Patient Consent, Privacy, and Identifiable Information Policy

Compliance with the guidelines of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (www.icmje.org) is recommended, following the patient’s consent for research or participation in a study for TUJNAS Publication as per the applicable laws and regulations regarding the privacy and/or security of personal information, including, but not limited to, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA") and other U.S. federal and state laws relating to confidentiality and security of personally distinguishable evidence, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679 and member state implementing legislation, Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, India's Information Technology Act and related Privacy Rules, (together "Data Protection and Privacy Laws").

 

Consent to participate and consent for publication

Consent to participate in research and consent to publish identifiable information are distinct requirements. Authors must obtain each form of consent when applicable and state the result in the manuscript.

 

Identifiable information

Names, initials, exact dates, photographs, pedigrees, detailed clinical histories, images, audio, video, genomic information and combinations of indirect identifiers must not be published when a person could reasonably be identified unless valid written consent for publication has been obtained. Unnecessary identifying details must be removed even when consent exists.

 

Children and persons lacking capacity

Consent must be obtained from a legally authorized representative where required, together with assent from the participant when appropriate. Authors must explain the legal and ethical basis for any exception.

 

Waiver and deceased persons

Where an ethics committee has waived consent, the manuscript must identify the committee and basis for the waiver. For deceased persons, authors must follow applicable law, ethical guidance and respect for relatives, and explain the consent or authorization obtained where required.

 

Editorial checks

TUJNAS may request a copy or confirmation of the consent documentation but does not ordinarily publish the form. If valid consent cannot be demonstrated, identifiable material must be removed or the manuscript may be rejected. Post-publication concerns are handled under the journal’s integrity policy.

 

Required article wording

Consent to participate: [Provide the relevant declaration or state “Not applicable”]. Consent for publication: [Provide the relevant statement, explicitly confirming permission for the inclusion of any identifiable patient images, clinical details, or case descriptions, or state “Not applicable”].