Sampson developed the idea of a journal devoted solely to the critical analysis of aberrant medical claims. The economy was sluggish, paper expensive, and libraries were removing journals from their collections. Lewis Vaughn became executive editor and the new journal, The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine, was underway. Sampson actively solicits articles for each issue, as a bank of authors is gradually forming. Such papers will be slow in coming because projects take several years to develop and write up.
Authors analyze reports from journals, newspapers and magazines, and other sources.
Errors and misinterpretations are identified, and conclusions drawn as to the report's reliability. Authors select a subject or series of events, such as homeopathy, oxygen therapies, acupuncture, herbalism, or the Office of Alternative Medicine, and describe them, then comment on their claims or contents. These commentaries are tools for readers to use when analyzing claims. The journal reprints important papers from other journals that are not likely to be readily available to most readers. The journal also carries book reviews and letters.