ACHAIKI IATRIKI | 2025; 44(Suppl 1):21–25
Historical Report
Ioannis Karaindros
5th elected President of IEDE (1992-1998)
Received: 30 Aug 2025; Accepted: 05 Sep 2025
Corresponding author: Ioannis Karaindros, 5th elected President of IEDE (1992-1998), E-mail: Jkaraindros@gmail.com
Keywords: Medical journal, achaiki iatriki, interruptions
The publication of a Medical Journal in our area existed before the establishment of the Medical Society of Patras (1910). It was the “Medical Review”. This is evidenced by a relevant publication of the Patras newspaper “The Taxpayer” of 15/12/1878.
The first Medical Journal of Patras.
Certainly, two printed sheets per month with a subscription of “8 prepaid new drachmas” per year, as the publishers, eminent doctors in the city Ot. Vachatoris, G. Diamantopoulos, Th. Zaimis and Ep. Stathakopoulos, informed their colleagues.
Regarding the Medical Society of Western Greece (IEDE), its first President Nikolaos Lagoumitzis, in order to achieve the Society’s goals, was thinking and intending to publish a scientific journal, though such a journal was not provided in the first Articles of the Society.
Nikolaos Lagoumitzis (1919-1993)
This idea matured and was finally implemented in May 1975 with the publication of the first issue of “Achaiki Iatriki”, as the journal was called. The decision was that it would be published every four months, and the annual subscription was set at 150 drachmas. The first editorial director was Al. Maraslis, with deputy director P. Rabavilas. Ar. Dodis was appointed responsible for the scientific material. The printing was done by a bookshop called “The Corner of the Book”. The journalist Ath. Babanevas was in charge of the publication. In addition, there was also a multi-member editorial committee of colleagues residing in the area where IEDE was active. The official presentation of “Achaiki Iatriki” took place in the Astir Hotel in Patras on May 31, 1975 at a large assembly of IEDE and in the presence of the city authorities.
ACHAIKI IATRIKI, Volume I.
ACHAIKI IATRIKI, Volume I.
The assembly for its anniversary.
At this meeting, IEDE took the initiative for the establishment of a Medical School in Patras. For this reason, a temporary three-member committee was appointed, consisting of Ar. Dodis, Ann. Spiliotakara and D. Lagaris (President of the Newspaper Editors’ Union). The reception of the first issue made a positive impression on the medical community of Patras and raised hopes for an exit from “dry professionalism” and “provincial” lethargy. The publication of the first issue was followed by the second in October 1975 and the third in December 1975, as initially announced.
The publication of the journal continued steadily until 1980, when delays arose due to efforts to make radical improvements in its appearance, the paper quality and photo-offset printing. The main reasons, however, were financial difficulties and a shortage of publishable scientific works.
In 1981 only one issue was published. The edition was suspended for approximately five years. Issue number 6 in January 1988 was considered as a commemorative edition marking the 75th anniversary of the foundation of IEDE.
The only issue published in 1981.
The new format of the journal, republished in February 1986.
In February 1986 the journal was republished in a new format with ambitious plans. The editorial directorship was assumed by Ath. Diamantopoulos with members of the editorial committee Ioan. Karaindros and Sp. Siribeis. In the introduction to this first issue the Editorial Director outlined in detail the reasons for the delay in the publication of the journal. He also set out the guiding principles, future objectives and planned innovations in the publication and announced the expansion of the editorial committee with two more members from the University Community, Professors Ap. Vayenakis and Ioan. Varakis. Furthermore, he requested from the Municipality of Patras the concession of a small section of the old Municipal Hospital, then under renovation, for the housing of IEDE, as well as the concession of its indoor garden for conversion into a botanical garden of medicinal plants.
Issue no. 6 (January 1988), commemorative edition marking the 75th anniversary of the foundation of IEDE.
In the final pages of the second issue, the official announcement first appeared of the IEDE’s intention to establish a Museum of the History of Medicine in Patras, as well as the proclamation of three medical awards in Internal Medicine, Surgery and History of Medicine.
In the years that followed until 1992, despite all efforts, only one issue was published per year. In 1992, C. Chrysanthopoulos assumed the role of the Editorial Director, with Ath. Diamantopoulos and Ch. Gogos as members of the Editorial Committee.
In 1993, the editorial directorship returned to Ath. Diamantopoulos, with Sp. Papoutsakis and Ch. Gogos serving on the Editorial Committee.
