Scientific Code of Ethics Policy

The MICCAI Society is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scientific integrity and ethical conduct. The MICCAI Scientific Code of Ethics Committee is responsible for handling cases related to potential violations of good scientific practice, including but not limited to:

• Plagiarism (text, figures, ideas), as defined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE: http://publicationethics.org)
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Duplicate submissions or publications
• Previously rejected MICCAI submissions later published by MICCAI reviewers elsewhere
• Authorship disputes
• Other violations or collusions undermining scientific integrity (e.g., improper citation, peer review manipulation, lack of required ethical approvals such as IRB approval)

Scope

This policy applies to all papers, posters, and presentations submitted to or presented at meetings organized or funded by the MICCAI Society. It does not apply to MICCAI-endorsed meetings that are not organized or funded by the Society.

Reporting and Initial Assessment

Allegations of misconduct may be raised by meeting organizers, area chairs, reviewers, authors, or other participants. In the first instance, concerns should be assessed by the relevant meeting organizers (Program Chairs/General Chairs) to determine their credibility and severity. Minor issues (e.g., limited citation omissions without intent) may be addressed at this level.

For serious, unresolved, or unclear cases, all relevant documentation and evidence should be submitted confidentially to the MICCAI Scientific Code of Ethics Committee via email at:

ethics@miccai.org

A formal report form should include: details of the incident, evidence (e.g., screenshots, similarity report), and contact information of the reporter.

Role of the Scientific Code of Ethics Committee

The Scientific Code of Ethics Committee is responsible for reviewing reported cases, assessing evidence, and determining appropriate actions. The Committee may request additional information from involved parties and will make recommendations to the MICCAI board.

All proceedings will be conducted confidentially, fairly, and in a timely manner.

Possible Actions

If misconduct is confirmed, the MICCAI Society may take one or more of the following actions, depending on the severity:

• Require authors to correct the record (e.g., add missing acknowledgments or citations)
• Require withdrawal or rejection of the submission
• Prohibit the author(s) from submitting to future MICCAI Society meetings for a defined period
• Restrict participation in MICCAI activities (e.g., reviewing, organizing, attending events)
• Notify the authors’ institution or employer in cases of serious or repeated misconduct

Principles

The MICCAI Society is dedicated to fostering a culture of responsible research, transparency, and fairness. All individuals involved in MICCAI activities are expected to adhere to these principles and uphold the integrity of the scientific process.