Confidentiality and Ethics

ACGH prioritizes ethical standards and confidentiality throughout the publication process. This policy outlines principles and best practices to safeguard sensitive information, uphold research integrity, and maintain trust among authors, reviewers, and readers.

1. Protection of Human Subjects and Patient Data

In publications involving human subjects—including case reports—authors must omit or anonymize any identifiable data. A real-world example: in a published case series on metastatic melanoma, the authors explicitly stated, “To preserve patient confidentiality, we have omitted any data that may be identifiable to individual patients.” This aligns with strict ethical standards around patient privacy. 

All manuscripts involving human or animal research must include documentation of ethics committee approval and, where applicable, informed consent. Clinical trials are expected to adhere to global norms such as the Declaration of Helsinki.

2. Editorial and Reviewer Confidentiality

Manuscript content—including data, analyses, and peer review comments—is regarded as strictly confidential. Access is limited to assigned editors, reviewers, and production staff where necessary. Reviewers must not retain, share, or use manuscripts or review content for personal or external purposes. Identity of reviewers remains anonymous unless ACGH specifies a transparent review format.

3. Ensuring Ethical Integrity Throughout Editorial Operations

Ethical awareness forms the cornerstone of all editorial decisions. Any suspicion of misconduct—such as plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate submissions, or inappropriate authorship—must be handled according to COPE flowcharts and ACGH’s policies. Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific merit and ethical compliance.

4. Maintaining Transparency and Accountability

ACGH ensures transparency by logging all editorial decisions, including reasons for rejections, conditions for acceptance, or outcomes of misconduct investigations. Retraction or expressions of concern are issued when necessary to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

5. Confidentiality During Withdrawal and Archiving

When authors request article withdrawal, especially for ethical reasons or corrections, the editorial office preserves a non-public record in the archives while preventing unauthorized access. This protects intellectual property and maintains system integrity.

Even withdrawn content remains confidential and inaccessible except to key editorial staff—ensuring ethical accountability and record completeness.

6. Graceful Handling of Sensitive Disclosures

Editors should respond to sensitive issues—such as unexpected ethical breaches or whistleblower information—with discretion and adherence to ethical review procedures. This includes following guidelines for preserving anonymity when needed, and conducting fair, blind reviews of allegations.

7. Continuous Ethics Education and Policy Compliance

All editorial and review staff undergo training on confidentiality norms and ethical expectations as per COPE, ICMJE, and ACGH policies. This includes careful handling of sensitive data, respecting embargoes, and protecting requester anonymity.

Last updated: 2025-09-02