International Research Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

History of the Journal

The International Research Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences was established in 2015 to address the need for rapid dissemination of clinically relevant research that bridges the gap between laboratory discoveries and patient care. Since its inception, the journal has become a respected source of medical knowledge worldwide.

Milestones

• 2015: Journal launched with inaugural issue focusing on translational medicine
• 2017: Achieved indexing in PubMed Central and EMBASE
• 2019: Implemented fast-track review for clinically urgent research
• 2021: Reached 800+ published articles with significant clinical impact
• 2023: Expanded editorial board with leading clinicians and researchers from top medical institutions
• 2025: Celebrating 10 years of advancing medical science and improving healthcare

Growth and Impact

The journal has experienced significant growth, attracting submissions from prestigious medical schools, teaching hospitals, and research institutions worldwide. Our readership includes clinicians, researchers, medical educators, and healthcare policymakers. The journal's articles have informed clinical practice guidelines, influenced health policies, and contributed to medical education globally.

Aims and Scope

The International Research Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences aims to publish high-quality, clinically relevant research that advances medical science, improves healthcare delivery, and enhances patient outcomes across all medical specialties.

Scope

The journal covers a comprehensive range of topics within medicine and biomedical sciences, including but not limited to:

• Clinical Medicine: Internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics & gynecology, psychiatry
• Biomedical Sciences: Anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, pathology
• Translational Research: Bench-to-bedside research, clinical applications of basic science
• Clinical Trials: Phase I-IV trials, observational studies, comparative effectiveness research
• Medical Education: Teaching methods, curriculum development, assessment, continuing medical education
• Healthcare Systems: Health services research, quality improvement, patient safety, health economics
• Public Health: Epidemiology, preventive medicine, health promotion, global health
• Medical Technology: Medical devices, digital health, telemedicine, artificial intelligence in medicine
• Genomic Medicine: Pharmacogenomics, personalized medicine, genetic testing
• Infectious Diseases: Emerging infections, antimicrobial resistance, vaccine development
• Chronic Diseases: Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders
• Surgical Sciences: Surgical techniques, perioperative care, surgical innovation
• Diagnostic Medicine: Laboratory medicine, radiology, pathology, diagnostic algorithms
• Therapeutics: Drug development, treatment protocols, rehabilitation, palliative care

Editorial Board

Chief Editors

Associate Editors

• Prof. Antoine Berbéri
  Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery,
  School of Dentistry,
  Lebanese University
  Lebanon.
• Associate Professor Tao Chen
  Medical College
  SooChow University
  Suzhou,
  China.

Editorial Board Members

• Dr. Mohd. Shahbaaz Khan
  Department of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery
  Fortis Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre,
  New Delhi,
  India.
• Dr. Mustafa Çelik
  Bakirköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital,
  Department of Otolaryngology,
  Head and Neck Surgery,
  34147 Istanbul Turkey.
• Dr. Ahmed Abdellatif Abdelkader Mohammed
  Faculty of Medicine,
  Alexandria University,
  Egypt.

Editorial Policy

This policy describes guidelines in the publication process of our journals. Specifically, Journal Issues adopts and strive to adhere to the following standards and requirements:

Authorship

An author is an individual who has significantly contributed to the development of a manuscript. The ICMJE recommends that authorship be based on the following four criteria:

1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; and
2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and
3. Final approval of the version to be published; and
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Acknowledgement

Individuals who participated in the development of a manuscript but do not qualify as an author should be acknowledged. Organizations that provided support in terms of funding and/or other resources should also be acknowledged.

Changes in authorship

Whenever there is a need to make changes in the authorship of a manuscript or a published article, the changes will be implemented according to COPE specification.

Only corresponding authors can make request for a change in authorship. Request should be made to the editor using the Changes in Authorship Form or via e-mail from the corresponding authors email address.

Conflict of interest

"Conflict of interest (COI) exists when there is a divergence between an individual's private interests (competing interests) and his or her responsibilities to scientific and publishing activities such that a reasonable observer might wonder if the individual's behavior or judgment was motivated by considerations of his or her competing interests" WAME.

Authors should disclose all financial/relevant interest that may have influenced the development of the manuscript.

