The code of conduct for research transparency guides authors to preregister protocols, adhere to reporting guidelines, and fully disclose funding sources and conflicts [1]. Although article processing charges (APCs) often reach thousands of dollars, and global APC spending nearly tripled from 2019 to 2023, pricing in medical journals is often unclear or hard to find, which can hinder researchers’ informed publication strategies [2]. We aimed to evaluate the transparency of publication fees charged by top medical journals.
