Initially, 30 CAM journals were retrieved from JCR (2021). After reviewing the aims and scope of each journal, PLANTA MEDICA and Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas were excluded because the acceptance scopes of these 2 journals did not include biomedical research involving humans, BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine was excluded from Q1 section due to the change to BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, finally, 27 journals remained.
General information about included journals
The 27 journals originated in eight different nations and areas (Table 1). Ten journals were from the United States, five from England, four from China’s mainland, three from Germany, two from South Korea, and one each from Ireland, the Netherlands, and Taiwan, China (Fig. 2). 27 journals were published by 12 different publishers.
Table 1 General information about included journals
Of the 27 journals included in the study, 92.6% (25/27) IFAs contained keywords of “ethic(s)”, “ethical”, or “human” in the subtitles and text words, which represented there were ethical considerations in these journals. Of these, 84.0% (21/25) explicitly mentioned that the manuscript of biomedical research involving human subjects should undergo ethical review; 12.0% (3/25) IFAs’ (Journal of Integrative Medicine, Journal of Herbal Medicine, ACUPUNCTURE & ELECTRO-THERAPEUTICS RESEARCH) content of ethical review regarding the policy of publishing ethics most and authors needed to read IFAs carefully to search for key information; 4.0% (1/25) only mentioned ethics in publication (Holistic Nursing Practice). 7.4% (2/27) IFAs of journals (Phytomedicine, Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine) had no clear claim to ethical review of medical research involving human subjects in the subtitles or text words of their IFAs, but there was an “ethics disclosures” on the official website page of Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, IFA of Phytomedicine declared that “the author should ensure that the manuscript contains a statement that all procedures were performed in compliance with relevant laws and institutional guidelines and that the appropriate institutional committee(s) have approved them”.
Citation situation of the DoH, ICMJE recommendations, and COPE Core Practice
In this study, 81.5% (22/27) of the IFAs mentioned the Declaration of Helsinki (DoH), 70.4% (19/27) of the IFAs mentioned ICMJE recommendations. 21 journals are members of COPE, although 3 journals had not yet become members of COPE, their IFAs also required authors to follow COPE core practice.
In addition to the above international general guidelines for ethical review, the IFAs of Phytomedicine recommended that authors comply with ICH-E6 Good Clinical Practice [17]. Policy Statement on Geopolitical Intrusion on Editorial Decisions issued by the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), UK’s The Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations, ICMJE Recommendations for the Protection of Research Participants, NLM’s Research Reporting Guidelines, and Initiatives and Guidelines for the Conduct of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research established by the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) always appeared in IFAs.
The results showed there was no statistical significance in the citation of the DoH, ICMJE recommendations and COPE core practice in any classification of journals (p > 0.05, Table 2). For the factors related to journals that we have taken into account above, they were not influencing factors for CAM journals to make a particular ethical review request. We integrated journals that cited the above three documents (the DoH, ICMJE recommendations, COPE guidelines) at the same time, and calculated their mean value IF: 3.20 (3.05), mean value years of electronic JCR: 8.8 (14.9), median % OA GOLD: 14.97% (5.42%), and the data of journals that do not cite the above three documents are in parentheses.
Table 2 Content of ethical review of journals of Q1 section versus journals of Q2-Q4 section
The requirements of IRB approval, name of IRB, IRB approval number, registration and reporting guidelines
Many journals also requested informations on IRB, but Geographic origin, JCR section, Year of electronic JCR, Types of studies, % of OA Gold were not associated with requirements of IRB approval, name of IRB, IRB approval number, registration and reporting guidelines separately (p > 0.05, Table 2). Some journals required that the authors provide the details (JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE) of the ethical review process and the date of ethical review (American Journal of Chinese Medicine) along with manuscripts.