Reviewers should disclose any conflict of interest and if necessary, decline the review of any manuscript they perceive to have a conflict of interest. Editors should also decline from considering any manuscript that may have conflict of interest. Such manuscripts will be re-assigned to other editors.

Confidentiality

A submitted manuscript is a confidential material. Journal Issues will not disclose submitted manuscript to anyone except individuals who partake in the processing and preparation of the manuscript for publication (if accepted). These individuals include editorial staff, corresponding authors, potential reviewers, actual reviewers, and editors. However, in suspected cases of misconduct, a manuscript may be revealed to members of Journal Issues' ethics committee and institutions/organizations that may require it for the resolution of the misconduct.

Peer review

The review process is an important aspect of the publication process of an article. It helps an editor in making decision on an article and also enables the author to improve the manuscript.

Journal Issues operates a blind peer review system.

Author(s) identity is removed from the manuscript and shielded from the reviewers during the review process. The reviewer is left with only manuscript without any information that might enable him/her uncovers the identity of the author(s). Information removed includes the author(s) name, address/affiliation, country, phone/fax and email. Any information in the Acknowledgement and Declaration of Conflict of Interest that may lead to the uncovering of the identity of the author is also removed from the manuscript prior to sending it to reviewers.

Manuscripts are assigned to members of the editorial board of the journal or other qualified reviewers. The Manuscript Review Form is used to report the reviewers' evaluation of the manuscript.

A Review Certificate is issued to reviewers after the review of the manuscript (Optional).

Editors and Editorial Boards

Editors are responsible for making final decisions on a manuscript. Journal Issues require all editors and editorial board members to adhere to COPE Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

Editorial Freedom

Interference with the editorial freedom of editors construes misconduct. Journal Issues strictly forbids the interference with the editorial freedom of any of its editors. Suspect cases of interference will be reported to the ethics committee.

Joining Editorial Boards

To join an editorial board of a journal published by Journal Issues, a prospective board member should have completed a doctorial programme. The area of expertise of the prospective board member should fit with the aims and scope of the journal. The applicant should also have research experience and publications in his/her area of expertise.

Editorial board member should be prepared to create adequate time to evaluate assigned manuscript in a timely manner.

Applicants for editorial board should complete the editorial board membership form and submit current resume. The application will be evaluated by an editor or an existing editorial board member.

Editorial board is reviewed periodically. Members may be asked to submit updated version of their profile/resume. Inactive members may be removed from the board.

Misconduct

Misconduct constitutes violation of this editorial policy, journal policies, publication ethics, or any applicable guidelines/policies specified by COPE, WAME, ICMJE, and STM. Any other activities that threaten/compromise the integrity of the research/publication process are potential misconducts. Suspected cases of misconduct will be investigated according to COPE guidelines.

Correction and Retraction of Articles

Corrections may be made to a published article with the authorization of the editor of the journal. Editors will decide the magnitude of the corrections. Minor corrections are made directly to the original article. However, in cases of major corrections, the original article will remain unchanged, while the corrected version will also be published. Both the original and corrected version will be linked to each other. A statement indicating the reason for the major change to the article will also be published.

When necessary, retraction of articles will be done according to COPE retraction guidelines.

Journal Issues will review and update this editorial policy periodically.

Instructions for Authors

The International Research Journal of Public and Environmental Health (IRJMBS) (ISSN: 2360-8803 (Online) ISSN: 2814-3817 (Print)) is a double blind peer review open access journal published monthly online by Journal Issues. It publishes theoretical, empirical and experimental papers that contribute significantly to the disciplines of Public and Environmental Health.

Procedure for the submission of manuscripts

Manuscript should be submitted online via IRJMBS SUBMISSION PORTAL . Upon receipt of manuscript submission, the Editor-in-chief sends an e-mail of confirmation to the corresponding author within 1-2 working days. In absence of a confirmation email, you are advice to contact the help Assistant via this email address: info@journalissues.org.

