Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Annals of Clinical and Medical Research (ACMR) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics, editorial integrity, transparency, and responsible scholarly publishing. The journal follows internationally recognized ethical principles and best editorial practices to ensure the quality, credibility, and integrity of the scientific record. ACMR adheres to the recommendations and core practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

The journal expects authors, editors, reviewers, editorial board members, and the publisher to comply with ethical publishing standards and professional responsibilities at all stages of the editorial and publication process.

 

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to ACMR must ensure that:

  • The submitted work is original, authentic, and has not been published previously in any form.
  • The manuscript is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal or publisher.
  • All listed authors have made significant scientific contributions to the work and approve the final submitted version.
  • Data presented in the manuscript are accurate, reliable, and free from fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate manipulation.
  • Proper acknowledgment and citation of previously published work are provided.
  • Any use of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted tools during manuscript preparation is transparently disclosed.
  • Financial support, sponsorship, and conflicts of interest are clearly declared.
  • Ethical approval has been obtained for studies involving human participants or animals.
  • Informed consent has been obtained where applicable.

Authors are expected to comply with internationally accepted standards of research integrity and publication ethics.

 

Plagiarism and Research Misconduct

ACMR maintains a strict policy against:

  • Plagiarism
  • Self-plagiarism
  • Duplicate publication
  • Redundant submission
  • Data fabrication or falsification
  • Image manipulation
  • Citation manipulation
  • Authorship misconduct
  • Unethical research practices

All submitted manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism detection software before peer review. Manuscripts found to contain unethical similarities or evidence of scientific misconduct may be rejected immediately. In serious cases, the journal reserves the right to notify affiliated institutions, funding agencies, or relevant authorities where appropriate.

 

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for ensuring an independent, fair, confidential, and unbiased editorial process. Editorial decisions are based exclusively on:

  • Scientific quality
  • Originality
  • Methodological rigor
  • Ethical compliance
  • Clinical relevance
  • Contribution to scholarly knowledge

Editors shall:

  • Maintain confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.
  • Avoid conflicts of interest.
  • Ensure transparency and editorial independence.
  • Preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.
  • Take appropriate action in cases of suspected misconduct or ethical concerns.
  • Publish corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary.

Editorial decisions are not influenced by commercial interests, institutional affiliations, nationality, gender, religious beliefs, or political considerations.

 

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers play an essential role in maintaining the scientific quality of the journal. Reviewers are expected to:

  • Provide objective, constructive, and evidence-based evaluations.
  • Maintain strict confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts.
  • Declare any potential conflicts of interest.
  • Identify relevant published literature not cited by the authors.
  • Refrain from using unpublished information for personal advantage.
  • Complete reviews within the agreed review period.

Peer review at ACMR is conducted using a rigorous double-blind peer review model to ensure fairness, impartiality, and academic integrity.

 

Human and Animal Research Ethics

Research involving human participants must comply with internationally accepted ethical standards, including the Declaration of Helsinki and institutional ethical guidelines. Manuscripts reporting human studies must include:

  • Institutional Ethics Committee approval
  • Informed consent statement
  • Clinical trial registration where applicable

Animal studies must demonstrate compliance with relevant institutional, national, and international ethical and welfare regulations.

 

Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, institutional, professional, or personal relationships that could influence the objectivity of the publication process. All conflicts of interest must be clearly stated within the manuscript or editorial process.

 

Data Integrity and Availability

Authors are expected to maintain accurate records of research data and provide access to supporting data where appropriate. The journal reserves the right to request original data, ethical approval documents, or supplementary materials during editorial evaluation.

 

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

ACMR is committed to preserving the integrity of the scholarly record. When necessary, the journal may publish:

  • Corrections
  • Retractions
  • Clarifications
  • Editorial expressions of concern

Retractions may occur in cases involving major scientific errors, plagiarism, duplicate publication, ethical violations, or research misconduct. The journal follows COPE recommendations for handling post-publication ethical concerns and corrections.

 

Copyright and Licensing

Authors retain copyright of their published work while granting the journal the right of first publication. Published articles are distributed under the journal’s applicable Creative Commons license to support lawful sharing, dissemination, and reuse with proper attribution.

 

Archiving and Preservation

ACMR is committed to the long-term preservation and accessibility of scholarly content through recognized digital archiving systems and preservation services, including PKP Preservation Network and institutional repositories where applicable.

 

Publisher Responsibilities

ORIDENT Publishers supports ethical scholarly publishing and editorial independence. The publisher does not interfere with editorial decisions and is committed to maintaining transparency, integrity, and responsible academic publishing practices.

 

Ethical Oversight

The journal reserves the right to investigate allegations of ethical misconduct at any stage of the publication process, including after publication. Appropriate actions may be taken in accordance with COPE guidelines and international publication ethics standards to protect the integrity of the scientific and academic record.