Publication Ethics Policies
Editorial Independence and Ethical Conduct
Pediatria journal is committed to ensuring the independence of editorial decisions without external influence. The journal promotes transparency and integrity in every published article by applying ethical guidelines to ensure equal treatment of all submitted materials. Pediatria does not tolerate discrimination or prejudice based on, but not limited to, gender, gender identity, disability, age, nationality, race, sexual orientation, religion, political beliefs, or economic status. Editorial and publishing procedures are regularly updated to ensure objectivity and fairness, in line with the journal’s mission.
The editorial and publishing processes follow the guidelines of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), the Council of Science Editors (CSE), and COPE’s international standards for editors and authors.
Manuscript Submission
The corresponding author is responsible for submitting the manuscript, which must be grammatically correct. Articles must be submitted exclusively to Pediatria, and must not have been published or submitted elsewhere.
All authors must be familiar with the editorial and publishing policies and are responsible for the accuracy and reliability of the entire manuscript.
The Editor-in-Chief assesses the manuscript for suitability and originality. If it does not meet the journal’s criteria, it may be rejected without further review.
Manuscripts submitted by members of the Editorial Board will be reviewed with maximum transparency and in accordance with the ethical standards of the CSE, ICMJE, and COPE.
Conflict of Interest, Human Rights & Informed Consent Policies
Research Ethics
Research involving human subjects or data must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and have approval from an ethics committee. The manuscript must state the committee’s name, reference number, and approval date in the “Materials and Methods” section. If ethics approval was waived, this must be noted. Editors reserve the right to reject manuscripts that do not meet ethical standards.
Informed Consent
Informed consent must be obtained from all human participants (or from their legal guardians for minors under 18). Identifiable information must be omitted. Patient privacy must be protected. Names, initials, hospital or social security numbers, dates of birth, or any other identifiers must not be included.
Images of patients or research participants should not be used unless scientifically necessary. Only appropriately dressed images of children should be included. Participants or their guardians should be informed that images may appear in online search results. If images are entirely unidentifiable, consent is not required. The final decision lies with the Editor-in-Chief.
Formal consent is not required for fully anonymous materials such as X-rays, ultrasound scans, pathology slides, or laparoscopic images, as long as no identifying details are included. Nevertheless, authors are encouraged to inform patients as a good ethical practice.
Conflicts of Interest
The corresponding author must disclose all potential conflicts of interest (e.g., financial, advisory, institutional, personal, ideological, or academic) on behalf of all co-authors. If such conflicts exist, they must be declared in a statement before the references section. If none exist, the following should be included:
“All authors declare no commercial associations (e.g., consultancies, stock ownership, equity interests, patent/licensing agreements) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.”
Supplements
A supplement is a collection of articles addressing a specific theme or topic. Supplements are useful for education, information sharing, and fostering collaboration between academic and corporate entities. They may be published as separate journal issues.
Supplement Publication Process
Guest editors may propose a special issue, subject to approval by the Editor-in-Chief. They are responsible for selecting articles and authors while upholding the journal’s ethical standards and review procedures.
Guest editors must be experts in the field and accountable for the supplement’s content. If any ethical issues arise, the supplement may be canceled. The same authorship and conflict of interest principles apply.
Funding sources must be approved by the Editor-in-Chief and clearly stated. The supplement’s title will appear on the journal cover. Guest editors may not receive personal remuneration from supplement sponsors.
Corresponding Author Responsibilities
The corresponding author is responsible for all communication with the journal throughout submission, review, and publication, and must ensure compliance with all journal requirements, including authorship, research ethics, ethical approval documentation, clinical trial registration, and conflict of interest disclosure. They must also be available post-publication to respond to questions or critiques.
Author Contributions and Acknowledgements
This section follows the conflict of interest statement.
Each contributor must meet the ICMJE’s four authorship criteria:
- Substantial contribution to the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation.
- Drafting or revising the article critically for intellectual content.
- Final approval of the version to be published.
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Acknowledgements may recognize individuals or institutions that contributed but do not meet authorship criteria and should also include funding sources.
Contributions will be published and must reflect each author’s role accurately. The corresponding author is responsible for providing this information, ensuring all authors review and approve it.
Unethical Practices (Plagiarism, Misconduct, Fabrication, Redundant Publications)
Scientific publishing relies on trust, honesty, and credibility. Authors should screen manuscripts for plagiarism using reliable software before submission. If plagiarism with a similarity index of around 20% is detected and not cited, authors will be asked to revise or properly reference the content. In cases of significant plagiarism, the manuscript will be rejected and must be resubmitted as a new version.
Copyright violations may lead to rejection unless offending content is removed. Reproduced tables or figures from copyrighted sources require proper attribution and permission.
In cases of alleged or proven misconduct (fabrication, redundant or duplicate publications), the publisher and Editor-in-Chief will take appropriate actions according to COPE guidelines, including contacting the authors’ institutions if necessary.
Retractions
Reviewers and editors rely on authors’ honest reporting. If there are serious concerns about the reliability of a work, the authors will be contacted. The Editor-in-Chief may also inform the author’s affiliated institution. If a published article is found to be misleading, it will be retracted. If no clear conclusion is reached, an expression of concern may be published. The Editor-in-Chief may notify the institution, in accordance with COPE procedures.
Disclaimer
While editors and reviewers make every effort to ensure the validity of published manuscripts, final responsibility lies with the authors—not the journal, editors, or publisher.