Ethics and Malpractice Statement

A‑JMRHS adheres to the highest standards of publication ethics as outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). This statement defines the responsibilities of authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher to ensure integrity, transparency, and accountability in all publishing activities.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must ensure their work is:

  • Original and not plagiarized, with all sources properly cited.
  • Conducted with ethical approval from appropriate Institutional Review Boards/Ethics Committees for studies involving humans or animals.
  • Supported by informed consent from human participants, with patient anonymity preserved.
  • Free from fabrication, falsification, or selective reporting of data.
  • Authored only by those making substantial contributions (ICMJE criteria), with all co-authors approving the final version and conflicts of interest declared.

2. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors must:

  • Evaluate manuscripts solely on scientific merit, independent of commercial, financial, or personal influences.
  • Maintain confidentiality of all unpublished materials.
  • Declare and recuse from decisions involving conflicts of interest.
  • Ensure fair, unbiased peer review with at least two independent reviewers.
  • Publish corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern promptly when errors or misconduct are identified.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must:

  • Provide timely, constructive, unbiased feedback based on expertise.
  • Treat manuscripts as confidential documents.
  • Declare conflicts of interest and decline review if compromised.
  • Report suspected ethical issues or plagiarism to the editor without delay.

4. Publisher Responsibilities

Medicolegal Publications commits to:

  • Upholding editorial independence from commercial pressures.
  • Supporting editors in managing ethics violations and maintaining the scholarly record.
  • Archiving content with reputable services (e.g., LOCKSS, Portico) for long-term preservation.
  • Operating under Creative Commons licensing for open access while protecting author rights.

​

5. Ethical Standards for Research

Human Studies: Compliance with Declaration of Helsinki; ethics approval and informed consent required.
Animal Studies: Adherence to ARRIVE guidelines and institutional animal care standards.
Clinical Trials: Registration in WHO/ICTRP-approved registries; CONSORT reporting standards.
Clinical Trial Registration: Prospective registration required for interventional studies.

6. Handling Ethical Violations

Suspected misconduct (plagiarism, data fabrication, unethical research, authorship disputes) triggers:

  1. Preliminary assessment by editors.
  2. Investigation with author response requested (typically 14 days).
  3. Resolution per COPE flowcharts: correction, retraction, or institutional notification.
  4. Publication of outcome (e.g., retraction notice) to maintain transparency.

7. Conflicts of Interest

All parties must disclose financial, personal, academic, or commercial relationships that could influence work or its evaluation. Undisclosed conflicts may lead to rejection or retraction.

8. Intellectual Property and Copyright

Authors retain copyright but grant the journal rights to publish, index, and distribute under Creative Commons licensing. Prior publication (including preprints) must be disclosed.

9. Post-Publication Discussions

Readers may submit concerns or corrections. Editors will investigate and publish responses, errata, or retractions as warranted.

 

Contact for Ethics Concerns: editorajmrhs@gmail.com