Policies of IC, images privacy and data sharing
In addition to adhering to the international guidelines mentioned above, some journals emphasized the principles of IC and patient privacy. 81.5% (22/27) of journals mentioned obtaining IC from patients, some of the journals (Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES IN MEDICINE, INTEGRATIVE CANCER THERAPIES) required that patients’ handwritten IC be retained and backed up, some of the journals (Complementary Medicine Research, JOURNAL OF MANIPULATIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL THERAPEUTICS) required authors to provide a statement of detailed procedure in obtaining IC. Among these journals, 50.0% (11/22) of them proposed protecting patient privacy as well. As for the use of patients’ images and photographs, 51.9% (14/27) of the journals emphasized the need to obtain IC from patients before using their photos, and that some identifying information should be hidden, but there were no more separate and specific consent was required. 77.8% (21/27) of journals promoted data sharing and make research more transparent, these journals encouraged authors to share their research data, which refers to the “results of observations or experimentation that validate research findings”, but there were no policies relevant for personal data protection.
We integrated journals which had a requirement of IRB approval, name of IRB, IRB approval number, registration, reporting guidelines along with IC, and calculated their mean value IF: 2.96 (3.19), mean value years of electronic JCR: 6.7 (13.7), median % OA GOLD: 98.71% (7.03%), and the data of journals that do not have the requirements above are in parentheses.
It seems that CAM journals which were included in electronic JCR in recent years, and the higher the % OA GOLD, will have more comprehensive requirements for ethical review.
The actual situation of ethical requirement in published manuscripts
We also browsed the manuscripts regarding randomized controlled trials (RCT) published by CAM journals in Q1 and Q2 section from January to June, 2023, to check the actual situation of ethical requirement. There were 68 manuscripts (20 from Q1 section, 48 from Q2 section) in total (Table 3). Of the 20 randomized controlled studies included in Q1, 11 studies were from China, 4 from Korea, 2 from Iran, and 1 from Brazil, Australia, and the United States, respectively. 95.00% (19/20) manuscripts mentioned that their research had been registered on the website, 90.00% (18/20) of which also gave registration numbers, and only one [18] did not mention any registration information about the clinical trial. Of the 48 randomized controlled studies included in Q2, 95.83% (46/48) manuscripts mentioned that their research had been registered on the website, 91.67% (44/48) of which gave registration numbers, 4.17% (2/48) manuscripts [19, 20] did not contain the information about trial registration. In Q1 section, all the manuscripts mentioned the name of the REC/IRB, and 95% (19/20) of the studies also clearly indicated the ethics review number, while one study, from China [21] published in Chinese Medicine did not specify the ethics review number, which is actually not in accordance with the requirements of the journal. In Q2 section, 6.25% (3/48) manuscripts did not mention any information of REC/IRB and ethics review number. Of the remaining 45 studies, 3 studies published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice and 1 study published in COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES IN MEDICINE only had the name of the ethics review committee, which was not requested by either journal, and 2 studies published in INTEGRATIVE CANCER THERAPIES and 3 studies published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies only had the name of the ethics review committee without mentioning the ethics review number either, although both journals made clear requests for the provision of the ethics review number.
Table 3 Actual situation of ethical requirement in published manuscripts in Q1 and Q2 section
As for obtaining IC forms from patients, it was obtained from study subjects in all 68 studies, 95% (19/20) studies in Q1 section and 72.92% (35/48) studies in Q2 section mentioned that it was signing an IC form, the others were unknown.
Of all 68 manuscripts, only 4 manuscripts in Q1 section mentioned compliance with the DoH, while 28 manuscripts in Q2 section mentioned the DoH. Beyond that, there was no reference to other internationally recognized guiding principles mentioned.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The body of Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei — who died after being set on fire by her partner in Kenya — was received Friday by family and anti-femicide crusaders, ahead of her burial a day later.
Cheptegei’s family met with dozens of activists Friday who had marched to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital’s morgue in the western city of Eldoret while chanting anti-femicide slogans.
She is the fourth female athlete to have been killed by her partner in Kenya in yet another case of gender-based violence in recent years.
Viola Cheptoo, the founder of Tirop Angels – an organization that was formed in honor of athlete Agnes Tirop, who was stabbed to death in 2021, said stakeholders need to ensure this is the last death of an athlete due to gender-based violence.
“We are here to say that enough is enough, we are tired of burying our sisters due to GBV,” she said.
It was a somber mood at the morgue as athletes and family members viewed Cheptegei’s body which sustained 80% of burns after she was doused with gasoline by her partner Dickson Ndiema. Ndiema sustained 30% burns on his body and later succumbed.
Ndiema and Cheptegei were said to have quarreled over a piece of land that the athlete bought in Kenya, according to a report filed by the local chief.
