Ethical issues related to publishing

1. Study design and ethics approval

• COPE emphasizes the importance of well-planned, ethically approved research.
• A research protocol should be developed and adhered to, with roles clearly defined by all team members.
• Research should aim to answer specific questions, not just collect data.
• Institutional Review Board or Ethics Committee approval is crucial for studies involving people, medical records, and anonymised human tissues.
• Research proposals should address potential ethical issues, especially for vulnerable subjects.
• Patient information sheets should be provided during recruitment, detailing objectives, procedures, benefits, harms, and rights to refuse participation.
• Consent should be obtained from subjects or guardians, and confidentiality of information should be ensured.

 2. Data Analysis in Research

• Researchers must appropriately analyze data to avoid misconduct.
• Intentional omission of results can lead to misinterpretation and mislead.
• Fabrication and falsification of data are considered misconduct.
• Under-reporting negative research findings is common due to pressure from the pharmaceutical industry.
• Full disclosure of all data sources and methods is crucial for appropriate data analysis.
• Discussion sections should address bias issues and explain how they were addressed in the study's design and interpretation. 

3. Authorship Definition and Importance

• No universally agreed definition of authorship.
• Authors should have made substantial contributions to the intellectual content.
• Authors should conceptualize, design, acquire, analyze, and interpret data.
• Authors should certify the manuscript's validity and take public responsibility.
• Authors usually draft or revise the manuscript and approve the submitted one.
• Data collection, grammar, and language editing do not deserve authorship.
• Early decision-making is crucial in research planning.
• The "Advice to Authors" of the target journal can guide authorship issues.

4. Conflicts of Interest in Research

• Conflicts of interest can influence researchers' judgments on published work.
• These conflicts can be personal, commercial, political, academic, or financial.
• Financial interests can include employment, research funding, stock ownership, payment for travel, consultancies, and company support.
• These conflicts should be discussed early in the research process.
• Researchers should consult an independent researcher or Ethics Committee if doubts arise.
• Conflicts of interest should be declared to editors during publication.

 5. Redundant Publication and Plagiarism in Research

Redundant Publication:

• Involves two or more papers sharing the same hypothesis, data, discussion points, or conclusions without full cross-referencing.
• Previous publication does not preclude subsequent submission, but full disclosure is required.
• Self-plagiarism is a growing issue in a competitive environment influencing appointments, promotions, and grant applications.

Plagiarism:

• Ranges from unreferenced use of others' published ideas to submission under "new" authorship.
• It's crucial to disclose all sources of information and seek permission for large amounts of other people's materials.