Recommendations for disclosure of artificial intelligence in scientific writing and publishing: a regional anesthesia and pain medicine modified Delphi study

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FETTIPLACE, Michael R, BHATIA, Anuj, CHEN, Yian, OREBAUGH, Steven L, GOFELD, Michael, GABRIEL, Rodney A, SESSLER, Daniel I, LONSDALE, Hannah, BUNGART, Brittani, CHENG, Christopher P, BURNETT, Garrett W, HAN, Lichy, WILES, Matthew, COPPENS, Steve, JOSEPH, Thomas, SCHREIBER, Kristin L, VOLK, Thomas, URMAN, Richard D, KOVACHEVA, Vesela P, WU, Christopher L, MARIANO, Edward R and IP, Vivian H Y (2025). Recommendations for disclosure of artificial intelligence in scientific writing and publishing: a regional anesthesia and pain medicine modified Delphi study. Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. [Article]

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Abstract

Introduction

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the scientific process is advancing at a remarkable speed, thanks to continued innovations in large language models. While AI provides widespread benefits, including editing for fluency and clarity, it also has drawbacks, including fabricated content, perpetuation of bias, and lack of accountability. The editorial board of Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine (RAPM) therefore sought to develop best practices for AI usage and disclosure.

Methods

A steering committee from the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine used a modified Delphi process to address definitions, disclosure requirements, authorship standards, and editorial oversight for AI use in publishing. The committee reviewed existing publication guidelines and identified areas of ambiguity, which were translated into questions and distributed to an expert workgroup of authors, reviewers, editors, and AI researchers.

Results

Two survey rounds, with 91% and 87% response rates, were followed by focused discussion and clarification to identify consensus recommendations. The workgroup achieved consensus on recommendations to authors about definitions of AI, required items to report, disclosure locations, authorship stipulations, and AI use during manuscript preparation. The workgroup formulated recommendations to reviewers about monitoring and evaluating the responsible use of AI in the review process, including the endorsement of AI-detection software, identification of concerns about undisclosed AI use, situations where AI use may necessitate the rejection of a manuscript, and use of checklists in the review process. Finally, there was consensus about AI-driven work, including required and optional disclosures and the use of checklists for AI-associated research.

Discussion

Our modified Delphi study identified practical recommendations on AI use during the scientific writing and editorial process. The workgroup highlighted the need for transparency, human accountability, protection of patient confidentiality, editorial oversight, and the need for iterative updates. The proposed framework enables authors and editors to harness AI’s efficiencies while maintaining the fundamental principles of responsible scientific communication and may serve as an example for other journals.
More Information
Open Access URL:
https://rapm.bmj.com/content/rapm/early/2025/09/02...
Open Access Version:
Published version
Additional Information:
** Article version: VoR ** Embargo end date: 02-09-2025 ** From BMJ via Jisc Publications Router ** History: received 19-05-2025; accepted 17-06-2025; ppub 02-09-2025; epub 02-09-2025. ** Licence for VoR version of this article starting on 02-09-2025: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ ** Peer reviewed: TRUE ** Acknowledgements: Thank you to all the additional members of the AI taskforce who contributed, including Alparslan Turan, Anusha Priya, Chad Brummet, Elena Giovanna Bignami, Franklin Dexter, Graeme McLeod, Guy Weinberg, Jonathan G. Hardman, Kariem El-Boghdadly, Marc Van de Velde, Marco Cascella, Oranicha Jumreornvong, Philip Jones, Rakesh Sondekoppam, Robert Maniker, Romain Pirracchio, Stephan Schwarz, Thomas Hemmerling, and Valentina Bellini.
Uncontrolled Keywords:
Methods, EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY

Identifiers

Identification Number:
10.1136/rapm-2025-106852
ORCID for Michael R Fettiplace: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6946-8355
ORCID for Anuj Bhatia: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6292-8654
ORCID for Yian Chen: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5971-9111
ORCID for Steven L Orebaugh: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-9517-6575
ORCID for Michael Gofeld: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-7372-4171
ORCID for Rodney A Gabriel: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4443-0021
ORCID for Daniel I Sessler: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-9932-3077
ORCID for Hannah Lonsdale: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-9953-8844
ORCID for Brittani Bungart: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5705-3742
ORCID for Christopher P Cheng: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-9112-9464
ORCID for Garrett W Burnett: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0565-9499
ORCID for Matthew Wiles: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2299-0060
ORCID for Steve Coppens: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-6026-7757
ORCID for Kristin L Schreiber: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7361-2214
ORCID for Thomas Volk: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5175-7159
ORCID for Christopher L Wu: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4484-0787
ORCID for Edward R Mariano: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2735-248X
ORCID for Vivian H Y Ip: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6158-4415

Library

Item Type:
Article
SWORD Depositor:
Colin Knott
Depositing User:
Colin Knott
Date record made live:
05 Sep 2025 16:20
Last Modified:
05 Sep 2025 16:30
Date of first compliant deposit:
5 September 2025
Date of first compliant Open Access:
5 September 2025
Version of first compliant deposit:
Version of Record
URI:
https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/36098
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