This Policy defines the principles and processes by which Penta effectively manages and communicates its research output to scientific and medical communities. It also aims to support Penta researchers in maximising the impact of their research dissemination.
This Policy applies to any scientific publication resulting from research sponsored, coordinated or funded by Penta. If specific publication policies exist for a Penta-sponsored study or project those policies must be followed.
This includes all work submitted to scientific congresses/conferences (e.g., abstracts, posters, presentations), peer-reviewed journals (e.g. manuscripts, letters to the editor), or other publications (e.g. books, book chapters, plain language summaries).
Penta is committed to maximising the impact of its research by sharing findings timely and openly, enabling scientific progress, and ensuring the widest possible access and reuse of research output, including underlying data sets.
Penta is equally dedicated to upholding the highest ethical standards in research. All research conducted by or on behalf of Penta must adhere to the highest ethical standards, undergo rigorous ethical review, and obtain appropriate approvals.
The safety and well-being of research participants are paramount.
Publications must meet the highest standards of transparency, accuracy, fairness, and balance. They also must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, funder requirements and professional standards appropriate to a country or region, as well as journal and congress guidelines and policies. If those standards are more stringent than those described in this Policy, the more restrictive standard applies.
Penta fosters a research environment that is inclusive and respectful of all individuals. We believe using inclusive language is essential for clear communication and promoting diversity in research.
Penta applies the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) “Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals” to acknowledge the contributions of key individuals in publications.
ICMJE recommends four criteria for authorship credit, based on scientific and academic standards:
For large, multi-centre studies, the group shall identify the individuals who accept direct responsibility for the work and meet all authorship criteria.
Penta recommends that the Penta ID Network members and Staff Members declare their affiliation to Penta, as “Penta Child Health Research” or “Penta” in the author list.
If a Penta researcher is affiliated with both Penta and another institution, we recommend prioritizing the Penta affiliation.
Additionally, we recommend including a member of the Fondazione Penta ETS in the author list (provided authorship criteria are met) or in the acknowledgment section of all publications arising from a Penta-sponsored study or project.
Individuals who do not qualify for authorship (e.g. who meet fewer than all 4 of the above criteria for authorship) but who have made significant contributions to a publication, are not to be listed as Authors. They should be acknowledged, their contribution specified, and informed of such.
All scientific publications arising from Penta research should acknowledge Penta’s role using:
“This study is sponsored by Fondazione Penta ETS” or “This study is funded by Fondazione Penta ETS”.
If Penta coordinates or sponsors research funded by another entity, acknowledge the funder according to the specific funding agreement.
Penta is committed to adhering to the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) by making its research data and results as widely accessible and reusable as possible. To this end, we encourage Authors to deposit datasets on public databases and publish results on open access journals. This recommendation becomes an obligation when the funder expressly requests it.
Penta Authors are furthermore encouraged to retain sufficient intellectual property rights to comply with the open access requirements. We recommend sharing publications under the latest Creative Commons Attribution International Public License (CC BY) for this purpose. Further information can be found on the Creative Commons website and in the FAQ section.
At Penta, we are committed to inclusive language in research and training. Here are some best practices for researchers and collaborators:
Authors must provide prior notice of any planned publication to Penta (communications@pentafoundation.org) at least 30 calendar days before publication, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
To comply with this provision, research collaborators must send a draft manuscript to the Penta Senior Communications Manager (communications@pentafoundation.org) at least 30 calendar days before the planned publication date. The Senior Communications Manager will inform the Senior Leadership Team and any relevant partners involved in the research.
Authors must inform the Senior Communications manager of any publication made on behalf of Penta. All publications mentioning Penta are archived on the Publications Page on Penta’s website with the publication title and author names displayed.
Before data are shared with any collaborator, the proposed analysis and publication must be approved by the study/trial Steering Committee. Collaborators must agree to acknowledge Penta’s contribution in any related papers or abstracts.
When dissemination of research outputs is a funder requirement, a project/study specific publication policy may be created, in line with the requirements set out in this policy.
Last updated: August 2024