Editorial Policies

POLICY 1 — OPEN ACCESS POLICY

Open Access Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) is committed to the principles of immediate, free, and unrestricted access to scholarly research. All articles published in LMJHCR are made available online immediately upon publication, with no embargo period.

LMJHCR follows the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) definition of open access, which allows users to:

Read,
Download,
Copy,
Distribute,
Print,
Search,
Link to the full text of articles,
and use them for any lawful purpose,

without financial, legal, or technical barriers, provided proper attribution to the original work is maintained.

Licensing

All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

This license permits:

Sharing, copying, or redistributing the material in any medium or format
Adapting, remixing, transforming, and building upon the material
— for any purpose, including commercial use

As long as appropriate credit is given to the original authors and the source.

Access and Charges

Readers have complete and free access to all content.
No registration is required to view articles.
Article downloads are free for everyone.
The journal does not charge subscription fees.

(APC/fees will be clarified in the APC Policy separately.)

Copyright

Authors retain full copyright over their published work.

They grant the journal the non-exclusive right to publish and disseminate the article under the CC BY 4.0 licence.

Archiving and Availability

LMJHCR guarantees permanent access to all published content through multiple archiving systems (to be detailed in the Archiving Policy).

Compliance With Funders

This open access policy complies with major funder requirements, including:

BOAI
Plan S
WHO / NIH open access mandates
HEC Pakistan open access guidelines

POLICY 2 — LICENSING POLICY

Licensing Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) uses the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (CC BY 4.0) as its default publishing licence for all articles.

This licence allows:

Permitted Uses Under CC BY 4.0

Readers and users may:

Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material
Use commercially — including for teaching, research, or derivative works

All without requesting prior permission as long as appropriate credit is given to the author(s).

Author Rights

Authors retain full copyright of their work.

By submitting, the author grants LMJHCR a non-exclusive licence to publish the article.

Authors may:

Deposit preprint, postprint, and published version in any repository (see Self-Archiving Policy).
Reuse their work in books, theses, institutional repositories, or conference papers without restrictions.
Share the accepted version with colleagues or students freely.

Licence Display Requirements

To comply with DOAJ:

The CC BY 4.0 licence is clearly displayed on every article page.
The CC BY 4.0 logo and link appear on:

Article landing pages
PDF full text
HTML full text (if applicable)

Standard licence text to insert under each article:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (CC BY 4.0).

(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Licence on PDFs (Required by DOAJ)

Add this text in the footer of every exported PDF:

© Author(s). Published by LMJHCR under CC BY 4.0.

Third-Party Content

Authors must ensure they have permission to reuse or adapt third-party figures, tables, or images.

Any third-party material included in the article must carry its own licence or credit line.

Funder Compliance

The CC BY 4.0 licence complies with:

Plan S
NIH
Wellcome Trust
UKRI
HEC Pakistan
BOAI requirements

POLICY 3 — COPYRIGHT POLICY

Copyright Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) respects and protects authors’ intellectual property rights. All authors publishing in LMJHCR retain full ownership of their work.

Author Copyright Ownership

Authors retain 100% copyright of their articles.

Upon acceptance, authors grant the journal a non-exclusive right to publish, archive, and disseminate the work.

This means:

The author remains the legal copyright holder
The author may reuse their article in any future work
The journal only holds the right to publish the work online and keep it accessible permanently

LMJHCR does not require authors to transfer copyright.

Licence for Publication

All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

Under this licence:

Anyone may share, copy, redistribute, adapt, or build upon the work
Commercial use is allowed
Proper citation to the original author(s) is mandatory

Author Rights After Publication

Authors may:

Deposit preprint, postprint, or published PDF in institutional or subject repositories
Use their article in books, theses, dissertations, or teaching materials
Share the article freely on social media, personal websites, or ResearchGate
Present the article at conferences or professional meetings

No additional permission is required.

Third-Party Copyright

Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission for any copyrighted third-party material (figures, images, questionnaires, etc.) used in the article.

Such content must include:

A credit line
The source
The licence or permission note

Copyright Notice Display (Required by DOAJ)

Every article page and PDF must include:

© Author(s) year of publication. This work is published by LMJHCR under the CC BY 4.0 licence.

Publisher Responsibilities

LMJHCR ensures:

Long-term preservation of published content
Proper attribution to authors
No alteration of the author’s content without permission

LMJHCR follows COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) standards when handling copyright concerns, misconduct, or retraction cases.

Protection Against Misuse

In cases of plagiarism, unauthorized republication, or website scraping:

The journal will issue formal notices
May pursue DMCA takedown actions
Will inform relevant indexing bodies

The authors’ rights remain fully protected under international copyright law.

POLICY 4 — PEER REVIEW POLICY (COMPLETE & FINAL)

(Includes workflow, timelines, responsibilities, transparency, and COPE compliance)

Peer Review Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) follows a rigorous double-blind peer review system to ensure the highest standards of scientific integrity, objectivity, and quality.

Both reviewers and authors remain anonymous throughout the review process.

Type of Peer Review

LMJHCR uses:

Double-Blind Peer Review

Reviewers do not know the identity of the authors
Authors do not know the identity of reviewers
Editors ensure anonymity by removing identifying information from manuscripts

Peer Review Workflow (Step-by-Step)

(Required by DOAJ — fully compliant)

Step 1 — Initial Submission Check (0–3 days)

The editorial office checks:

Scope alignment
Completeness of files
Plagiarism screening via Turnitin
Formatting requirements
Ethical compliance (IRB, patient consent if applicable)

Papers failing initial checks are returned to authors.

Step 2 — Editor-in-Chief / Handling Editor Screening (3–7 days)

The editor evaluates:

Novelty
Scientific quality
Ethical compliance
Fit with journal’s scope

Outcome:

Send for review
Request revisions prior to review
Decline (desk rejection)

Desk rejection reasons are communicated to authors.

Step 3 — Reviewer Selection (7–10 days)

Two independent expert reviewers are invited
A third reviewer may be engaged if needed
Reviewers must declare COI (Conflict of Interest)

Step 4 — Double-Blind Peer Review (14–21 days)

Reviewers evaluate:

Study design and methodology
Statistical analysis
Scientific validity
Clarity, originality, and significance
Ethical considerations
Integrity of data
Literature relevance
Quality of presentation

Reviewers provide:

Detailed comments for authors
Confidential comments to editors
A recommendation:

Accept
Minor revision
Major revision
Resubmit for review
Reject

Step 5 — Editorial Decision (within 5 days of receiving reviews)

The editor synthesizes the reviewer feedback and makes a decision.

Decision letters include:

Reviewers’ comments
Revision requirements
Timeline for resubmission

Step 6 — Revision Process (7–21 days)

Authors must:

Address each reviewer comment
Provide a “Response to Reviewers” document
Submit a tracked-changes version and a clean version

Revised manuscripts may be sent back to reviewers for re-evaluation.

Step 7 — Final Decision (3–7 days)

Based on:

Quality of revisions
Reviewer recommendations
Editorial judgement

Possible outcomes:

Accept
Accept after minor edits
Reject

Step 8 — Production & Publication

Accepted manuscripts undergo:

Copyediting
Proofreading
Typesetting
Final author approval
Online publication (Ahead of Print)
Assignment of DOI

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers must:

Scientific Responsibilities

Provide objective and constructive feedback
Evaluate methodological soundness
Identify ethical concerns or questionable data
Highlight missing or inaccurate citations
Recommend improvements in clarity and rigor

Ethical Responsibilities

Reviewers must:

Maintain confidentiality
Declare conflicts of interest
Not use manuscript data for personal benefit
Follow COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers
Report suspected plagiarism or misconduct

Editorial Responsibilities

Editors must:

Ensure fair and unbiased review
Maintain confidentiality
Make decisions based on scientific merit
Handle conflicts of interest transparently
Follow COPE Code of Conduct for Journal Editors
Manage appeals or complaints professionally

Plagiarism & Ethical Screening

Before review, all submissions undergo:

Turnitin plagiarism check
Ethical compliance screening (IRB, informed consent)
Data integrity checks

Manuscripts with >15% unacceptable similarity may be rejected.

Appeals & Complaints Policy

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by emailing the Editor-in-Chief with justification.

