Novel Forensic Research (NOFOR) supports transparency, reproducibility, and
responsible sharing of research data in accordance with the recommendations of
the International
Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
As of January 1, 2019, ICMJE requires manuscripts reporting the results of
clinical trials to include a data sharing statement. Authors submitting
clinical trial manuscripts to Novel Forensic Research must provide a data
sharing statement specifying:
·
Whether de-identified individual participant
data will be shared.
·
Which data will be made available.
·
Whether related documents, including study
protocols or statistical analysis plans, will be shared.
·
When the data will become available and for how
long.
·
The conditions for accessing the data, including
who may request access, the permitted purposes, and the method of access.
Authors are encouraged to consult the ICMJE
Data Sharing Recommendations.
Clinical Trial Registration
Clinical trials must be registered in a publicly accessible clinical trial
registry that meets ICMJE requirements before the enrollment of the first participant.
The registry name and registration number must be provided on the Title Page
during initial manuscript submission.
A data sharing statement must also be included on the Title Page, even if
the authors do not intend to share the study data.
Data Sharing in Forensic Research
Research involving forensic case records, autopsy findings, postmortem
biological materials, genetic information, criminal investigation records, or
other sensitive personal data must comply with applicable ethical, legal,
institutional, and confidentiality requirements.
Such data must not be publicly shared when disclosure could compromise
individual privacy, forensic investigations, legal proceedings, or data
protection obligations.
Where public data sharing is restricted, authors should explain the reasons
for the restrictions and indicate whether controlled access may be available
through an authorized institution, subject to applicable permissions.
The journal may request supporting documentation or additional information
regarding data availability during the editorial evaluation process.
Data Availability Statement
Authors are encouraged to include a Data Availability Statement describing
whether the data supporting their findings are publicly available, available
upon reasonable request, subject to restricted access, or unavailable for
ethical or legal reasons.
Data sharing is not required when it would violate ethical approvals,
participant consent, confidentiality obligations, or applicable laws.