Informed consent have a major place in human clinical research. It is a guaranty that, during the production of scientific project, the rights and safety considerations of investigated subjects was respected and protected. The Journal’s policy for informed patient consent for case reports and studies respects and is strongly following the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and ICMJE guidelines.  Written descriptions and photographs leading to possible patient identification should be avoided and will not be considered for publication except when the patients or legal guardian has given written informed consent with an authorization for publication.  All identifying details (names, dates of birth, facial features, fingerprint, DNA or other biometrical characteristics or distinguishing information) should be omitted; however, in order to attain anonymity, patient data should not be altered or falsified.  An “informed patient consent” statement should be included mandatory as a part of the submission. Informed patient consent for publication should be obligatory obtained if there is any doubt of non-respect of anonymity.

Obtain an informed consent is not necessary:

— When the submission does not include images that may identify the person. 

— X rays images, laparoscopic images, ultrasound and CT images, pathology slides may be generally published with no need for informed consent except when there is evidence of identifying information (-in which case, authors are appealed to obtain that consent),

— If images are being reused from previously published papers, the Publisher will assume that consent were obtained for prior publication. Authors should provide the appropriate attribution for re-publication of images.

For the already available data and/or biologic material, regardless of whether material was collected from patients in live or after death, a prior written consent is required given, by from the family or the guardian if the deceased has not made a pre-mortem decision. Wishes and confidentiality from the deceased should be respected.