1. Introduction and Importance

This journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of research and publication ethics. Ethical approval is a fundamental prerequisite for the publication of any research involving:

• Human participants (including surveys, interviews, observational studies, and experiments)
• Human biological samples
• Personal or sensitive data
• Vertebrate animals or cephalopods
• Protected locations or indigenous communities
• Clinical evaluations or drug trials

Failure to comply with ethical standards may result in immediate rejection or retraction of published work.

2. Scope and Applicability

A. Human Subjects Research

All studies involving human participants require ethical review and informed consent, including but not limited to:

• Clinical trials and randomized controlled trials
• Questionnaire-based and interview-based research (including online surveys)
• Observational studies (cohort, case-control, cross-sectional)
• Participatory action research and community-based studies
• Research involving human biological materials (tissue, blood, DNA) or secondary data where individuals are identifiable

B. Animal Research

• All experimental procedures involving live vertebrate animals
• Research involving cephalopods
• Behavioral and physiological studies on animals

C. Other Research Types

• Field studies in protected areas (requiring relevant permits)
• Research utilizing sensitive personal data (e.g., health, financial, racial origin)
• Studies involving archaeological or heritage materials

3. Requirements for Authors: Documentation and Disclosure

Upon submission, authors must provide clear, specific evidence of ethical approval within the manuscript and the submission system.

A. For Human Research

1. Identifying Information: The name of the approving Institutional Review Board (IRB), Research Ethics Committee (REC), or equivalent body, along with the approval reference number
2. Date of Approval
3. Statement of Compliance: A declaration within the manuscript (typically in the Methods section) stating that the research was conducted in accordance with relevant principles (e.g., the Declaration of Helsinki, CIOMS guidelines)
4. Informed Consent: A statement confirming that informed consent was obtained from all participants. For publication of case reports or identifiable images, written consent for publication is mandatory. The journal may request to see consent forms during peer review
5. Data Anonymity: Confirmation that all personal data has been anonymized

B. For Animal Research

1. Guidelines Compliance: Confirmation of adherence to relevant guidelines (e.g., the ARRIVE guidelines, the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, or EU Directive 2010/63/EU)
2. Approval Details: Name of the institutional animal care committee and the protocol number
3. Humane Treatment: Details of measures taken to minimize suffering, including the use of anesthesia and analgesia

4. Exemptions and Special Considerations

A. Research Not Requiring Formal Ethical Approval

• Analysis of publicly available, fully anonymized datasets
• Service evaluations or audit studies that do not aim to generate new generalizable knowledge
• Historical/documentary research using entirely non-identifiable data

Authors claiming exemption must provide a clear justification within their cover letter and manuscript.

B. Case Studies

• Require explicit, written consent from the patient or their legal guardian
• Must rigorously protect patient privacy by removing all identifying information

C. Research in Emergency Settings

• Must follow internationally recognized protocols for deferred consent or waiver of consent, with appropriate ethical oversight

5. International and Vulnerable Population Research

A. International Studies

Research conducted outside the authors' home country must comply with both the ethical standards of the host country and international norms. Approval from ethics committees in all relevant jurisdictions is required.

B. Research with Vulnerable Groups

Special protections are required for research involving:

• Children and minors: Requires consent from parents/guardians and age-appropriate assent from the child
• Prisoners
• Individuals with cognitive impairments
• Economically or educationally disadvantaged persons

Ethical approval must explicitly address safeguards for these groups.

C. Research with Indigenous Communities

Must demonstrate community engagement, respect for cultural practices, and, where appropriate, prior informed consent from community leaders in addition to individual consent.

6. Submission and Verification Process

1. Initial Submission: Authors must upload the ethical approval letter/document as a supplementary file or enter approval details in the submission system
2. Peer Review: Reviewers are asked to flag any ethical concerns. The editorial office may request to see original approval documents or consent forms
3. Final Acceptance: Final verification of compliance is conducted by the editorial office
4. Post-Publication: The journal will investigate any ethical concerns raised about a published article, in line with COPE guidelines, which may lead to correction or retraction

7. Templates and Resources

The journal provides optional templates and resources on its website to assist authors, including:

• Sample informed consent forms
• Participant information sheets
• Guidelines for ethical protocols in qualitative research

8. Consequences of Non-Compliance

• Immediate rejection of a manuscript if ethical approval is lacking or insufficient
• Ban on submissions from the responsible authors for a period of 3-5 years
• Notification of the breach to the authors' institutional authorities and relevant ethics committees
• Retraction of published articles if a serious ethical violation is discovered post-publication, with a clear retraction notice stating the reason