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Code of Practice

The Psychologist welcomes advertising as a means of keeping psychologists informed about relevant products and services. This Code has been produced to ensure high standards of all advertisements published in The Psychologist.

The Psychologist will sell advertising space when the inclusion of the advertisement does not interfere with the purpose of the publication.The Psychologist reserves the right to refuse advertisements at its sole discretion for any product or service submitted for publication.

The publication of an advertisement in The Psychologist is not an endorsement either of the advertiser or of the products or services advertised.

Advertisements should not contain misleading statements and should always make clear the true nature of the product or service advertised.

1. Advertisements should always be recognisable as such. Advertisements should not resemble editorial matter.
2. All claims made in advertisements must be supported by appropriate evidence. This evidence should be available and provided by the advertiser if requested.
3. Direct quotations from published literature or individuals should be supported by a letter of consent given by the editor of the journal, the individual quoted or the relevant organisation or body.
4. Advertisements should not contain testimonials and comments that misrepresent the original quote or comment. So comments from reviews should be in context. Comments from other journals should not be quoted in a way that makes them look like editorial opinion, and direct quotes should be attributed to the journal, book or individual concerned.
5. Advertisers are not allowed to state in any subsequent advertising or promotional piece that their product or service has been advertised in The Psychologist.
6. Advertisements should not offend good taste or recognised standards of psychological practice.
7. Comparisons with other products or services of a similar type should only be of a factual nature, and no attempt should be made to be critical of other individuals, companies, products or services. Any comparative advertising should be backed up by evidence to support the comparison(s) made in the advertisement.
8. Prices of the advertiser's own product or service are acceptable, but comparison of prices with competitive products or services is unacceptable.
9. Advertisements should not offer special terms for members of The British Psychological Society unless the terms have been agreed with The British Psychological Society in advance.
10. A company's/service provider's offer of special terms to members of The British Psychological Society does not necessarily indicate endorsement of the product or service by The British Psychological Society.
11. All advertisements must conform to the British Code of Advertising Practice.
12. The Editor of The Psychologist reserves the right to refuse or cancel any advertisement or part of any advertisement without reason or notice.

Advertisements should not contain misleading statements and should always make clear the true nature of the product or service advertised.

The above Code of Practice was approved by The Psychologist Policy Committee on 3 June 1999.

It is based on a similar document published by The British Dental Association for the British Dental Journal.