Publication Ethics

The Journal of Phytopharmacology (TJP) is official publication of the Society for Health Sciences Education and Research (SHEAR Society) and is published by BioMed Research Publishers. TJP uphold the COPE Best Practice guidelines, aligning our publication ethics with the standards set by the  Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Our adherence to the COPE  Code of Conduct and  Best Practice Guidelines ensures the integrity and transparency of our publication process. It is imperative that our publication ethics statement is considered alongside our journal policies to ensure a comprehensive understanding of our commitment to ethical publishing practices.

TJP prioritize ethical conduct in both human and animal experiments, adhering to strict standards and regulatory guidelines. Authors must furnish evidence of approval by a local Ethics Committee when requested, ensuring compliance with The Code of Ethics of the World Medical Association (Declaration of Helsinki) for human experiments and EU Directive 2010/63/EU for animal experiments. 

ETHICS FOR EDITORS

The editors of the journal are responsible to make the editorial decision on the submitted articles. The journal relies on the integrity and honesty of the editors to select high-quality manuscripts that conform to ethical standards and meets all the requirements. The editors of this journal must follow the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

The editorial decisions must be made only on intellectual merit without any prejudice or bias. The editors must maintain the confidentiality of the submitted manuscripts and ensure the integrity of double-blind peer-review. The editors are required to read the journal’s conflict of interest policies carefully and ensure compliance with the same.

ETHICS FOR REVIEWERS

The contributions of peer-reviewers are essential for upholding scientific integrity and selecting top-quality articles. Reviewers must adhere to the COPE guidelines for peer reviewers and our journal's peer-review policy. They are also required to carefully review our conflicts of interest policy and ensure compliance with it.

Maintaining confidentiality and objectivity in the double-blind peer-review process is paramount. Reviewers must assess manuscripts based solely on their intellectual content, regardless of the authors' gender, race, ethnicity, religion, citizenship, or political values. Any conflicts of interest observed during the review process must be promptly communicated to the Editor.

Reviewers are expected to keep all information related to the manuscript confidential. If any issues arise that may lead to the rejection of a manuscript, reviewers must communicate these concerns to the Editor. At TJP, we prioritize fair and unbiased peer review to uphold the quality and integrity of our publications.

ETHICS FOR AUTHORS

The authors must adhere to rigorous ethical guidelines to ensure the integrity and quality of their submissions. Authors are required to meet the criteria outlined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) for authorship, which includes substantial contributions to the conception, design, acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data, drafting or critically revising the work, and agreeing to be accountable for its accuracy and integrity.

Authors must familiarize themselves with and comply with our journal's policies, including those concerning plagiarism, conflicts of interest, ethical approvals, patients' rights, and informed consent, as well as corrections and retractions. Original research articles must present accurate data and provide sufficient information and references to facilitate reproducibility. Any fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are considered unethical and unacceptable.

To avoid redundant or duplicate submission/publication, authors must ensure that their manuscript is not simultaneously submitted to multiple journals. Our editorial system facilitates the identification of related publications, and any instances of duplicate submissions will result in immediate rejection. In cases where the editor was unaware of the violation and the article has been published, a notice of the duplicate submission and ethical violation will be issued.

Authors are required to acknowledge the work of others and cite influential publications. Additionally, they must declare all sources of funding received for the submitted research, providing details of granting agencies, grant numbers, and the respective roles of funders. Only funding related to the submitted work should be disclosed, and authors are not obligated to provide a complete list of all grants received. TJP prioritize transparency and ethical conduct in research and publishing practices.

ETHICS FOR PUBLISHER

TJP uphold strict ethical guidelines for publishers to safeguard the intellectual property and copyright of all content submitted by authors. We prioritize the protection of privacy and personal data, particularly for authors and peer reviewers.

Our collaboration with editors and peer reviewers ensures editorial independence, transparency, and integrity throughout the peer-review process. Our journal adheres to the guidelines set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) for journal owners and editorial freedom.

COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS

Complaints and appeals are essential channels for authors and readers to address concerns regarding the journal's content or processes. Authors and readers can submit their complaints or appeals to the editor or publisher via email at editor@phytopharmajournal.com or support@biomedresearch.org. If a response to a complaint is not received within 48 hours, or if the response is unsatisfactory, individuals may escalate the matter to the SHEAR Society at contact@shearsociety.org. TJP value feedback and are committed to addressing concerns promptly and effectively to maintain the quality and integrity of our publication.