Trust is part of the scholarly record.

Author responsibilities

• Report methods and findings honestly
• Avoid plagiarism, fabrication and falsification
• Disclose funding and competing interests
• Credit all qualifying contributors accurately
• Provide ethics approval and consent information when applicable
• Notify the journal promptly of material errors

Reviewer responsibilities

• Keep manuscripts and review materials confidential
• Accept only work within relevant expertise and availability
• Declare conflicts before reviewing
• Provide specific, respectful and evidence-based feedback
• Do not use unpublished information for personal benefit

Editorial responsibilities

• Evaluate manuscripts on scholarly merit
• Protect confidentiality and reviewer independence
• Manage conflicts transparently
• Investigate credible concerns consistently
• Publish corrections, expressions of concern or retractions when required

Reporting a publication concern

Send concerns to the editorial office with the article or submission reference and supporting information. Allegations are reviewed confidentially and fairly, with an opportunity for relevant parties to respond.