Organisation and style of manuscripts

The cover letter should include:

• The name of author(s) including first name(s).
• Name of the department(s) institution(s) in which the work was done including full contact address telephone/fax numbers of authors and that of the corresponding authors.
• It should be in an e-mail message sent to the Editor-in-chief along with the article.
• The authors may also suggest two or more reviewers for the manuscript along with their Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for proper identification of the reviewer(s).
• The author should take the undertaking that the manuscript has not been published elsewhere except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis. Also, in the case of more than one author, the corresponding author should do same.

Peer Review

All manuscripts are subject to double-blind system for peer-review; the reviewer(s) identities remain anonymous to authors. The paper will be peer-reviewed by three experts; one is an editorial board member and the other two are external reviewers. The review process may take 12 days. Decisions will be made as fast as possible, and reviewer(s) comments sent to the author immediately.

Types of Articles

Author(s) are advised to carefully consider the preparation of papers to ensure that they communicate efficiently. Papers are much more likely to be accepted, if they are carefully designed and laid out, containing fewer or no errors. Papers should be conventional to the approach and instructions. However, author(s) are advised not to do self citation of previous study within their paper in order to uphold the credibility of their paper. Articles with self citations may not stand the chance of being accepted except absolutely necessary.

Original Research Articles Format

All portions of the manuscript must be typed double-spaced and all pages numbered starting from the title page.

• The Title should be a brief phrase describing the contents of the paper. The Title Page should include the authors' full names and affiliations, the name of the corresponding author along with phone, fax and E-mail information. An asterisk (*) must be placed after the corresponding authors name as superscript whose email id, fax, telephone number can be given at the bottom left corner of the title. Corresponding author has the responsibility to ensure that all co authors are aware and approve the contents of the submitted manuscript.
• An abstract of not more than 200 words should contain the objective, concise description of study design of plan, result and conclusion. Authors may list a maximum of ten keywords for subject classification.
• Abbreviations are to be used sparingly and given at first mention of word. Each abbreviation should be spelled out and introduced in parentheses the first time it is used in the text. Only recommended SI units should be used. Please separate the items by ";".
  E.g. HIV: human immunodeficiency virus; SIV: simian immunodeficiency virus;
• The Introduction should provide a clear statement of the problem, the relevant literature on the subject, and the proposed approach or solution. It should be understandable to colleagues from a broad range of scientific disciplines.
• Materials and methods This should be sufficiently detailed (with reference where possible) to permit other work to duplicate the study. Sources of materials used must be given and statistical method must be specified by reference unless non standard ones are used.
• The Results must be clearly and concisely with the help of appropriate illustrative material tables and/or figures.
• The Discussion should interpret the findings in view of the results obtained in this and in past studies on this topic. Unjustified speculation should be avoided.
• Acknowledgments (if any) should be included at the very end of the paper before the references and may include supporting grants, presentations, and so forth.
• Tables should be kept to a minimum and be designed to be as simple as possible. Tables are to be typed double-spaced throughout. Including headings. Each table should be on a separate page, numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals and supplied with a heading and a legend. Each table should include a title and be comprehensible without reference to the text. Tables adapted or reproduced verbatim from another source must acknowledge that source in footnote.
• Figure legends should be typed in numerical order on a separate sheet. Graphics should be prepared using applications capable of generating high resolution GIF, TIFF, JPEG or PowerPoint before pasting in the Microsoft Word manuscript file. Tables should be prepared in Microsoft Word. Use Arabic numerals to designate figures and upper case letters for their parts (Figure 1). Begin each legend with a title and include sufficient description so that the figure is understandable without reading the text of the manuscript. Information given in legends should not be repeated in the text. Please present the Tables and Figures at the end of the paper.

References

In the text, a reference identified by means of an author's name should be followed by the date of the reference in parentheses. Authors are responsible for ensuring that the information in each reference is complete and accurate. All references should be cited within the text; otherwise, these references will be automatically removed. References should be arranged first alphabetically and then further sorted chronologically if necessary. More than one reference from the same author(s) in the same year must be identified by the letters "a", "b", "c", etc., placed after the year of publication. Journal names are abbreviated according to the ISSN List of Title Word Abbreviations . Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy of the references.

