Confidentiality and Ethics

Introduction

Editors of the Journal of Clinical Intensive Care and Medicine (JCICM) must adhere to strict confidentiality and ethical principles. This ensures integrity in decision-making, protects authors’ intellectual property, and upholds trust within the academic community.

Confidential Handling of Manuscripts

  • All manuscripts must be treated as confidential documents prior to publication.
  • Manuscripts must not be shared with anyone outside the editorial and peer review process without authorization.
  • Editors may consult reviewers or subject experts, but only with confidentiality agreements in place.

Reviewer Confidentiality

Editors must protect the identities of reviewers in a double-blind peer review system. Reviewers should not be revealed to authors unless explicit consent is provided.

Conflict of Interest Management

  • Editors must not use unpublished manuscript information for personal advantage.
  • Editors must declare and avoid conflicts of interest with submitted manuscripts.
  • Where a conflict exists, editorial handling must be reassigned to another editor.

Data and Intellectual Property Protection

Editors must ensure that no information from submitted manuscripts is used for personal research, shared inappropriately, or disclosed before publication. Intellectual property rights of authors must always be respected.

Ethical Decision-Making

Editors should apply ethical judgment consistently, guided by:

  • COPE Code of Conduct for Journal Editors.
  • ICMJE recommendations for ethical editorial practices.
  • JCICM’s internal editorial and publication ethics policies.

Dealing with Misconduct

If misconduct (plagiarism, data fabrication, ethical violations) is suspected:

  • Editors must investigate discreetly and objectively.
  • Whistleblowers’ identities must be protected.
  • Appropriate corrective action (erratum, corrigendum, retraction) should follow COPE guidelines.

Professional Conduct

  • Editors must avoid bias based on nationality, gender, ethnicity, or institutional affiliation.
  • Editorial feedback should be respectful, constructive, and professional.
  • Editors must maintain transparency in editorial decisions while protecting confidentiality.

FAQs

Can editors discuss manuscripts outside the board? No, unless authorized for expert review.

What happens if confidentiality is breached? It may result in disciplinary action and loss of editorial role.

Can editors publish in JCICM? Yes, but their submissions must be handled independently by other editors.