Editorial freedom and independence

The Ortodoncie journal adopts the World Association of Medical Editors’ definition of editorial freedom, according to which editorial freedom, or independence, is the concept that editors-in-chief have full authority over the editorial content of their journals and the timing of publication of that content. COS does not interfere in the evaluation, selection or editing of individual articles either directly or by creating an environment that might strongly influence the decisions of editors. Editors base their decisions on the validity of the work and its importance to the journal’s readers, not on the commercial success of the journal. Editors of the journal are free to express critical but responsible views about all aspects of medicine without fear of retribution, even if these views conflict with the commercial goals of the publisher. Editors, the editorial board and editors’ organisations have an obligation to support the concept of editorial freedom and to draw major transgressions of such freedom to the attention of the international medical, academic and lay communities.