Publication Ethics

📑 Decision on the Publication of Articles

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding which submitted articles should be published, guided by the journal's editorial policies and legal obligations regarding copyright and plagiarism. They may consult with other editors or reviewers to reach a final decision.

⚖ Fair Play

Manuscripts should be assessed based solely on their intellectual worth, without any consideration given to the author's ethnicity, citizenship, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender, or any other personal characteristics.

🔒 Confidentiality

The Editor-in-Chief and editorial staff should not reveal any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone except the authors, reviewers/potential reviewers, and editorial advisers.

🔍 Plagiarism

The Editor-in-Chief or authorised editorial staff should use appropriate software or tools to check the originality and similarity of all submitted manuscripts. If any manuscript is found to have plagiarised content from published or unpublished works by other authors, it will face plagiarism sanctions.

🚫 Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Editors should refrain from evaluating manuscripts if they have conflicts of interest stemming from collaborative, competitive, or other relationships with the authors, institutions, or companies associated with the manuscripts.

🎯 Standards of Objectivity

Reviews must be conducted objectively, without resorting to personal criticism. Reviewers should clearly express their comments by providing supporting arguments to back up their claims.

📁 Contribution to Editorial Decision

Proper peer review helps the Editor-in-Chief in making informed decisions about the manuscript. Additionally, it provides a platform for constructive editorial communications between the author and reviewers that may lead to an improvement in the quality of the paper.

🔒 Confidentiality

Receiving a manuscript for review is confidential. It should not be shared or discussed with anyone else unless authorised by the Editor-in-Chief. Any privileged ideas or information obtained during the peer review process must be kept confidential and should not be used for any other purpose.

⏱ Promptness

If a chosen reviewer feels unqualified to assess the assigned manuscript or cannot provide a timely review, they should inform the Editor-in-Charge and decline participation in the review.

🚫 Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers should not evaluate manuscripts if they have conflicts of interest stemming from competitive, collaborative, or other associations with the authors, institutions, or companies relevant to the manuscripts.

📚 Acknowledgment of Sources

Reviewers should identify pertinent published articles that the authors have not cited. Any statement previously reported elsewhere should include the relevant citation. Reviewers should also alert the Editor-in-Charge to any significant overlap or similarity between the manuscript under review and any other published work.

📄 Multiple and Concurrent Publications

Authors should not publish or submit manuscripts that describe the same research in more than one journal or publication, whether in the same or different languages. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently is against publishing ethics and is not acceptable.

🔍 Originality and Plagiarism

Authors should warrant that their article is completely original and not a reproduction of previously published works or AI-generated work. If authors have used any pre-existing words or work, they must properly quote or cite them. When authors use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in writing the article, they should ensure that these technologies are used only to improve the language and readability of the work.

👥 Authorship of the Paper

Authorship should be restricted to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the conception, analysis, design, implementation, or interpretation of the study. All those who have made significant contributions must be listed as co-authors. Authors should not include AI or AI-assisted technologies as authors or co-authors in their manuscripts, nor should they cite AI as an author. Authorship carries responsibilities and tasks that are unique to human beings.

💼 Conflicts of Interest

All authors must disclose any substantive or financial conflicts of interest in their manuscript that may potentially influence the results or interpretation. Additionally, all sources of financial or substantive support for the study should be fully disclosed.

📝 Reporting Standards

Authors must provide an accurate and truthful account of the work conducted, along with an impartial discussion of its importance. They should represent the underlying data accurately in the manuscript, including sufficient details and references to enable others to replicate the study.

📚 Acknowledgment of Sources

Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work.

📊 Data Access and Retention

Authors may be requested to provide the raw data relating to their study for editorial or peer review, and must be willing to allow public access to it if feasible. They must keep the data available for a reasonable period after publication.

⚠ Fundamental Errors in Published Works

If an author finds a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must immediately inform the journal editorial office or Editor and collaborate with them to correct or retract the paper.

🏢 Publisher Responsibilities

A publisher has a responsibility to establish journal policies and ensure they are followed, particularly regarding research ethics, editorial independence, transparency, integrity, authorship, and peer review. The publisher should review these policies periodically, particularly in light of new recommendations from organisations such as COPE, and ensure that journal content is published promptly.

⚠ Handling of Unethical Publishing Behavior

If an article is suspected of plagiarism, fraudulent publication, or academic misconduct, the publisher along with the Editor-in-Charge should take corrective action to investigate and address the issue. This may include clarifying or amending the article, issuing a correction or retraction, or taking further disciplinary action as necessary.

🔓 Access to Journal Content

The publisher has a responsibility to ensure that scholarly research is permanently available and preserved, including through the use of digital archiving systems. They should also partner with organisations that specialise in maintaining digital records and certify that the research is accessible to the public.

🔒 Confidentiality

The publisher must respect the privacy of authors and peer reviewers.

💾 Digital Preservation Policy

Digital preservation involves processes and actions to safeguard digital information, ensuring its backup and distribution for sustained accessibility over the long term. The journal's digital content is highly valuable, and the following measures are taken to ensure its ongoing accessibility and preservation:

📢 Advertising Policy

• All advertisements must receive approval from the publisher or the Editor-in-Chief.
• Advertisements are entirely separate from editorial decisions. The Editorial Board does not endorse any product or service advertised in the journal.
• Advertisements are presented in a distinct section from the content and are clearly separated from editorial material.
• Editorial content remains independent of financial or commercial interests or any arrangements with sponsors or advertising clients.
• Advertisers have no influence over search results in the publisher's journal.
• All advertisements must be non-discriminatory and comply with applicable laws.
• Advertisements should include the advertiser's trademark or signature.
• The publisher does not disclose personally identifiable data on website users.
• Advertisements should clearly identify the advertiser and the product or service offered. Exaggerated language is not permitted.
• Advertisements may be removed from the journal site at the request of the Editor(s)-in-Chief or Publisher.
• The journal prohibits treatment-specific or drug-specific campaigns from targeting specific articles or relevant content pages.