Proofs and Reprints

Electronic Gallery proofs will be sent via (e-mail attachment) to the corresponding author as a PDF file. Gallery proofs are considered to be the final version of the manuscript. With the exception of typographical or minor clerical errors, no changes will be made in the manuscript at the proof stage. It is the responsibility of the corresponding author to ensure that the galley proofs are to be returned 3-4 days of receipt with correction if (any). The authors are responsible for the contents appeared in their published manuscripts.

Fees and Charges

Author(s) will be charged a handling fees upon acceptance of paper for publication. The author's ability to pay the charges is not certain that the paper will be accepted for publication. However, we routinely offer waiver for students and authors from low-income countries. Please contact the help Assistant via this email address: info@journalissues.org.

Copyright

Submission of a manuscript implies: that the work described has not been published before (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, or thesis) that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere; that if and when the manuscript is accepted for publication, the authors agree to automatic transfer of the copyright to the publisher. Open Access authors retain the copyrights of their papers, and all open access articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.

IRJMBS Indexing

The International Research Journal of Management and Business Studies (IRJMBS) is indexed by a selection of international databases and library directories, enhancing the global reach and academic recognition of published research in management and business studies.

Continuous Indexing Efforts

The editorial team of IRJMBS is focused on strategically expanding the journal's indexing profile. Active efforts are underway to qualify for inclusion in major commercial abstract and citation databases relevant to management, economics, and social sciences, aiming to further elevate the impact and reach of the research we publish.

Peer Review Process

All submitted manuscripts follow a structured editorial and double blind peer review workflow designed to ensure originality academic integrity and publication quality.

Review Process Steps

1. Author Submission: The author submits the manuscript to the journal through the official submission system.
2. Plagiarism and Quality Check: The editorial office screens the paper for plagiarism originality scope relevance formatting and basic academic quality.
3. Initial Decision: If the paper fails plagiarism or quality standards it is rejected and returned to the author. If it passes it proceeds to peer review.
4. Paper Sent to Reviewers: The editorial office assigns qualified reviewers and sends the manuscript for blind peer review.
5. Reviewers Evaluation: Reviewers assess the paper for originality methodology clarity contribution to knowledge and ethical compliance.
6. Review Reports Returned: Reviewers submit their evaluations and recommendations to the editorial office.
7. Feedback Sent to Author: The editorial office sends the reviewers comments and the original paper back to the author for revision.
8. Revised Paper Submission: The author revises the manuscript according to reviewers feedback and resubmits it to the editorial office.
9. Revised Paper Sent to Editor: The revised manuscript is forwarded to the editor for a final decision.
10. Editor Decision: The editor either accepts or rejects the revised paper. If rejected the paper is returned to the author. If accepted it moves to production.
11. Proof Sent to Author: The publisher sends the final proof to the author for final checks and minor corrections.
12. Publication: After proof approval the paper is officially published in the journal.

Average Review Time: 4 to 6 weeks
Acceptance Rate: Approximately 25 percent
Rejection Rate: Approximately 75 percent
Revision Success Rate: Over 80 percent of manuscripts invited for revision are eventually published

Open Access Policy

The International Research Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is a fully open access journal. All articles are immediately available online upon publication without subscription, registration, or paywall barriers, ensuring global accessibility of vital medical information.

Benefits of Open Access for Medical Research

• Global Health Equity: Free access for healthcare workers in resource-limited settings
• Clinical Impact: Immediate availability of research findings to inform clinical decisions
• Patient Empowerment: Patients can access research about their conditions and treatments
• Policy Influence: Greater potential to inform health policy, clinical guidelines, and public health interventions
• Educational Resource: Available as teaching material for medical education worldwide
• Compliance: Meets open access mandates of major medical research funders (NIH, Wellcome Trust, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, etc.)
• Emergency Preparedness: Critical during public health emergencies when rapid information sharing is essential

Creative Commons License

All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This license allows:

• Commercial and non-commercial use of the research
• Adaptation, translation, and building upon the work
• Sharing in any format or medium
• Attribution to the original authors and source
• Use in clinical decision support tools and medical education

Article Preservation

All published articles are archived in multiple digital repositories including PubMed Central, CLOCKSS, Portico, and institutional repositories to ensure permanent access for future generations of healthcare professionals and researchers.

Licensing and Copyright

Authors retain copyright of their work while granting the journal the right of first publication under a Creative Commons license that allows for wide dissemination and reuse, balancing author rights with the need for broad accessibility of medical knowledge.

Copyright Policy

• Author Copyright: Authors retain copyright of their published work
• Publication License: Authors grant the journal a non-exclusive license to publish the article
• CC BY License: Articles are published under CC BY 4.0 license for maximum reuse
• Self-Archiving: Authors may deposit published version in institutional repositories immediately
• Clinical Reuse Rights: Authors may reuse their work in clinical guidelines, teaching, conferences, and patient education materials
• Commercial Use: Others may use the work commercially with proper attribution
• Translation Rights: Authors may translate their work or authorize translations for global health impact

Permissions for Clinical and Educational Reuse

For permission to reuse content published in the journal beyond what is allowed by the CC BY license, please contact the editorial office with details of the intended use. We generally grant additional permissions for educational, clinical, and public health purposes.

Patient Privacy and Confidentiality

Authors are responsible for protecting patient confidentiality in all published material. This includes removing identifying information from case reports, images, and data. Authors must obtain permission for any identifiable patient images or information.

Third-Party Material

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce any third-party material (figures, tables, images, text extracts) included in their manuscript and for covering any associated costs. This is particularly important for clinical images, diagnostic criteria, and validated instruments.

Plagiarism Policy

The International Research Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences maintains a strict, zero-tolerance policy against plagiarism in any form. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity, originality, and ethical scholarship in medical research.

Definition of Plagiarism in Medical Publishing

Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:

• Verbatim Copying: Copying text, data, figures, or ideas without proper attribution and quotation marks
• Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Substantial paraphrasing of others' work without appropriate citation
• Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one's own previously published work without citation or permission (text recycling)
• Mosaic Plagiarism: Combining phrases from multiple sources without attribution (patchwriting)
• Idea Plagiarism: Using others' ideas, concepts, theories, or hypotheses without citation
• Image/Figure Plagiarism: Using clinical images, graphs, or figures from others without permission and attribution
• Translation Plagiarism: Translating others' work without attribution
• Data Plagiarism: Presenting others' clinical data or research findings as one's own

Screening Process

All submissions undergo comprehensive screening:

1. Initial Screening: All manuscripts checked upon submission using iThenticate
2. Similarity Report: Detailed similarity report generated and reviewed by editors
3. Contextual Analysis: Editors review similarity reports considering proper citation of methods, standard descriptions, and legitimate overlaps in medical terminology
4. Revision Check: Revised manuscripts re-checked before acceptance
5. Final Verification: Final version checked before publication
6. Post-publication Monitoring: Ongoing checks of published articles and investigation of reader concerns

Acceptable Similarity Thresholds for Medical Research

• Overall Similarity: Less than 20% (excluding references, methods, and standard descriptions)
• Single Source: Less than 5% from any single source
• Methods Section: Standard methods may have higher similarity if properly cited
• Self-Citation: Properly cited self-plagiarism within reasonable limits (typically <10%)
• Standard Descriptions: Common medical descriptions (e.g., disease definitions, standard protocols) are considered differently

Consequences of Plagiarism

Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism are handled according to COPE and ICMJE guidelines:

• Minor Cases: Manuscript returned for revision with proper attribution (similarity 20-30%)
• Moderate Cases: Manuscript rejected with option to resubmit after substantial revision (similarity 30-50%)
• Serious Cases: Immediate rejection and notification to authors' institutions and relevant medical boards (similarity >50% or clear intentional plagiarism)
• Published Articles: Retraction with published notice and notification to indexing services (PubMed, etc.), authors' institutions, and medical licensing boards if appropriate
• Author Sanctions: Temporary or permanent ban from future submissions; notification to other medical journals
• Institutional Notification: Serious cases reported to authors' institutions for investigation and possible disciplinary action

Ethical Guidelines for Authors

Authors are expected to adhere to the highest standards of research and publication ethics in medical research, following international guidelines from ICMJE, COPE, WAME, Declaration of Helsinki, and other relevant ethical frameworks.

