CTSNet Policies

  1.  CTSNet user account is required for commenting on CTSNet content. To comment, users must first login to their CTSNet account. A hyperlinked username will be associated with any comment posted.
  2. It is the mission of CTSNet to “connect the global cardiothoracic community.” A comment should reflect CTSNet’s collegial mission, and should be constructive, respectful, and relevant to the issue(s) raised by the content to which it is appended. Any criticism contained in a comment must be constructive and in keeping with the collegial spirit of the CTSNet community.
  3. Comments should enhance CTSNet’s educational and collaborative ethos. Questions are encouraged, and authors of original submissions are likewise encouraged to respond to any relevant questions that are posed in comments.
  4. Authors of CTSNet content are required to disclose potential conflicts of interest at the time of making a submission, and any disclosures made, if deemed relevant by CTSNet, are included with the published content. CTSNet users commenting on content are required to disclose their own potential conflicts of interest, if applicable to the subject matter.
  5. Comments deemed by CTSNet to be overly promotional of a particular company or a particular company’s product(s) are not permitted and will be removed. A user who posts a comment of this nature may have their CTSNet user registration revoked.
  6. Comments deemed by CTSNet in its sole discretion to be personal attacks against authors, other commenters, and/or CTSNet staff are not permitted and will be removed. Further, comments deemed by CTSNet in its sole discretion to be derogatory, slanderous, libelous, vulgar, profane, abusive, and/or otherwise inappropriate are not permitted and will be removed. A user who posts a comment determined by CTSNet in its sole discretion to be inappropriate and/or contrary to the ethos of the CTSNet community may have their CTSNet user registration revoked. Such behavior may be referred by CTSNet to the appropriate ethics committee of the professional organization(s) to which the user in question may belong.
  7. CTSNet reserves the right to remove any comment that is in violation of this policy without prior warning.
  1. CTSNet will not directly participate in broadcasting live surgery events.
  2. CTSNet will not promote events that consist primarily of live surgery.
  3. CTSNet will not promote events that feature live surgery as a component of a broad reaching program, if that feature is a prominent part of the marketing message on CTSNet.
  4. CTSNet will not post or link to videos that are produced as part of live surgery events, unless the videos are heavily edited for content, length, and perspective.

Approved by the CTSNet Board of Directors: December 20, 2020

APPLIES TO

All employees, contractors, freelancers, volunteers, and contributors creating or editing content for publication on CTSNet.org

PURPOSE 

CTSNet is committed to publishing educational, thought leadership, and skill development content that reflects human expertise, original thinking, editorial judgment, accuracy, and accountability.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a useful tool in the content-development process. However, because CTSNet is an educational resource, we believe the substance and voice of our published content should be created by people; not generated by AI.

This policy establishes a clear standard:

AI may be used to assist with the development of educational content, but AI may not be used to originate the educational content itself.

A human author must create the substance of the content that is published on CTSNet.

SCOPE

This policy applies to all content created for publication on the CTSNet, including:

  • Articles and article summaries
  • Tutorials and explainers
  • Educational videos and resources
  • Thought-leadership pieces
  • Interviews and accompanying editorial content
  • Case studies
  • Newsletters and educational emails
  • Video narrations and written materials intended for publication

It applies regardless of whether the content is created internally or by an external contributor.

PERMITTED USES OF AI 

AI may be used as a supporting tool during the content-development process.

Permitted uses include:

  • Research and preparation
    • Brainstorming potential topics or angles
    • Generating questions to explore during research
    • Identifying areas that may require additional research
    • Summarizing source material for internal understanding
    • Organizing notes or information
    • Generating preliminary outlines or content structures
  • Editing and refinement
    • Identifying grammatical or spelling errors
    • Suggesting improvements to clarity or readability
    • Identifying repetitive language
    • Suggesting alternative headlines or titles
    • Checking whether content is consistent with a specified style or format
    • Helping identify gaps or questions for the human author to address
  • Administrative and production support
    • Formatting content
    • Converting content into an approved format or structure
    • Generating metadata or other nonsubstantive production information
    • Assisting with content tagging, categorization, or similar administrative tasks

In all cases, the human author or editor remains responsible for determining what information is accurate, relevant, appropriate, and, ultimately, included.

PROHIBITED USE: AI-GENERATED DRAFTING

AI tools must not be used to originate or independently develop the substantive educational content for publication.

Contributors must not:

  • Ask an AI tool to originate and write an article, summary, guide, explanation, narration, case study, or other educational piece and then submit it for publication.
  • Copy and paste AI-generated paragraphs or sections into an article for publication
  • Use AI to generate a first draft in place of substantive content created by a human author that is subsequently edited for publication
  • Ask AI to rewrite a human-authored piece and publish the resulting rewrite as the author’s work
  • Generate an entire article or piece with AI and make only minor human edits
  • Use AI to substantially develop the argument, explanation, narrative, or instructional substance of a piece
  • Present AI-generated educational text as human-authored content
  • Use AI to create a piece of content and then rely on human proofreading or fact-checking as sufficient editorial review

Changing words, rearranging sentences, or lightly editing AI-generated text does not make the resulting content human-authored for purposes of this policy.

