Editorial assessment and peer review

All submissions are initially assessed by the editorial team for suitability, scope and compliance with the journal’s requirements. A manuscript may be declined at this stage without external peer review.

Original research articles, case reports and review articles that proceed beyond initial assessment are evaluated by at least two independent external reviewers with relevant expertise. The editor considers their reports and makes the final decision.

For other article types, such as editorials and image articles, the editor may decide that internal editorial review is sufficient. The editor may also seek external advice when the subject or content requires it.

Reviewers must declare relevant conflicts of interest and treat manuscripts confidentially. The journal uses double-anonymised review for external peer review, with author and reviewer identities withheld from each other.

The Editor-in-Chief makes the final editorial decision. The journal does not use peer reviews transferred from another journal.