Conflict of Interest, Ethics, and Consent Policy

POLICIES ON CONFLICT OF INTEREST, HUMAN AND ANIMAL RIGHTS, AND INFORMED CONSENT

Journal of Wound Research and Technology is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics, research integrity, and participant protection in scholarly publishing. The journal follows internationally recognized ethical principles and editorial best practices, including the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Recommendations, the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki for research involving human participants, and recognized animal research standards such as the ARRIVE Guidelines 2.0, the 3Rs principles, and, where applicable, relevant NC3Rs guidance for non-human primate research.

Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest, also referred to as a competing interest, exists when financial, personal, academic, professional, institutional, or other relationships could reasonably be perceived as influencing the judgment, objectivity, or integrity of authors, reviewers, editors, or the publisher. Journal of Wound Research and Technology requires transparent disclosure and appropriate management of such interests at all stages of submission, peer review, editorial assessment, and publication.

Authors must disclose all relevant competing interests at the time of submission, including but not limited to employment, consultancies, honoraria, speaker fees, advisory roles, stock ownership, patents, research funding, institutional affiliations, and any other relationships that could be perceived as influencing the work. Authors must also disclose all sources of funding and, where relevant, the role of the funder in study design, data collection, data analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, and the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. If a manuscript is accepted, these disclosures will be published as part of the final article.

Reviewers are required to declare any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest before accepting an invitation to review. Reviewers who believe that their impartiality may be affected must decline the review invitation. Reviewers must not use unpublished information obtained through peer review for personal, academic, or commercial advantage. In limited cases, a minor competing interest may be managed at the editor’s discretion, provided that transparency and fairness can still be maintained.

Editors must recuse themselves from editorial handling or decision-making when they have a conflict of interest relating to a manuscript. This includes manuscripts submitted by current or recent collaborators, colleagues from the same institution, family members, or authors with whom the editor has a financial, personal, or professional relationship that could compromise editorial independence. If an editor is an author or co-author of a submission to Journal of Wound Research and Technology, the manuscript must be handled independently by another qualified editor, and the conflicted editor must take no part in the review, discussion, or decision process.

Human Participants

Journal of Wound Research and Technology requires that all research involving human participants, identifiable human material, or identifiable human data be conducted in accordance with accepted ethical standards and applicable laws and regulations. The journal expects authors to follow the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki and the ICMJE Recommendations for the protection of research participants.

All submitted manuscripts reporting human research must clearly state whether ethical approval was obtained. Authors must provide the name of the approving ethics committee or institutional review board, the approval number or reference ID where applicable, and a statement confirming that informed consent was obtained from participants or that a waiver of consent was granted by the appropriate review body when justified. Editors may request documentary evidence of ethics approval or additional clarification during editorial assessment or peer review.

The journal reserves the right to reject manuscripts on ethical grounds if there are concerns that the study was not conducted within an appropriate ethical framework, even where formal ethics approval is reported. Where necessary, the journal may seek clarification from the authors, request additional supporting information, or contact the relevant ethics committee or institution in accordance with accepted editorial and ethical procedures.

In assessing the ethical acceptability of human research, the editorial team may consider factors such as the degree of deviation from accepted clinical or research practice, the burden imposed on participants, the level of risk, the adequacy of safeguards, the expected benefit to participants, and the broader social or scientific value of the work. The journal may consult editorial colleagues or relevant external ethics guidance when complex concerns arise.

Animal Participants

All manuscripts reporting research involving animals must demonstrate that the work was conducted in accordance with relevant international, national, and institutional standards for animal welfare and ethical review. Journal of Wound Research and Technology expects animal research submissions to reflect the principles of humane care, scientific justification, and transparent reporting, including the principles of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement (3Rs) and, where appropriate, the ARRIVE Guidelines 2.0.

Authors must state in the manuscript that the study received approval from the relevant institutional animal ethics committee or equivalent review body, where such approval is required. The manuscript should also identify the legal, national, or institutional framework under which the study was conducted. Authors should provide a clear scientific justification for the use of animals, the species selected, and the procedures performed.

To support ethical and scientific appraisal, manuscripts involving animals should report information on housing, husbandry, welfare monitoring, efforts to minimize pain, distress, and suffering, humane endpoints, and euthanasia methods where applicable. Authors should also describe how the study addressed the 3Rs and provide enough detail to allow readers and reviewers to assess the reliability, ethical acceptability, and reproducibility of the work.

For studies involving non-human primates, authors must demonstrate that the standards of care, accommodation, and use are consistent with recognized high-level welfare guidance, including relevant NC3Rs recommendations where applicable. For studies involving client-owned animals, authors must demonstrate that best-practice veterinary care was provided and that informed owner consent was obtained. Manuscripts may be rejected on ethical grounds if the procedures involve unnecessary pain, suffering, distress, or lasting harm that is not scientifically justified.

Informed Consent

Patients and research participants have a right to privacy and confidentiality. Identifying information, including names, initials, hospital numbers, facial images, pedigrees, or other potentially recognizable material, must not be published unless such information is scientifically essential and the participant, or the participant’s parent or legal guardian, has provided written informed consent for publication.

Where identifiable information is included, authors must confirm that the participant was informed about the nature of the publication and that potentially identifiable material may appear online and in print. In line with ICMJE guidance, informed consent for publication of identifiable material requires that the participant be shown the manuscript or the material to be published. Written consent should be retained by the authors, the journal, or both, in accordance with local legal and institutional requirements.

Non-essential identifying details must be omitted whenever possible. If authors alter identifying details to protect anonymity, such alterations must not distort the scientific meaning of the report. If there is any doubt that anonymity can be fully protected, informed consent for publication must be obtained. When consent has been obtained, this should be indicated in the published article.

Editorial Handling of Ethical Concerns

If Journal of Wound Research and Technology identifies possible concerns relating to conflicts of interest, participant protection, animal welfare, or informed consent, the editorial team may request clarification, seek supporting documentation, consult reviewers or editorial advisors, or communicate with the relevant institution or ethics committee where appropriate. Manuscripts may be rejected if ethical standards are not adequately met or if the authors fail to provide a satisfactory explanation. In serious cases, the journal may take further action in accordance with its broader publication ethics and malpractice policies.

Related Policies

  • Publication Ethics Policy
  • Publication Malpractice Statement
  • Corrections, Retractions, Expressions of Concern, and Withdrawal Policy
  • Peer Review Policy