The appeal will be:

Reviewed by a senior editor not involved in the initial decision
Resolved within 2–4 weeks

Complaints about editorial conduct follow COPE guidelines.

Confidentiality

All submitted manuscripts and reviews are treated as confidential documents.

Information is not shared outside the editorial team and reviewers.

Peer Review Transparency

To maintain transparency:

The journal publishes its peer review model on the website
Decision categories are clearly stated
Review timelines are provided
Editorial roles are publicly listed

POLICY 5 — PUBLICATION ETHICS & MALPRACTICE STATEMENT (PEMS)

(Fully aligned with COPE, ICMJE, DOAJ, and best international standards)

Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement (PEMS)

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. The journal follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), ICMJE, WAME, and HEC Pakistan.

This statement outlines the ethical responsibilities of authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher.

Duties of Authors

1.1 Originality & Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that submitted work is entirely original.
All sources must be properly cited.
Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited.
All submissions undergo Turnitin screening.

1.2 Data Accuracy & Integrity

Authors must present accurate data and results.
Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is unethical.
Raw data may be requested by editors for verification.

1.3 Multiple or Duplicate Submission

Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously.
Duplicate or redundant publication is strictly prohibited.

1.4 Authorship Criteria

Authorship must follow ICMJE guidelines:

Substantial contribution to the conception, design, analysis, or interpretation
Drafting or critically revising the manuscript
Final approval
Accountability for accuracy and integrity

Gift, guest, or ghost authorship is not allowed.

1.5 Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose:

Financial interests
Institutional ties
Personal relationships
Funding sources

1.6 Ethical Approval

For studies involving humans, animals, or sensitive data:

IRB/ethical committee approval is required
Informed consent must be documented

1.7 Corrections & Retractions

Authors must cooperate with editors to correct or retract the work if serious errors are found.

Duties of Reviewers

2.1 Confidentiality

Reviewers must keep all manuscripts confidential.

2.2 Objectivity

Reviews must be:

Fair
Unbiased
Based on scientific merit

2.3 Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must decline review if they:

Have financial interests
Know the authors
Collaborated recently with the authors

2.4 Timeliness

Reviewers should complete reviews within the given time frame.

2.5 Ethical Responsibility

Reviewers must:

Report suspected plagiarism
Report data manipulation or ethical concerns
Avoid using manuscript content for personal advantage

Duties of Editors

3.1 Editorial Independence

Decisions are based solely on scientific merit, not:

Race
Gender
Religious belief
Institutional affiliation
Citizenship

3.2 Fair Review Process

Editors ensure:

Double-blind review
Expertise-based reviewer selection
Conflict-free editorial decisions

3.3 Confidentiality

Unpublished manuscripts are confidential and must not be shared.

3.4 Handling Misconduct

Editors follow COPE flowcharts for:

Plagiarism
Data fabrication
Author disputes
Ethical violations

3.5 Retractions, Corrections, & Expressions of Concern

Editors will issue:

Retractions for unreliable findings
Corrections for minor errors
Expressions of concern for unresolved issues

According to COPE and HEC policies.

Duties of the Publisher (LMJHCR / LINK MEDICAL INTERFACE)

The publisher ensures:

Integrity of the academic record
Availability of published articles
Preservation through archiving systems
Independence of editorial decisions

If misconduct is confirmed, the publisher works with editors to:

Correct the literature
Issue retractions
Protect the rights of authors

Misconduct Handling Procedure

The journal uses COPE flowcharts to address:

Plagiarism
Suspected fabricated data
Ethical violations
Reviewer misconduct
Authorship conflicts
Undisclosed conflicts of interest
Duplicate submissions

Actions may include:

Manuscript rejection
Retraction of published articles
Author sanctions
Notification to institutions and funders

Retraction & Withdrawal Policy

Retraction Conditions

Articles may be retracted if:

Evidence of fabrication/falsification
Plagiarism
Unethical research
Serious errors affecting conclusions
Duplicate publication
Author dispute proven valid

Retractions follow COPE guidelines and remain accessible with a watermark.

Article Withdrawal

Allowed only before acceptance, or in rare cases due to ethical/legal issues.

Compliance With Ethical Standards

The journal adheres to:

COPE Code of Conduct
ICMJE Recommendations
HEC Pakistan Journal Guidelines
DOAJ Best Practices
WAME principles

POLICY 6 — ARCHIVING & DIGITAL PRESERVATION POLICY

Archiving & Digital Preservation Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) ensures permanent, secure, and reliable preservation of all published content.

Our digital preservation strategy guarantees that all articles remain accessible forever, regardless of technical failures or journal closure.

Long-term Digital Preservation Systems

LMJHCR uses multiple independent digital preservation mechanisms to ensure permanent availability.

1.1 PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN)

The journal participates in the PKP Preservation Network, which provides free, automated preservation for all OJS journals.

PKP PN ensures:

Long-term archiving
Redundancy across multiple servers
Protection against data loss

Website: https://pkp.sfu.ca/pkp-pn/

1.2 Internet Archive / WebCite

All journal webpages and published articles are periodically captured and archived in the Internet Archive (Wayback Machine) for public preservation.

Website: https://archive.org/

Self-Archiving & Repository Preservation

Authors may deposit:

Preprints
Accepted manuscripts
Published PDFs

in any:

Institutional repository
Subject repository (e.g., PubMed Central when eligible)
National digital library
Personal website

This enhances long-term accessibility beyond journal storage.

(Full details provided in the Self-Archiving Policy.)

Local Server Backups

The journal maintains:

Daily incremental backups
Weekly full backups
Off-site storage on secure servers
Disaster recovery protocols

Backups are securely stored to prevent content loss due to technology failure.

Metadata Preservation

All articles are preserved with:

DOIs
ORCID metadata
Crossref XML
Dublin Core Metadata
OAI-PMH harvesting enabled

This ensures interoperability with indexing and archiving platforms.

Article Permanence

Once published:

Articles remain permanently available
Content cannot be removed or altered
Only corrections, retractions, or updates are permitted
Retractions remain publicly accessible with a watermark

This ensures scholarly integrity and authentic publication record.

Distributed Global Archiving

To ensure redundancy, metadata and full texts are shared with:

Google Scholar
Dimensions
Scilit
Semantic Scholar
Crossref
DOAJ (upon acceptance)

This multiplies the preservation pathways.

POLICY 7 — SELF-ARCHIVING (GREEN OPEN ACCESS) POLICY

Self-Archiving Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) permits and encourages authors to self-archive all versions of their manuscripts.

This policy follows Green Open Access principles and complies fully with DOAJ, Sherpa/RoMEO, COPE, ICMJE, and HEC Pakistan guidelines.

Self-archiving strengthens visibility, accessibility, and long-term preservation of scholarly work.

Versions Authors Are Allowed to Deposit

Authors may archive all three versions of their manuscript without any embargo:

1.1 Preprint

The version submitted before peer review.

Authors may deposit preprints in:

Institutional repositories
Subject repositories (e.g., medRxiv)
Personal websites
Social platforms (ResearchGate, Academia.edu)

Must include:

“This is a preprint and has not undergone peer review.”

1.2 Postprint (Accepted Manuscript)

The version accepted after peer review but before typesetting.

This may be archived immediately.

Allowed repositories:

University repositories
National archives
Disciplinary repositories
Personal websites
Professional networks

Must include citation:

“This is the author’s accepted manuscript of an article published in LMJHCR under CC BY 4.0.”

1.3 Published Version (Version of Record – PDF)

The final formatted PDF published in the journal.

Authors may deposit the published PDF immediately without embargo.

Allowed locations:

Institutional repositories
Government repositories
Third-party repositories
Personal and professional websites
Funding agency archives

Must include:

“© The Author(s). Published by LMJHCR under CC BY 4.0.”

Licence Applied to Self-Archived Versions

All self-archived versions must retain the original licence:

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

This allows:

Sharing
Copying
Redistribution
Adaptation
Commercial use

with proper citation.

Mandatory Citation of Published Article

When archiving any version, authors must include:

Article title
Full author list
Journal name (LMJHCR)
Volume/issue/year
DOI
Publisher (Link Medical Interface)
CC BY 4.0 licence link

This ensures correct attribution and indexing.

Embargo Period

There is NO embargo period.

Authors may archive all versions immediately upon submission, acceptance, or publication.

