EDITORIAL POLICY

PUBLICATION ETHICS AND MALPRACTICE STATEMENT

Originality

The JDUHS only consider work that has not already been reported in a published paper or described in a paper sent or accepted elsewhere for publication. However, a complete report following the publication of a preliminary report, usually in the form of an abstract, or a paper that has been presented at a scientific meeting, if not published in full in a proceeding or similar publication, may be submitted. Although the editors and reviewers make every effort to reconfirm the originality and validity of published manuscripts, the final responsibility rests with the authors, not with the journal, its editors.

Ethical Approval

Research involving human subjects, human material, or human data, must have been performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and must have been approved by an appropriate ethics committee. The submission of ethical/institutional approval letter is a mandatory requirement. The approval letter must contain the name of the ethics committee and the reference number where appropriate. Moreover, a statement including the name of the ethics committee and the reference number must also be mentioned in the manuscript. An example is shown below:

“The study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Dow University of Health Sciences (approval No. 2019001).”

If a study was granted an exemption from requiring ethics approval, this should also be detailed in the manuscript (including the name of the ethics committee that granted the exemption). Further information and documentation to support this should be made available to the editor on request. Manuscripts may be rejected if the editor considers that the research has not been carried out within an appropriate ethical framework. In rare cases, the editor may contact the given ethics committee for further information. In addition, JDUHS will not approve studies without ethical approval or the manuscript with post-study ethical approval. The decision on whether to proceed to peer review in such cases is at the editor’s discretion.

Clinical Trials Registration

JDUHS requires that all clinical trials are registered in a public trials registry that is accessible, searchable, and free to use. Clinical trials must be registered prospectively, i.e., before the enrollment of the first subject. 

Policy on Delayed Registration of Clinical Trials:

JDUHS strongly advocates for the prospective registration of clinical trials. However, we recognize that in exceptional circumstances, delays in the registration process may occur. In cases where a trial has not been registered prospectively, the authors must provide:

• A detailed explanation of the reason for the delay.
• Evidence of the trial’s initiation date, such as an ethics approval date or a contract date, to demonstrate that the trial had commenced before registration.

The editorial board of JDUHS will review these submissions on a case-by-case basis. Acceptance of such trials for consideration will depend on the justification provided and the evidence that the delay was unintentional and unavoidable. Retrospective registration must still be completed before submission, and the registration details should be included in the manuscript.

Patient Anonymity and Informed Consent

It is the author’s responsibility to ensure that a patient’s anonymity is carefully protected. Authors must verify that any investigation with human subjects reported in the manuscript was performed with informed consent or with an exemption approved by the appropriate ethics board.

Authors must obtain written consent from people shown in pictures and submit written consent with the manuscript.  To further protect anonymity, consider masking eyes.  Names of the patient should be removed from any figures or photographs. The personal identification of the participant and the institution from the pictures should be removed before submission to the journal.

It is the responsibility of the authors to take and report consent to participate in research involving human subjects. The informed consent to participate in the study should be obtained from participants (or their parent or legal guardian in the case of children under 18 years of age) and a statement to this effect should appear in the manuscript. Special consent for vulnerable populations like prisoners, insane, internally displaced persons should be obtained with permissions from legal custodians or state.

Protection of Animals in Research

Research involving animals must comply with institutional, national, or international guidelines, and where available should have been approved by an appropriate ethics committee. A statement detailing compliance with relevant guidelines and/or appropriate permissions or licenses must be included in the manuscript.

Conflict of Interest and the Author’s Contributor Form

Each author must complete and submit the “Conflict of Interest and Author’s Contributor Form” of JDUHS at the time of submission of the manuscript, which includes disclosure of potential conflicts of interest-based on the recommendations of ICMJE. Note that it is the responsibility of the corresponding author to make sure that all the co-authors have contributed substantively.

Funding Disclosure Policy

JDUHS requires all authors to disclose any funding sources related to their research. This includes financial grants and material support. Authors must declare these funding sources on the “Conflict of Interest and Author’s Contributor Form” and within a ‘Funding’ section at the end of the manuscript, just before the references. If no funding was received, authors should state “None to declare” in the manuscript.

EDITORIAL POLICY AND PROCESS

As mentioned earlier, JDUHS strictly follows the guidelines of the COPE and ICMJE.

Submission of a manuscript to the JDUHS implies that all authors have read and agreed to its content and that the manuscript conforms to the JDUHS policies. Further details of the editorial polices are as given below.

Peer-Review Policy

All manuscripts submitted to JDUHS undergo an initial review by an in-house member of the journal. This preliminary assessment checks for the similarity index, adherence to journal guidelines, and compliance with ethical standards.

JDUHS employs a double-blind peer review process to ensure objectivity and fairness. In this system, the identities of both the authors and reviewers are concealed from each other. Authors are requested to submit the title page, which includes author details, separately to facilitate this process.

Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent researchers from the relevant research area. These reviewers assess the manuscript’s originality, scientific validity, and its significance to the community, society, or literature.

While JDUHS strives to conduct a speedy and fair review process, authors are advised to submit any revised versions within six weeks of receiving feedback. This is to avoid delays in the review process. If there are delays, authors will be notified and informed about the final decision process.

Authors may suggest potential peer reviewers by providing their institutional email addresses and demonstrating their expertise in the relevant field. However, it is important to note that the journal is not obligated to use these suggested reviewers. Suggested reviewers should not be from the same institution or research group as the author, nor should they have any recent co-publications with the author. Submitting false information about suggested reviewers, whether intentionally or unintentionally, may lead to the rejection of the manuscript and could trigger a further investigation under the journal’s misconduct policy.

Advertising Policy

JDUHS has a strict policy on advertisements and sponsored publications. The author should ensure that the advertisement complies with the rules and regulations of marketing and sales of the product being advertised. The decision to publish a manuscript does not depend upon monetary or commercial interests. The articles promoting injurious or hazardous products will not be accepted. Any article advertising a product that is considered inappropriate by the standards of the journal or advertising any pharmaceutical product will be declined. 

Open Access Policy

JDUHS is committed to advancing scientific and medical knowledge by providing immediate, free access to all of its content. In line with our commitment to open science and ethical publishing practices as endorsed by the ICMJE and the COPE our journal operates under an open access model.

Copyright Policy

All articles published in the JDUHS are made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. This licensing allows others to download, share, and build upon the work, provided the original work and source are properly cited and that the use is non-commercial.

Key Aspects of the CC BY-NC 4.0 License Include:

• Attribution: Users must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. Such actions must not suggest that the licensors endorse the users or their use of the work.
• Non Commercial: The material cannot be used for commercial purposes.
• No Additional Restrictions: Users may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Our adherence to these open access principles and the specific conditions of the CC BY-NC 4.0 license ensures that authors retain extensive rights to their work while allowing for the maximum dissemination and reuse of information under the conditions that credit is appropriately given and the use is non-commercial.

Plagiarism Policy

All manuscripts submitted to JDUHS are rigorously screened for textual similarity to previously published content using Turnitin software. Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submissions are entirely original. For any previously published work, appropriate citations must be provided. This includes avoiding text recycling, also known as self-plagiarism or duplicate publication, where authors reuse their own previously published text without proper attribution. If a similarity report suggests concerns, the corresponding author will be contacted for clarification. Depending on the nature of the findings, further action may include requests for manuscript revision or more serious measures in cases of significant ethical breaches. Authors found repeatedly submitting plagiarized content may be subject to further ethical scrutiny and potential disqualification from future submissions to JDUHS.

Pre-Print Policy

To maintain the utmost standards of research integrity and quality, JDUHS does not currently consider papers that have been uploaded to any preprint server.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

JDUHS recognizes the increasing influence of artificial intelligence (AI)-supported technologies in research and manuscript preparation. JDUHS has adopted the following policy for use of AI for published articles that in line with principles set forth by the COPE and the ICMJE 

• Authors submitting to JDUHS must disclose whether they utilized AI-supported technologies, such as Large Language Models (LLMs), Chatbots, image generators, or similar tools, during the creation of their submitted work. Such disclosures should be included in the methods section of the manuscript, detailing the specific technologies used and their roles.

• Authors who employ AI-supported technologies in their research are accountable for ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and originality of their work.
• AI entities, including Chatbots like ChatGPT, cannot be credited as authors in publications from JDUHS, as they lack the ability to assume responsibility for these crucial aspects of authorship. Authorship is reserved for contributors who can take responsibility for the content of the work, including its conception, design, execution, and interpretation. The unique contributions of human authors must be clearly delineated.
• The use of AI must not impede the transparency and reproducibility of research. Authors should provide access to the original data and, where applicable, the algorithms or code used by AI tools, enabling other researchers to replicate the work or verify the results.

Authors are encouraged to adhere to these guidelines to maintain the integrity and transparency of research published in JDUHS.

Errata and Corrigenda

JDUHS have established the following procedures for managing errata (corrections of publisher’s errors) and corrigenda (corrections of authors’ errors): 

• Errors that are identified post-publication by authors, readers, or editorial staff should be promptly reported to the journal’s editorial office. 
• Upon notification of a potential error, the editorial team will assess the impact of the error on the interpretation of the article and the integrity of the scientific record.
• If the error originated from the publishing process and affects the published paper’s accuracy, an erratum will be issued. Errata concern typographical errors, production errors, or other mistakes that are the responsibility of the journal. 
• If the error originated from the author(s) and significantly affects the article’s scientific integrity, a corrigendum will be issued. This includes errors that potentially mislead readers or affect the replication of findings. Corrections will be linked to the original article and indexed in databases to ensure they are accessible and visible. They will be freely available so that all readers have access to the corrected version of the record.

