Research Integrity & Ethics

Last updated: 21 July 2026

1. Our commitment

Helical Scientific is committed to supporting research that is reliable, honest, respectful and accountable.

This policy applies to manuscript development, grant support, research consulting, experimental-design advice, data interpretation and other scientific services provided by Helical Scientific.

Our role is to strengthen scientific communication and reasoning without compromising the independence, accuracy or integrity of the underlying research.

2. Responsibilities of clients and authors

Clients and authors remain responsible for:

  • The accuracy, originality and completeness of their research.
  • The authenticity and appropriate interpretation of their data.
  • Obtaining required ethical, institutional and regulatory approvals.
  • Maintaining appropriate research records.
  • Securing permission to use third-party text, figures, images and datasets.
  • Agreeing authorship and contributor roles.
  • Disclosing funding, competing interests and relevant professional assistance.
  • Reviewing and approving the final version of every submission.
  • Complying with applicable journal, institutional and funder policies.

Helical Scientific does not assume the responsibilities of the authors, principal investigator, sponsor or employing institution.

3. Our scientific standards

We will:

  • Provide independent and evidence-informed scientific judgement.
  • Aim to preserve the intended scientific meaning of client materials.
  • Identify unclear reasoning, unsupported claims or material inconsistencies where reasonably apparent.
  • Distinguish between evidence, interpretation and speculation.
  • Encourage accurate citation and appropriate qualification of conclusions.
  • Respect confidentiality, intellectual property and unpublished findings.
  • Communicate the limits of our assessment and expertise.
  • Declare relevant conflicts of interest where they arise.

Our review is not an independent audit or complete verification of the underlying research unless this has been expressly included in the agreed scope.

4. Prohibited practices

Helical Scientific will not knowingly assist with:

  • Fabricating or falsifying data, results, methods or approvals.
  • Plagiarising or disguising the source of text, ideas, figures or data.
  • Manipulating images or statistics in a scientifically misleading manner.
  • Concealing inconvenient data or presenting selectively chosen results deceptively.
  • Creating false authors, affiliations, citations or reviewer identities.
  • Purchasing, selling or exchanging authorship.
  • Manipulating peer review or citation counts.
  • Submitting substantially duplicated work without appropriate disclosure.
  • Making claims of ethical approval that cannot be supported.
  • Misrepresenting professional editing as independent validation of the research.
  • Guaranteeing journal publication or grant success.

We may refuse, pause or terminate work where a credible integrity concern cannot be resolved.

5. Data, figures and statistical interpretation

We will not invent, alter or remove data to produce a preferred conclusion.

Where a service includes data interpretation or statistical review, its limits will be defined in the agreed scope. Unless expressly agreed, Helical Scientific does not independently reproduce analyses, inspect complete raw datasets or certify statistical validity.

Clients must preserve original data and a clear record of any legitimate transformations, exclusions, corrections or image adjustments.

Material limitations, uncertainty and negative or inconclusive findings should be reported appropriately.

6. Authorship and contributor recognition

Authorship should reflect substantial intellectual contribution and responsibility for the work.

Language editing, technical editing, proofreading or general advisory assistance alone will not normally qualify Helical Scientific or its advisers for authorship.

Where our contribution should be acknowledged or disclosed under journal, institutional or funder policies, we will provide an accurate description of the assistance supplied. The authors remain responsible for confirming the final wording and obtaining any required permission.

Helical Scientific will not accept honorary, guest or purchased authorship.

7. Ethical and regulatory approvals

Clients are responsible for ensuring that research involving humans, animals, biological materials, personal information or regulated procedures has received all necessary approvals before submission or publication.

We may request confirmation of relevant approval information where it is important to the work.

Identifiable patient, participant or other sensitive personal information must not be sent through ordinary website forms or unsecured email unless an appropriate secure arrangement has been agreed.

8. Confidentiality and unpublished research

Manuscripts, proposals, data, research plans and reviewer correspondence are treated as confidential.

Access will be limited to those who reasonably need it to deliver the agreed service. Client materials will not be used for unrelated research, teaching, publication or commercial purposes without written permission.

Legal or contractual disclosure obligations may apply in exceptional circumstances.

9. Artificial intelligence and digital tools

AI-assisted and other digital tools must be used responsibly and must not replace human scientific accountability.

Helical Scientific will not knowingly upload confidential client documents or unpublished data into publicly accessible generative-AI systems without the client’s express permission and appropriate confidentiality safeguards.

Where AI-assisted tools are used as part of agreed work:

  • Their outputs must be reviewed by a suitably qualified person.
  • Factual claims, references and interpretations must be verified.
  • Their use must comply with applicable client, institutional, funder and journal policies.
  • Any required disclosure must be made transparently.

AI systems cannot be treated as authors or made responsible for scientific content. Authors remain accountable for all submitted material.

10. Conflicts of interest

Helical Scientific will aim to identify and disclose any financial, professional or personal interest that could reasonably affect—or appear to affect—independent judgement.

Where a significant conflict cannot be appropriately managed, we may decline or withdraw from the engagement.

Clients are responsible for making their own required conflict-of-interest disclosures to journals, funders and institutions.

11. Journal and funder interactions

We can support journal selection, submission strategy, reviewer responses and grant positioning, but we will not:

  • Guarantee acceptance or funding.
  • Misrepresent relationships with editors, reviewers or funders.
  • Contact reviewers or decision-makers improperly.
  • Create false reviewer suggestions.
  • Conceal required disclosures.
  • Support submission to a journal or funder under deceptive circumstances.

Final submission decisions and communications remain the responsibility of the client or authorised corresponding author.

12. Concerns about research integrity

Where a potential error or integrity concern is identified, we will normally seek clarification from the client and distinguish honest error or disagreement from possible misconduct.

Depending on the seriousness of the issue, we may:

  • Recommend correction or additional verification.
  • Pause work while clarification is obtained.
  • Decline to include unsupported material.
  • Withdraw from or terminate the engagement.
  • Act as required by applicable law or a binding professional obligation.

Helical Scientific is not an institutional misconduct-investigation body and will not determine guilt or innocence.

13. Corrections and responsible record-keeping

Clients should respond appropriately if a material error is identified before or after submission or publication.

This may include correcting a manuscript, notifying co-authors, contacting a journal or funder, or cooperating with an institutional review.

We support transparent correction of the scientific record where necessary.

14. Standards informing this policy

This policy is informed by widely recognised principles and guidance, including:

  • The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity.
  • The Committee on Publication Ethics guidance.
  • The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors recommendations.
  • Relevant journal, funder and institutional policies.

The requirements applicable to a particular project may vary by discipline, institution, country, journal and funding body.

15. Updates and contact

This policy may be updated as research practices, publication standards and applicable requirements evolve.

Questions or concerns may be directed to:

Helical Scientific
Email: info@helicalscientific.com
Website: https://helicalscientific.com