Allowed Repositories

Authors may deposit in:

University/institutional repositories
Disciplinary repositories
National library systems
PubMed Central (if eligible)
Zenodo, Figshare
ResearchGate, Academia.edu
Personal websites or blogs

Responsibilities of the Journal

LMJHCR ensures that:

Permanent DOIs are assigned
Metadata is preserved
All published versions remain permanently available
Articles can be legally archived anywhere under CC BY 4.0

Compliance With Funder Requirements

This policy complies with:

NIH Public Access
Wellcome Trust
UKRI
European Commission Horizon
HEC Pakistan
Plan S

POLICY 8 — ARTICLE PROCESSING CHARGES (APC) / PUBLICATION FEE POLICY

Article Processing Charges (APC) / Publication Fee Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) is committed to transparent and ethical publishing practices.

In accordance with DOAJ requirements, the journal clearly states all fees associated with manuscript submission, processing, or publication.

Submission Fee

LMJHCR charges no submission fee.

Authors are not required to pay any amount at the time of initial manuscript submission.

Review / Processing Fee

There is no peer review or processing fee.

All submitted manuscripts undergo:

Initial editorial assessment
Double-blind peer review
Plagiarism screening
Editorial decision-making

at no cost to the authors.

Article Processing Charges (APC)

LMJHCR charges an APC of PKR 18000 PKR per accepted article.

This APC is applied only after an article is accepted following peer review.

Includes:

Copyediting
Typesetting
DOI assignment
Online hosting
Long-term archiving
Editorial and administrative costs

No extra charges are applied.

Fast-Track or Priority Review Fee

The journal does not charge for:

Fast-track review
Accelerated publication
Priority handling

Hidden or Additional Charges

LMJHCR does not impose any hidden charges, such as:

Colour figure charges
Page charges
Excess length charges
Supplementary file charges
Administrative charges

The journal’s fee structure is fully transparent.

Waivers

If APCs are applied (Option A), the journal may offer waivers for:

Low-income country authors
PhD students
Early-career researchers
Special issues

Funding Disclosure

If an author receives a grant that covers publication costs, this must be declared in the Funding Acknowledgement section of the article.

Compliance With Open Access Mandates

This policy complies with:

DOAJ transparency standards
COPE and HEC Pakistan requirements
Funders’ Open Access mandates (Plan S, NIH, Wellcome, UKRI)

ARTICLE PROCESSING CHARGES (APC) POLICY

(With APC = 18,000 PKR)

Article Processing Charges (APC) / Publication Fee Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) is committed to full transparency regarding all publication-related fees. In accordance with DOAJ requirements, the journal clearly states all costs associated with manuscript handling.

Submission Fee

No submission fee is charged.

Authors do not pay anything when submitting a manuscript.

Peer Review / Processing Fee

No review or processing fee is charged.

Editorial assessment, plagiarism screening, and peer review are all conducted free of charge.

Article Processing Charges (APC)

A standard APC of PKR 18,000 is charged only after a manuscript is accepted following peer review.

This APC covers:

Professional copyediting
Typesetting and formatting
DOI assignment
Online hosting
Digital preservation and archiving
Administrative and editorial support

No additional charges are applied.

Fast-Track or Priority Review Fees

The journal does not charge for fast-track or urgent review.

No Hidden Charges

LMJHCR does not charge for:

Colour figures
Page length
Extra files
Supplementary materials
Editorial handling
Corrections

The journal maintains full transparency.

Waiver Policy

LMJHCR may provide partial or full waivers for:

Authors from low-income countries
PhD or early-career researchers
Special thematic issues
Authors facing financial hardship

Waiver requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Funding Disclosure

Authors must disclose any grant or funding received for publication.

Funding information will appear in the published article under Acknowledgements.

POLICY 9 — OWNERSHIP & MANAGEMENT DISCLOSURE

Ownership & Management Disclosure

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) is fully owned, managed, and published by:

Publisher

LINK MEDICAL INTERFACE

Incorporation Number: 0257154

Issued by: Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP)

Incorporation Date: 07/05/2024

Registered Office: 8 Commercial Sunny Park, Lahore, Pakistan

Official Email: info@lmi.education

Journal Ownership

The journal is wholly owned by LINK MEDICAL INTERFACE, which is responsible for:

Financial support
Website hosting
OJS platform maintenance
Journal administrative services
Long-term digital archiving
Subscription to preservation networks (PKP PN)

The publisher does not influence editorial decisions.

Management Structure

Editorial Independence

LMJHCR strictly maintains editorial independence.

All editorial decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board, without interference from the publisher.

Editorial Team

The Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editors manage:

Peer review
Editorial decisions
Editorial workflows
Quality control
Ethical compliance

Separation of Roles

To ensure transparency and integrity:

Editorial roles and publishing roles are separate
Editors have full authority over acceptance/rejection decisions
The publisher provides administrative, technical, and financial support
No editorial decision is influenced by APC payments

This model complies with the COPE Code of Conduct for Journal Publishers.

Transparency

LMJHCR discloses:

Publisher identity
Ownership details
Editorial structure
Funding mechanisms
APC information
Peer review system
Ethical standards

POLICY 10 — ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP POLICY

Advertising & Sponsorship Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) maintains strict ethical standards for advertising and sponsorship.

This policy ensures that all advertising practices comply with COPE, DOAJ, WAME, and HEC Pakistan guidelines.

Advertising Policy

1.1 Acceptance of Advertising

LMJHCR may accept limited, non-intrusive advertising that is relevant to:

Health sciences
Medical devices
Research tools
Academic conferences
Educational services

All advertising is subject to editorial approval.

1.2 No Influence on Editorial Decisions

Advertising does not influence:

Manuscript evaluation
Peer review
Editorial decisions
Acceptance or rejection of articles

Editorial independence is strictly maintained.

Types of Advertising Allowed

Advertisements may include:

Banners
Sponsored announcements
Conference notifications
Training/workshop promotions
Relevant product promotions

All ads must be scientifically appropriate and ethical.

Prohibited Advertising

LMJHCR does not accept advertising related to:

Tobacco or alcohol
Illicit or unsafe drugs
Political or religious content
Misleading health claims
Unverified medical treatments
Products violating Pakistani law
Predatory conferences or journals

The journal reserves the right to reject any advertisement.

Editorial & Advertising Separation

To prevent conflicts of interest:

Advertising is managed by the publisher, not the editorial team
Editors do not view or approve promotional content
Reviewers are not exposed to advertisements

This ensures a strict separation between editorial content and commercial interests.

Sponsored Content / Supplements

If the journal publishes sponsored supplements or special issues:

They will undergo the same peer review and ethical checks
Sponsorship will be disclosed clearly on the issue and article
Editors retain full control over content selection
Sponsors cannot influence editorial policies or decisions

Transparency

All advertisements and sponsored content must be:

Clearly labeled
Distinct from editorial content
Displayed in non-intrusive areas

No advertisement is placed “inside” an academic article.

Advertising Fees

Advertising fees (if applicable) are:

Managed directly by the publisher
Not linked to editorial decisions
Available upon request from the editorial office

Complaints About Advertisements

Any complaint regarding misleading or inappropriate advertisements should be submitted to:

editor@linkmjhcr.com

The issue will be reviewed according to COPE and WAME guidelines.

POLICY 11 — COMPLAINTS & APPEALS POLICY

Complaints & Appeals Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) is committed to maintaining high ethical standards and a fair, transparent editorial process.

This policy outlines how authors, reviewers, and readers may raise concerns and how these concerns will be addressed.

All complaints and appeals are handled according to COPE guidelines and the principles of fairness, confidentiality, and independence.

