Confidentiality and Ethics

The Annals of Proteomics and Bioinformatics (APB) recognizes the critical role editors play in maintaining ethical standards and confidentiality in scholarly publishing. Editors are custodians of trust between authors, reviewers, and readers. This policy outlines the principles and responsibilities governing confidentiality, data protection, and ethical conduct for all editors associated with the journal.

These principles are derived from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), ICMJE Recommendations, and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. Confidential Handling of Manuscripts

Editors must treat all submitted manuscripts as strictly confidential. No information about a manuscript should be disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, and the publisher’s editorial staff as appropriate.

  • Editors must not discuss submissions outside the editorial workflow.
  • Unpublished materials disclosed in a manuscript must not be used by editors in their own research.

2. Reviewer Anonymity and Confidentiality

Editors must protect the identity of reviewers and authors throughout the peer-review process. Any breach of anonymity undermines the integrity of peer review and the credibility of the journal.

Editors are prohibited from revealing reviewer identities without explicit consent.

3. Conflict of Interest Management

Editors must avoid handling manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest due to competitive, collaborative, or personal relationships with any author or institution connected to the submission.

Such manuscripts should be reassigned to an independent editor or the Editor-in-Chief.

4. Data Privacy and Security

Editors are responsible for ensuring the security of all manuscript-related data. The journal adheres to the GDPR and international privacy standards to safeguard personal information of authors, reviewers, and contributors.

  • Editorial records must be stored on secure servers with restricted access.
  • No personal data may be shared externally without consent.

5. Ethical Decision-Making

Editors are expected to make fair and ethical decisions based on scholarly merit. They must not discriminate based on gender, religion, nationality, ethnicity, or institutional affiliation.

Decisions should be guided by the strength of the research evidence, not by external pressures or relationships.

6. Handling Misconduct and Complaints

Editors are required to investigate any suspicion of plagiarism, data falsification, or authorship manipulation. The journal follows COPE flowcharts for handling ethical concerns and cooperates fully with institutional investigations.

  1. Maintain confidentiality during investigations.
  2. Document all communications in the OJS editorial record.
  3. Issue retractions or corrections when necessary.

7. Communication Protocols

Editors must use only official journal communication channels for manuscript discussions. Private correspondence or external messaging platforms should not be used to exchange editorial information.

8. Ethical Collaboration

Editors should collaborate respectfully with authors, reviewers, and other editors. Constructive and courteous communication is expected at all stages of the review and publication process.

9. Record Retention

Editorial records, decisions, and reviewer reports must be retained securely for at least five years to ensure accountability and traceability.

10. Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools

Editors may use AI-based tools (e.g., plagiarism checkers or language support systems) for operational efficiency, but final ethical and editorial decisions must always remain human-led.

AI tools must not be used to access or process confidential manuscripts beyond permitted editorial tasks.

11. Accountability and Transparency

Editors must maintain transparency in all editorial decisions, documenting justifications within the journal’s editorial system (OJS). Failure to adhere to confidentiality or ethical standards may result in disciplinary action by the editorial board or publisher.

12. Training and Compliance

Editors should undergo regular training in data protection, confidentiality management, and publication ethics. APB encourages participation in COPE and WAME certification programs to strengthen ethical awareness.

13. Appeals and Oversight

Editors who receive appeals or complaints regarding confidentiality breaches must forward them immediately to the Editor-in-Chief or the publisher’s ethics committee for impartial review.

14. Contact Information

© 2025 Annals of Proteomics and Bioinformatics (APB) · Heighten Sciences Publication Incorporation

Source Reference: COPE Core Practices, ICMJE Ethical Editorial Standards, WAME Best Practices, and GDPR Compliance Guidelines (2025).