Patient Consent Policy

The Journal of Agricultural Technology and Food Systems (JATAFS) is committed to protecting the privacy, dignity, and rights of patients whose information may be included in submitted manuscripts.

Authors are responsible for obtaining appropriate informed consent before submitting manuscripts that contain identifiable patient information, images, videos, clinical details, or other personal data.

This policy supports ethical research, patient confidentiality, and compliance with internationally recognized publication standards.

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1. Purpose

The objectives of this policy are to:

  • Protect patient privacy and confidentiality.

  • Ensure informed consent for publication.

  • Promote ethical clinical research and case reporting.

  • Support compliance with international publication ethics standards.

  • Maintain public trust in medical research.

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2. Scope

This policy applies to manuscripts that include:

  • Case Reports.

  • Case Series.

  • Clinical Images.

  • Clinical Videos.

  • Clinical Photographs.

  • Patient Interviews.

  • Human Subject Research.

  • Any material containing identifiable patient information.

The policy applies regardless of whether the patient is living or deceased, where applicable under relevant legal and ethical requirements.

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3. Requirement for Informed Consent

Authors must obtain written informed consent from the patient, or from the patient's legally authorized representative where appropriate, before submitting manuscripts containing identifiable patient information.

Consent should be obtained before publication and should clearly explain:

  • The purpose of publication.

  • The type of information to be published.

  • Where the information will be published.

  • The open-access nature of the journal.

  • The potential for worldwide online access to published material.

Authors should retain the original consent documentation, as the Editorial Office may request confirmation during the review process.

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4. Protection of Patient Privacy

Authors should make every reasonable effort to protect patient identity.

Identifiable information should not be published unless it is essential for scientific purposes and appropriate informed consent has been obtained.

Examples of identifiable information include:

  • Patient names.

  • Initials.

  • Hospital identification numbers.

  • Dates of birth.

  • Contact information.

  • Facial photographs.

  • Unique clinical identifiers.

  • Audio or video recordings that reveal identity.

Whenever possible, identifying details should be omitted or anonymized.

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5. Clinical Images and Photographs

Clinical photographs, radiographic images, pathology slides, and other visual materials must not permit patient identification unless explicit written consent for publication has been obtained.

Masking the eyes alone may not sufficiently protect patient identity.

Authors should ensure that images are appropriately anonymized wherever possible without compromising scientific value.

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6. Case Reports

Case reports and case series frequently contain detailed clinical information that may allow patient identification.

Authors submitting case reports should:

  • Obtain written informed consent for publication.

  • Remove unnecessary identifying information.

  • Respect patient privacy.

  • Confirm within the manuscript that informed consent has been obtained.

The Editorial Office may request confirmation of consent before publication.

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7. Human Subject Research

For studies involving human participants, authors must state that:

  • The study received approval from an appropriate ethics committee or Institutional Review Board (IRB), where required.

  • Participants provided informed consent in accordance with applicable ethical standards.

  • The research was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki or equivalent ethical principles.

Ethics approval and informed consent statements should be included within the manuscript.

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8. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for:

  • Obtaining appropriate informed consent.

  • Protecting patient confidentiality.

  • Removing unnecessary identifying information.

  • Retaining documentation of consent.

  • Providing confirmation to the Editorial Office if requested.

  • Complying with applicable legal and ethical requirements.

Failure to obtain appropriate consent may result in rejection of the manuscript or other editorial action.

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9. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors may request clarification or documentation regarding patient consent where necessary.

If concerns arise regarding patient privacy or consent, editors may:

  • Request additional information from the authors.

  • Delay editorial processing until concerns are resolved.

  • Reject manuscripts that fail to meet ethical requirements.

  • Take appropriate post-publication action where necessary.

Editorial decisions will prioritize the protection of patient rights and confidentiality.

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10. Responsibilities of the Publisher

Novadex Publications supports the protection of patient privacy and ethical clinical publishing.

The Publisher is committed to:

  • Upholding internationally recognized ethical standards.

  • Supporting editors in safeguarding patient confidentiality.

  • Maintaining secure handling of editorial information.

  • Promoting responsible publication of clinical research.

Patient information will be handled in accordance with the journal's Privacy Statement and applicable legal and ethical requirements.