Authors and contributors have a responsibility to create a publication that is accurate and true to the study results, but only authors must provide a substantial contribution and are accountable for that contribution. Contributions made by authors and non-author contributors should be fully described in the publication, to enable the reader to assess credit and responsibility.

SummaryIt is relatively easy to begin policy documents with a general assertion that ethics will be followed. Less obvious is how to ensure that day‐to‐day activities are consonant with ethical standards. We suggest that using day‐to‐day publication activities as the driver for building policies and procedures can promote ethical practices from the ground up. Although basic principles of ethical publication practice may seem straightforward to some, for others this information may require explanation, interpretation and context. Effective policy development includes big‐picture items as well as more day‐to‐day tactical responsibilities such as those discussed below. Research questions, disciplinary practices, applications and team structures may vary. Thus, no single publication plan or policy solution is right for all teams. It is up to team members to review guidelines for best practices and find the optimal implementation for their situations. Experts in publication management, planning and writing can help large teams manage publication activities. These experts have an obligation to maintain and enhance their skills continually. A strong acumen in publication best practices will allow these publication professionals to better address any possible ethical dilemmas in the future.

This is the first ever article to be published following the well-attended ISMPP roundtable sessions. The objective of this manuscript is to summarize key learnings that will aid continued discussions about challenges and opportunities facing medical publication professionals.