Research Ethics and Reporting Standards at PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 英文参考文献.docVIP

Editorial ResearchEthicsandReportingStandardsatPLoS NeglectedTropicalDiseases GavinYamey* PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases has been opentosubmissionssinceFebruary2007, and we have been impressed by the number,quality,andrangeoftheresearch articles we have received to date—from laboratorystudiesandassessmentsofnew diagnostic tests to observational epidemi- ology, clinical trials, and qualitative re- search.Butwehavealsonotedthatsome authors have omitted crucial information abouttheethicalconductoftheirstudy,or have been unaware of international guid- ance on how to report specific types of research. We would therefore like to remind authors of our reporting require- ments(moredetailedguidanceisavailable at/guidelines.php). We are aware that in some research settings there may not be a local IRB. Underthesecircumstances,authorsshould havemadeeveryattempttofindanethics committeeoutsidetheimmediateregionto approve the study. In the very rare event that it wasimpossibletofindsuchacom- mittee, we expect authors to have con- ductedtheirstudyaccordingtotheprinci- plesexpressedintheDeclarationofHelsinki (/e/policy/b3.htm) and to have familiarized themselves with accepted international norms and stand- ards,suchasthosesetoutbytheInterna- isanaudioorvideorecordingoftheoral consent process); and (3) the IRB specifi- cally approved the oral informed consent process[1].Aforthcomingpolicyarticlein PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases explores in more detail the issue of obtaining mean- ingful and valid consent from vulnerable populations[2]. For animal studies, we ask authors to name the committee that approved the studyandoversawanimalwelfare. ReportingGuidelines Oneofthemostimportantadvancesin medical research reporting has been the developmentofinternationalstandardsfor reporting specific study types. PLoS has adopted these standards for all of its journals. The best known is the CON- SORT (Consolidated Standards of Re- porting Trials) statement. Authors should supplyacomplete