Ethical Compliance Policy

Pakistan Journal of Surgery

1. Introduction

Pakistan Journal of Surgery is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in medical publishing. Our ethical compliance policy ensures that all research published in the journal adheres to international guidelines on integrity, transparency, and accountability. The journal follows the ethical principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

This policy applies to authors, reviewers, editors, and the editorial board and covers research integrity, authorship ethics, peer review, conflict of interest, plagiarism, data integrity, and publication misconduct.

2. Ethical Guidelines for Authors

2.1 Research Integrity

• All submitted manuscripts must be original, accurate, and supported by valid data.
• Research involving human subjects, animals, or sensitive data must have approval from an institutional ethics committee (e.g., IRB, ERC).
• Clinical trials must be registered in a recognized trial registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP).
• Adherence to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and the Declaration of Helsinki is required.

2.2 Authorship & Contributions

• Authorship must be based on substantial contributions to the study design, data analysis, manuscript drafting, and approval of the final version.
• All authors must meet ICMJE authorship criteria and be listed in order of contribution.
• Ghostwriting, guest authorship, and honorary authorship are strictly prohibited.
• Changes to authorship (addition/removal) after submission require written approval from all authors.

2.3 Conflict of Interest Disclosure

• Authors must disclose financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that could influence their research.
• Funding sources, sponsorships, or institutional affiliations must be transparently mentioned.

2.4 Plagiarism & Data Fabrication

• The journal follows a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism, duplicate publication, or data manipulation.
• Submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin, iThenticate).
• Any detected misconduct will result in rejection, retraction, or reporting to relevant institutions.

2.5 Acknowledgment of Funding & Contributions

• Non-author contributors (e.g., statisticians, language editors) should be acknowledged in a separate Acknowledgments section.
• Financial and material support must be disclosed.

3. Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers

3.1 Confidentiality & Integrity

• Reviewers must maintain confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and not disclose or use unpublished data.
• Reviews should be objective, constructive, and free from personal bias.

3.2 Conflict of Interest

• Reviewers must decline assignments if they have conflicts of interest (e.g., prior collaboration with the authors, financial interests, competitive research).

3.3 Ethical Concerns & Reporting Misconduct

• If reviewers suspect plagiarism, duplicate publication, or unethical research practices, they must notify the Editor-in-Chief.
• Reviewers should not contact authors directly.

4. Ethical Guidelines for Editors & Editorial Board

4.1 Editorial Independence

• Editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit, scientific validity, and ethical integrity, free from political, financial, or personal influences.

4.2 Handling of Ethical Violations

• Suspected misconduct (e.g., data falsification, plagiarism, authorship disputes) is investigated following COPE guidelines.
• Editors may request original data for verification.
• Proven ethical violations may lead to retraction, notification to authors’ institutions, or blacklisting from future submissions.

5. Ethical Guidelines for Research Involving Human & Animal Subjects

5.1 Human Research Ethics

• Studies involving human participants must comply with:
  • Declaration of Helsinki (2013 update)
  • WHO & ICMJE ethical standards
  • Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval
• Written informed consent is mandatory for human subjects.
• Case reports must have patient consent or IRB approval for publication.

5.2 Animal Research Ethics

• Animal research must follow the ARRIVE Guidelines and be approved by an institutional animal ethics committee.
• Studies must minimize animal suffering and adhere to international animal welfare laws.

6. Data Integrity & Transparency

6.1 Data Availability & Sharing

• Authors must provide raw data upon request to verify findings.
• Clinical trial data should be registered in public repositories where applicable.
• Data manipulation, selective reporting, or falsification will result in retraction and disciplinary action.

6.2 Corrections & Retractions

• If significant errors are identified post-publication, the journal will issue a correction or retraction following COPE Retraction Guidelines.
• Retractions will be clearly labeled, stating the reason (e.g., ethical breach, data fraud, or duplicate publication).

7. Appeals & Complaints Handling

• Authors, reviewers, or readers can appeal editorial decisions by submitting a formal complaint to the Editorial Board.
• Complaints related to ethical violations are investigated per COPE best practices.
• Appeals must be supported by evidence and will be reviewed by an independent ethics panel within the journal.

8. Compliance & Sanctions for Misconduct

• Ethical violations may result in:
  • Rejection or retraction of the manuscript.
  • Temporary or permanent submission bans for authors.
  • Notification to affiliated institutions, funding bodies, or regulatory authorities.

9. Reference Ethical Guidelines Followed by Pakistan Journal of Surgery

• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Guidelines
• ICMJE Recommendations for Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work
• World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) Best Practices
• Declaration of Helsinki (Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects)
• Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Guidelines
• ARRIVE Guidelines for Animal Research