Reporting ethical aspects in published research articles in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry

Reporting of informed consent and ethical approval are important aspects of published papers which indicate the knowledge and sensitivity about ethical aspects of research by the researchers.

This study reports description of informed consent and ethical approval in the published psychiatric research in the main journal of psychiatry in India. All original research articles (n=157) published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry in the years 2000, 2003 to 2007 were included.

Informed consent was mentioned in 51% of studies in 2000, which gradually rose to 82% by the year 2007. Ethics committee approvals were mentioned in 2% of studies in 2000, and 25% of reports in 2007. Consent was reported to be written in only 40%, content of the consent forms was mentioned in 17%, and the language of consent form was reported in 3% of the studies where consent was reported.

Regulation of ethical principles and formulation of necessary guidelines or rules for research as well as for publications are necessary and desirable to ensure the safety of participants and good quality of research.