PUBLICATION ETHICS & MALPRACTICE STATEMENT (PEMS)

PUBLICATION ETHICS & MALPRACTICE STATEMENT (PEMS)

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 recognized international guidelines and best practices in ethical scholarly publishing.

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 plagiarism screening via Turnitin.

1.2 Data Accuracy & Integrity

  • Authors must present accurate data and results.
  • Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is unethical and unacceptable.
  • Raw data may be requested by the 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 meet internationally accepted criteria, including:

  • Substantial contribution to conception/design, analysis, or interpretation
  • Drafting or critically revising the manuscript
  • Final approval of the version to be published
  • Accountability for the accuracy and integrity of the work

Gift, guest, or ghost authorship is not allowed.

1.5 Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose:

  • Financial interests
  • Institutional ties
  • Personal relationships
  • Funding sources
  • Any other relationships that could influence interpretation

1.6 Ethical Approval

For studies involving humans, animals, or sensitive data:

  • IRB/ethical committee approval is required
  • Informed consent must be obtained and documented where applicable
  • Patient confidentiality must be respected at all times

1.7 Corrections & Retractions

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

Duties of Reviewers

2.1 Confidentiality

Reviewers must keep all manuscripts confidential and must not share manuscript contents with others.

2.2 Objectivity

Reviews must be:

  • Fair
  • Unbiased
  • Based on scientific merit and ethical standards

2.3 Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must decline review if they:

  • Have financial or professional conflicts
  • Know the authors personally
  • Have collaborated recently with the authors
  • Have any relationship that may compromise objectivity

2.4 Timeliness

Reviewers should complete reviews within the given time frame or inform the journal promptly if delays are expected.

2.5 Ethical Responsibility

Reviewers must:

  • Report suspected plagiarism or duplicate publication
  • Report data manipulation or ethical concerns
  • Avoid using manuscript content for personal advantage
  • Maintain integrity and confidentiality throughout the process

Duties of Editors

3.1 Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific merit and relevance, without discrimination based on:

  • Race
  • Gender
  • Religious belief
  • Institutional affiliation
  • Citizenship
  • Political views

3.2 Fair Review Process

Editors ensure:

  • Double-blind peer review
  • Expertise-based reviewer selection
  • Conflict-free editorial decisions
  • Transparent and consistent decision-making

3.3 Confidentiality

Unpublished manuscripts are confidential and must not be shared outside the editorial and peer review process.

3.4 Handling Misconduct

Editors follow established ethical procedures when dealing with:

  • Plagiarism
  • Data fabrication/falsification
  • Authorship disputes
  • Ethical violations
  • Reviewer misconduct

3.5 Retractions, Corrections, & Expressions of Concern

Editors may issue:

  • Retractions for unreliable findings or confirmed misconduct
  • Corrections for minor errors
  • Expressions of concern for unresolved serious concerns

These actions are carried out transparently and remain part of the permanent scholarly record.

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 where required
  • Protect the rights of authors and readers

Misconduct Handling Procedure

The journal applies established ethical procedures to address:

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

Actions may include:

  • Manuscript rejection
  • Retraction of published articles
  • Author sanctions (including submission bans where appropriate)
  • Notification to institutions and funders when necessary

Retraction & Withdrawal Policy

Retraction Conditions

Articles may be retracted if there is:

  • Evidence of fabrication/falsification
  • Plagiarism
  • Unethical research
  • Serious errors affecting conclusions
  • Duplicate publication
  • Authorship disputes proven valid

Retractions remain accessible, clearly labeled, and may include watermarking and a linked retraction notice.

Article Withdrawal

Withdrawal is generally allowed only before acceptance, or in rare cases due to ethical or legal concerns. Any withdrawal requests must be justified in writing.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

LMJHCR adheres to recognized international publication ethics standards and best practices, including guidance widely adopted across reputable scholarly publishing systems.