It is essential that authors involved in biomedical publication be aware of basic guidelines for the ethical publication of their scientific work. The undersigned editors have taken a consortium approach to a concern facing several major journals that relates to duplicate publication. We aim to maintain the integrity of our scientific journals. Reports that claim original information must contain original information. We believe the priority placed on this tenet is appropriately reflective of its importance to patient care.
Authors are ethically obligated to be sure that data are presented accurately and in a fair and unbiased way. The supporting data for any scientific investigation should be maintained in the office files for a minimum of 5 to 7 years after publication (this is dependent on the study and the governing agency; some institutions require less, particularly for retrospective data). Scientific data should never be altered or deleted. In this era of modern computer science, authors must also be careful that photographs and other illustrations when enhanced or otherwise ''touched up'' do not mislead readers or distort information. Digital enhancement of pictures that might be interpreted as intending to adjust or enhance findings or that could otherwise potentially mislead the reader is considered a major ethical breach.