Types of Complaints Accepted

LMJHCR accepts complaints related to:

1.1 Editorial Decisions

Rejection without adequate justification
Misinterpretation of reviewer comments
Excessive or unreasonable delay in review

1.2 Peer Review Conduct

Reviewer bias
Inappropriate or unprofessional comments
Conflict of interest or failure to disclose COI
Evidence of manipulated or fabricated reviews

1.3 Publication Ethics

Plagiarism concerns
Misconduct by authors, reviewers, or editors
Data manipulation
Ethical violations

1.4 Journal Management Issues

Website errors
APC billing disputes
Access or archiving issues
Communication delays

How to Submit a Complaint

Complaints must be sent via email to:

???? editor@linkmjhcr.com

???? info@lmi.education (for publishing-related complaints)

The complaint should include:

Full name and email of complainant
Manuscript ID (if applicable)
Clear description of the issue
Supporting documents (emails, screenshots, timelines)

Acknowledgement & Response Time

All complaints are acknowledged within 3 working days
A full response is provided within 2–4 weeks
Complex cases may require more time, following COPE flowcharts

Complaints Handling Process

4.1 Initial Screening

Handled by the Editor-in-Chief, who will:

Review the issue
Determine validity
Assign to the appropriate editor or committee

4.2 Investigation

May involve:

Editorial board discussion
Communication with reviewers
Examination of emails, review files, and logs
Requesting additional information from complainant

4.3 Decision

After investigation:

A clear, written decision is shared
Justification based on COPE guidelines is provided
If misconduct is confirmed, corrective actions are initiated

Appeals Against Editorial Decisions

Authors may appeal:

Manuscript rejection
Ethical decisions
Review outcomes

Appeals are reviewed by:

A senior editor not involved in the original decision
Or an external expert (if needed)

Possible appeal outcomes:

Decision upheld (with justification)
Decision overturned
New reviewers appointed
Manuscript sent for additional review

Appeals do not guarantee acceptance.

Conflict of Interest in Handling Complaints

If a complaint involves:

An editor
A reviewer
A board member

Then handling is transferred to:

Another senior editor
The publisher
An independent COPE-trained advisor

Ensuring neutrality and fairness.

Confidentiality

All complaint details are kept strictly confidential.

Only individuals directly involved in the resolution process have access to information.

Corrective & Preventive Actions

Depending on the complaint findings, actions may include:

Correction or retraction of a published article
Reviewer replacement or warning
Editorial process revision
Apology to the complainant
Updating journal policies
Training for involved parties
Notification to institutions (in cases of misconduct)

Alignment With International Standards

This policy follows:

COPE Complaint Procedures
COPE Flowcharts for Misconduct Handling
WAME Policy Statements
DOAJ Transparency Principles
HEC Pakistan Ethical Guidelines

POLICY 12 — DATA SHARING & RESEARCH TRANSPARENCY POLICY

Data Sharing & Research Transparency Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) supports open science and encourages authors to make research data openly accessible, transparent, and reusable.

This policy is aligned with the FAIR Principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable), COPE, ICMJE, WAME, and HEC Pakistan guidelines.

Data Sharing Requirement

LMJHCR encourages (and in some cases requires) authors to share:

Raw data
Processed datasets
Statistical code
Questionnaires or tools used
Protocols
Metadata
Supplementary materials

except where privacy, confidentiality, or legal restrictions apply.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that shared data does not violate ethical standards.

Where Data Can Be Deposited

Authors may deposit data in any recognized repository, including:

General-purpose repositories:

Zenodo
Figshare
Dryad
Open Science Framework (OSF)

Institutional repositories:

University repositories
National digital archives

Domain-specific repositories:

ClinicalTrials.gov (clinical trials)
PhysioNet
Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO)
UK Data Service
Mendeley Data

Data Availability Statement (DAS)

A Data Availability Statement is required for all research articles.

Authors must include one of the following:

✔ Example 1: Data Available

The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are available in the Zenodo repository, at DOI: ______.

✔ Example 2: Data Available on Request

The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

✔ Example 3: Data Not Shared Due to Restrictions

Data cannot be shared publicly due to patient confidentiality and ethical restrictions, but may be available upon request with institutional approval.

✔ Example 4: No Data Generated

No new data were generated in this study.

Confidentiality & Ethical Considerations

Data involving:

Human subjects
Medical records
Sensitive personal information
Vulnerable populations

must be de-identified and shared only with appropriate ethical safeguards.

Authors must follow:

Informed consent requirements
IRB approvals
Local and international data protection laws (e.g., GDPR principles)

Data Citation Requirements

All shared datasets must be cited in the reference list with:

Author(s)
Year
Title
Repository name
DOI

This ensures proper attribution and discovery.

Code, Software, and Algorithm Transparency

Authors are encouraged to share:

Analysis code (R, Python, SPSS syntax)
Machine-learning algorithms
Model parameters
Scripts for reproducing analyses

Code may be shared through:

GitHub
GitLab
Bitbucket
Zenodo-linked GitHub repositories

Research Reproducibility

Authors must clearly describe:

Methods
Procedures
Experimental design
Data sources
Inclusion/exclusion criteria
Analysis workflow

This allows reviewers and readers to replicate or validate findings.

Misconduct Related to Data

If falsified, fabricated, manipulated, or unavailable data is suspected:

The journal follows COPE misconduct flowcharts
Editors may request raw data for verification
Manuscripts may be rejected
Published articles may be retracted
Institutions may be notified

Integrity of the scientific record is the highest priority.

Journal Responsibilities

LMJHCR commits to:

Storing supplementary materials securely
Linking published articles to datasets through DOIs
Verifying Data Availability Statements
Supporting ethical and responsible data sharing

Exceptions

Data sharing is not required when:

National security issues apply
Confidential industry data is involved
Legal agreements prohibit sharing
Ethical restrictions prevent disclosure

However, authors must still include a Data Availability Statement explaining the restriction.

POLICY 13 — CONFLICT OF INTEREST (COI) POLICY

Conflict of Interest (COI) Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) is committed to ensuring the integrity, transparency, and impartiality of its editorial, review, and publication processes.

All authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial staff must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.

This policy follows COPE, ICMJE, and WAME guidelines.

Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest exists when professional judgement regarding:

research conduct
manuscript evaluation
editorial decisions
peer-review
writing

may be influenced by financial, personal, academic, institutional, or professional relationships.

Conflicts may be:

1.1 Financial

Funding from commercial entities
Consulting fees
Paid speaking engagements
Stock ownership or equity
Patents or royalties

1.2 Non-Financial

Personal relationships
Academic rivalry
Professional competition
Strong intellectual or political beliefs
Institutional affiliations

1.3 Institutional

Employment at organizations with interests related to the manuscript
Training or supervision relationships
Institutional funding linked to manuscript outcomes

COI Disclosure by Authors

2.1 Required Disclosure

Authors must disclose:

All sources of funding
Past or present financial relationships
Personal or professional relationships with organizations that may benefit
Institutional or departmental incentives
Any influence on study design or reporting

2.2 Where Disclosure Appears

All COI disclosures must appear in the:

Manuscript under “Competing Interests”
Published article
Submission system

2.3 No Conflict Statement

If no conflict exists, authors must state:

“The authors declare that they have no competing interests.”

COI Disclosure by Reviewers

Reviewers must decline review if:

They have collaborated with the authors within the last 3 years
They work in the same department or institution
They have financial or professional ties to the study
They have a strong personal belief that prevents neutrality
They stand to gain professionally from the paper’s acceptance or rejection

Reviewers must disclose any potential conflict immediately to the editor.

COI Disclosure by Editors

Editors must recuse themselves from handling a manuscript when:

They have collaborated with the authors
They work at the same institution
They have a personal relationship with the authors
They have a financial stake in the results
They have academic or competitive conflicts

In such cases, the manuscript will be reassigned to an independent editor without any COI.

COI Disclosure by the Publisher

The publisher, Link Medical Interface, confirms that:

It does not influence editorial decisions
APC payments have no role in acceptance or rejection
Editorial independence is guaranteed
All financial operations are separate from editorial processes

Handling Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest

If undisclosed COI is discovered after submission or publication:

The journal may:

Reject the manuscript
Issue an erratum
Publish an expression of concern
Retract the article (in serious cases)
Notify the author’s institution
Ban the author from future submissions

LMJHCR follows COPE flowcharts for ethical misconduct cases.

COI and Funding Support

All funding must be transparently disclosed in the Funding Statement, including:

Funder name
Grant number
Role of the funder (if any) in study design, analysis, or publication

COI for Special Issues / Guest Editors

Guest editors must:

Complete a COI declaration
Not handle submissions from colleagues, collaborators, or students
Follow all journal ethical procedures

An independent editor will be assigned where conflicts exist.

POLICY 14 — PRIVACY POLICY / DATA PROTECTION & CONSENT POLICY

Privacy Policy & Data Protection Statement

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of authors, reviewers, editors, and readers.

