Research involving human participants, human data, human biological material, or animals must be conducted in accordance with internationally recognized ethical principles and all applicable national, regional, and institutional regulations. Ethical compliance is a fundamental requirement for the consideration and publication of research.
This policy applies to all manuscripts reporting studies that involve human or animal subjects, whether directly or indirectly.
Research Involving Human Participants
Research involving human participants, human data, or human biological material must adhere to established international ethical frameworks governing research involving humans, including, but not limited to, the principles set out in the Declaration of Helsinki, as well as other relevant guidelines applicable to biomedical, nutritional, behavioral, and public health research.
Authors are required to ensure that:
- the rights, dignity, safety, and well-being of research participants are fully respected at all stages of the study;
- risks to participants are minimized and are reasonable in relation to the anticipated benefits of the research;
- participation is voluntary and based on appropriate informed consent, unless a justified and ethically approved waiver applies;
- privacy, confidentiality, and data protection requirements are upheld throughout the research process, including appropriate anonymization or pseudonymization of personal data where applicable;
- additional safeguards are applied when research involves vulnerable populations, sensitive data, or individuals with limited capacity to provide informed consent.
Where required, the research must have received approval from an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board before commencement, and must be conducted in accordance with the approved protocol.
Authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all ethical declarations included in the manuscript and must be prepared to provide supporting documentation upon request during editorial assessment or peer review.
Research Involving Animals
Research involving animals must be conducted in accordance with internationally accepted standards for animal welfare and ethical treatment, including relevant international guidelines, and in compliance with applicable national and institutional regulations governing the care and use of animals in research.
Authors must ensure that animal research:
- is scientifically justified and ethically approved by an appropriate animal care and use committee prior to initiation;
- follows the principles of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement (the 3Rs), including a clear justification for the use of animals and for the choice of species and experimental model;
- uses the minimum number of animals necessary to achieve scientifically valid objectives;
- applies experimental procedures designed to minimize pain, suffering, and distress, and incorporates appropriate analgesia, anesthesia, and humane endpoints;
- ensures appropriate housing, care, monitoring, and welfare throughout the study, with procedures performed by suitably trained and qualified personnel;
- is reported transparently and in sufficient detail to allow ethical evaluation and scientific assessment, in line with relevant reporting guidelines (e.g., ARRIVE, where applicable).
Authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all ethical statements related to animal research included in the manuscript and must be prepared to provide supporting documentation upon request during editorial assessment or peer review.
Ethical Approval and Documentation
Where required by the nature of the research, authors must obtain approval from an appropriate ethics committee, institutional review board, or animal care and use committee prior to commencing the study. The research must be conducted in accordance with the approved protocol and applicable ethical standards.
Authors must clearly state in the manuscript:
- the name of the approving ethics committee or review board;
- the approval or reference number, where applicable;
- confirmation that the research was conducted in accordance with the approved protocol.
Where ethical approval was not required, authors must provide a clear and justified explanation in the manuscript, in accordance with applicable regulations and ethical guidelines.
Authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all information related to ethical approval and must be prepared to provide supporting documentation upon request during editorial assessment or peer review.
Any significant amendments to the approved protocol or deviations from the original ethical approval must be disclosed and appropriately justified, and must have received additional approval where required.
Failure to provide adequate ethical approval information or supporting documentation may result in requests for clarification, revision, or rejection of the manuscript.
Editorial Assessment
Manuscripts reporting research involving human participants or animals may be subject to additional editorial scrutiny at any stage of the editorial process to assess compliance with ethical requirements and applicable standards.
Editors may request clarifications, additional information, supporting documentation, or revisions where ethical aspects are unclear, incomplete, or insufficiently reported. Such requests are intended to ensure transparency, accuracy, and adherence to ethical standards before further editorial consideration.
Where necessary, editors may consult reviewers, members of the editorial board, ethics committees, or external experts when evaluating ethical issues related to human or animal research.
Failure to adequately address ethical concerns or to meet ethical requirements related to human or animal research may result in editorial actions, including rejection of the manuscript, in accordance with the journal’s Research Ethics Policy and Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement.