Journal profile · MEDICAL ETHICS
Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique
ISSN 2561-4665 · Programmes de bioéthique, École de santé publique de l'Université de Montréal · Canada
Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique: CAS Zone 4 · Philosophy (2025 upgraded edition); diamond open access (no APC); no APC; review about 35 weeks (community reports); acceptance rate 48% (journal website); 55 articles in 2025; indexed in ESCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique is published by Programmes de bioéthique, École de santé publique de l'Université de Montréal and is in Zone 4 of Philosophy in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Ethics in medical practice, Health, Medicine and Society and Ethics in Clinical Research, together about 42.5% of its articles. Its main subfields are General Health Professions and Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The journal is hosted by the Bioethics Program at the School of Public Health of the Université de Montréal (ÉSPUM), in collaboration with Université de Montréal Libraries and the non-profit consortium Érudit. The journal is supported financially by: The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) The Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) The Lyrasis Open Access Community Investment Program Érudit and the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) The journal publishes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (Sherpa-Romeo)ISSN: 2561-4665; DOI: 10.7202/bioethics Archives: CORE, Erudit, LAC/BAC, Portico Indexes: AureHAL, BASE, CISMeF, DOAJ, EBSCO, ERIH Plus, Gale, Google Scholar, HeinOnline, Isidore, LiSSa, Mir@bel, MyScienceWork, NLM, Philosopher's Index, PhilPapers, Scholars Portal, ScienceGate, Ulrichsweb, Web of Science, WorldCat Citations: Google Scholar, MIAR, Scopus, SJR Metadata: OAI-PMH Formerly published as BioéthiqueOnline (archives 2012-2017), BO remains the social media arm of the journal (LinkedIn). Statistics The CJB’s statistics are presented here for the sake of transparency but also to support and promote a wider array of publication criteria than impact factor. Production time: First editorial decision for articles in 45 days, rejection in 4 months, acceptance and subsequent publication in less than 1 year Acceptance rate = 48% (peer-review = 43.5%), Rejection rate = 27% (peer-review = 32%) Publications: 50-70 manuscripts/year, 56% of which are peer-reviewed Circulation: 30,000 visits annually to the website, 120,000 downloads, with visitors primarily from North America and Europe Citations: h-index = 18, i10-index = 55, Scopus CiteScore 2024 = 0.6, SJR 2024 = 0.16 Publishing Schedule The journal publishes 4 issues per year, with a mix of Open Issues and Special (Thematic) issues.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): MEDICAL ETHICS
Editor-in-chief Bryn Williams-JonesPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named Canada 32, United States 2, France 2, Denmark 2, United Kingdom 1 (40 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Ethics in medical practiceHealth Professions23.5%
- Health, Medicine and SocietyHealth Professions9.7%
- Ethics in Clinical ResearchMedicine9.3%
- Palliative Care and End-of-Life IssuesMedicine8.3%
- Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric HealthcareMedicine5.3%
- Healthcare Systems and PracticesHealth Professions4.9%
- Biomedical Ethics and RegulationMedicine4.2%
- Healthcare Decision-Making and RestraintsPsychology3.7%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Philosophy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Philosophy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Medical Ethics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Philosophy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Philosophy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Medical Ethics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
Database indexing
ESCIScopusDOAJLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 0.9LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.21LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.32LetPub ·
- h-index
- 13OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 20OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 0.62OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 20%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 100%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 47LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 120,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 492 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 53 | 53 | 8 |
| 2025 | 55 | 55 | 33 |
| 2024 | 67 | 67 | 67 |
| 2023 | 52 | 52 | 94 |
| 2022 | 72 | 72 | 142 |
| 2021 | 33 | 33 | 108 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 35 weeksLetPub ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 48%Publisher website ·
- Desk decision
- 45 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to publication (journal-reported)
- about 35 weeksDOAJ ·
- Peer review
- Open peer reviewDOAJ
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Diamond open access (no APC)DOAJ
Every article is open access and authors pay no article processing charge.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOAJ | No APC | No | CC BY | |
| LetPub | No APC | No | — |
Other charges and waivers (author guidelines)
- Submission fee
- No submission fee
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare7 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 5
- Templates
- Word
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Highlights
- Optional
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Optional
