Informed Consent Policy

Individuals’ data and information, such as that acquired through doctor-patient interactions, must be treated with utmost confidentiality and discretion. Authors typically need to secure written informed consent from patients featured in case reports and those depicted in photographs. However, a report may be published without explicit consent under specific circumstances: if it holds significant public health implications or importance; obtaining consent proves exceptionally challenging; and it is unlikely that a reasonable individual would object to its publication.

Authors must inform patients about the possibility of identifiable information appearing online and in print post-publication. Patient consent must be documented in writing and stored either with the journal, the authors, or both, as per local regulations. We determine that author archiving of consent enhances patient confidentiality. Accordingly, authors should provide the journal with a written confirmation of receipt and archiving of patient consent. Published articles should clearly indicate when informed consent has been secured. Failure to obtain prior informed consent from patients will lead to rejection of the manuscript.