The Journal of Clinical Nephrology (JCN) is dedicated to publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed research in nephrology, kidney diseases, and related medical disciplines. Editors play a critical role in ensuring the integrity, transparency, and scientific credibility of the journal.

Editorial Responsibilities

Editors of the JCN are responsible for maintaining the quality and ethical standards of published research. Their responsibilities include:

• Overseeing the peer review process to ensure timely, fair, and unbiased manuscript evaluations.
• Maintaining confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts and ensuring integrity in the review process.
• Upholding the highest ethical standards and addressing potential research misconduct.
• Making independent and well-founded publication decisions based on scientific merit and relevance to nephrology.

Peer Review Process

Editors manage the peer review process to ensure high-quality scientific contributions. They must:

• Select expert and independent reviewers in nephrology and related fields.
• Ensure that peer reviews are conducted fairly, objectively, and without conflicts of interest.
• Base final editorial decisions on reviewer feedback, manuscript quality, and adherence to ethical guidelines.
• Provide constructive feedback to authors to help improve their research before publication.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors must identify and manage conflicts of interest to maintain editorial integrity. They should:

• Not handle manuscripts where they have a personal or professional conflict of interest.
• Refrain from using unpublished material from submitted manuscripts for their own research.
• Ensure that both authors and reviewers disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

Publication Ethics and Misconduct

The JCN follows ethical publishing practices to prevent misconduct. Editors must:

• Investigate cases of plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate publication, and other unethical research practices.
• Take appropriate actions such as rejecting manuscripts, issuing corrections, or retracting articles when misconduct is identified.
• Ensure adherence to ethical guidelines, including those set by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics).

Ethical Considerations in Nephrology Research

For research involving human subjects, patient data, or clinical trials, editors must ensure that:

• Authors obtain informed consent from patients or their legal representatives.
• Patient confidentiality is strictly maintained, with no identifiable details disclosed unless permitted.
• Ethical approval from institutional review boards or relevant ethics committees is obtained and documented.
• Clinical studies comply with established medical and ethical guidelines, such as the Declaration of Helsinki.

Failure to adhere to ethical guidelines may result in manuscript rejection.

Manuscript Decision and Communication

Editors are responsible for ensuring fair and timely decisions on manuscript submissions. They must:

• Base acceptance or rejection decisions on the scientific validity, originality, and clinical relevance of the research.
• Clearly communicate editorial decisions, including constructive reviewer feedback, to authors.
• Ensure that all editorial decisions are impartial and based on scholarly merit.

Transparency and Accountability

Editors should uphold transparency in editorial processes and be accountable for published content. They must:

• Ensure that journal policies, ethical standards, and submission guidelines are publicly accessible.
• Respond to ethical concerns or complaints regarding published articles or editorial decisions.
• Promote diversity, inclusivity, and equal opportunities in the field of nephrology publishing.

Corrections and Retractions

Editors must address post-publication issues promptly and transparently. They must:

• Facilitate the publication of corrections, errata, or clarifications when necessary.
• Retract articles in cases of serious misconduct, data manipulation, or ethical violations.
• Ensure that retractions and corrections are clearly documented and publicly accessible.

Editorial Independence

The editorial team of JCN must maintain editorial independence and ensure that:

• Decisions are free from external pressures, including financial, institutional, or political influences.
• Editorial policies and ethical standards are consistently applied to maintain scientific credibility.
• All authors, reviewers, and editorial board members are treated fairly and professionally.

Submission Declaration

By serving as an editor for the JCN, individuals agree to:

• Adhere to ethical publishing standards and best editorial practices.
• Ensure an unbiased, transparent, and fair peer review process.
• Maintain confidentiality and uphold the highest standards of integrity in nephrology research publishing.

For any ethical concerns or clarifications regarding editorial responsibilities, editors are encouraged to contact the journal’s editorial office.