Human and Animal Rights Policy

Life-science research often involves people, animals or living modified organisms. IAJLB expects every study it publishes to have treated each of them ethically and safely, in line with internationally recognised standards.

Human Participants and Samples

Research involving people, including clinical studies, surveys and work using human cells, tissue, blood or genomic data, must follow the ethical principles of the current revision of the Declaration of Helsinki. Participants' autonomy, privacy and dignity must be respected, and they may leave a study at any time without penalty. Research on human embryos, stem cells or germline editing must also comply with the applicable national guidelines and oversight.

Some participants need additional protection: children, people with impaired capacity to consent, and people who are economically or socially disadvantaged. Studies involving them need extra safeguards, and our editors look at them with particular care.

Animals

Animal research must follow the applicable national and institutional animal welfare regulations, such as the CCSEA rules in India or the equivalent framework elsewhere, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. We recommend the ARRIVE guidelines for reporting and support the 3Rs:

• Replace animal use with valid non-animal methods, such as cell culture, organoids or in silico models, wherever possible
• Reduce the number of animals to the minimum needed for sound, reproducible results
• Refine procedures to minimise pain and distress

Genetically Modified Organisms and Biosafety

Work with genetically modified organisms, pathogens or other hazardous biological material must have the required institutional biosafety approval and comply with national biosafety regulations and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety where relevant.

The procedural requirements for documenting approvals and consent are set out in Ethical Approvals and Informed Consent.

Enforcement

If a manuscript raises concerns about the treatment of people or animals, or about biosafety, we will ask the authors to explain. It may be rejected, or retracted if the problem comes to light after publication, under the Misconduct and Sanctions policy.