Identifying disruptive papers in pharmacy literature that changed clinical practice: 1954-2014

This study aimed to identify research publications that have significantly influenced clinical practice in pharmacy using a novel metric known as the disruption score.

We conducted a bibliometric analysis and PubMed search of pharmacy practice articles published in 11 key pharmacy journals and articles tagged with the MeSH term "pharmacy" or "pharmacist." Utilizing a validated dataset of disruption scores encompassing articles published between 1954 and 2014, we identified the top 100 most disruptive papers alongside the top 100 most cited papers. Additionally, we explored comparisons between these lists and across various journals to gain comprehensive insights into the field's evolution over time.

A total of 59,535 articles met the inclusion criteria, of which 56,764 (95%) were published in the 11 core pharmacy practice journals we chose while 2,771 (5%) were published in other PubMed-indexed journals. Notably, the top 100 most disruptive papers were deemed more disruptive than 99.9% of the entire PubMed universe. The most cited paper was the 22nd most disruptive paper. The mean citation count among the top 100 most disruptive papers was 196. The 1990s was the most disruptive decade, and American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy was the most disruptive journal. We observed a weak correlation between disruption score and citation count.

The disruption score identified an innovative body of landmark papers whose legacy will remain solidified in pharmacy practice. The disruption score offers a unique perspective on clinical significance, complementing other bibliometric indices and adding to the identification of papers that have introduced new paradigms in pharmacy.