About the Journal

About the Journal

About ASIDE Case Reports

Publisher, Ownership, and Academic Oversight

Until February 2026, ASIDE Case Reports was published by the American Society for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Healthcare (ASIDE).

Effective from February 2026, ownership and publishing responsibility were transferred to PubPorta Publishing LLC, 16192 Coastal Highway, Lewes, Delaware 19958, USA, which now serves as the publisher and owner of the journal.

Academic oversight and scholarly guidance continue to be provided by the American Society for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Healthcare (ASIDE).

The journal website is intended to present accurate, current, and transparent information about the journal’s ownership, editorial operation, policies, and publication practices.

Vision and Mission

ASIDE Case Reports is a peer-reviewed, open-access medical journal dedicated to publishing high-quality case reports, case series, clinical images, and related scholarly content that advance patient care, clinical reasoning, and medical education.

The journal is committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in healthcare by highlighting a broad range of patient experiences, clinical settings, diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, and clinically meaningful observations that improve medical knowledge and support equitable care.

Aims and Scope

ASIDE Case Reports welcomes submissions from across the full spectrum of clinical medicine and its subspecialties. The journal considers article types including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Case reports
  • Case series
  • Clinical images
  • Educational clinical observations
  • Focused commentaries related to case-based learning and clinical practice

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Rare or unusual clinical presentations
  • Novel diagnostic or therapeutic approaches
  • Unexpected treatment responses or adverse events
  • Complex multidisciplinary care
  • Cases involving underserved or underrepresented populations
  • Clinical scenarios that highlight health disparities, access barriers, or social determinants of health

Submissions should offer clear clinical lessons, contribute meaningfully to the literature, and be relevant to practicing clinicians, trainees, and researchers.

Readership

The journal serves physicians, residents, fellows, medical students, researchers, allied health professionals, educators, and other readers interested in clinically relevant scholarship and equitable healthcare practice.

ASIDE Case Reports welcomes contributions and readership from all world regions and aims to foster broad international dialogue through accessible and clinically useful publication.

Publication Frequency

ASIDE Case Reports is published quarterly (four issues per year). The journal is expected to adhere to its stated schedule. If any future change in publication model or frequency occurs, the journal website will be updated accordingly.

Open Access Policy

ASIDE Case Reports provides immediate open access to all published content. The full text of every article is freely available online to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to without embargo and without subscription.

Copyright and Licensing

Unless otherwise indicated, articles published in ASIDE Case Reports are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license (legal code).

This license permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, including commercial use, provided appropriate credit is given to the original authors and the source, a link to the license is provided, and any changes made are indicated.

Authors retain copyright in their work. By publishing in the journal, authors grant the publisher a non-exclusive right of first publication and the right to identify itself as the original publisher of the work.

If any content in an article, such as a third-party image, figure, table, or dataset, is not covered by the article’s default license, that content will be identified by an appropriate credit line stating the relevant rights and restrictions.

Author Fees and Charges

ASIDE Case Reports currently charges no submission fees, no article processing charges (APCs), and no publication fees.

If the journal’s fee model changes in the future, that change will be stated clearly on the journal website and will not affect editorial decisions already in progress.

Revenue Sources and Editorial Independence

The journal is currently supported through its publisher’s operational resources and related non-editorial support arrangements. The journal does not charge APCs at this time.

Editorial decisions are made independently of revenue considerations. Business models, sponsorships, reprints, supplements, or other potential revenue sources, if introduced in the future, will not influence editorial assessment, peer review, acceptance, rejection, or publication timing.

Advertising Policy

ASIDE Case Reports does not currently accept advertising.

If advertising is introduced in the future, it will be clearly identified, kept separate from editorial content, and managed independently of editorial decision-making. Advertising acceptance, placement, and display will not influence peer review, editorial judgment, or publication decisions.

Direct Marketing Policy

ASIDE Case Reports may occasionally send targeted calls for papers or informational messages to researchers whose expertise aligns with the journal’s aims and scope. Any outreach conducted on behalf of the journal is intended to be appropriate, well targeted, truthful, and unobtrusive.

The journal does not guarantee acceptance, indexing, or publication outcomes in any communication and does not request or require payment as a condition of submission. Messages clearly identify the journal and publisher, describe the article types sought where relevant, and direct recipients to the journal’s policies and submission system. Recipients may opt out of future communications where applicable, and opt-out requests will be honored promptly.

