Publication Ethics

Editorial Standards | Plagiarism Policy | Peer Review Protocol | Conflict of Interest Disclosure | Retraction and Correction Policies | Internal Submissions | Patient Consent | Ethical Approvals
 

Editorial Standards
The Journal is deeply committed to maintaining scientific integrity and follows established ethical publishing practices. Its policies are informed by internationally accepted standards such as the ICMJE’s “Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals,” as well as the joint COPE, DOAJ, WAME, and OASPA statement on transparency and best practice. Editors are encouraged to adhere to COPE's “Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.”
 

Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism—presenting someone else’s ideas, text, or research as one’s own—is a serious ethical violation. This includes verbatim copying, improper paraphrasing, and even reusing one’s own previously published work without citation (self-plagiarism). The journal uses iThenticate software to assist editors and reviewers in detecting such issues during manuscript evaluation.
 

Peer Review Process
A double-blind peer review model is used, wherein both the reviewers and the authors remain anonymous to one another. Experts in the relevant subject area evaluate each submission for originality, rigor, and relevance. The review process is conducted in alignment with COPE’s peer review guidelines.
 

Conflict of Interest
Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence the work submitted, including funding sources, consultancies, equity interests, or patent applications. A conflict-of-interest statement is required at submission and, if the manuscript is published, will appear alongside the article.
 

Retraction and Correction
The journal upholds retraction policies to address instances of significant error, plagiarism, redundant publication, data fabrication, or unethical research. Readers will be notified clearly through published retraction or correction notices.
 

Internal Submissions
Manuscripts submitted by members of the editorial board undergo a separate and impartial review process. These submissions are handled by independent editors and evaluated by at least two external reviewers to ensure transparency and objectivity.

Ethical Approval
All research involving human or animal subjects must have prior approval from a recognized ethics review board. Manuscripts must state the IRB protocol number and whether the study adhered to principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Animal studies must comply with institutional and national guidelines on ethical treatment of research animals.
The journal aligns itself with COPE’s core practices, encompassing topics such as misconduct, authorship, conflict resolution, ethical oversight, and post-publication corrections.

Publication Ethics and Misconduct Policy
Roles and Responsibilities
 

Editorial Responsibilities

• Decision Making: Editors are tasked with making unbiased, evidence-based decisions on manuscript acceptance or rejection. They may request multiple rounds of review and are responsible for communicating decisions promptly.
• Objectivity and Fairness: Editorial decisions are made without discrimination based on authors’ background or affiliations. Judgments are based solely on scholarly merit and relevance to the journal.
• Confidentiality: All manuscript-related information is kept confidential by editorial staff.
• Conflict of Interest: Editors must not exploit unpublished materials for personal benefit and are expected to recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts exist.
• Author Relations: Editors should support authors by maintaining high editorial standards and communicating clearly, including the possibility of publishing necessary corrections or clarifications.
   

Author Responsibilities
Authors must adhere to the journal’s submission guidelines. Their submissions must represent original work, properly cite all sources, and include only individuals who contributed significantly. Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is strictly prohibited. Authors are obligated to report conflicts of interest and to correct any errors identified after publication.
 

Reviewer Responsibilities
 

• Confidentiality: Reviewers must keep submitted manuscripts confidential.
• Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted with scholarly rigor and without personal bias.
• Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers must decline to evaluate work if they have a financial or personal stake in the outcome.
• Timeliness: Reviewers should inform the editor promptly if they cannot complete a review on time.
• Source Acknowledgment: Reviewers are encouraged to highlight any citation omissions or overlap with existing literature.

• Impartiality: Manuscripts must be evaluated solely on academic merit, irrespective of the author's identity or background.

   

Publisher Responsibilities
The publisher ensures editorial independence and supports ethical publishing practices. This includes providing digital preservation, issuing corrections or retractions as necessary, and protecting intellectual property. Peer review is performed by qualified external reviewers, with special precautions in place when submissions involve editorial staff or board members.
For more information on digital archiving, visit: Innovative Archiving Policy

Penalties for Ethical Violations
 

• Duplicate Submission: If it is discovered that a manuscript has been submitted to multiple journals simultaneously, the review will be stopped immediately. All involved authors will be blacklisted from future submissions for a minimum period of three years.
• Duplicate Publication: Proven cases of intentional duplicate publication will be reported to all stakeholders and may result in formal sanctions.