This policy outlines how personal information is collected, stored, used, and protected, in compliance with GDPR principles, COPE, ICMJE, and HEC Pakistan standards.

Information We Collect

LMJHCR collects only the information required for scholarly publishing activities:

1.1 Author Information

Name
Email address
Institutional affiliation
ORCID iD
Country
Contact information
Manuscript files and revisions

1.2 Reviewer Information

Name
Email address
Expertise fields
Affiliation
Review history

1.3 Reader Data

Non-identifiable analytics such as website traffic
Download statistics
Cookies used for website functionality

How We Use Personal Data

Personal data is used strictly for academic publishing purposes:

Manuscript submission and editorial management
Peer review communication
Assigning DOIs and metadata
Journal announcements and updates
Indexing and archiving
Compliance with publication ethics
Reviewer selection

Personal data is never used for marketing, never sold, and never shared with third parties except as required for publishing.

Data Storage & Security

LMJHCR uses secure servers and encrypted connections to store data.

We ensure:

Restricted access to editorial staff
Encrypted data transfer (HTTPS)
Backup and preservation systems (PKP PN)
Secure password-protected systems
Regular server maintenance

No unauthorized personnel can access author or reviewer information.

Use of Cookies

Cookies may be used to improve website usability, such as:

Login sessions
Remembering user preferences
Basic website analytics
Load balancing

Users can adjust browser settings to block or delete cookies.

Data Sharing With Third Parties

Personal data is not shared with third parties except when necessary for journal operation, such as:

DOI registration (e.g., Crossref)
Archiving services (PKP PN)
Indexing services (Google Scholar, DOAJ after acceptance)
Institutional repositories

All third parties adhere to international data protection standards.

Publicly Available Information

Upon publication, the following information becomes public:

Author names
Affiliations
ORCID IDs
Corresponding author email (optional)
Article metadata
Funding details

Reviewer identities remain confidential unless they voluntarily sign an open review.

Reviewer Confidentiality

LMJHCR guarantees:

Strict confidentiality of reviewer identity
Anonymity in double-blind peer review
Secure storage of review reports
Protection against unauthorized disclosure

Reviewer information is never shared outside the editorial workflow.

Data Retention

We retain data only for the period necessary to maintain:

The scholarly record
Journal archiving
Ethical and legal requirements

Authors may request removal of personal data not associated with published articles.

Published articles and associated metadata cannot be deleted, in accordance with COPE and DOAJ standards.

Consent

By submitting a manuscript or accepting a review invitation, individuals provide consent for:

Storage of their information
Use within editorial systems
Contact regarding publication
Publication of author identifiers (e.g., ORCID)

Consent for email usage is implicit in scholarly communication.

Right to Access, Correct, or Delete Personal Data

Individuals may request:

Access to their stored data
Correction of inaccurate data
Removal of personal data unrelated to published content

Requests must be emailed to:

???? editor@linkmjhcr.com

???? info@lmi.education

Data Breach Policy

In the unlikely event of a data breach:

Affected individuals will be notified
The journal will take corrective action
COPE and institutional guidelines will be followed
Servers will be secured and audited

Compliance

This policy complies with:

GDPR data protection principles
COPE guidelines
WAME standards
ICMJE recommendations
HEC Pakistan journal requirements
DOAJ Transparency Principles

POLICY 15 --- EDITORIAL ENDOGENY & SELF-PUBLICATION POLICY

Editorial Endogeny & Self-Publication Policy

The Link Medical Journal of Health and Community Research (LMJHCR) is committed to maintaining editorial objectivity, diversity of authorship, and the highest standards of academic integrity.

To ensure that the journal remains a platform for diverse scholarly voices and avoids excessive self-publication by editors or board members, LMJHCR has established clear limits on editorial endogeny (also known as "endogamy" or self-citation).

This policy aligns with COPE guidelines, and the best international practices for scholarly publishing.

Definition of Editorial Endogeny

Editorial endogeny refers to the proportion of articles published in a journal that are authored or co-authored by members of the journal's editorial team, including:

Editor-in-Chief
Associate Editors
Section Editors
Editorial Board Members
Advisory Board Members
Guest Editors (for special issues)
Peer Reviewers (who regularly review for the journal)

Endogeny Limits

LMJHCR enforces the following limit:

No more than 5% of articles published in any given volume year may be authored or co-authored by members of the editorial team.

This ensures:

Editorial diversity
Objectivity in peer review
Broader representation of the scholarly community
Avoidance of conflicts of interest
Compliance with DOAJ and indexing body standards

Monitoring & Compliance

3.1 Annual Monitoring

The Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Office will:

Track the number of articles published each year
Identify articles authored or co-authored by editorial team members
Calculate the percentage of editorial self-publications
Report annually to the publisher

3.2 Quarterly Reviews

To prevent exceeding the 5% threshold:

The editorial office reviews endogeny statistics quarterly
If the percentage approaches 5%, editors are notified
Additional caution is exercised when considering submissions from editorial team members

3.3 Transparency

Endogeny statistics may be disclosed upon request or during journal evaluations for indexing services.

Handling Submissions From Editorial Team Members

4.1 Mandatory Recusal

When an editorial team member submits a manuscript:

The submitting editor must recuse themselves completely from the editorial process
They cannot:

Handle their own manuscript
Select reviewers
Make editorial decisions
View reviewer comments or identities
Influence the review process in any way

4.2 Independent Handling

Manuscripts submitted by editorial team members are handled by:

An independent editor not affiliated with the author(s)
Preferably an editor from a different institution or country
If necessary, an external guest editor may be appointed to ensure complete objectivity

4.3 Rigorous Peer Review

Submissions from editorial team members undergo:

The same double-blind peer review process as all manuscripts
At least two independent external reviewers
Higher scrutiny to avoid any perception of bias
No preferential treatment in review timelines or acceptance criteria

4.4 Conflict of Interest Declaration

The submitting editor must:

Declare their editorial role in the conflict of interest statement
Confirm they have not influenced the review process
Agree to independent editorial handling

Special Issues & Guest Editors

5.1 Guest Editor Submissions

For special issues managed by guest editors:

No more than 5% of articles in the special issue may be authored or co-authored by the guest editor(s)
Guest editors cannot review or make decisions on their own manuscripts
The Editor-in-Chief or an independent editor handles all guest editor submissions

5.2 Independent Oversight

All special issues are overseen by:

The Editor-in-Chief or senior associate editor
Who reviews final decisions and ensures objectivity
And monitors endogeny limits for the special issue

Reviewer Manuscripts

6.1 Regular Reviewers

If a person who regularly reviews for LMJHCR submits a manuscript:

They must not review any manuscripts during the review of their own submission
Their manuscript is handled independently
No reciprocal reviewing arrangements are permitted

6.2 No Quid Pro Quo

The journal strictly prohibits:

Reciprocal reviewing arrangements
"Peer review rings"
Any agreements where reviewers review each other's work
Trading authorship or citations

Any evidence of such arrangements will result in rejection and potential sanctions.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

7.1 If Endogeny Limit is Exceeded

If the 5% threshold is exceeded in any volume year:

The Editor-in-Chief will immediately implement corrective measures
No additional manuscripts from editorial team members will be accepted until the percentage falls below 20%
A corrective action plan will be submitted to the publisher
DOAJ and other indexing services will be notified if required

7.2 Individual Violations

If an editor is found to have:

Influenced their own manuscript's review
Violated recusal requirements
Engaged in quid pro quo arrangements

Consequences may include:

Immediate manuscript rejection
Retraction of published article
Removal from editorial position
Notification to their institution
Prohibition from future submissions
Reporting to COPE

Encouraging External Submissions

To maintain healthy diversity and minimize endogeny, LMJHCR actively:

8.1 Promotes the Journal Widely

At conferences and academic meetings
Through social media and scholarly networks
Via partnerships with institutions and research centers
Through calls for papers and special issues

8.2 Invites Guest Authors

Encourages submissions from researchers worldwide
Maintains no geographic or institutional preferences
Welcomes early-career and established researchers equally

8.3 Ensures Fair Access

No preference for submissions from specific institutions
Equal treatment for all authors regardless of affiliation
Waiver policies to support authors from low-resource settings