Cheptegei competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics less than a month before the attack. She finished in 44th place.
Cheptegei’s father, Joseph, said that the body will make a brief stop at their home in the Endebess area before proceeding to Bukwo in eastern Uganda for a night vigil and burial on Saturday.
“We are in the final part of giving my daughter the last respect,” a visibly distraught Joseph said.
He told reporters last week that Ndiema was stalking and threatening Cheptegei and the family had informed police.
Four in 10 women or an estimated 41% of dating or married Kenyan women have experienced physical or sexual violence perpetrated by their current or most recent partner, according to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022.
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A rare Bronze-Era jar accidentally smashed by a 4-year-old visiting a museum was back on display Wednesday after restoration experts were able to carefully piece the artifact back together.
Last month, a family from northern Israel was visiting the museum when their youngest son tipped over the jar, which smashed into pieces.
Alex Geller, the boy’s father, said his son — the youngest of three — is exceptionally curious, and that the moment he heard the crash, “please let that not be my child” was the first thought that raced through his head.
The jar has been on display at the Hecht Museum in Haifa for 35 years. It was one of the only containers of its size and from that period still complete when it was discovered.
The Bronze Age jar is one of many artifacts exhibited out in the open, part of the Hecht Museum’s vision of letting visitors explore history without glass barriers, said Inbal Rivlin, the director of the museum, which is associated with Haifa University in northern Israel.
It was likely used to hold wine or oil, and dates back to between 2200 and 1500 B.C.
Rivlin and the museum decided to turn the moment, which captured international attention, into a teaching moment, inviting the Geller family back for a special visit and hands-on activity to illustrate the restoration process.
Rivlin added that the incident provided a welcome distraction from the ongoing war in Gaza. “Well, he’s just a kid. So I think that somehow it touches the heart of the people in Israel and around the world,“ said Rivlin.
Roee Shafir, a restoration expert at the museum, said the repairs would be fairly simple, as the pieces were from a single, complete jar. Archaeologists often face the more daunting task of sifting through piles of shards from multiple objects and trying to piece them together.
Experts used 3D technology, hi-resolution videos, and special glue to painstakingly reconstruct the large jar.
Less than two weeks after it broke, the jar went back on display at the museum. The gluing process left small hairline cracks, and a few pieces are missing, but the jar’s impressive size remains.
The only noticeable difference in the exhibit was a new sign reading “please don’t touch.”
VICTORIA – The British Columbia government is partnering with a bear welfare group to reduce the number of bears being euthanized in the province.
Nicholas Scapillati, executive director of Grizzly Bear Foundation, said Monday that it comes after months-long discussions with the province on how to protect bears, with the goal to give the animals a “better and second chance at life in the wild.”
Scapillati said what’s exciting about the project is that the government is open to working with outside experts and the public.
“So, they’ll be working through Indigenous knowledge and scientific understanding, bringing in the latest techniques and training expertise from leading experts,” he said in an interview.
B.C. government data show conservation officers destroyed 603 black bears and 23 grizzly bears in 2023, while 154 black bears were killed by officers in the first six months of this year.
Scapillati said the group will publish a report with recommendations by next spring, while an independent oversight committee will be set up to review all bear encounters with conservation officers to provide advice to the government.
Environment Minister George Heyman said in a statement that they are looking for new ways to ensure conservation officers “have the trust of the communities they serve,” and the panel will make recommendations to enhance officer training and improve policies.
Lesley Fox, with the wildlife protection group The Fur-Bearers, said they’ve been calling for such a committee for decades.
“This move demonstrates the government is listening,” said Fox. “I suspect, because of the impending election, their listening skills are potentially a little sharper than they normally are.”
Fox said the partnership came from “a place of long frustration” as provincial conservation officers kill more than 500 black bears every year on average, and the public is “no longer tolerating this kind of approach.”
“I think that the conservation officer service and the B.C. government are aware they need to change, and certainly the public has been asking for it,” said Fox.
Fox said there’s a lot of optimism about the new partnership, but, as with any government, there will likely be a lot of red tape to get through.
“I think speed is going to be important, whether or not the committee has the ability to make change and make change relatively quickly without having to study an issue to death, ” said Fox.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2024.
