Editor’s response to “An Oversight Regarding the Club Cell?”
As Editor-in-Chief of Pediatric Pulmonology, I thank Dr. Richard Parad
for promptly bringing this error to our attention1. I
apologize for this paper2 being published online using
the term Clara, rather than the now-accepted club cell. I recognize that
this is a painful reminder of the atrocities of the Third Reich and
deeply regret the error. Given that the term “Clara” is still
frequently represented on the internet, I am grateful that we can now
remind the international pediatric pulmonology community about this
history and the preferred term.
I also thank another contributor to Pediatric Pulmonology who brought
this issue to my attention by email shortly before receipt of this
letter. The paper was temporarily removed from online publication. The
corresponding author was notified, apologized, and authorized changing
the language from “Clara” to “club” cell throughout the manuscript.
The Associate Editor was also notified. The online and final issue
manuscripts use the correct term.
Pediatric Pulmonology strives to uphold the strongest ethical standards
in publishing and to serve our diverse, international community of
authors and readers with respect. We will be vigilant to prevent
recurrence of this and other out-of-date, harmful terminology.
Susanna A. McColley, MD
Editor-in-Chief, Pediatric Pulmonology
1. Parad R. An Oversight Regarding the Club Cell? Pediatr Pulmonol xxxx
2. Rallis D, Baltogianni M, Dermitzaki N, Balomenou F, Papastergiou E,
Maragoudaki E, Tsabouri S, Makis A, Giapros V. Club cell protein
expression amongst infants with respiratory distress syndrome. Pediatr
Pulmonol. 2022; 57: (add page numbers from the issue)