Information For Authors

Interested in submitting to this journal? We recommend that you review the About the Journal page for the journal's section policies, as well as the Author Guidelines. Authors need to register with the journal prior to submitting or, if already registered, can simply log in and begin the five-step process.

Peer Review

Pain and Rehabilitation (P&R) operates a strictly double-blind peer review process in which the reviewer’ name is withheld from the author and, the author’s name from the reviewer (submission must adhere to our guidelines to ensure anonymity). Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two reviewers.

Authorship

Papers should only be submitted for consideration once consent is given by all contributing authors. Those submitting papers should carefully check that all those whose work contributed to the paper are acknowledged as contributing authors. The list of authors should include all those who can legitimately claim authorship. This is all those who:

  1. Made a substantial to the concept and design, acquisition of data or analysis and interpretation of data, and
  2. Drafted the article or revised it critically for important intellectual content, and
  3. Approved the version to be published, and
  4. Each author should have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for appropriate portions of the content.

 

Declarations

P&R requires all authors provide certain information as a separate document alongside their submissions.

  • Conflicting interests
  • Funding
  • Ethical Approval
  • Informed Consent
  • Acknowledgements

 

Conflicting Interests

It is the policy of P&R to require a declaration of conflicting interests from all authors enabling a statement to be carried within all published articles.

Funding

P&R requires all authors to acknowledge their funding in a consistent fashion under a separate heading.

 

Research Ethics and Patient Consent

If the work involves the use of animal or human subjects, the author should ensure that the work described has been carried out in accordance with The Code of Ethics of the World Medical Association (Declaration of Helsinki) for experiments involving humans https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-international-code-of-medical-ethics/; EU Directive 2010/63/EU for animal experiments http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/lab_animals/legislation_en.htm; Uniform Requirements for manuscripts submitted to Biomedical journals http://www.icmje.org. The privacy rights of human subjects must always be observed.

 

Patients' and volunteers' names, initials, and hospital numbers should not be used.

It is the author's responsibility to ensure all appropriate consents have been obtained.

 

Clinical Trials

P&R endorses the ICMJE requirement that clinical trials are registered in a WHO-approved public trials registry at or before the time of first patient enrolment. However, consistent with the All Trials campaign, retrospectively registered trials will be considered if the justification for the late registration is acceptable. The trial registry name and URL, and registration number must be included at the end of the abstract.

 

Reporting Guidelines

The relevant EQUATOR Network reporting guidelines should be followed depending on the type of study. For example, all randomised controlled trials submitted for publication should include a completed Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) flow chart as a cited figure, and a completed CONSORT checklist as a supplementary file. Other resources can be found at NLM’s Research Reporting Guidelines and Initiatives.

 

Pain and Rehabilitation Journal – Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The Pain and Rehabilitation Journal defines artificial intelligence (AI) broadly to include large language models (e.g., ChatGPT), machine learning, deep learning, natural-language processing, computer vision, knowledge representation, predictive analytics, and other computational technologies that generate, transform, or interpret information. This includes systems that automate decision-making or content creation.

We recognise the opportunities and risks AI introduces to scholarly publishing. AI can assist researchers and clinicians, but it may also threaten accuracy, transparency, originality, and research integrity. This policy outlines acceptable use of AI tools in the preparation, submission, review, and publication of content in Pain and Rehabilitation Journal.

 

1. Scope of the policy

This policy applies to all authors, contributors, and reviewers. It covers all manuscript types and formats, including text, images, figures, datasets, audio, video, and supplementary files. The policy also applies to AI use in peer review. Our principles align with the standards of COPE and WAME.

2. Transparency requirements for AI use

AI tools may be used only with full transparency. Authors must disclose:

  • Where AI tools were used
  • What tools were used
  • Why were they used
  • How outputs were evaluated, edited, or verified by humans

 

AI use must be reported in the contributor section and, where relevant, in the methods section of the manuscript. Supplementary materials describing prompts or model parameters may be requested. Failure to disclose AI use may result in rejection or post-publication action.

3. Editorial decision making

The editorial team will assess whether AI use is appropriate, sufficiently described, and consistent with scientific and ethical standards. Concerns about undisclosed or inappropriate AI use may result in rejection or retraction.

4. Authorship

AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Authorship is restricted to individuals able to take responsibility for the accuracy, interpretation, and integrity of the full work. AI tools may be acknowledged but not credited as authors.

5. Author responsibility for AI-related content

Human authors remain fully responsible for all AI-assisted content. This includes verifying factual accuracy, preventing plagiarism, checking citations, ensuring ethical compliance, and correcting any fabricated or erroneous AI output.

6. Screening and verification by the journal

The journal may use screening tools before or after publication to identify AI-generated text, manipulated images, or fabricated references. Screening may trigger requests for clarification, revision, rejection, or retraction.

7. Use of AI in peer review

Reviewers may use AI tools only for improving the clarity of their own writing. Any AI use must be declared. Confidential manuscript content must never be uploaded to AI tools lacking guaranteed privacy protections. Reviewers remain accountable for their reports.

 

This policy will be reviewed at least every six months. Updates will be communicated to authors and reviewers through our webpages. 

 

AI Policy Acknowledgement

This policy has been informed by, and developed with reference to, the AI publishing guidance of the British Medical Journal (BMJ). We acknowledge the BMJ’s leadership in establishing transparent and responsible standards for the use of artificial intelligence in scholarly communication, which has supported and guided the development of the Pain and Rehabilitation Journal AI policy.