Peer Review Policy (Double-Blind)

1. Overview

ASIDE Case Reports is committed to fair, independent, rigorous, confidential, and constructive peer review. All scholarly manuscripts submitted to the journal are evaluated for scientific and clinical quality, ethical soundness, relevance, reporting quality, and clarity before a final editorial decision is made.

2. Scope of Peer Review

All scholarly manuscripts considered for publication in ASIDE Case Reports are subject to editorial assessment and quality control before publication.

Manuscripts that pass initial editorial screening are sent for external double-blind peer review. Each manuscript sent for peer review is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with relevant subject expertise.

Article types that are normally peer reviewed include case reports, case series, clinical images when scholarly interpretation is provided, and other scholarly article types designated by the journal.

Content such as editorials, announcements, corrigenda, expressions of concern, and retractions may be handled by editorial review rather than external peer review. Any such content will be identified accordingly where relevant.

3. Type of Peer Review

ASIDE Case Reports uses a double-blind peer review model. Reviewer identities are concealed from authors, and author identities are concealed from reviewers as far as reasonably possible within the submission and review process.

Authors must submit anonymized manuscripts and remove identifying information from the main manuscript file and from any supplementary files intended for peer review. If anonymity has not been adequately protected, the submission may be returned for correction before review.

4. Initial Editorial Screening

After submission, each manuscript undergoes initial editorial screening by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor. This screening assesses whether the manuscript:

  • fits the aims and scope of the journal;
  • meets basic scientific, clinical, and educational standards;
  • follows the journal’s submission requirements;
  • includes required declarations, permissions, and supporting documentation;
  • is ethically suitable for consideration; and
  • is appropriate for external peer review.

At this stage, manuscripts may be rejected without external peer review if they are out of scope, scientifically inadequate, incompletely prepared, ethically problematic, or otherwise unsuitable for the journal.

5. Reviewer Selection and Independence

Reviewers are selected on the basis of subject expertise, scholarly experience, and ability to provide objective, constructive evaluation. Reviewers must be independent of the authors and the submitted work.

Before accepting an invitation, reviewers must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest, including personal, professional, institutional, academic, or financial relationships that could affect their impartiality. Editors will not appoint reviewers whose conflicts could compromise fair review.

If a reviewer declines, becomes unavailable, submits an inadequate review, or is found to have a relevant conflict of interest, the editor may invite an alternative reviewer. Additional reviewers may be invited when needed.

6. What Reviewers Are Asked to Assess

Reviewers are generally asked to evaluate, as applicable:

  • originality, relevance, and educational or scientific value;
  • clinical and scientific accuracy;
  • clarity and coherence of the case presentation or clinical message;
  • adequacy of the literature context and referencing;
  • appropriateness of interpretation and conclusions;
  • quality of writing, organization, figures, and tables; and
  • ethical and reporting compliance.

7. Reviewer Guidelines Specific to Case Reports and Case Series

Because ASIDE Case Reports specializes in case-based scholarship, reviewers are specifically asked to consider whether:

  • the report provides a clear and worthwhile clinical or educational message;
  • the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, management, intervention, and outcomes are described accurately and sufficiently;
  • the timeline and follow-up are adequately presented where relevant;
  • the discussion is balanced, evidence-based, and does not overstate causality, novelty, or generalizability;
  • the report identifies what is new, unusual, or instructive about the case;
  • the manuscript protects patient privacy and avoids unnecessary identifying details;
  • images have been appropriately anonymized or masked;
  • consent for publication has been obtained when required and stated in the manuscript; and
  • The report follows relevant reporting guidance, including the CARE guideline, where applicable.

8. Supplementary Material, Review Reports, and Reviewer Identity

Supplementary material that is relevant to the scientific or clinical evaluation of a submission may be included in peer review.

Peer review reports are normally anonymous and are not routinely published alongside articles.

Reviewers may provide recommendations such as accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject, but the final editorial decision is made by the journal’s editorial leadership.

9. Editorial Decisions

After reviewer reports are received, the handling editor evaluates the comments and recommendations and makes a recommendation to the Editor-in-Chief or delegated decision-making editor.

Editorial decisions may include:

  • Accept;
  • Minor revision;
  • Major revision; or
  • Reject.

The final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately designated editor, not with the reviewers. When reviewer opinions conflict or additional expertise is needed, the journal may seek one or more additional independent reviews.

