The Clinical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (CJOG) is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing. Our Publication Ethics Statement is based on the principles of COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors), WAME (World Association of Medical Editors), and the international framework governing integrity in medical and clinical research. This statement outlines responsibilities, expectations, and procedures for authors, reviewers, editors, publishers, and the broader academic community.

Core Ethical Principles

CJOG follows the core values of ethical publishing, which include:

Integrity: Ensuring honesty and transparency in research reporting.
Accountability: Holding all contributors responsible for their work.
Impartiality: Eliminating bias in editorial handling.
Confidentiality: Protecting the privacy of data, participants, authors, and reviewers.
Human Subject Ethics: Ensuring safety, consent, and ethical oversight.

Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to CJOG must adhere to the highest ethical standards in reporting research findings.

Accuracy and Reliability

Manuscripts must present accurate, verifiable data.
Fabrication, falsification, and inappropriate image manipulation are strictly prohibited.
Statistical methods must be described clearly and justified.

Originality

Authors must submit only original, unpublished work.
All sources must be properly cited.
Self-plagiarism is prohibited unless transparency is provided.

Authorship Criteria

All authors must satisfy ICMJE authorship criteria:

Significant contribution to the conception, design, or analysis of the study.
Drafting or reviewing the manuscript critically.
Final approval of the published version.
Accountability for all aspects of the work.

Clinical Trials and Ethics Approvals

All human studies must have IRB or ethics committee approval.
Clinical trials must be registered in recognized registries (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov).
Informed consent must be obtained from participants.
Patient confidentiality must be preserved at all times.

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors at CJOG must ensure fairness, independence, and integrity in decision-making.

Editorial Independence

Decisions must be based solely on scientific merit and relevance.
Editors must avoid external or commercial influences.
Conflicts of interest must be disclosed and managed transparently.

Decision-Making Responsibilities

Ensure manuscripts undergo appropriate peer review.
Respond promptly to ethical concerns.
Issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions when necessary.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play a key role in ensuring research quality and integrity. Their responsibilities include:

Providing objective, evidence-based evaluations.
Completing reviews within the specified timeframe.
Maintaining confidentiality.
Declaring conflicts of interest.
Identifying ethical concerns such as plagiarism, fabrication, or image manipulation.

Conflicts of Interest

CJOG requires disclosure of all financial and non-financial conflicts of interest from:

Authors (at submission).
Reviewers (before accepting review).
Editors (at all times while handling manuscripts).

Examples of Conflicts

Financial ties to companies with vested interests.
Personal or professional relationships with study contributors.
Academic rivalry or competitive positions.

Data Availability and Transparency

Authors must provide complete transparency regarding data generation, analysis, and availability.

Datasets should be deposited in open repositories (Dryad, Zenodo, Figshare).
Data availability statements must accompany manuscripts.
Data irregularities will trigger immediate review and investigation.

Human and Animal Research Ethics

Research must comply with relevant international standards.

Human Subject Research

Compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki.
Documentation of IRB review.
Informed consent from participants.
De-identification of sensitive patient data.

Animal Research Ethics

Compliance with institutional, national, and international care guidelines.
Use of humane protocols to minimize distress.
Ethical review board approval for all animal studies.

Publication Misconduct

Misconduct includes (but is not limited to):

Plagiarism
Falsified or fabricated data
Inadequate ethical approval
Improper authorship attribution
Redundant or duplicate publication
Manipulation of peer review

Handling Allegations of Misconduct

CJOG follows COPE’s step-by-step flowcharts for handling misconduct both before and after publication.

Procedure Overview

Initial assessment by editorial staff.
Confidential communication with authors.
Request for supporting data or documentation.
Consultation with independent experts if needed.
Decision and appropriate corrective action.

Possible Outcomes

Revision request
Manuscript rejection
Retraction
Expression of Concern
Institutional notification
Publication ban for severe cases

Corrections, Retractions, and Editorial Notes

CJOG ensures that the scientific record remains accurate and trustworthy.

Types of Notices

Correction: Minor errors that do not affect results.
Retraction: Serious issues undermining validity or ethics.
Expression of Concern: When investigations are ongoing.

Advertising and Marketing Ethics

All promotional activities related to CJOG adhere to ethical and legal standards:

Compliance with CAN-SPAM Act and GDPR.
No misleading claims regarding metrics or indexing.
Separation between editorial decisions and financial activities.

AI Use Disclosure Requirements

Authors using AI for writing, analysis, or image generation must disclose the tool and its role. AI cannot be an author and may not replace human accountability.

Examples of Ethical Scenarios

Acceptable Behavior	Unacceptable Behavior
Clearly citing reused text. Submitting original datasets. Responding thoroughly to reviewer comments.	Copying results from another article. Hiding statistical failures. Failing to disclose funding conflicts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What happens if ethical approval is missing?

The manuscript may be rejected or returned for clarification.

Are authors notified of misconduct allegations?

Yes. CJOG ensures transparent, confidential communication.

Can negative or null results be published?

Yes. CJOG values methodological soundness over dramatic findings.

Can authors dispute an editorial decision?

Yes. Appeals may be submitted with evidence and justification.

Conclusion

CJOG is fully committed to ethical publishing practices that foster trust, transparency, and scientific excellence. All contributors—authors, editors, reviewers, and readers—share responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record.