All research conducted must adhere to appropriate ethical standards. In cases where there is uncertainty regarding the ethical framework followed, the Editors may reject the manuscript and/or contact the author(s)' ethics committee for further clarification. Even if approval from an ethics committee has been obtained, the manuscript may still be rejected on ethical grounds.
For research involving human subjects, human material, or human data, it is essential that the study has been conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and has received approval from an appropriate ethics committee. Submission of the study must be accompanied by documentation of ethics/bioethics committee approval.
In instances where authors report the use of a new procedure or tool in a clinical setting, such as a technical advance or case report, they must provide a clear justification within the manuscript for why the new procedure or tool was deemed more suitable than standard clinical practice to address the patient's clinical needs. This justification may not be required if the new procedure is already approved for clinical use at the authors' institution.
Authors undertaking experimental use of a novel procedure or tool, where a clear clinical advantage based on clinical need was not apparent prior to treatment, are expected to have obtained ethics committee approval and informed patient consent.
These requirements ensure that research involving human and animal subjects is conducted ethically and with proper consideration for the well-being and rights of the individuals involved.