Editorial Team Responsibilities

All editorial team members agree to:

9.1 Professional Conduct

Submit manuscripts only when they represent significant scholarly contribution
Never use editorial position to gain publication advantage
Maintain strict separation between editorial and author roles

9.2 Annual Declaration

Editorial team members must annually declare:

Number of manuscripts they submitted to LMJHCR
Number of manuscripts they submitted to other journals in the field
Confirmation of compliance with this policy

9.3 Transparency

Editorial team members acknowledge that endogeny statistics may be publicly disclosed
They agree to cooperate with any audits or reviews of compliance

Board Composition & Diversity

To further minimize endogeny, LMJHCR ensures:

10.1 Diverse Editorial Board

Editorial board members represent multiple institutions
Board includes members from different countries (when possible)
Board includes diverse career stages and specializations
No single institution represents more than 30% of the board

10.2 Active vs. Contributing Editors

Only editors actively involved in decision-making count toward endogeny limits
Honorary or advisory board members who do not handle manuscripts are tracked separately

Data Availability Statement Requirement

To support transparency monitoring:

All articles authored by editorial team members must include:

Clear author affiliations
Complete conflict of interest disclosures
Statement indicating author's editorial role: "[Author name] is a [position] of LMJHCR. This manuscript was handled independently by [independent editor name] with no involvement from the author in the editorial process."

Reporting & Accountability

12.1 Annual Report

The Editor-in-Chief provides an annual report to the publisher including:

Total articles published
Number and percentage of articles by editorial team members
Confirmation of compliance or explanation of any deviations
Corrective measures taken if threshold approached

12.2 Public Accountability

Upon request, LMJHCR will provide:

Endogeny statistics for any volume year
Confirmation of compliance with DOAJ requirements
Details of independent handling procedures

Policy Review

This policy is reviewed:

Annually by the Editor-in-Chief
Whenever DOAJ or indexing requirements change
If patterns suggest the need for adjustment

Updates are communicated to:

All editorial team members
The publisher
Website visitors (updated policy posted online)

Compliance With International Standards

This policy ensures compliance with:

DOAJ Basic Criteria (maximum 5% editorial self-publication)
COPE Ethical Guidelines for editorial conduct
ICMJE Recommendations on conflicts of interest
WAME Principles on editorial independence
HEC Pakistan standards for scholarly journals

Contact for Concerns

Any concerns about editorial endogeny, self-publication, or potential violations should be reported to:

???? Editor-in-Chief: editor@linkmjhcr.com

???? Publisher: info@lmi.education

All concerns will be handled confidentially according to the journal's Complaints & Appeals Policy (Policy 11).

Effective Date: [Insert date]

Last Updated: [Insert date]

Next Review Date: [One year from effective date]

LMJHCR limits editorial self-publication to maintain objectivity and diversity. No more than 5% of published articles may be authored by members of the editorial team. All submissions from editors undergo independent handling and rigorous peer review with no preferential treatment.

POLICY 15 — AUTHORSHIP & RESPONSIBILITY POLICY

This journal follows internationally accepted standards to ensure fair, transparent, and ethical authorship practices. These guidelines are based on the principles established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Criteria for Authorship

All listed authors must meet all four of the following criteria:

Made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of the work.
Participated in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content.
Provided final approval of the version to be published.
Agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work and to resolve questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of it.

Note: Criteria 2 and 3 are not intended to exclude individuals who made essential contributions to the research.

Some journals may also use the CRediT taxonomy to transparently indicate each author’s role.

Author Roles

The submitting author is responsible for coordinating manuscript submission, providing accurate author information, and ensuring that all authors meet authorship criteria.
The corresponding author acts as the main contact during the peer review and publication process and after publication. The submitting author may also serve as the corresponding author or may designate another eligible co-author.

Group Authorship

Group authorship (e.g., consortia or collaborative groups) is permitted:

Responsible group members should be listed on the title page and meet full authorship criteria.
Other group members who do not meet authorship criteria can be acknowledged separately.

Author Affiliations

Authors must list the institution where the majority of the research was conducted as their primary affiliation.
If authors have moved institutions during the research period, this can be noted using a footnote in the article.
It is the responsibility of the authors to provide accurate affiliation details prior to publication. Affiliations cannot be changed after publication.

Changes to Authorship

Any proposed changes (addition, removal, or reordering of authors) after submission must:

Be requested by the submitting or corresponding author.
Include the authorship change form signed by all listed authors, including any removed or added authors.
Be approved by the editorial team.

No authorship changes are allowed after final acceptance of a manuscript.

Deceased or Incapacitated Authors

If an author dies prior to publication, the consent of their next of kin or legal representative is required to retain their name.
If a sole author passes away, approval for publication must be sought from their legal representative.
If an author becomes incapacitated and cannot give final approval, the editorial office will make reasonable efforts to contact their next of kin. If no contact is possible, the author’s contribution may be recognized in the Acknowledgements section.

Authorship Disputes

Any authorship dispute arising during submission or review will pause the manuscript process.
Unresolved disputes may be referred to the corresponding author's institution.
The journal does not mediate disputes and follows institutional investigation outcomes if post-publication authorship issues arise.

Name and Pronoun Changes Post-Publication

We are committed to respecting author identity and support name and pronoun changes for reasons including (but not limited to) gender affirmation, marriage, divorce, or religious conversion.

To request a name/pronoun change:

Complete a confidential request form including:

Previously published name
Updated name and/or pronouns
Relevant article DOIs
Whether co-authors should be notified (optional)

Changes will be made without a correction notice and the article will be republished with updated metadata while retaining the original DOI and citations.

Requests will be handled confidentially and processed typically within 5–7 business days, though older articles may require additional time.

Reporting Name Errors

Errors such as misspellings, incorrect initials, or incorrect degrees should be handled through our standard post-publication corrections process and not via the name change request form.

For any questions about authorship, changes to author information, or name/pronoun updates, please contact the editorial office. We aim to handle all authorship matters with transparency, inclusivity, and fairness.

POLICY 16 — EDITORIAL DIGNITY AT WORK POLICY

This journal is committed to maintaining an environment of dignity, respect, and professionalism for all individuals involved in the editorial and publishing process. We do not tolerate bullying, harassment, or abusive behavior directed at anyone engaged in these activities, including editors, editorial board members, reviewers, authors, or editorial support staff.

Our Commitment

We affirm that every person has the right to work in a space free from:

Offensive, intimidating, or malicious behavior
Insults, threats, or humiliation
Demeaning or distressing treatment
Any conduct that causes someone to feel vulnerable or unsafe

Such behaviors are unacceptable in any context, including verbal, written, or electronic communications. Even a single incident may constitute a violation of this policy.

Scope of the Policy

This policy applies to all individuals involved in the editorial and publishing lifecycle of the journal, including but not limited to:

Manuscript submission and correspondence
Peer review and editorial decision-making
Communications with authors, editors, reviewers, and journal staff
Post-publication interactions, corrections, or appeals

We expect all parties to engage professionally and courteously throughout the research, review, and publication processes.

Editorial Rights and Actions

We reserve the right to:

Decline to engage in editorial or publishing relationships where we determine that any party has engaged in bullying, harassment, or abusive behavior.
Discontinue existing engagements with individuals or groups who violate these standards.
Take further action where appropriate, including reporting conduct to affiliated institutions, associations, or legal authorities.

This policy reinforces our broader commitment to upholding integrity, equity, and ethical standards in academic publishing. We encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed such behavior in the context of their engagement with the journal to bring it to the attention of the editorial office for appropriate review and action.

Editorial Independence Policy

This journal is committed to maintaining the independence and integrity of its editorial and peer review processes. Commercial or institutional interests have no influence over editorial decisions, and editorial independence is upheld as a core principle throughout the publication process.

Commitment to Editorial Independence

Editors have full authority over editorial content, including the peer review process and the decision to accept or reject articles. All editorial decisions are made based solely on the academic merit of the submission, including:

Validity of the research and conclusions
Contribution to the existing body of knowledge
Compliance with journal policies and scope

Editorial decisions are not influenced by commercial interests, financial relationships, or potential revenue considerations.

