Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39003488›Full record

ArticleBMC medical ethics2024

Ethical requirements of instructions for authors of complementary and alternative medicine journals: a cross-sectional study.

Chenyu Ren, Yixuan Li, Peipei Du, Xuebin Zhang, Wanjun Xue, Chi Zhang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical ethics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Chenyu RenDongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 5 Haiyuncang Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100070, China.
Yixuan LiDongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 5 Haiyuncang Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100070, China.
Peipei DuDongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 5 Haiyuncang Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100070, China.
Xuebin ZhangDongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 5 Haiyuncang Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100070, China.
Wanjun XueDongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 5 Haiyuncang Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100070, China. xuewanjun0804@163.com.
Chi ZhangDongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 5 Haiyuncang Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100070, China. saga618@126.com.

Funding

Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Project 2020TSRC-002Leading Talents Project of Dongzhimen Hospital 2023
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMedical research in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased recently, raising ethical concerns about the moral status of CAM. Medical academic journals are responsible for conducting ethical review (ER) of manuscripts to protect the interests of human subjects and to make ethical results available before deciding to publish. However, there has been no systematic analysis of the ER in CAM journals. This study is aim to evaluate the current status of ethical requirements and compliance in CAM journals.

methodsThis is a cross-sectional study. We reviewed instructions for authors (IFAs) of CAM journals included in the Journal Citation Reports (2021) ( https://jcr.clarivate.com ) for general information and requirements for ER. We also browsed the manuscripts regarding randomized controlled trials published by CAM journals in Q1 and Q2 section from January to June, 2023, to check the actual situation of ethical requirement. Descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analysis.

results27 journals and 68 manuscripts were ultimately included. 92.6% (25/27) IFAs included keywords of ER, indicating the presence of ethical considerations. However, no specific ER was required for CAM (n = 0). We categorized journals by Geographic origin, JCR section, Year of electronic JCR, Types of studies, % of OA Gold to explore the factors that could influence CAM journals to have certain ethical review policies. The results showed there was no statistical significance in certain ethical review policy in any classification of journals (p > 0.05). All RCT manuscripts included in the study generally met the requirements of the published journals for ethical review.

conclusionsAll IFAs discussed ER, but the content was scattered, unfocused, and there were no specific ER requirements regarding CAM. Although the manuscripts basically met the requirements of the journal, it was not possible to get closer to the process of ER in the manuscript. To ensure full implementation of these policies in the future, CAM journals should require authors to provide more details, or to form a list of items necessary for CAM ethical review.

Indexed as

Complementary TherapiesEditorial PoliciesPeriodicals as TopicAuthorshipCross-Sectional StudiesEthical ReviewHumansPublishingComplementary and alternative medicineInstructions for authorsIntegrative and complementary medicineMedical ethics

Identifiers

PMID39003488
PMCPMC11245789

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.