Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Introduction

The International Journal of Clinical Anesthesia and Research (IJCAR) upholds the highest standards of publication ethics and academic integrity. The journal strictly follows guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

“Scientific integrity and ethical accountability are central to IJCAR’s mission of advancing anesthesiology and perioperative medicine.”

1. Responsibilities of Editors

• Editors evaluate manuscripts solely on academic merit and relevance without bias regarding gender, nationality, or institutional affiliation.
• Editorial decisions are based on originality, significance, clarity, and ethical soundness.
• Editors maintain confidentiality and do not disclose information about submissions except to relevant parties (reviewers, editorial staff).
• Editors manage conflicts of interest transparently and recuse themselves when necessary.

2. Responsibilities of Authors

• Authors must ensure that their research is original, accurately reported, and free from fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism.
• All sources and contributions must be properly cited.
• Authors must confirm that the manuscript has not been published elsewhere or under consideration by another journal.
• Authorship should be limited to those who have made significant contributions to the research.
• All authors must approve the final version before submission.
• Conflicts of interest and funding sources must be clearly disclosed.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

• Reviewers assist the editorial team in evaluating the scientific quality and validity of submissions.
• They must maintain strict confidentiality regarding the content of manuscripts under review.
• Reviewers should identify potential ethical issues and report any suspicion of plagiarism, data manipulation, or redundant publication.
• Reviews must be objective, constructive, and free of personal criticism.

4. Research Ethics and Consent

All studies involving human participants must follow the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Animal studies must comply with international welfare standards. Manuscripts should include clear statements on informed consent and ethical approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee.

5. Publication Malpractice and Misconduct

IJCAR considers the following unethical behaviors as serious publication malpractice:

• Plagiarism and duplicate submission.
• Data fabrication or falsification.
• Improper authorship attribution.
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest.
• Manipulation of peer review or citation patterns.

Allegations of misconduct are investigated according to COPE’s flowcharts and procedures. Confirmed violations may lead to retraction, notification of the author’s institution, and/or bans on future submissions.

6. Handling of Complaints and Appeals

IJCAR maintains a transparent process for handling complaints. Authors or readers may raise concerns regarding publication ethics directly to the editorial office. Complaints are evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief and, when appropriate, escalated to an independent ethics committee.

7. Retraction and Correction Policy

In cases where serious ethical or scientific concerns arise, IJCAR may issue:

• Corrections: For minor errors that do not affect results or conclusions.
• Expressions of Concern: When investigation outcomes are pending.
• Retractions: For confirmed unethical or erroneous publications, following COPE guidelines.

8. Conflict of Interest Policy

All authors, reviewers, and editors must declare any potential conflicts of interest that could influence their judgment. Disclosures include financial relationships, consultancies, personal relationships, or competing research interests.

9. Data Transparency and Availability

Authors are encouraged to make their datasets publicly available in recognized repositories (e.g., Zenodo, Figshare, or institutional databases). Data availability statements should be included in all research manuscripts.

10. Publisher Responsibilities

• IJCAR ensures the integrity of its publication record by investigating all allegations of misconduct.
• Content found to be fraudulent or unethical is promptly retracted or corrected.
• The publisher collaborates with indexing bodies and ethical committees when necessary.

Ethics Oversight Summary

Conclusion

Upholding the integrity of published research is the shared responsibility of authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher. IJCAR fosters a culture of ethical awareness, transparency, and accountability across all stages of publication.