Statement of Informed Consent

Statement of Informed Consent

Patient Privacy and Informed Consent

Patients have a right to privacy that must not be infringed without their informed consent. Identifying information, including patients’ names, initials, or hospital numbers, should not be published in written descriptions, photographs, or pedigrees unless the information is essential for scientific purposes. In such cases, the patient (or parent or guardian) must provide written informed consent for publication.

Requirements for Informed Consent

For informed consent to be valid, the patient must be shown the manuscript that is to be published. Authors must ensure that individuals providing writing assistance are identified, and the funding source for this assistance must be disclosed.

Omission of Identifying Details

Identifying details should be omitted if they are not essential. While complete anonymity is difficult to guarantee, informed consent should be obtained whenever there is any doubt about patient privacy. For instance, masking the eye region in photographs is insufficient for protecting anonymity. If identifying characteristics are altered to protect anonymity, such as in genetic pedigrees, authors must provide assurance that these alterations do not distort the scientific meaning. Editors should note such assurances in the publication.

Ensuring Anonymity

When alterations to identifying characteristics are made to protect anonymity, it is crucial that these changes do not affect the scientific integrity of the data. Authors should confirm that any modifications maintain the accuracy of the information, and editors should acknowledge this confirmation in the publication.

Conclusion

Respecting patient privacy is of utmost importance. Authors must take all necessary steps to ensure that identifying information is only included with proper consent and that patient confidentiality is maintained throughout the publication process.