Misconduct Policies

JDUHS has established a rigorous misconduct policy to address issues such as data falsification, plagiarism, breach of confidentiality, and dishonesty in the peer review process. Our approach to handling these issues involves several key steps:

Initially, if misconduct is suspected, the involved author or reviewer is directly contacted by the journal’s editorial office. This step is intended to clarify the situation and collect further information, ensuring that any allegations are addressed promptly and fairly. If preliminary evidence indicates potential misconduct, a formal investigation is initiated. This investigation is conducted confidentially and with respect for all parties involved, aiming to maintain the integrity of the process. In instances of severe or unresolved misconduct, JDUHS may communicate directly with the implicated individual’s affiliated institution or other relevant bodies.

The consequences of confirmed misconduct can be severe, including the retraction of published articles, notifications to the heads of implicated institutions, and a prohibition against future submissions from the offending parties. Furthermore, JDUHS documents all cases of misconduct internally. We may publish summaries of these cases and their resolutions to educate the community and prevent future violations, all while upholding confidentiality agreements. This transparency helps to deter misconduct and uphold the ethical standards of our academic community. Further details about the retraction policy of JDUHS are given below.

Retraction Policy

JDUHS is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and academic excellence. To preserve the quality of our academic record, we have instituted the following retraction policy.

Retractions are Considered and Issued When:

• Significant errors or inaccuracies are identified in the published article that undermine its findings.
• There is clear evidence that the findings are unreliable due to misconduct (e.g., data fabrication or falsification).
• There are breaches in ethical research standards, including plagiarism, issues related to authorship or conflicts of interest.
• The article constitutes a duplicate publication that was not disclosed or justified at the time of submission.

Procedure for Retraction:

Upon identifying potential grounds for retraction, either through notification by readers, authors, or through internal identification, the editorial board will undertake a thorough investigation. If necessary, external experts will be consulted to ensure a fair assessment. Following the investigation, if the decision to retract is confirmed, the JDUHS will issue a retraction notice. This notice will be linked to the original article and will detail the reasons for retraction and the parties involved in the decision.

Retraction Notices:

Notices will be prominently linked to the original article and will clearly state the reason for the retraction. Retracted articles will remain available in the journal’s archives but will be marked as retracted in the title and will be accompanied by the retraction notice to ensure transparency.

Note that if any misconduct is suspected during the review process, the manuscript will be held until any concerns have been resolved. Furthermore, the article will be retracted if misconduct is proved after publication.

Withdrawal Policy

Authors may request the withdrawal of their manuscript at any stage of the publication process, prior to formal acceptance for publication. Withdrawal requests should be submitted by email to the JDUHS jduhs@duhs.edu.pk. Authors should provide a clear and valid reason for the withdrawal of their manuscript. The editorial team will review withdrawal requests to ensure compliance with journal policies and ethical standards. If the request is deemed valid, the manuscript will be withdrawn from consideration for publication.

Complaints and Appeals Policy

JDUHS is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and fairness in its publishing practices. We recognize the importance of transparency in addressing complaints and appeals related to editorial decisions and the publication process. The Complaints and Appeals Policy of JDUHS applies to complaints and appeals regarding editorial decisions, ethical considerations, and other aspects related to the conduct and content of the journal.

Complaints Procedure:

• Individuals wishing to make a complaint should submit their concerns in writing to the Editor-in-Chief at jduhs@duhs.edu.pk. The complaint should clearly describe the issue, including specific details and any supporting documentation.
• Upon receipt, the Editor-in-Chief will assess the complaint to determine its validity and relevance. If the complaint pertains to an editorial decision, it may be reviewed internally or referred to an independent editorial panel.
• The Editor-in-Chief, possibly in consultation with relevant editorial board members, will aim to resolve the complaint promptly. The complainant will be informed of the outcome and any actions taken. If the resolution involves corrective actions, these will be implemented as per the JDUHS policies.

Appeals Procedure:

• Authors who believe that their manuscript has been improperly rejected due to a misunderstanding or misapplication of the editorial standards may appeal the decision. Appeals must be based on the scholarly content of the manuscript or the integrity of the review process, rather than mere disagreement with the decision.
• Appeals should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief at jduhs@duhs.edu.pk within 30 days of the editorial decision. The appeal must include a detailed explanation of why the author believes the decision was incorrect, including any specific points of contention.
• The appeal will be reviewed by an appeals committee comprising members of the editorial board not involved in the original decision. This committee may consult independent experts if necessary.
• The decision of the appeals committee is final. The appellant will be notified of the committee’s decision and the rationale behind it.