Editorial Decision-Making

Editors may reject a submission without external input if it is deemed outside the journal's scope, of insufficient quality, or unlikely to be of interest to readers.
Acceptance decisions are based on input from two or more independent peer reviewers with relevant subject expertise, as well as the editor’s own assessment.
Editors are expected to act in accordance with the best practices outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Handling Complaints and Ethical Concerns

Any concerns or complaints regarding editorial decisions should be directed to the Journal Editor or Editorial Board.
Journal management staff do not participate in editorial decision-making and do not influence editorial outcomes.
Ethical concerns brought to the journal may be addressed collaboratively by the Journal Editor and relevant oversight representatives, in alignment with established publishing ethics guidelines.

This policy affirms the journal’s role in fostering academic freedom, editorial accountability, and rigorous peer review, all of which are essential to the advancement of trustworthy and credible scholarship.

Historical Content Statement

The content published in this journal may span several decades and reflect historical language, perspectives, or practices that were once widely accepted in the scholarly community but may now be considered offensive, outdated, or harmful. While it is essential to preserve the historical academic record, we acknowledge the need to address such content responsibly.

Commitment to Ethical Review of Legacy Content

We are committed to evaluating potentially harmful or problematic content in our archive on a case-by-case basis as it is brought to our attention. Where appropriate, the following actions may be taken:

A Publisher’s Note or Disclaimer may be added to alert readers about the nature of the content.
In instances involving discredited science or content derived from unethical research practices, we may consult with the journal’s editorial team to assess the appropriate corrective action, which could include correction, retraction, or editorial commentary.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We support and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our editorial and publishing practices and are aligned with cross-disciplinary initiatives that address historical biases and support inclusive scholarship.

Reporting Potentially Harmful Content

We encourage readers to report any content they believe may be problematic, harmful, or offensive by providing the following information:

Name
Email
Article Title
Journal Name
Article Link (URL)
Nature of the Issue

Reports will be reviewed in consultation with the editorial team and, where relevant, affiliated societies. If justified, this may result in a disclaimer, correction, or retraction based on the nature and impact of the content.

POLICY 17 — JURISDICTIONAL NEUTRALITY POLICY

This journal is committed to maintaining neutrality on jurisdictional and geopolitical issues. We recognize that the scholarly community is global and diverse, and we aim to foster an inclusive publishing environment that respects the rights and identities of all authors, editors, reviewers, and readers—regardless of geographic origin or affiliation.

Geographic Designations and Institutional Affiliations

All individuals involved with the journal—including authors, editors, editorial board members, and peer reviewers—are requested to provide their current institutional affiliation and country or region as part of the submission or professional profile process.
These designations are provided solely for the purpose of accurate scholarly attribution and to ensure transparency in editorial processes.

Neutral Stance on Disputed Territories and Political Claims

The journal does not take a position on territorial claims, sovereignty disputes, or the legal status of any country or region referenced in institutional affiliations, article content, or author backgrounds.
The inclusion of a particular name for a territory or country should not be interpreted as an endorsement or acceptance of any political stance by the journal or its editorial team.

Author Responsibility

Authors are responsible for ensuring that the terminology used in their manuscripts is accurate, appropriate, and consistent with their institutional policies.
In cases where content includes references to disputed territories, authors are encouraged to use widely recognized international standards or include explanatory footnotes, where necessary, to avoid ambiguity or misrepresentation.

Editorial Discretion and Compliance

Editors may provide guidance or request clarifications in situations where geographic references may be interpreted as politically sensitive or misleading.
The journal reserves the right to adjust or annotate institutional affiliations or country/region identifiers in line with international publication standards or to preserve neutrality.

POLICY 18 — NAME AND PRONOUN CHANGE POLICY

As part of our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, this journal fully supports the right of authors to change their name and/or pronouns in previously published articles for any reason. This includes—but is not limited to—changes due to:

Marriage or divorce
Gender affirmation
Religious conversion
Personal preference

We recognize the importance of authors having control over how they are represented in the academic record. Therefore:

Policy Overview

All name and pronoun change requests will be honored without requiring disclosure of the reason or supporting documentation.
The author's name will be updated across all relevant online records, including the article PDF, HTML, metadata, and indexing systems (e.g., Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar).
The original DOI will remain unchanged, and all previous citations will continue to be valid.
These updates will be made without issuing a correction notice to preserve the author's privacy and prevent unnecessary attention.
Spelling errors or mistakes in author names will still be addressed under the journal’s standard corrections policy.
Changes to affiliations or email addresses that are unrelated to a name change are not covered by this policy.

Co-author Notification Options

To support ongoing scholarly collaboration and citation integrity, authors may choose whether or not to notify co-authors about the change:

You may notify your co-authors yourself
You may ask the journal team to inform co-authors on your behalf
You may opt not to inform co-authors at all

All preferences will be respected, and complete confidentiality will be maintained if requested.

Submitting a Name/Pronoun Change Request

To request a name and/or pronoun update, please provide:

Your previously published name
The updated name and/or pronouns
Your email contact
The DOIs of articles to be updated
Your preference for notifying co-authors

This information will help ensure accurate and respectful implementation of changes. You may submit your request via our Author Guidelines page.

Future Improvements and Integrity

We acknowledge that full anonymization or removal of previous names from all public-facing records is not currently guaranteed. However, we are actively exploring technical improvements to make more comprehensive changes possible in the future.

Misuse of this policy will be treated in accordance with our broader ethics and misconduct guidelines.

POLICY 19 — POLICY FOR THE USE OF GENERATIVE AI AND AI-ASSISTED TECHNOLOGIES IN SCHOLARLY PUBLISHING

Purpose and Scope

This policy outlines the permitted and prohibited uses of generative AI and AI-assisted tools in the preparation, submission, peer review, and editorial processing of manuscripts submitted to the journal. It applies to all authors, reviewers, and editorial team members involved in the publishing process.

Authors

2.1 Permitted Use of AI Tools

Authors may use generative AI or AI-assisted technologies only for enhancing grammar, language clarity, and readability.
Tools such as grammar checkers, spelling correctors, and translation software (e.g., Grammarly, DeepL) may be used without disclosure.

2.2 Prohibited Uses

Generative AI must not be used to:

Generate scientific content, hypotheses, analyses, or conclusions.
Draft sections of the manuscript involving data interpretation, methodology, or results.
Create or manipulate images, graphs, or figures unless AI use is central to the study design.

2.3 Human Oversight and Responsibility

Authors must retain full responsibility for all content produced.
Any AI-assisted output must undergo critical human review, editing, and verification prior to submission.

2.4 Mandatory Disclosure

All use of AI tools beyond standard editing software must be transparently disclosed in a section titled:

"Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Writing Process"

The declaration must include:

The name and version of the AI tool(s) used.
The specific purpose for which the tool was employed (e.g., grammar correction).
A confirmation that the authors reviewed and take full responsibility for the final content.

2.5 AI and Authorship

AI systems cannot be credited as authors or co-authors.
Authorship must be limited to individuals who meet the ICMJE authorship criteria and can take public responsibility for the work.

Figures, Images, and Graphical Content

3.1 Permitted Image Editing

Basic, non-deceptive adjustments such as cropping, brightness, and contrast modification are allowed.

3.2 Prohibited Use

Use of AI to generate or modify scientific figures, artwork, or images is not permitted unless AI is an explicit part of the research method.

3.3 Permissible AI in Research

If AI-generated images are part of the research protocol (e.g., biomedical imaging analysis), the following must be documented in the Methods section:

Name, version, and developer of the AI tool.
Description of pre- and post-processing methods.
Availability of raw (unprocessed) data upon request.

Peer Reviewers

4.1 Confidentiality Obligation

Reviewers must not upload any manuscript content to AI tools, even for grammar checking, due to confidentiality and data privacy risks.

4.2 Prohibited AI Assistance

Use of generative AI to:

Interpret data,
Evaluate methodology,
Summarize findings, or
Draft peer review reports

is strictly forbidden. Peer review must remain a human-conducted and accountable process.

Editors and Editorial Board Members

5.1 Confidentiality

Editorial team members must treat all submission materials and internal communications as strictly confidential and must not input such content into any AI tools.

5.2 AI Prohibition in Editorial Decisions

Generative AI cannot be used to:

Assess scientific validity,
Make editorial recommendations,
Draft editorial decisions or reviewer invitations.

