Informed consent policy

The Publisher is committed to protecting the rights, dignity, privacy, safety, and autonomy of research participants. All journals published by the Publisher require authors to obtain appropriate informed consent whenever research involves human participants or identifiable personal information.

1. Informed Consent to Participate

Authors must obtain freely given and appropriately documented informed consent from all research participants before participation whenever required by applicable ethical standards, institutional requirements, or national regulations.

The manuscript should include a clear informed consent statement, for example:

“Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their participation in the study.”

Participation must be voluntary and free from coercion or undue influence.

2. Participants Unable to Provide Consent

When participants are unable to provide legally valid informed consent, consent must be obtained from an authorized parent, guardian, or legally authorized representative, as applicable.

Where appropriate, assent should also be obtained from minors or other participants who are capable of expressing their willingness to participate.

3. Consent for Publication

If a manuscript contains identifiable patient information, photographs, videos, clinical images, case histories, pedigrees, or other material from which an individual could reasonably be identified, authors must obtain explicit consent for publication.

Consent to participate in research does not automatically constitute consent for publication of identifiable information.

For case reports, authors should include a statement such as:

“Written informed consent for publication of this case report and any accompanying images was obtained from the patient.”

4. Patient Privacy and Confidentiality

Authors must protect participant and patient confidentiality.

Names, initials, hospital identification numbers, dates, photographs, or other identifying information should not be published unless scientifically necessary and appropriate consent for publication has been obtained.

Removing a participant’s name alone may not be sufficient if other information could enable identification.

5. Waiver of Informed Consent

In certain circumstances, an Institutional Review Board, Research Ethics Committee, or equivalent ethics body may formally waive the requirement for informed consent.

If consent was waived, the manuscript must state:

that informed consent was waived;
the name of the ethics committee or institutional review board granting the waiver;
the reason for the waiver;
the approval or reference number, where available.

The Publisher may request documentation confirming the waiver.

6. Retrospective Studies

For retrospective research involving medical records, registries, archived data, or previously collected biological materials, authors must comply with applicable ethical and privacy requirements.

If informed consent was required, authors must confirm that it was obtained.

If consent was waived, the waiver must have been granted by an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board and should be reported in the manuscript.

7. Research Involving Children

Research involving children requires appropriate consent from a parent or legal guardian.

Where appropriate, the child’s assent should also be obtained in accordance with age, maturity, and applicable ethical requirements.

Additional safeguards must be used to protect the rights and welfare of children participating in research.

8. Vulnerable Participants

Research involving vulnerable individuals or populations requires particular ethical consideration.

Authors must demonstrate that appropriate safeguards were used and that consent was obtained in a manner that respected participants’ autonomy, understanding, safety, and welfare.

9. Human Biological Materials and Genetic Research

Research involving human tissues, blood, cells, genetic material, biobank samples, or other human biological materials must comply with applicable consent and ethics requirements.

Authors must state whether participants provided consent for collection, storage, secondary use, and publication of relevant data or materials, where required.

10. Documentation

The Publisher reserves the right to request evidence of:

informed consent to participate;
consent for publication;
parental or guardian consent;
ethics committee approval;
waiver of consent;
other relevant ethical documentation.

Authors are responsible for retaining appropriate consent documentation in accordance with institutional and legal requirements.

Authors should not routinely submit identifiable consent forms with manuscripts unless specifically requested, in order to protect participant confidentiality.

11. Failure to Obtain Required Consent

A manuscript may be rejected if required informed consent or consent for publication was not obtained.

If a lack of required consent is discovered after publication, the Publisher may investigate the matter and take appropriate editorial action, including correction, expression of concern, or retraction.

12. Author Responsibility

Authors are responsible for ensuring that informed consent procedures comply with applicable institutional, national, and international ethical requirements.

False or misleading statements regarding informed consent constitute a serious breach of research and publication ethics.