10. Revision and Re-review

When revisions are requested, authors should submit a revised manuscript together with a point-by-point response to reviewer and editor comments. Revised submissions may be assessed by the editor and/or returned to one or more reviewers depending on the extent of revision required.

11. Special Issues and Guest Editors

If the journal publishes special issues, supplements, or guest-edited collections, those submissions will be subject to the same editorial standards and external peer review requirements as regular submissions.

The Editor-in-Chief retains responsibility for the scholarly quality and integrity of all content published in the journal, including special issues. Guest editors may assist in editorial processes where authorized, but final editorial oversight remains with the journal’s established editorial leadership.

Submissions authored by guest editors will be handled independently by another qualified editor with no relevant conflict of interest.

12. Confidentiality and Integrity

Editors and reviewers must preserve the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and associated correspondence. Unpublished material must not be shared or used for personal or professional advantage.

The journal may use research integrity checks before, during, or after peer review, including plagiarism or similarity checks and other integrity-related screening measures, subject to human oversight.

13. Appeals and Complaints

Authors may appeal an editorial decision by submitting a reasoned written appeal that addresses the scientific or procedural basis for the request. Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or by another qualified editor who was not responsible for the original decision, when appropriate.

Submission of an appeal does not guarantee reversal of the decision. The journal may uphold the original decision, request additional review, or reopen editorial consideration if justified.

14. Acceptance and Publication

Accepted manuscripts proceed to copyediting, production, author proof review, and final publication. Acceptance is based on editorial assessment of reviewer feedback, the quality of revisions, policy compliance, and the manuscript’s overall suitability for the journal.

Policy on Editorial Involvement, Endogeny, and Conflict Management

Editorial Involvement in Submitted Manuscripts

If the Editor-in-Chief, an associate editor, a guest editor, or an editorial board member is an author or co-author of a submitted manuscript, that individual must take no part in reviewer selection, editorial discussion, or the final decision on that manuscript.

Such manuscripts will be handled independently by another qualified editor with no relevant conflict of interest.

Endogeny

The journal seeks to minimize endogeneity. The proportion of published research articles in which at least one author is an editor, editorial board member, or reviewer of the journal should not exceed 25% in either of the latest two issues, or the equivalent recent publication period if the journal’s publication model changes.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors, reviewers, and authors are expected to disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could influence editorial judgment, peer review, interpretation, or reporting of the work.

Where a relevant conflict exists, the journal may require disclosure, recusal, alternative handling, or other appropriate management measures.

Consent to Publication, Patient Privacy, and Anonymization

Because the journal publishes case reports, case series, and clinical images, protection of patient privacy is a core requirement.

Authors must obtain written informed consent for publication of case details and participant images whenever required by law, institutional policy, journal policy, or accepted publication ethics standards. The manuscript must state whether consent for publication was obtained.

Authors must remove or mask direct identifiers and avoid unnecessary potentially identifying information. Potentially identifiable images must be appropriately anonymized or published only with appropriate consent and permission.

Complete anonymity cannot always be guaranteed. Accordingly, consent to publication remains essential whenever there is a reasonable possibility that an individual could be identified directly or indirectly from the published material.

If adequate consent, anonymization, permissions, or ethics documentation is missing or insufficient, the manuscript may be rejected or returned for correction before further consideration.

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

ASIDE Case Reports is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. The journal follows recognized best practices in publication ethics and aims to act consistently with guidance from organizations such as COPE, ICMJE, OASPA, and Think. Check. Submit..

1. Responsibilities of Editors

  • Editors evaluate submissions on their academic and clinical merit, relevance, and policy compliance.
  • Editors aim to make fair, unbiased, and timely decisions.
  • Editors preserve confidentiality throughout the editorial process.
  • Editors manage conflicts of interest and recuse themselves where appropriate.
  • Editors are responsible for addressing ethical concerns, corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions when necessary.

2. Responsibilities of Reviewers

  • Reviewers assist editors in making decisions and help authors improve their work.
  • Reviewers should provide objective, respectful, evidence-based feedback.
  • Reviewers must preserve confidentiality and disclose conflicts of interest.
  • Reviewers should identify concerns relating to plagiarism, duplicate publication, inappropriate image use, fabricated or falsified information, citation manipulation, or other research integrity issues.

