The Archives of Case Reports (ACR) is committed to maintaining strict confidentiality and upholding the highest ethical standards in case report publishing. Editors, reviewers, and authors must adhere to ethical guidelines that promote transparency, research integrity, and respect for patient privacy.

Confidentiality and Ethics

1. Confidentiality in Case Report Publishing

Editors and reviewers must ensure the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts, protecting sensitive patient data and research integrity.

• Manuscript Confidentiality: All submitted case reports must be handled confidentially and not shared outside the editorial and review process.
• Reviewer Anonymity: If following a double-blind peer review system, the identities of authors and reviewers must remain confidential.
• Unpublished Data Protection: Editors and reviewers must not use or share unpublished data from submitted manuscripts for personal research or gain.

2. Ethical Standards in Case Report Publishing

ACR enforces strict ethical guidelines for case report submissions, particularly in relation to patient privacy and consent.

• Patient Confidentiality: All case reports must protect patient identity by omitting identifiable information unless explicit patient consent has been obtained.
• Informed Consent: Authors must secure written informed consent from patients (or their legal representatives) before submitting case reports for publication.
• Ethical Approval: While case reports typically do not require ethical review board approval, studies involving investigational treatments should have appropriate ethical clearance.

3. Ethical Conduct in Publishing

The ACR follows international ethical guidelines to ensure transparency and scientific credibility.

• Plagiarism Prevention: All submitted manuscripts must be original. Plagiarism, duplicate publication, and data falsification are strictly prohibited.
• Authorship Transparency: Only individuals who have made significant contributions to the case report should be listed as authors.
• Data Integrity: All clinical observations and findings must be accurately reported without fabrication or manipulation.

4. Managing Conflicts of Interest

Editors, reviewers, and authors must disclose any conflicts of interest that may influence the integrity of the research or review process.

• Editorial Independence: Editors must recuse themselves from handling case reports where they have a personal, professional, or financial conflict of interest.
• Author and Reviewer Disclosure: Any potential conflicts of interest, including funding sources, industry sponsorships, or affiliations, must be disclosed.
• Industry and Funding Transparency: Case reports sponsored by pharmaceutical or medical device companies must transparently report funding sources.

5. Corrections and Retractions

ACR is committed to ensuring the accuracy and integrity of published case reports and takes necessary actions to correct errors or ethical breaches.

• Errata and Corrections: Minor errors that do not affect the overall validity of the case report will be corrected through an erratum.
• Article Retractions: In cases of research misconduct, ethical violations, or significant errors, articles may be retracted with a formal notice.
• Expression of Concern: If ethical concerns arise but require further investigation, an expression of concern may be issued.

6. Transparency and Ethical Accountability

ACR ensures that its editorial policies and ethical guidelines are publicly accessible and consistently enforced.

• Ethical Complaints: Any ethical concerns raised by authors, reviewers, or readers will be investigated according to COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.
• Editorial Integrity: All editorial decisions are based on scientific quality, ethical compliance, and relevance to case report literature.
• Diversity and Inclusivity: ACR encourages diversity in authorship, peer review selection, and editorial board representation.

By submitting to the ACR, authors, reviewers, and editors agree to abide by these confidentiality and ethical guidelines. For any ethical concerns or clarifications, please contact the editorial office.