Research Integrity in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science

Upholding Ethical Standards in Medical Research

At the Cureus Journal of Medical Science, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct, transparency, and scientific integrity in all published research. Our policies align with internationally recognized best practices and are designed to support authors, reviewers, and editors in producing trustworthy and reproducible medical science.

Our Ethical Principles

We base our approach to research and publishing integrity on the following foundational principles:

Honesty and Accuracy

Reporting research methods, data, and findings truthfully.

Transparency

Clear disclosure of conflicts of interest, ethical approvals, and sources of funding.

Accountability

Authors, editors, and reviewers share responsibility for ethical conduct.

Fairness

Objective, unbiased, independent peer review and editorial decisions.

Respect for Participants

Protection of human subjects and animals in research.

Handling Misconduct

Cureus follows procedures consistent with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and industry standards when addressing suspected misconduct.

Misconduct includes,
but is not limited to:

  • Plagiarism or duplicate publication
  • Data fabrication or falsification
  • Misleading information
  • Attempts to manipulate the peer review process
  • Failure to disclose conflicts of interest
  • Fraud or libelous content
Medical professional representing research integrity

When misconduct is suspected,
our team will:

  • Conduct a comprehensive investigation in accordance with Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) best practice guidelines.
  • Initiate post-publication peer review when warranted.
  • Coordinate with authors—and, when appropriate, their institutions— recognizing that this process may take time as authors consult colleagues and prepare detailed responses, and that external experts may be required to evaluate data or other evidence.
  • Manage the process end to end to ensure consistency and provide continuous support until resolution.
  • Determine if article retraction, correction, or expression of concern is needed.

Safeguarding Research Credibility

Quality and ethics reviews are embedded throughout multiple stages of the Cureus publishing process

Research credibility bar chart

All manuscripts submitted to Cureus undergo multiple rounds of rigorous review by independent editors, peer reviewers and Advisers. From when Cureus began in 2009 through April 30, 2026, the journal has received 197,922 submissions, of which 108,394 (54.8%) were published. Over this time period 227 (0.2%) articles have been retracted to ensure only scientifically valid articles are published.

Retractions
and Corrections

Cureus reserves the right to retract published articles that contain fraudulent data, plagiarism, or other serious breaches of policy. Retractions are issued in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Transparency and
Reporting Standards

Where applicable, authors are expected to follow recognized reporting guidelines relevant to their study design (e.g., CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA) and are encouraged to deposit data in accessible repositories.

More information on Cureus transparency and reporting standards can be found in the Author Guide.

Support
for Authors

To help authors meet ethical standards, Cureus provides:

Authors are encouraged to contact the journal with any integrity-related questions.

Email: [email protected]

Continuous Improvement

This page and our journal policies are periodically reviewed and updated to reflect evolving best practices in ethical publishing.

Download Cureus Media Kit