Contributor guide

The structure of every article

1. Headline, 50 to 60 characters. Specific and factual. Put the main subject first, for example "HPRA approves first biosimilar made in Cork". No clickbait, no question headlines.
2. Summary (standfirst), 130 to 150 characters. Two short sentences: what happened and why it matters. It is also the description Google shows.
3. Opening paragraph, 40 to 60 words. Answer the main question directly and name the main topic (the company, drug, regulator or place). Do not label it "Summary" or "Executive Summary".
4. Sections with H2 headings. Three to six sections, each covering one idea. Headings are plain phrases, not numbered ("What the approval covers", not "1. Overview"). Use H3 for sub-points.
5. Evidence in the body. Figures with their source and date, quotes attributed by name and role, and a short table where you compare things.
6. What it means for Ireland (or the EU). Our readers want the local angle: sites, jobs, patients, regulators.
7. Frequently asked questions (optional). Two to four real questions a reader would ask, each answered in two or three sentences.
8. Sources. Listed in the Sources box, not pasted at the end of the text.

Length: at least 300 words to be reviewed; most published pieces are 800 to 1,500 words.

House style

• Irish/UK English spelling (organisation, programme, licence as a noun).
• No long dashes (—). Use a comma, colon or hyphen instead.
• No emoji anywhere, including headings and lists.
• Write numbers with digits for 10 and above, and give units (€45 million, 1,200 jobs, 12 months).
• Name organisations in full first, then abbreviate: Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
• Neutral tone. Say who claims something ("the company said") rather than stating marketing claims as fact.
• Health topics: report what regulators and studies say. Do not give medical advice, and never describe our review as a medical review.
• Images: only ones you own or have permission to use, with a caption saying where they came from.

Sources and facts

• Prefer primary sources: regulators (HPRA, EMA, FDA), company filings and press releases, peer-reviewed papers, official statistics (CSO, Eurostat).
• Every number and every claim a reader could dispute needs a source in the Sources box.
• Never invent or estimate figures, quotes, job titles or dates. If you are not sure, leave it out or say it is unconfirmed.
• Declare any connection to the companies you write about in "Conflicts of interest". It does not stop publication; hiding it does.

AI drafting prompt

You may use AI tools to plan, draft or edit, as long as you check every fact against a real source and tell us in the "Use of AI tools" box. Paste this prompt into your AI assistant, then fill in the brackets. It produces a draft in our structure.

You are helping me draft a news article for Priya Life Science, an Irish publication covering pharma, biotech, medtech and life science.

Topic: [what the article is about]
Main subject (company / drug / regulator / place): [name]
My sources (paste links or text): [sources]
Audience: industry professionals in Ireland and the EU.

Write the draft with exactly this structure:
1. Headline of 50 to 60 characters. Main subject first. No question, no clickbait.
2. Summary (standfirst) of 130 to 150 characters: what happened and why it matters.
3. Opening paragraph of 40 to 60 words that answers the main question directly and names the main subject. Do not label it "Summary" or "Executive Summary".
4. Three to six sections, each with a plain H2 heading (not numbered). Use H3 for sub-points if needed.
5. A section on what it means for Ireland or the EU.
6. Optional: "Frequently asked questions" with two to four questions, each answered in two or three sentences.
7. At the end, a list of the sources you used, one per line, with the link.

Rules:
- Use only facts from my sources. If something is not in the sources, do not include it. Never invent numbers, quotes, names, job titles or dates. Mark anything uncertain with [CHECK].
- Irish/UK English spelling. Neutral, factual tone. Attribute claims ("the company said").
- Do not use the long dash character (—). Use commas, colons or hyphens.
- No emoji. No marketing language. No medical advice.
- 800 to 1,200 words.

After the draft, list every factual claim with the source it came from, so I can check each one.

AI assistants make up facts, numbers and quotes with confidence. Treat the output as a first draft, and verify everything before you submit.

What happens after you submit

1. Your article joins the review queue and you get an email.
2. A moderator reviews it, usually within five working days. They may edit it lightly, ask you for changes, or decline it with a reason.
3. If you are asked for changes, edit the article in your dashboard and submit it again.
4. Once a moderator recommends it, the editor-in-chief gives final approval and it is published or scheduled. You get an email with the link.
5. Guest articles end with a "Publisher details" box showing the name and contact details you chose to share. Writers' articles link to their profile page.

Contributor terms

1. You confirm the article is your original work, has not been published elsewhere, and that you have the right to every image you upload.
2. You give Priya Life Science a non-exclusive, perpetual licence to publish, edit for style, length and accuracy, and share the article. You keep your copyright.
3. We may decline or remove any article, and correct published articles when facts change.
4. Articles must not be paid promotion unless agreed with us in advance and labelled as such.
5. Publisher details you choose to show are published with the article. We use your account details only to run your account and the review process (see our privacy policy).
6. We do not pay for contributed articles unless agreed in writing.