Publication Ethics

1. Introduction

Health and Medical Discoveries (HMD) is committed to maintaining high ethical standards in the publication process and promoting integrity and transparency in all aspects of academic publishing. This Publication Ethics Policy outlines the ethical responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, and the journal itself. By adhering to this policy, we aim to foster a trustworthy and responsible publishing environment for the scientific community.

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to HMD are expected to adhere to the following ethical guidelines:

  • Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their manuscript is original, and free from plagiarism. All content, including ideas, data, text, and figures, that are not the author’s own must be properly cited. Self-plagiarism (i.e., reusing one’s own previously published work) is also prohibited.

  • Data Integrity: Authors must present their research data accurately and transparently. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is not acceptable. All sources of data must be clearly cited, and any errors discovered after submission must be promptly communicated to the journal.

  • Authorship: Authorship should be based on substantial contributions to the research, including its design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. All co-authors must have approved the final version of the manuscript and agree with its submission.

  • Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationships that could influence the interpretation or presentation of their research. Conflicts of interest should be explicitly stated in the manuscript.

  • Ethical Approval: For research involving human participants or animals, authors must ensure that the study has received appropriate ethical approval from relevant ethical committees or institutions. This must be clearly stated in the manuscript.

  • Acknowledgment of Contributions: Authors should acknowledge all individuals, organizations, and funding sources that contributed to the research. This includes proper citation of prior work, funding sources, and any contributions from colleagues or institutions.

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers are essential to maintaining the quality and integrity of the review process. Reviewers should adhere to the following principles:

  • Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential. They should not share or discuss the manuscript with others without the editor’s permission. Manuscripts should not be used for personal advantage.

  • Impartiality: Reviewers should assess the manuscript based solely on its scientific merit, relevance, and quality. Personal biases, conflicts of interest, or relationships with the authors should not influence the review process.

  • Timeliness: Reviewers should complete their review within the time frame set by the journal. If they are unable to meet the deadline, they should inform the editorial team promptly to avoid delays.

  • Constructive Feedback: Reviewers should provide detailed, constructive, and unbiased feedback to the authors. The comments should be clear, actionable, and aimed at improving the quality of the manuscript.

  • Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest they may have regarding the manuscript. If a conflict exists, the reviewer should recuse themselves from the review process.

4. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

Editors have a critical role in overseeing the peer review process and ensuring the quality of the journal’s content. Editors are expected to:

  • Fairness and Transparency: Editors must evaluate manuscripts fairly and based on their scientific merit, regardless of the authors’ gender, ethnicity, nationality, or institutional affiliation. Editors must ensure that the review process is transparent and unbiased.

  • Confidentiality: Editors must treat all manuscripts and associated materials as confidential. Manuscripts should only be shared with appropriate reviewers, authors, and editorial team members.

  • Conflicts of Interest: Editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could affect the editorial process. If necessary, editors must recuse themselves from handling a manuscript if a conflict arises.

  • Decision Making: Editors are responsible for making the final decision on the acceptance or rejection of a manuscript. This decision should be based on the reviewers' feedback, the manuscript’s quality, and its relevance to the journal.

  • Ethical Oversight: Editors must investigate and take appropriate action if there are any allegations of unethical behavior, such as plagiarism, data manipulation, or unethical research practices. This includes retracting or correcting published articles when necessary.

5. Ethical Responsibilities of the Journal

Health and Medical Discoveries is committed to maintaining the integrity and ethical standards of the publication process. As part of this commitment, the journal adheres to the following principles:

  • Academic Integrity: The journal will uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, ensuring that all published content is free from plagiarism, falsification, or fabrication.

  • Transparency and Openness: The journal will operate with transparency throughout the publication process, ensuring that authors, reviewers, and editors are informed about decisions, revisions, and updates.

  • Corrections and Retractions: If a published article contains errors or unethical practices (e.g., plagiarism or data manipulation), the journal will issue a correction, retraction, or clarification. These actions will be clearly communicated to readers, and retracted articles will remain visible with a retraction notice.

  • Access and Distribution: Health and Medical Discoveries is an open-access journal, providing free access to all its content. The journal supports the free distribution of research to a global audience, ensuring that scientific knowledge is accessible to all.

  • Compliance with Ethical Standards: The journal adheres to the guidelines established by the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) and the ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) for publication ethics.

6. Consequences of Ethical Violations

If an ethical violation is detected, such as plagiarism, data manipulation, or failure to disclose conflicts of interest, the following actions may be taken:

  • Immediate Rejection: The manuscript may be rejected without further review.
  • Retraction: If the article has already been published, it may be retracted, and a retraction notice will be issued.
  • Institutional Notification: In cases of severe ethical violations, the author’s institution or funding body may be notified.
  • Permanent Ban: Authors found guilty of repeated or severe ethical violations may be permanently banned from submitting future manuscripts to the journal.

7. Policy Review

This Publication Ethics Policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure it remains aligned with best practices in academic publishing. Any updates or changes to this policy will be communicated to authors, reviewers, and editors in a timely manner.