Article types accepted13, with length limits
- art, culture & creative worksArt, Culture & Creative Works: Artistic/creative works and essays of significance to bioethics (all mediums that can be presented online will be considered)Length not stated
- articlesArticles (3500-15000 words; peer-reviewed): original empirical, theoretical or conceptual research; review articlesLength not stated
- book reviewSection Editor: Patrick Gogognon (approx. 750-1200 words): summary analysis of recent books in bioethics (broadly construed)main text ≤ 750 words
- book reviewsBook Reviews (750-1200 words): summary analysis of recent books in bioethics (broadly construed)Length not stated
- case studiesCase studies (750-1200 words): based on a real or fictional case, enabling one or more ethical problems to be identified and analysedLength not stated
- case studyof conferences or other academic events Case studies (750-1200 words): based on a real or fictional case, enabling one or more emain text ≤ 1,200 words
- commentaryissues; clear and concise “Response to” commentaries (1000-2000 words): well-articulated reflections on the perspectives or argummain text ≤ 2,000 words
- conference proceedingsConference Proceedings (1000-2000 words): summaries or proceedings of conferences or other academic eventsLength not stated
- critical commentariesCritical commentaries (2000-3000 words; peer-reviewed): timely critical reflection on current issues; clear and conciseLength not stated
- letter to the editorSection Editor: Hazar Haidar (approx. 250-500 words)main text ≤ 500 words
- perspectives): well-articulated reflections on the perspectives or arguments advanced in published manuscripts Book Reviews (750-1200 words): summary analysis of recent bo…main text ≤ 1,200 words
- perspectivesPerspectives (2000-3000 words): opinion pieces on an issue of importance for bioethics based on constructive criticismLength not stated
- review articleal, theoretical or conceptual research; review articles Critical commentaries (2000-3000 words; peer-reviewed): timely critical reflection on current issumain text ≤ 3,000 words
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright
- AI use
Authors must disclose and describe any use of generative AI tools per the journal's AI Use Policy. Model summary
All authors have disclosed and described any use of generative AI tools in the preparation of the manuscript, in accordance with the journal’s AI Use Policy (Policies).
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability
Names and email addresses entered on the site are used exclusively for stated journal purposes and not shared. Model summary
The names and email addresses entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics cope
Editors follow COPE Core Practices recommendations. Model summary
The editors follow the recommendations outlined in the COPE Core Practices. Specifically, the editors will work to ensure the highest ethical standards of publication, including: the identification and management of conflicts of interest (for editors and for authors), the fair evaluation of manuscripts, and the publication of manuscripts that meet the journal’s standards of excellence.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright Notice
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License applied to all publications; authors retain copyright. Model summary
The Canadian Journal of Bioethics applies the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License to all its publications. Authors therefore retain copyright of their publication, e.g., they can reuse their publication, link to it on their home page or institutional website, deposit a PDF in a public repository. However, the authors allow anyone to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute, …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Programmes de bioéthique, École de santé publique de l'Université de Montréal
- Country or region
- Canada
- Language
- English, French
- ISSN
- 2561-4665
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 9, Issue 3 (2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗DOAJ
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Aims & Scope ↗DOAJ
- APC information ↗DOAJ
- Open access statement ↗DOAJ
- License & copyright ↗DOAJ
- Peer review process ↗LetPub
- Editorial board ↗LetPub
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique
What CAS zone is Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique is in Zone 4 of Philosophy, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Medical Ethics. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Philosophy. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
How long does peer review take at Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique?
Authors report an average review time of about 35 weeks; the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 48%. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: ≥ 5; Templates: Word; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Highlights: Optional; Graphical abstract: Optional; Cover letter: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique based?
Of the 40 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Canada (32), United States (2) and France (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique is indexed in ESCI, Scopus and DOAJ.
Is Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique open access, and what is the APC?
Canadian Journal of Bioethics-Revue Canadienne de Bioethique is a diamond open-access journal (no APC). It charges no article processing charge.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex, DOAJ; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .