Publication Ethics Policy

Greenfort International Journal of Applied Medical Science follows the Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), as well as the ICMJE Recommendations. The journal is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards at all stages of the publication process.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

Authorship

Authorship must be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, interpretation, drafting, or critical revision of the manuscript.
All authors must approve the final version and agree to its submission.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that their manuscripts are entirely original. Any text, data, or ideas taken from other sources must be properly cited.

Data Access and Retention

Authors may be asked to provide raw data for editorial review and should be prepared to ensure public availability of data when appropriate.

Multiple or Redundant Publication

Submitting the same research to more than one journal is unethical. The journal does not consider abstracts, theses, or preprints as prior publications.

Acknowledgment of Sources

All sources that influenced the research must be properly acknowledged.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence the research.

Correction of Errors

If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy after publication, they must promptly notify the journal and cooperate in issuing a correction or retraction.

Research Involving Humans or Animals

Authors must confirm compliance with institutional and international guidelines.
Ethics committee approval and informed consent are required for studies involving human participants.

Patient Privacy

If patient images or case details are used, authors must obtain and document explicit informed consent.

2. Responsibilities of Editors

• Ensure a fair, unbiased, and timely review process.
• Evaluate manuscripts based solely on academic merit.
• Maintain confidentiality of submissions.
• Follow COPE guidelines when handling ethical concerns or potential misconduct.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

• Provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations.
• Maintain confidentiality of manuscripts.
• Disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
• Report any suspected ethical issues, plagiarism, or data irregularities.

4. Authorship Change Policy

Authorship changes are considered only in the following cases:

• Adding or removing an author before publication
• Adding or removing an author after publication

Process for Authorship Change

1. A valid written reason must be provided for the requested change.
2. All authors must provide written consent agreeing to the change.
3. If unanimity is not achieved, the request cannot be processed until all authors reach an agreement.

5. Handling Ethical Misconduct

The journal follows COPE flowcharts for addressing:

• Plagiarism
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Authorship disputes
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest
• Ethical breaches involving human or animal subjects

Depending on the severity, actions may include:

• Requesting clarification from authors
• Issuing corrections or retractions
• Informing the authors’ institution or funding agency
• Restricting future submissions in serious or repeated cases