The Archives of Case Reports (ACR) is committed to upholding high editorial standards to ensure the publication of quality case reports that contribute to medical knowledge and clinical practice. Editors play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity, transparency, and credibility of the journal.

Editorial Responsibilities

Editors of the ACR are responsible for ensuring the quality and ethical standards of published case reports. They must:

• Oversee the peer review process to ensure fairness, objectivity, and timeliness.
• Maintain confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and not disclose details to unauthorized parties.
• Ensure ethical standards are upheld in all case reports, including patient consent and compliance with regulations.
• Make editorial decisions based on scientific merit and relevance to clinical practice.

Peer Review Process

Editors are responsible for managing a rigorous peer review process. They must:

• Select expert reviewers with relevant medical and clinical expertise.
• Ensure an unbiased and constructive review process.
• Make final decisions based on reviewer feedback and ethical considerations.
• Provide authors with clear and constructive feedback to improve their case reports.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors must disclose and avoid conflicts of interest to maintain editorial independence. They should:

• Refrain from handling manuscripts where they have a personal or professional conflict of interest.
• Ensure that all potential conflicts of interest from reviewers and authors are properly disclosed.
• Not use unpublished material from submitted manuscripts for their own research.

Publication Ethics and Misconduct

The ACR follows ethical publishing guidelines to prevent scientific misconduct. Editors must:

• Identify and investigate cases of plagiarism, data fabrication, and duplicate publication.
• Reject or retract case reports that do not meet ethical or scientific standards.
• Ensure that all patient-related information is anonymized and that proper consent has been obtained.

Patient Confidentiality and Consent

Editors must ensure that case reports adhere to patient confidentiality guidelines. Authors must:

• Obtain informed consent from patients or their legal guardians before publication.
• Ensure that identifying details (names, images, personal information) are anonymized unless explicit consent is provided.
• Follow international regulations such as HIPAA, GDPR, and institutional ethics guidelines.

Manuscript Decision and Communication

Editors should ensure fair and timely decisions regarding manuscript acceptance or rejection. They must:

• Base decisions on the case report’s originality, clinical relevance, and ethical compliance.
• Clearly communicate the final decision to authors, providing constructive feedback when necessary.
• Ensure that decisions are free from bias and based on scientific validity.

Corrections and Retractions

If significant errors or ethical concerns arise after publication, editors must:

• Facilitate the publication of corrections, errata, or clarifications when necessary.
• Retract case reports in cases of proven ethical violations, data falsification, or unreliable findings.
• Provide clear justifications for retractions to maintain transparency and scientific integrity.

Editorial Independence

The editorial team of ACR must maintain editorial independence and ensure that:

• Editorial decisions are not influenced by external pressures, including financial or political interests.
• The peer review process remains unbiased and focused on academic and clinical merit.
• Authors, reviewers, and editors are treated with fairness and professionalism.

Transparency and Accountability

Editors should uphold transparency in editorial processes and be accountable for published content. They must:

• Ensure that journal policies and ethical guidelines are clearly outlined and consistently applied.
• Address any ethical concerns or complaints related to published case reports.
• Encourage diversity and inclusivity in the editorial and review processes.

Submission Declaration

By serving as an editor for the ACR, individuals agree to:

• Adhere to ethical publishing guidelines and best editorial practices.
• Ensure a fair and unbiased peer review process.
• Uphold confidentiality and integrity in case report publishing.

For any ethical concerns or clarifications regarding editorial responsibilities, editors are encouraged to contact the journal’s editorial office.