In 1996, the editorial directorship was undertaken by M. Stamatiadou, with C. Antonakopoulos, Ath. Diamantopoulos, P. Theodoropoulos, Ar. Dodis and Sp. Papoutsakis as members of the Editorial Committee. The journal adopted a new format, aiming to sustain its quarterly publication, a goal achieved until 1998. In 1997, committee member C. Antonakopoulos resigned and was replaced by A. Mitropoulos.
In 1999 no issue was published. In 2000 the editorial directorship was once again assumed by Ath. Diamantopoulos, with members Ioan. Karaindros and A. Mitropoulos serving on the Editorial Committee. Nevertheless, no issue was published in 2001. The irregular publication was mainly due to the reluctance of colleagues to submit their scientific works to “Achaiki Iatriki”. As a result, the two issues of 2002 included only award-winning papers and the proceedings of the 5th Pan-Peloponnesian Medical Congress.
Proceedings of the 5th Pan-Peloponnesian Medical Congress.
In 2004, Ath. Diamantopoulos resigned from both the Board of Directors of IEDE and the editorial office of the journal. The new Board of Directors resulting from the elections of 17 March 2004, assigned the management of the journal to N. Kounis, with Ioan. Lychros and Ioan. Tsolakis as his deputies. The Editorial Committee also included Ioan. Karaindros, A. Mitropoulos, Sp. Papoutsakis and G. Tsiros. The new Editor-in-Chief approached the role with determination, introducing groundbreaking changes to the journal’s external appearance, paper quality and scientific content. A multi-member scientific committee was established to review submitted works. This ambitious initiative aimed to ensure the journal’s inclusion to the Greek Medical Index IATROTEK and at any rate regular publication. Finally, however,only one issue was published in April 2006.
The only issue published in April 2006.
In April 2007, one issue was published. Ioan. Lychros as Deputy Editor-in-Chief was replaced by C. Chrysanthopoulos and H. Gelastopoulou joined the Editorial Committee in place of Sp. Papoutsakis.
From 2008 to 2011 two issues per year were published by the same editorial committee, in April and in September or October. Since April 2010 St. Kakkos and Lyd. Leonidou were added as assistants to the Editor-in-Chief. In 2012, one issue was published, while from 2013 to 2018 the publication continued regularly with two issues per year. In 2019, only one issue was published following the resignation of N. Kounis from the editorial office.
By decision of the Board of Directors on September 12, 2019, Ch. Triantos, Special Secretary and Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine – Gastroenterology, was appointed as the new Editor-in-Chief. In an ambitious effort to upgrade the quality of the journal and elevate its prestige in the medical press in line with international standards, he made significant changes. The only thing he maintained was the journal’s appearance. He adopted the guidelines and specifications of the International Committee for Medical Journals and established a new, multi-member domestic and foreign editorial committee to review works submitted for publication. Publication became quarterly, exclusively in the English language, only in electronic form, aiming to reduce the unsustainable printing costs amid a challenging economic climate for IEDE. Regarding the language transition, today there is no Greek doctor under the age of 50 who does not read, write and speak English. Certainly not as fluently as a second mother language, but at a satisfactory level of understanding and communication since the language is taught from childhood and is a prerequisite for postgraduate studies and for participation in international congresses.
The journal accepts for publication original clinical and basic research works across the full spectrum of Health Sciences. In addition, it is now registered in the Google Scholar and Index Copernicus databases.
Under such circumstances, there are no longer any doubts or excuses for not submitting works to “Achaiki Iatriki”. From the first issue, the future looks promising because the reviews are generally favorable. The remaining challenge is to gain the trust of authors to ensure the journal’s long-term continuation.
The change of the journal’s language was proposed by Prof. St. Asimakopoulos to the Board of Directors on January 11, 2018, when Prof. St. Kakkos also raised the question of renaming it, suggesting the name “Olympian Medicine”. At the Board of Directors on July 2, 2020, Prof. Chr. Triantos recommended the name “Hellenic Journal of Medical Sciences” and Prof. H. Gelastopoulou suggested the “Achaean Medicine”. The final decision was made at the Board meeting on September 10, 2020, which resulted in two candidate names: “Achaean Medicine” or “Achaiki Iatriki”. The second prevailed and was finally adopted, serving as the English version of the historical name.
Conflict of interest disclosure
None to declare
Declaration of funding sources
None to declare
Author Contributions
Ioannis Karaindros conceived, designed, wrote, and approved the manuscript.