Authorship Criteria

All listed authors must meet all four ICMJE authorship criteria:

• Substantial Contribution: Made significant contributions to conception, design, execution, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation
• Drafting/Revision: Participated in drafting or critically revising the manuscript for important intellectual content
• Approval: Approved the final version for publication
• Accountability: Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring questions about accuracy or integrity are properly investigated and resolved

Excluded Practices: Ghost authorship, guest authorship, and gift authorship are strictly prohibited. Contributors who do not meet all authorship criteria should be acknowledged. Corresponding author must confirm that all authors meet criteria and have seen and approved final manuscript.

Research Ethics Requirements

• Human Subjects Research: Must have IRB/ethics committee approval and documented informed consent; clinical trials must be registered (ClinicalTrials.gov or WHO-approved registry) before patient enrollment
• Animal Research: Must follow ARRIVE guidelines, have IACUC/ethics committee approval, and comply with the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement)
• Patient Privacy: Protect patient confidentiality and privacy; de-identify all patient data; obtain permission for identifiable images
• Data Integrity: No data fabrication, falsification, image manipulation, or selective reporting
• Conflict of Interest: Disclose all financial and non-financial conflicts; include conflict of interest statement
• Funding Disclosure: Disclose all funding sources and their role; include funding statement
• Clinical Trial Registration: All clinical trials must be registered before participant enrollment

Clinical Research Standards

• Trial Registration: Clinical trials must be registered in a public trials registry before first patient enrollment
• Reporting Guidelines: Follow appropriate reporting guidelines (CONSORT for trials, STROBE for observational studies, PRISMA for systematic reviews, STARD for diagnostic accuracy studies)
• Patient and Public Involvement: Consider patient and public involvement in research design and dissemination where appropriate
• Ethical Oversight: Multicenter studies require central ethics approval or approval at all participating sites
• Data Monitoring: Clinical trials should have a data monitoring committee for participant safety

Data and Methodology Transparency

• Data Availability: Share de-identified patient data in public repositories when possible; include data availability statement
• Methodological Detail: Describe methods in sufficient detail for replication; include essential details for clinical procedures
• Statistical Reporting: Use appropriate statistical methods; report statistical tests, sample sizes, p-values, confidence intervals, effect sizes
• Reproducibility: Provide necessary information for study replication; consider sharing protocols, analysis code, case report forms
• Image Integrity: No inappropriate image manipulation; original clinical images available upon request

Permanency of Articles

The International Research Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is committed to preserving all published content for permanent access, ensuring that critical medical research remains available for future generations of healthcare professionals, researchers, and patients.

Digital Preservation Systems

• PubMed Central: All articles deposited in PubMed Central (PMC) for permanent preservation and access
• CLOCKSS: Participating in the CLOCKSS (Controlled LOCKSS) preservation system
• Portico: Archived in Portico's digital preservation service
• Institutional Repositories: Encouraged deposition in authors' institutional repositories
• Multiple Backups: Regular backups in geographically dispersed, secure locations
• Format Migration: Commitment to migrate content to new formats as technology evolves

DOIs and Permanent Identifiers

• DOIs: All articles receive Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) for permanent linking
• Crossref Registration: DOIs registered with Crossref for global resolution and citation tracking
• PubMed IDs: Articles receive PubMed IDs (PMIDs) and PubMed Central IDs (PMCIDs)
• Persistent URLs: Permanent URLs maintained regardless of platform changes
• ISBN/ISSN: Regular issues receive ISSN, special issues receive ISBN

Version Control for Medical Literature

Articles are published as Version of Record (VoR). Any subsequent corrections or updates are clearly indicated to maintain the integrity of the medical literature:

• Version History: Clear version labeling for all updates (V1, V2, etc.)
• Correction Linking: Corrections linked to original articles and vice versa
• Retraction Marking: Retracted articles remain accessible with clear marking and explanation to prevent future citation of invalid information
• Update Policy: Major updates may be published as new articles with reference to original

Long-Term Accessibility Commitment

• Format Standards: Use of sustainable digital formats (PDF/A, XML, JATS)
• Metadata Preservation: Rich metadata preserved with articles (authors, affiliations, funding, etc.)
• Access Guarantee: Commitment to provide access even if journal ceases publication through preservation partners
• Print Archives: Selective print archiving in major medical libraries for very long-term preservation
• Clinical Data Archiving: Encouragement to archive supporting clinical data in specialized repositories