HUMAN AUTHORSHIP

The human author is expected to:

  • Develop the ideas and arguments
  • Determine the educational approach
  • Create the substantive content and provide the expertise, judgment, and perspective reflected in the publication
  • Select and interpret examples
  • Apply subject-matter expertise and judgment
  • Determine what claims should be made
  • Evaluate and incorporate relevant sources
  • Ensure that the final content serves the needs of the intended audience

AI may help the author perform these activities, but it may not perform them in the author’s place.

AI-ASSISTED EDITING

AI may be used to provide editorial suggestions on content that has already been written by a human.

For example, an author may ask AI to identify:

  • Awkward or unclear sentences
  • Grammar or spelling issues
  • Repetition
  • Inconsistent terminology
  • Potential gaps in an explanation
  • Places where additional context may be needed

The author or editor must decide independently whether to accept any suggestion.

AI-generated replacement language should not be incorporated wholesale into the article. Where AI suggests a substantive rewrite, the human author should independently revise the passage in their own words.

RESEARCH AND FACT-CHECKING

AI may assist with research but is not an authoritative source.

Contributors must independently verify factual claims using reliable original or authoritative sources.

Particular care must be taken with:

  • Statistics
  • Research findings
  • Quotations
  • Names and dates
  • Scientific or technical claims
  • Legal or regulatory information.
  • Medical or health information
  • Links and citations

AI-generated citations, references, quotations, or sources must never be assumed to be genuine or accurate.

ORIGINALITY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 

AI tools must not be used to reproduce, imitate, or closely paraphrase another person’s work.

Contributors remain responsible for compliance with all applicable copyright, plagiarism, attribution, and intellectual-property requirements.

The use of AI does not eliminate the obligation to properly credit sources or acknowledge the contributions of other people and organizations.

CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

Employees and contributors must not enter confidential, proprietary, personal, sensitive, or otherwise restricted company information into an AI tool unless that tool has been specifically approved for such use by CTSNet.

Only approved AI tools may be used for company work involving company information.

SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTISE

AI must never substitute for appropriate human expertise. Content involving specialized or potentially high-risk subjects—including medical, legal, scientific, technical, regulatory, or safety-related topics—must be reviewed by an appropriately qualified human subject-matter expert before publication.

DISCLOSURE OF AI ASSISTANCE

Routine use of AI tools for activities such as brainstorming, grammar checking, or identifying potential gaps does not ordinarily require disclosure to users.

However, CTSNet may require disclosure when AI has made a material contribution to the development or presentation of published content.

The CTSNet Editorial Team may establish additional disclosure requirements as AI technology and industry standards evolve.

EDITORIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Every CTSNet publication must have a designated human content owner.

The content owner is accountable for the final publication regardless of whether AI tools were used during its development.

Before publication, the content owner must be satisfied that:

  • The substantive educational content originated with a human.
  • The content is accurate and appropriately sourced.
  • The content is original.
  • The content provides genuine educational value.
  • The content meets CTSNet’s editorial standards.
  • Any use of AI complied with this policy.
EDITORIAL STANDARD

The use of AI must not be used to increase publishing volume at the expense of educational quality.

The CTSNet prioritizes human expertise + original thinking + sound research + thoughtful editing over AI-generated volume + minimal human review.

A smaller amount of high-quality, genuinely human-created educational content is preferable to a larger volume of AI-generated material.

EXCEPTIONS

Exceptions to this policy require prior approval from Jennifer Hajigeorgiou, CTSNet Executive Director.

Exceptions should be limited to circumstances in which there is a clear editorial or business justification and should specify:

  • The content involved
  • The AI tool being used
  • The proposed use
  • The required human review
  • Any required disclosure
  • The person responsible for final approval
COMPLIANCE

Content that does not comply with this policy may be rejected, removed, or returned to the author for revision.

Repeated or intentional violations may be addressed under applicable company policies.

When in doubt, contributors should consult Maurita Jasper, CTSNet Director of Content & Editorial Strategy before using AI in the development of content for publication on CTSNet.org.

CORE PRINCIPLE

CTSNet exists to provide the global cardiothoracic community with trustworthy educational, thought leadership, and skill development content created through human expertise and judgment.

Therefore, AI can help CTSNet employees, contractors, freelancers, volunteers, and contributors research, think-through, organize, and edit. AI can assist in developing and refining CTSNet content; it cannot replace the human expertise, judgment, and authorship behind that content.

Approved: September 15, 2026 (CTSNet Executive Director)

Revised and Approved: September 24, 2026 (CTSNet Executive Director)