Instructions for contributors

Bioethica Forum is an interdisciplinary journal focussing on ethical issues in health care, research, biotechnologies, and public health. These questions are considered in relation to concrete ethical, legal and policy problems, or in terms of the fundamental concepts, principles and theories used in discussions of such problems. The journal aims to publish high-quality academic papers that will stimulate debate about these issues. It also aims to provide a discussion forum on ethical issues for health care providers, researchers, and members of research ethics and clinical ethics committees, and offers special sections for this purpose. Although specific relevance to current Swiss debates is an advantage, it is not a pre-requisite as the journal aims for an international readership. The journal's languages are German, French, and English. Abstracts are published in all three languages. Manuscripts are accepted for publication on the understanding that they have been submitted solely to Bioethica Forum and that they have not been previously published either in whole or in part. Bioethica Forum is the official journal of the Swiss Society for Biomedical Ethics.

Article types:

Manuscript lengths include abstract, references, and footnotes. Spaces are included.

Articles should be up to 30'000 characters, with up to five tables and figures. Manuscripts reporting empirical studies should be submitted with a structured abstract of up to 250 words. Manuscripts presenting a conceptual exploration, analysing a current controversy, or critically appraising a method in bioethics, should be submitted with an unstructured abstract of up to 150 words. Articles are peer-reviewed.

Ethics case commentaries should be should be up to 20'000 characters, with a brief summary of up to 100 words, and up to three tables and figures. Interdisciplinary commentaries from multiple authors are encouraged. Case commentaries are peer-reviewed.

Letters to the editor should be no more than 3'000 characters, with up to 5 references and one table or figure. Letters in response to a published article may be submitted for up to 2 months after publication.

Ethical narratives, (personal vignettes or narratives exploring an aspect of clinical ethics, research ethics, or public health ethics) should be no more than 10'000 characters. Viewpoints and narratives will be reviewed internally. Please contact to discuss your proposal.

Book reviews should be no more than 3'000 characters and include the following elements: title, field, audience, purpose, content, highlights, limitations, and related reading. Please contact to discuss your proposal.

Committee reports: Clinical ethics committees and research ethics committees can submit an argued summary of one of their guidelines or opinions, or an argued position on a practical point of research review. Please contact to discuss your proposal.

Manuscript preparation

Submissions are accepted in German, French, or English. Manuscripts should be double-spaced. All self-identifying information should be removed from manuscripts and should appear on the title page only. Abbreviations should be explained at the first occurrence.

  • The title page of the manuscript should include the following information: article type, manuscript title, running title (maximum 40 characters), name and affiliation of all contributing authors, full address for correspondence, including telephone and fax number, and email address, word count (not including abstract and references), and up to five key words.
  • Section headings within the manuscript should be distinguishable, but not numbered.
  • Footnotes should be indicated in the text by superscript numbers.
  • References should be in Vancouver style, and placed at the end of the manuscript.

Manuscript submission

All manuscript submissions and queries should be sent electronically to . Please indicate in your cover letter if your submission applies to an announced theme issue.
Please include in your cover letter:

  • Description of each author's contribution in the preparation of the study, manuscript, and/or decision to submit.
  • Details of all funding sources and their role, if any, in the preparation of the study, manuscript, and/or decision to submit.
  • Acknowledgments
  • Conflict of interest declaration for all authors. If there is no conflict of interest, please indicate this.