Publication Ethics & Publication Malpractice

Acknowledgments:

We encourage recognizing research contributions that do not meet the criteria for authorship. Following ICMJE guidelines, all individuals who contributed to the work but do not qualify as authors should be listed in the Acknowledgements section, with their specific contributions detailed.

Number and Order of Authors:

While there is no fixed limit on the number of authors, it should be proportionate to the contributions made. The order of authors should reflect their respective contributions and must be agreed upon by all contributors.

Principal and Corresponding Authors:

The author who made the most substantial contribution should be designated as the principal or first author. The principal author may act as the corresponding author or assign another co-author to this role, based on mutual consent.

Informed Consent & Participant Confidentiality:

  1. Authors must secure appropriate consents, permissions, and releases for any case details, personal data, or images of patients included in their work, adhering to relevant data protection and privacy Laws.
  2. Any person depicted in identifiable form (e.g., videos, photos, case reports) must be informed of the use and provide explicit, written consent. If conditions apply to the consent, the journal must be notified. Copies of these consents should be available upon request.
  3. Consent forms should meet legal data protection requirements, especially in cases involving minors or those with special needs, or when personal identifiers are involved.
  4. In cases involving minors, if there is disagreement between parents or guardians regarding consent, the images should not be used. Images of children should also depict them in appropriate attire to prevent misuse.
  5. Even with consent, authors must ensure the representation of individuals is respectful and does not demean them.
  6. Informed consent must be obtained from all adult participants, or parents/guardians of minors under 16.
  7. Identifiable details like names, hospital numbers, birthdates, or other personal information should not be used.
  8. Patient images should only be included when necessary for scientific purposes, with written consent provided. Identifying details should be excluded unless required.
  9. Consent is mandatory whenever anonymity is uncertain.
  10. When masking subjects, the scientific value of the image must not be compromised.
  11. Formal consent is not required for fully anonymized images, such as X-rays or pathology slides, provided they have no identifying marks or associated text.
  12. Blurring or using eye bars to anonymize faces is generally inadequate if consent is not obtained.
  1. Authors should follow the CARE (CaseReports) guidelines when submitting case reports, ensuring that the report is comprehensive, transparent, and adheres to high standards of clarity. This includes providing a detailed description of the patient's medical history, clinical findings, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes while maintaining patient confidentiality. Following these guidelines helps improve the quality and usefulness of case reports for both clinical practice and research.

Conflicts of Interest / Financial Disclosure:

  1. All authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including financial or personal relationships that might influence their work.
  2. Financial conflicts could include employment, consulting work, stock ownership, honoraria, expert testimony, patents, or travel grants received within three years of the study.
  3. If no conflicts of interest exist, authors should explicitly state this.
  4. Authors of studies funded by an organization must submit a statement confirming they had full access to all study data and take full responsibility for its integrity and accuracy.
  5. Reviewers are also required to declare any conflicts of interest related to the work they are asked to review.
  6. The journal publishes disclosures of conflicts of interest and financial interests alongside all published articles.

The CARE guidelines stand for "Case Report Guidelines." They are a set of recommendations designed to improve the quality and transparency of case reports in medical research. Following these guidelines helps ensure that case reports are comprehensive, clear, and useful to readers.

When submitting a case report, authors should:

  1. Provide a detailed description of the patient’s medical history, clinical findings, and outcomes.
  2. Include relevant patient details while maintaining privacy and confidentiality.
  3. Describe the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up in detail.
  4. Discuss the implications of the case and its relevance to existing medical knowledge.

In essence, the CARE guidelines help ensure that case reports are complete and of high quality, making them more valuable for clinical practice and research.