Author Archiving Rights

Authors have the right to:

• Deposit final published version in institutional repositories immediately
• Share on academic social networks (ResearchGate, Academia.edu) with proper attribution
• Use in teaching materials, conference presentations, and continuing medical education
• Include in dissertations, theses, and medical textbooks
• Share with colleagues, research collaborators, and healthcare teams
• Post on hospital or departmental websites for clinical reference

Correction to an Article

The journal follows transparent and systematic procedures for correcting errors in published articles while maintaining the integrity of the medical literature and ensuring accurate clinical information.

Types of Corrections in Medical Literature

• Erratum: Correction of publisher-introduced errors (formatting, production errors, metadata issues)
• Corrigendum: Correction of author-introduced errors (data errors, analysis errors, interpretation errors)
• Addendum: Addition of important information that doesn't contradict the original (additional data, long-term follow-up, clarification)
• Expression of Concern: Notice when serious doubts arise about article integrity pending investigation
• Clinical Correction: Correction affecting clinical interpretation, dosing, or safety information

When Corrections Are Issued in Medical Research

Corrections are issued when errors affect:

• Clinical interpretation or conclusions of the article
• Accuracy of clinical data, diagnostic criteria, or treatment protocols
• Patient safety information, dosing, or side effects
• Missing or incorrect author information, affiliations, or contributions
• Ethical issues requiring clarification
• Important clinical information discovered post-publication
• Citations or references affecting scholarly attribution

Correction Process for Medical Articles

1. Identification: Error identified by authors, readers, healthcare providers, or editorial staff
2. Verification: Editorial team verifies the error and assesses its clinical significance
3. Urgency Assessment: Evaluation of whether error poses immediate patient safety concerns
4. Decision: Editor decides on appropriate correction type based on error nature and clinical impact
5. Preparation: Correction notice drafted with clear explanation of error and correction
6. Approval: Correction approved by corresponding author and all co-authors (for author errors)
7. Publication: Correction published as separate article with its own DOI
8. Linking: Correction linked to original article and original article updated to link to correction
9. Notification: Indexing services (PubMed, CrossRef), readers, and relevant clinical communities notified
10. Versioning: Article page clearly indicates corrected status

Urgent Clinical Corrections

For errors affecting patient safety or clinical management, we implement an urgent correction process:

• Notification within 24 hours of identification
• Interim notice posted immediately while full correction is prepared
• Direct notification to relevant medical societies and guideline developers
• Social media alerts about the correction
• Full correction published within 72 hours

Retraction of an Article

Articles may be retracted in cases of serious ethical violations, irreproducible results, or significant errors that undermine the article's conclusions, following established guidelines from COPE, ICMJE, and other relevant medical ethics bodies.

Grounds for Retraction of Medical Research

• Scientific Misconduct: Clear evidence of data fabrication, falsification, or manipulation
• Plagiarism: Significant plagiarism or copyright infringement
• Ethical Violations: Serious ethical breaches in research conduct (no IRB approval, no informed consent, unethical research practices)
• Irreproducible Results: Major errors making results irreproducible despite author attempts at verification
• Duplicate Publication: Previously published without proper attribution or disclosure
• Author Dispute: Unresolved authorship disputes or unauthorized submission
• Legal Issues: Legal requirements or court orders
• Patient Safety Risks: Research posing immediate patient safety risks if uncorrected
• Peer Review Manipulation: Compromised or manipulated peer review process
• Unethical Research: Research conducted unethically (coerced participants, etc.)

