Publishing Ethics Policy
Publishing Ethics and Malpractice Statement
Our journal is dedicated to upholding the highest ethical standards and quality in academic publishing. We strive to maintain integrity and transparency among all participants in the publication process, including authors, editors, peer reviewers, and the publisher. We have a strict stance against plagiarism and any form of unethical behavior.
Research Ethics
Research Involving Human Subjects
Authors conducting research involving human subjects, materials, tissues, or data must adhere to the ethical guidelines outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki (1975, revised 2013). Prior to conducting their research, authors must obtain approval from an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB) to ensure compliance with national and international ethical standards. Authors are required to include a statement in the manuscript detailing the project identification code, date of approval, and the name of the ethics committee or IRB in the ‘Institutional Review Board Statement’ section.
Example of an Ethical Statement:
"All participants provided informed consent prior to their involvement in the study. This study was conducted following the Declaration of Helsinki, and the protocol received approval from the Ethics Committee of [Institution Name] (Project ID)."
In the case of non-interventional studies, including surveys and questionnaires, it is essential to inform participants about the nature of the research, the use of their data, and any associated risks. Ethical approval from the relevant ethics committee must also be obtained for these studies. If no approval is required, authors should cite relevant local or national legislation. When exemption is granted, the name of the ethics committee and an explanation for the exemption must be included in the ‘Institutional Review Board Statement.’
Informed consent for publication must be secured from all participating patients. While detailed data relating to participants should be included, identifiable information must be minimized unless it is critical to the research. Authors must ensure that patients’ names and initials are not included in any images or case details. A template for the consent form is available for authors, and a blank version (without patient names or signatures) should accompany submissions. Editors reserve the right to reject any submissions that do not comply with these requirements.
When research involves vulnerable populations, the editorial team will perform additional scrutiny. Authors may be asked to provide documentation, including blank consent forms, upon request. Any categorization of participants by race, gender, disability, or other identifiers must be justified within the manuscript.
Duties of Editors:
1. Publication Decisions: The editor is responsible for determining which articles are published, guided by the journal's editorial policies and applicable legal standards regarding libel, copyright, and plagiarism. Consultation with the editorial board and peer reviewers may inform these decisions.
2. Fair Evaluation: Manuscripts should be assessed based solely on their intellectual merit without bias regarding authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic background, citizenship, or political views.
3. Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff must maintain confidentiality concerning submitted manuscripts and disclose no information to anyone outside of the appropriate parties.
4. Conflict of Interest: Editors must refrain from using unpublished information for their research without explicit consent from the author and should disqualify themselves from reviewing manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest.
5. Investigative Cooperation: Editors should take appropriate action in response to any ethical complaints related to submissions.
Duties of Reviewers:
1. Editorial Contribution: Peer reviewers assist in editorial decisions and can provide valuable feedback to authors to enhance the quality of the manuscript.
2. Timeliness: Reviewers who feel unqualified to review a manuscript or foresee delays in the review process must notify the editor and withdraw from the review.
3. Confidentiality: All manuscripts under review are confidential and must not be shared or discussed with others.
4. Objectivity: Reviews should be objective and provide constructive criticism supported by clear arguments.
5. Source Acknowledgment: Reviewers must identify any significant prior work that has not been cited by the authors and alert the editor to any substantial similarities with other published works.
6. Conflict of Interest: Information obtained during the peer review process must remain confidential and not be exploited for personal gain. Reviewers should abstain from reviewing manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest.
Duties of Authors:
1. Reporting Standards: Authors must accurately present their research and provide a thorough discussion of its significance, ensuring that all underlying data is represented truthfully. Inaccurate or fraudulent statements are unacceptable.
2. Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must confirm that their work is original and properly cite or quote any sources used. Plagiarism in any form is considered unethical and will not be tolerated.
3. Concurrent Publication: Authors should not publish the same research in multiple journals simultaneously. Submissions to multiple journals concurrently are deemed unethical.
4. Source Acknowledgment: Proper credit must be given to the contributions of others, and authors should cite influential works relevant to their research. Privately obtained information must not be utilized without the source's written consent.
5. Authorship: Authorship should be limited to those who have made substantial contributions to the research design, execution, or interpretation. All contributors should be acknowledged or credited appropriately. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors approve the final manuscript.
6. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Authors must declare any financial or other conflicts of interest that could influence their work’s results or interpretation, along with funding sources for their projects.
7. Addressing Errors: If authors identify significant errors in their published work, they must promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate in correcting or retracting the article.
Duties of the Publisher:
The publisher is committed to ensuring that commercial interests do not influence editorial decisions. All articles undergo a rigorous peer-review process to uphold the quality of published research. Additionally, the journal employs plagiarism detection software to maintain the integrity of its publications.
