Vulnerable Populations
Special care should be given to groups or persons who may be incapable of predicting, dealing with, or recovering from the influence of study execution. It is possible that they did not understand the nature of the study to get informed consent, and, therefore, were vulnerable to coercion. The study may engage these groups and people only if their involvement is absolutely necessary to carry out the research, and the output of the study is beneficial for them.
Research involving human subjects
When reporting experiments on human subjects, authors should show whether the procedures followed were under the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national). Authors should explain how informed consent was obtained from all participants.
Informed participant consent
To ensure compliance with relevant laws and guidelines, necessary consents and permissions must be received from the participants in order to obtain and use personal information. Signed consent forms should not be sent to the journal, since they may contain sensitive participant data. Rather, authors should provide a declaration stating that informed consents were acquired from participants. Related documents and proofs are stored to be presented upon request from legal authorities.
Animal experiments
When reporting experiments on animals, authors should be asked to show whether the institutional and national guide for the care and use of laboratory animals was followed.
Handling confidential data
Confidentiality of the data obtained from individuals or organizations is critical and should not be used without their permission. Authors are expected to take all required steps to secure sensitive participant information, and protect the participants from any potential bodily or psychological damage.
Marketing Practices
This Journal uses social media platforms and other electronic media to disseminate our content and engage readers with our publications. We try to reach new readers through quick communication methods like emails, Twitter, and Facebook. Our Editorial Board and reviewers are familiar with social media policies and practices and plan their advertising and marketing activities by adhering to norms and standards of the concerned regulatory body, such as the Advertising Standards Authority’s Guidance on the Marketing of Publications (or equivalent bodies applicable to our global offices). Such communication for marketing and publicity of the journal content is not at the expense of the integrity of the content.