Research Ethics Policy

Research Ethics Policy

The Journal of Experimental and Clinical Anatomy (JECA) is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethics in research and publication. JECA requires that all research submitted to the journal be conducted and reported in accordance with recognized ethical principles, applicable laws and regulations, and accepted standards of good research practice.

JECA’s research ethics policy is informed by the guidance and recommendations of leading international organizations, including:

JECA also expects compliance, where applicable, with internationally recognized ethical frameworks such as:

1. General Principles

All research submitted to JECA must:

  • be conducted ethically and responsibly;
  • comply with applicable institutional, national, and international laws and regulations;
  • respect the dignity, rights, safety, and well-being of research participants and animals;
  • protect privacy, confidentiality, and personal data where applicable;
  • be reported accurately, transparently, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate manipulation.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their work meets all ethical requirements applicable to their study.

2. Research Involving Human Participants

Research involving human participants, human tissue, human data, or identifiable personal information must have been reviewed and approved by an appropriate Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC), Institutional Review Board (IRB), or equivalent ethics review body before the study was conducted, where such approval is required.

Human research must be conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and with applicable regulatory requirements.

The manuscript must include, in the Methods section or other appropriate section, a clear ethics statement specifying:

  • the name of the ethics committee or review board;
  • the approval number or reference number, where available;
  • confirmation that ethical approval was obtained prior to commencement of the study;
  • whether informed consent was obtained from participants; and
  • where applicable, whether informed consent was waived by the ethics committee.

If ethical approval was not required, the authors must provide a clear explanation.

3. Informed Consent

For studies involving human participants, authors must state whether written informed consent was obtained.

If the study includes:

  • case reports,
  • clinical images,
  • patient photographs,
  • videos,
  • or any information that could identify an individual,

authors must confirm that explicit consent for publication was obtained from the participant or the participant’s legal representative, unless an ethics committee has specifically waived this requirement.

Where informed consent was waived, the manuscript must state the basis for the waiver and identify the approving ethics body.

4. Research Involving Human Data or Previously Collected Material

Studies using previously collected human data, clinical records, archived specimens, or material obtained in the course of routine practice must also comply with ethical and legal requirements relating to consent, privacy, confidentiality, and institutional approval.

Where relevant, authors must explain:

  • the source of the data or materials;
  • whether ethical approval was obtained;
  • whether consent was obtained or waived; and
  • how confidentiality and anonymity were protected.

5. Research Involving Animals

Research involving animals must be reviewed and approved by an appropriate Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or equivalent ethics committee before the work is undertaken, where such approval is required.

Authors must ensure that animal studies were conducted in accordance with accepted institutional and national standards for the care and use of laboratory animals.

The manuscript must include an ethics statement specifying:

  • the name of the approving committee or authority;
  • the approval or protocol number, where available; and
  • confirmation that the study complied with relevant animal welfare regulations and institutional guidelines.

Authors should make clear that all efforts were made to minimize animal suffering and to reduce the number of animals used.

6. Biosafety and Biosecurity

Research involving biological hazards, genetically modified organisms, infectious agents, hazardous materials, or other significant biosafety concerns must comply with applicable biosafety and biosecurity regulations.

Where required, such studies must be reviewed and approved by an appropriate Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) or equivalent authority.

Authors must provide details of such approval in the manuscript where relevant.

7. Ethical Statements in Manuscripts

All manuscripts reporting research involving human participants, animals, human tissue, human data, or biosafety-sensitive materials must include a clear and complete ethical statement in the manuscript, usually within the Methods section.

The ethics statement should include, as applicable:

  • the approving ethics committee or review body;
  • approval/reference number;
  • informed consent status;
  • consent for publication, where relevant;
  • animal ethics approval details;
  • biosafety approval details, where relevant.

Failure to provide required ethical information may result in delays in review or rejection of the manuscript.

8. Documentation and Proof of Approval

JECA may require authors to provide documentary evidence of ethical approval, informed consent, or institutional permission at any stage of the editorial process.

Authors should therefore retain copies of:

  • ethics approval letters;
  • consent forms, where applicable;
  • institutional permissions; and
  • trial registration records, where relevant.

Submission of a manuscript to JECA implies that the authors are able to provide such documentation upon request.

9. Clinical Trials

Clinical trials submitted to JECA must comply with accepted ethical and regulatory standards, including ethical review, informed consent, and, where applicable, prospective registration in a publicly accessible trial registry.

Authors reporting clinical trials should ensure compliance with:

  • ICMJE recommendations;
  • relevant Good Clinical Practice (GCP) principles; and
  • JECA’s Data Sharing Policy, including the requirement for a clinical trial data sharing statement.

10. Privacy and Confidentiality

Authors must protect the privacy and confidentiality of research participants at all times.

Identifying information must not be published unless essential for scientific purposes and only where explicit consent for publication has been obtained.

Personal data must be handled in accordance with applicable privacy and data protection laws and with the journal’s Privacy Policy.

11. Publication Ethics and Misconduct

JECA takes allegations of research and publication misconduct seriously. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • fabrication or falsification of data;
  • plagiarism;
  • image manipulation;
  • unethical research practices;
  • failure to obtain required ethical approval;
  • failure to obtain informed consent where required;
  • duplicate submission or redundant publication;
  • undisclosed conflicts of interest.

Where concerns arise, JECA will investigate in accordance with established editorial procedures and the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The journal reserves the right to request explanations, documentation, institutional investigation, corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, or other appropriate actions where ethical or integrity issues are identified.

12. Editorial Responsibility

Editors may reject a manuscript if they believe the research was not conducted in accordance with appropriate ethical standards, even where formal approval has been obtained.

Ethics approval does not automatically guarantee editorial acceptance. JECA reserves the right to assess whether the conduct and reporting of the study meet the journal’s ethical and scientific expectations.