5.3 Permitted Use

In-house editorial AI tools approved by the publisher (e.g., for plagiarism screening or reference formatting) may be used if they comply with data security and ethical standards.

Compliance, Violations, and Updates

Suspected violations of this policy will be investigated and may result in rejection, retraction, or reporting to institutions or ethics bodies.
These guidelines may be revised periodically to reflect evolving AI capabilities, ethical standards, and regulatory frameworks.

Permissible AI Use

Stakeholder	Permitted AI Use	Disclosure Required	AI Use Not Allowed
Authors	Language editing, grammar, translation	Yes, for generative AI	Generating scientific content, conclusions, or images
Reviewers	None	N/A	Using AI to analyze, critique, or summarize manuscripts
Editors	In-house tools for workflow (e.g., plagiarism check)	N/A	Decision-making, assessments, uploading manuscripts to AI tools

POLICY 20 — POLICY ON COMMENTARIES, CRITIQUES, AND AUTHOR RESPONSES

This journal accepts scholarly commentaries, critiques, and responses that offer informed perspectives or constructive challenges to previously published articles. These submissions serve as a forum for academic debate, clarification, and the advancement of scientific discourse.

Scope and Eligibility

Submissions may include:

Constructive commentaries or critiques on articles previously published in this journal or, where appropriate, in other reputable outlets.
Responses by original article authors addressing critiques of their work.
Rejoinders by commentators responding to author replies.

Commentaries and critiques must be clearly evidence-based, focused on academic discourse, and respectful in tone.
The inclusion of primary research data in critiques is permitted, provided the data is relevant and ethically collected.

Editorial and Review Process

All critiques and related submissions are first evaluated by the Editor for clarity, relevance, and scholarly value.
If the critique includes primary research data, it will be peer reviewed by subject experts selected by the editorial team.
Authors of the original article will be given the opportunity to submit a response, which will undergo the same editorial and peer review process.
A rejoinder may be permitted, subject to the same peer review and editorial standards.

Process Flow Example

Critique submitted on a published article → Editorial review → Peer review (if applicable).
Original author invited to respond → Response undergoes editorial and peer review.
Critique author may submit a rejoinder → Also reviewed editorially and (if appropriate) via peer review.
Simultaneous publication: If all are accepted, the critique, author response, and rejoinder will be published together to provide full context.
Closure: Once this exchange is published, no further correspondence on the matter will be considered for publication.

Ethical and Transparency Considerations

In accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidance:

Original authors must be notified and allowed to respond prior to critique publication.
All parties will be held to equal standards of scrutiny in the editorial and review process.
If the original article appeared in another journal, editors and authors of that journal should be informed, and a note should be added to the critique upon publication.

If the critique identifies serious errors or omissions in a published article from this journal, the editorial team will consult the publisher to determine whether a correction, retraction, or editorial note is warranted, in line with the journal’s Retraction and Correction Policy.

Submission Requirements

Commentaries and critiques may be subject to word limits, typically between 1000–2000 words, and may allow up to 10 references and 1–2 tables or figures, depending on journal section guidelines.
Authors must clearly identify the article being addressed and the nature of their concern or contribution.
Submissions should include a cover letter stating the reason for submission, any conflicts of interest, and confirmation of ethical compliance if data is used.

POLICY 21 — PRIOR PUBLICATION POLICY

This journal adheres to ethical publishing standards and aligns with the COPE Guidelines on Redundant Publication. To maintain the integrity of the academic record and prevent duplication, authors are required to disclose any prior publication or public distribution of their manuscript at the time of submission.

Disclosure Requirements at Submission

Authors must:

Disclose any prior distribution or publication of all or part of the manuscript during submission.
Clearly mark any quoted material and provide appropriate attribution.
Describe the nature and location of any previously disseminated versions (e.g., preprints, theses, conference abstracts).

General Rule

If a substantial portion of the manuscript has already been published elsewhere, it is generally not eligible for publication in this journal. However, there are certain exceptions, depending on the journal’s policy, where prior distribution does not constitute prior publication.

Acceptable Forms of Prior Distribution

The following forms of public dissemination may be considered acceptable (depending on the journal’s review model and scope):

Preprints and Working Papers

Posting manuscripts on preprint servers (e.g., bioRxiv, medRxiv, preprints.org) or scholarly collaboration networks (e.g., ResearchGate, Academia.edu) may be acceptable.
Authors should consult the journal’s submission guidelines to confirm its stance on preprints.
Authors should note that sharing preprints may compromise anonymity in double-anonymized peer review.

Theses and Dissertations

Content from institutional repositories such as university thesis collections is generally acceptable, provided that:

The thesis has not been formally published in a peer-reviewed journal.
The content has been revised, properly cited, and is original.

Conference Presentations

Manuscripts based on conference abstracts, presentations, or posters may be considered, provided they:

Have not been published in full.
Are significantly developed beyond the presentation.
Include proper disclosure of the prior presentation and rights retention by the author.

Clinical Trial Registries and Raw Data

Use of previously registered trial data or raw datasets is acceptable if:

Reuse of data complies with repository or institutional permissions.
Any prior publications from the dataset are disclosed and referenced.
Reuse of compiled tables or appendices from another source is cleared for permissions.

Restrictions After Submission

Once a manuscript is submitted:

Authors are discouraged from posting updated versions on preprint platforms or public websites until a final decision is made.
After acceptance, authors may share the article only according to the journal’s open access and archiving policies (see Guidelines for Authors).

Note: The final published version (PDF) may not be posted to unrestricted public sites such as preprint servers, personal websites, or article-sharing platforms (e.g., ResearchGate, Academia.edu), unless explicitly permitted under a license.

Questions and Clarification

If there is any uncertainty regarding the eligibility of previously shared content, authors should contact the journal’s editorial office prior to submission. Peer reviewers and editors reserve the right to determine whether a prior version compromises the novelty of the submission.

POLICY 22 — REQUEST FOR ANONYMITY POLICY

Authors who wish to publish anonymously may request to do so under specific circumstances. This option is available to protect individuals facing legitimate personal safety, privacy, or other sensitive concerns. The journal is committed to handling such requests with confidentiality, respect, and care.

Making a Request

To initiate a request for anonymous authorship:

Authors must submit a formal written request to the Journal Editor.
The request must clearly state the reason(s) for seeking anonymity.
Examples of legitimate reasons include:

Threats to personal safety
Political or social sensitivity
Risk of discrimination or persecution
Gender identity concerns or related personal circumstances

Review Process

Each request will be evaluated individually by the Journal Editor, in consultation with the journal’s ethics committee or governing board, as needed.
The review will follow guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and international best practices.
The journal will ensure that the review process maintains strict confidentiality regarding the identity of the requesting author(s).

Important Considerations

While the journal aims to support anonymity where warranted, this must not compromise academic integrity, authorship accountability, or the peer review process.
Anonymous authorship may not be compatible with certain legal, ethical, or indexing requirements, and may impact the discoverability of the work.
The editorial team will work with the author to explore alternative solutions, such as pseudonyms or footnoted clarification, if full anonymity cannot be granted.

Contact Information

For questions or to submit a request, authors should contact the Journal Editor directly via the journal’s editorial office.

POLICY 22 — Simultaneous Submissions Policy

To uphold the integrity of academic publishing and ensure fairness in the peer review process, our journal strictly prohibits simultaneous or duplicate submissions of manuscripts.

Authors must ensure that their manuscript is not under consideration for publication elsewhere—either in whole or in part—at the time of submission to this journal. Submissions found to have been sent simultaneously to another journal will be subject to immediate investigation.

When notified of simultaneous or duplicate submission, the editorial office will pause manuscript processing. A formal investigation will be conducted to assess the validity of the claim. This process will follow established ethical standards, including those outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Should the journal Editor or the publisher identify ethical concerns or confirm the duplicate nature of the submission, the manuscript will be rejected without further review. Authors may also be subject to additional sanctions as deemed appropriate, which may include a ban on future submissions for a defined period.

Authors are strongly advised to disclose any related submissions, preprints, or conference presentations that overlap with their manuscript at the time of submission. Failure to disclose relevant information may result in ethical investigation and appropriate corrective action.

Editorial Policies

Information

Indexing

Indexing and Recognition

Access and Licensing

Publishing and Ethics

Organization