Confidentiality and Ethics

Confidentiality and ethical integrity are cornerstones of scholarly publishing. AFNS requires editors, reviewers, and staff to uphold strict confidentiality and to act with the highest ethical standards throughout the editorial and peer review process.

Confidential Handling of Manuscripts

All manuscripts submitted to AFNS are confidential documents. Editors and reviewers must:

• Refrain from sharing manuscripts or related data outside the review process.
• Not discuss manuscripts with colleagues unless authorized by the editor-in-chief.
• Use the content solely for evaluation purposes and never for personal or professional gain.

Reviewer Confidentiality

AFNS operates a double-blind peer review system. Reviewers must not attempt to identify authors, nor should they disclose their own identities. Review reports are confidential and may not be reused or published without permission.

Editorial Ethics

Editors must respect confidentiality while ensuring ethical decision-making. This includes:

• Declaring conflicts of interest and recusing themselves when necessary.
• Ensuring decisions are based only on scholarly merit and relevance.
• Protecting reviewer anonymity and shielding authors from biased judgment.

Ethical Use of Data

Information obtained during peer review must never be used for competitive advantage or research advancement by editors, reviewers, or staff. Misuse of confidential data is a breach of professional ethics and will result in corrective action.

Misconduct and Reporting

Any suspected ethical violation—plagiarism, data falsification, duplicate submission, or breach of confidentiality—must be reported to the editorial office immediately. AFNS follows COPE guidelines in investigating and resolving misconduct cases.

Responsibilities of Journal Staff

Staff involved in managing submissions must also maintain confidentiality and act with professionalism. Access to manuscripts is restricted to those directly involved in the editorial workflow.

Upholding confidentiality and ethics is essential to maintaining trust in scholarly publishing. AFNS reaffirms its commitment to protecting the integrity of manuscripts, safeguarding authors and reviewers, and fostering a culture of fairness, respect, and responsibility.