3. Responsibilities of Authors

  • Authors must submit original work and cite sources appropriately.
  • Authors must ensure that all listed authors meet accepted authorship criteria and that no qualified contributors are omitted.
  • Authors must disclose relevant financial and non-financial conflicts of interest.
  • Authors must comply with applicable ethical, privacy, and consent requirements.
  • Authors must not submit the same manuscript simultaneously to more than one journal or publish substantially redundant work without proper justification and disclosure.
  • Authors should cooperate with editorial requests for clarification, correction, or investigation when concerns arise.

4. Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship should be limited to individuals who made substantial scholarly contributions to the conception, clinical analysis, interpretation, drafting, revision, or approval of the manuscript. All authors should approve the final version and agree to be accountable for the integrity of the work.

5. Complaints and Appeals

The journal considers complaints and appeals regarding editorial process, publication ethics, or editorial conduct. Concerns should be submitted in writing to the editorial office with sufficient detail to permit assessment. The journal may refer complex cases to independent editorial review or follow COPE-style processes where appropriate.

6. Allegations of Misconduct

Allegations of research or publication misconduct, including plagiarism, duplicate publication, image manipulation, fabricated or falsified content, inappropriate authorship, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or unethical clinical reporting, will be assessed seriously. The journal may request explanations, documentation, institutional review, or other evidence and may take corrective action where warranted.

7. Ethical Oversight

Where applicable, authors should indicate ethics committee or institutional review board oversight, patient consent, and related ethical approvals or exemptions. The journal reserves the right to request supporting documentation where necessary.

8. Data Sharing and Reproducibility

The journal supports transparency and reproducibility in scholarly publishing. Authors should provide a Data Availability Statement where applicable, describing whether and how supporting data, materials, images, or protocols can be accessed. If public sharing is not possible due to privacy, consent, legal, or ethical limitations, authors should state that clearly.

9. Intellectual Property

Authors are responsible for ensuring they have the right to publish all included content and for obtaining permission where required for third-party material not covered by fair use, public domain status, or an appropriate license.

10. Post-Publication Discussion and Corrections

Where concerns arise after publication, the journal may publish corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, or other updates to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record. Readers may contact the editorial office regarding substantial concerns about published work.

Artificial Intelligence and Automated Tools Policy

For Authors

Authors should disclose the use of generative artificial intelligence or other automated tools when such tools have been used beyond straightforward language correction, formatting, or routine editing. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and appropriateness of all submitted content.

Automated tools cannot be listed as authors. Generative AI tools should not be cited as primary sources of scientific or clinical evidence.

For Reviewers and Editors

To protect confidentiality and research integrity, reviewers and editors should not upload manuscripts or unpublished files to public or commercial generative AI tools for the purpose of creating review reports, editorial assessments, or substantive decision-making text.

Routine editorial screening tools may be used with human oversight where appropriate. Any journal use of automated tools remains subject to editorial review and responsibility.

Preservation and Archiving Policy

ASIDE Case Reports is committed to the long-term preservation and accessibility of its content through the following measures:

  • PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN): application submitted; upon activation, published content will be preserved through the PKP PN service for OJS journals.
  • Internet Archive: issues and article PDFs may be deposited in the Internet Archive for long-term preservation and public access.
  • Institutional and Repository-Based Preservation: authors are encouraged to deposit permitted versions of their work in institutional, funder, subject, and personal repositories.
  • OAI-PMH: metadata are available for harvesting via the journal’s OAI-PMH endpoint: https://asidejournals.com/index.php/case-reports/oai

If the journal ceases publication, archived content will remain accessible through available preservation systems to the extent permitted by those services.

Repository and Self-Archiving Policy

ASIDE Case Reports permits and encourages authors to deposit all versions of their articles in institutional, subject, funder, or personal repositories, and on academic profiles, without embargo:

  • Submitted version (preprint): may be shared at any time.
  • Accepted version (Author Accepted Manuscript, AAM): may be shared immediately upon acceptance.
  • Published version (Version of Record, VoR): may be shared immediately after publication.

Where a version is deposited, authors should include a full citation and a link to the Version of Record or DOI where available.

Instructions to Readers and Authors on Transparency

The journal aims to present accurate, current, and non-misleading information regarding ownership, publisher identity, editorial team, journal scope, publication schedule, peer review, ethics, fees, archiving, and licensing. Readers and authors are encouraged to report any factual inconsistencies or outdated policy language to the editorial office.

Contact

For questions about the journal, editorial policies, or publication ethics, please contact:

ASIDE Case Reports
Email: [email protected]

Publisher:
PubPorta Publishing LLC
16192 Coastal Highway
Lewes, Delaware 19958
USA