Retraction Process for Medical Articles

1. Allegation: Concern raised by readers, reviewers, healthcare providers, or editorial staff
2. Initial Assessment: Editor assesses allegation for credibility and potential patient safety implications
3. Investigation: Thorough investigation following COPE guidelines; may involve external medical ethics experts
4. Author Response: Authors given opportunity to respond with evidence and explanation
5. Editorial Board Review: Case reviewed by editorial board with recommendations
6. Decision: Final retraction decision made by editor-in-chief with board input
7. Notice Preparation: Retraction notice drafted with clear rationale and transparency
8. Author Notification: Authors notified of retraction decision and notice content
9. Publication: Retraction published as separate article with its own DOI
10. Article Marking: Original article marked as retracted in all versions with prominent warnings
11. Notification: Indexing services (PubMed, CrossRef), institutions, medical boards, and relevant clinical communities notified

Post-Retraction Access and Notification

• Article Availability: Retracted articles remain accessible with clear "RETRACTED" watermark on every page
• Clinical Alert: Prominent warning about retracted status to prevent clinical use of invalid information
• Database Updates: Indexing databases updated to show retracted status prominently
• Linking: Bidirectional linking between article and retraction
• Citation Alert: Authors citing retracted articles alerted where possible
• Clinical Community Notification: Relevant medical societies and guideline developers notified

Article Processing Charges (APC)

To support open access publishing and ensure high-quality services, the journal charges Article Processing Charges (APC) for accepted manuscripts. These charges cover the full cost of peer review, editing, production, hosting, dissemination, and long-term preservation of medical research.

Current APC Rates (2025)

• Low-income countries (World Bank classification): $150 USD (full waiver available)
• Lower-middle-income countries: $200 USD
• Upper-middle-income countries: $250 USD
• High-income countries: $300 USD

Note: Corresponding author's country of affiliation determines applicable rate. Country classification based on current World Bank list. Special rates for clinical trials and public health emergencies.

Comprehensive Waivers and Discounts for Medical Research

APC waivers or discounts are available in the following cases:

• Full Waivers (100%): Authors from low-income countries; research from humanitarian organizations; case reports from resource-limited settings; public health emergency research
• Partial Waivers (50-75%): Authors from lower-middle-income countries; early-career clinicians and researchers; patient advocacy group research; quality improvement studies
• Institutional Memberships: Discounts for medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions with membership agreements
• Society Members: Discounts for members of partner medical societies (e.g., AMA, Royal Colleges, specialty societies)
• Editorial Board: Discounts for editorial board members submitting their work
• Clinical Trials: Reduced rates for registered clinical trials, especially those addressing unmet medical needs
• Public Health Research: Special rates for public health and global health research

What APC Covers - Comprehensive Medical Publishing Services

• Peer Review Management: Coordination of rigorous peer review by medical experts
• Professional Editing: Medical editing, proofreading, language polishing by editors with medical expertise
• Technical Production: XML conversion, typesetting, medical figure preparation, PDF generation
• Digital Identifiers: DOI assignment and registration with CrossRef
• Indexing Support: Submission to major medical indexing services (PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, etc.)
• Online Hosting: Secure hosting on high-availability servers with 99.9% uptime
• Global Distribution: Distribution to medical databases, hospital libraries, and clinical decision support systems
• Long-term Preservation: Archiving in PubMed Central, CLOCKSS, Portico, and other preservation systems
• Clinical Alert Services: Promotion to relevant clinical communities and specialty organizations
• Patient Summary Creation: Plain language summaries for patient audiences when appropriate

Contact Journal Editor

For inquiries related to submissions, reviews, editorial matters, or general questions about the journal, please contact our editorial team. We are committed to providing timely, helpful responses to support the medical research community.

Journal Issues Guidelines

The Journal Issues platform provides comprehensive guidelines to ensure quality, consistency, and ethical standards across all our publications. These guidelines are essential for authors, reviewers, and editors to maintain the high standards required for medical publishing.

Medical-Specific Guidelines Categories

• Clinical Research Guidelines: Requirements for clinical trials, observational studies, and case reports
• Ethical Guidelines: Medical ethics, patient consent, IRB approval, and research integrity
• Reporting Guidelines: CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA, STARD, and other medical reporting standards
• Patient Privacy Guidelines: HIPAA compliance, de-identification, and patient confidentiality
• Clinical Image Guidelines: Requirements for clinical photographs, radiographs, and pathology images
• Drug and Device Guidelines: Reporting requirements for pharmaceutical and device studies

Accessing the Guidelines

For detailed information, please visit our comprehensive guidelines portal. The portal is regularly updated to reflect current best practices in medical publishing, ethical standards, and regulatory requirements.