New Transparency, Data Sharing and Accountability Policy
- Data Access: All authors must agree to make all relevant data and analysis codes available for external review via formal request. If that is not possible, an explanation on why that is not possible must be provided (eg, commercial confidentiality), and will be considered by the Editor-in-Chief when determining whether or not to consider an article for review. It is highly recommended that authors include their data in a repository designed for protection of scientific data in order to assure long term access to those data, study protocols, analytic coding, etc.
- Data Transparency: All authors must confirm that the research design and analysis approach employed in the research met appropriate standards indicated by the Equator Network (https://www.equator-network.org/). Articles that have deviated from those standards can be considered on a case-by-case basis by providing an explanation of that deviation, including how that deviation will be explained in the article.
- Registration of Clinical Trials: All articles that are based on clinical trial data must have been posted in a study registry prior to study implementation, including the analysis plan. Authors must provide the registration organization (eg, ClinicalTrials.gov) and registration number for that trial when submitting the article and will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief when determining whether or not to include the article for review. That information will not be provided to reviewers in order to maintain blinded review, but will be included in any articles accepted for publication. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Editor-in-Chief, and will require a clear rationale that will be stated in the article if it is accepted for publication.
- Article Pre-Review: Authors must indicate whether permission was required by any individual, committee or organizational practice or policy prior to publication, and provide a description of that review and approval process. For example, if there is an organizational requirement that an article be reviewed internally prior to submission, that process must be described, including factors that are considered in that review process.