Research involving human participants

• Authors must identify the responsible ethics committee, institutional review board or equivalent oversight body and report the approval or exemption reference when available.
• The manuscript must state whether informed consent for participation was obtained when applicable, or explain the lawful and ethically approved basis for a waiver.
• Research must protect participant dignity, safety, confidentiality and privacy and comply with applicable institutional and national requirements.
• Editors may request protocols, approval letters, consent documents, registrations or other records needed to verify ethical oversight.

Clinical trials and prospective registration

Clinical trials should be prospectively registered in a recognized public trial registry when registration is applicable. The registration identifier should be included in the manuscript. Late or absent registration must be explained and may affect editorial consideration.

Human tissues, samples and identifiable data

• Research using human tissues, biospecimens, genetic material, medical records or identifiable data must have appropriate consent, ethical approval, waiver or other lawful authorization as applicable.
• Potentially identifying details should be removed unless scientifically necessary and publication has an appropriate ethical and consent basis.
• Genomic, clinical or other sensitive datasets must be shared and described in a manner consistent with participant consent, privacy requirements and data-use restrictions.

Research involving animals

• Animal studies must report approval from an appropriate institutional or national animal-ethics body when required.
• Authors should describe relevant animal-welfare safeguards, humane procedures and measures to minimize pain, distress and unnecessary use of animals.
• Study design and reporting should follow applicable internationally recognized guidance, including ARRIVE where relevant.
• Editors may reject work that lacks necessary approval or raises unresolved animal-welfare concerns.

Field research, protected species and genetic resources

• Authors must obtain permits or permissions required for field sampling, protected species, protected locations, biological materials or genetic resources.
• Relevant permits and authorities should be identified in the manuscript when applicable.
• Research involving hazardous biological material must follow appropriate biosafety and institutional requirements.

Editorial action when ethics concerns arise

JBSS may pause peer review or publication while a material ethics concern is assessed. The journal may seek clarification from authors or institutions and may reject, correct, issue an expression of concern or retract published work when the integrity or ethical basis of the research cannot be adequately established.