Publication Ethics

The Academic International Journal of Medical Sciences (AIJMS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct, academic integrity, and professional responsibility in scholarly publishing. This Publication Ethics Policy outlines the ethical principles, duties, and expectations for all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher.

This policy is guided by the principles and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (https://publicationethics.org/) and other internationally recognized ethical standards. It applies to all research published in AIJMS, including medical sciences, applied sciences, technological innovation, and related interdisciplinary fields.

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to AIJMS are expected to adhere to the following ethical standards:

1.1 Originality and Academic Integrity

Manuscripts submitted to AIJMS must be original works that have not been previously published and are not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Authors must ensure that their work is free from plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, redundant publication, and inappropriate reuse of previously published content. Proper acknowledgment and citation of all sources are mandatory.

1.2 Responsible Use of Data, Methods, and Sources

Authors must accurately report experimental procedures, methods, simulations, models, datasets, measurements, and results. Data fabrication, falsification, manipulation, selective reporting, or misrepresentation of findings constitutes unethical behavior. All technical sources, standards, software tools, and datasets used must be clearly cited.

1.3 Data Transparency and Reproducibility

Where applicable, authors should retain original research data, design files, codes, algorithms, or experimental records and make them available for verification or replication upon reasonable request. Any restrictions on data availability (e.g., proprietary, industrial, security-related, or confidentiality constraints) must be clearly disclosed.

1.4 Authorship and Contribution

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made significant intellectual contributions to the conception, design, execution, analysis, or interpretation of the study. All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission. Contributors who do not meet authorship criteria should be appropriately acknowledged.

Any changes to authorship after submission require written consent from all listed authors.

1.5 Ethical Conduct of Research

Research involving human participants, clinical studies, surveys, interviews, or the use of personal or sensitive data must comply with recognized ethical standards and applicable national and international regulations. Where required, authors must provide evidence of approval from an institutional review board (IRB) or ethics committee.

If formal ethical approval is not required, authors must clearly state this and describe the ethical safeguards applied, including informed consent and data protection measures. Research involving human participants must adhere to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Studies involving animals must comply with internationally accepted standards for animal welfare and research ethics.

1.6 Safety, Environmental, and Social Responsibility

Scientific and technological research must be conducted and reported responsibly, with due consideration for safety, environmental sustainability, and societal impact. Authors should avoid promoting practices, designs, or technologies that pose undue risk, cause harm, or violate legal or ethical norms.

1.7 Conflicts of Interest and Funding Disclosure

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, commercial, or personal relationships that could influence the research or its interpretation. All sources of funding, sponsorship, or material support must be clearly acknowledged within the manuscript.

1.8 Post-Publication Responsibility

Authors have an ongoing responsibility to promptly inform the journal if significant errors, inaccuracies, or ethical concerns are discovered after publication. Authors must cooperate fully with the journal in issuing corrections, clarifications, or retractions when necessary.

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

Peer reviewers play a critical role in maintaining the scientific quality and integrity of AIJMS. Reviewers are expected to:

• Treat all manuscripts under review as confidential documents
• Provide objective, constructive, and respectful reviews based solely on scholarly merit
• Assess originality, methodological rigor, technical soundness, clarity, and relevance to the journal’s scope
• Disclose any academic, professional, financial, or personal conflicts of interest and decline reviews where appropriate
• Identify relevant uncited work and report suspected plagiarism, data irregularities, or ethical concerns to the editors
• Complete reviews within the agreed timeframe

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for ensuring a fair, transparent, and unbiased editorial process. Editors shall:

• Make editorial decisions based on academic merit, originality, technical quality, and relevance to AIJMS
• Maintain confidentiality of manuscripts and reviewer identities
• Declare any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves when necessary
• Investigate allegations of misconduct in accordance with COPE guidelines
• Uphold editorial independence, free from commercial, institutional, or political influence

4. Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher of AIJMS supports ethical scholarly publishing by ensuring:

• Editorial independence and integrity
• Clear and transparent publication policies
• Long-term digital archiving and accessibility of published content
• Timely publication of corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern
• Fair, respectful, and ethical handling of complaints and appeals

5. Research Misconduct and Unethical Practices

Unethical publishing practices include, but are not limited to:

• Plagiarism and self-plagiarism
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Duplicate or redundant publication
• Improper authorship attribution
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest
• Misrepresentation of methods, results, or medical performance
• Ethical violations involving human participants, animals, safety, or sensitive data

All allegations of misconduct are investigated in accordance with COPE recommendations.

6. Research Withdrawal and Retraction Policy

6.1 Grounds for Withdrawal or Retraction

An article may be withdrawn or retracted for reasons including, but not limited to:

• Proven plagiarism
• Fabrication or falsification of data or results
• Duplicate or redundant publication
• Major errors invalidating findings
• Ethical or safety violations
• Authorship or intellectual property disputes
• Unauthorized use of figures, software, datasets, or proprietary materials
• Undisclosed or misleading funding sources or conflicts of interest

6.2 Withdrawal and Retraction Procedure

AIJMS follows a transparent and fair process:

1. Initial assessment by the Editorial Board
2. Formal notification to the corresponding author
3. Opportunity for authors to respond or provide clarification
4. Final decision based on evidence and ethical standards
5. Publication of a formal withdrawal or retraction notice

Retracted articles remain accessible online and are clearly marked as “Retracted” to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

7. Corrections and Expressions of Concern

Minor errors that do not affect the validity or conclusions of a published article may be addressed through a correction notice. In cases where serious concerns exist but investigations are ongoing, the journal may issue an Expression of Concern.

8. Appeals and Complaints

Authors may appeal editorial decisions or submit complaints related to ethical matters. All appeals and complaints are handled objectively, transparently, and in accordance with COPE procedures.

9. Compliance with Ethical Standards

By submitting a manuscript to AIJMS, authors confirm that they have read, understood, and agreed to comply with this Publication Ethics Policy.