of peer review rigor.
- **Editorial Independence**: There are concerns about the independence of the editorial process given the journal's focus on a niche and controversial area of medicine.
Given these points, while the journal might be valuable for those specifically interested in orthomolecular medicine, it does not have the reputation or acceptance for its findings to be considered mainstream or authoritative in the broader scientific community. If you're researching or looking for information in this area, it's advisable to cross-reference findings with publications that have a broader scientific consensus and peer review process.”
