Ethics Policies

Publication Ethics Policies
We are committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity in research. Our editorial and review processes are guided by internationally recognized principles that promote accuracy, transparency, inclusivity, and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing.
These policies are aligned with industry best practice guidelines established by:
  • The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
  • The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)
  • The World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)
  • Other relevant professional and ethical bodies
We expect authors, editors, reviewers, and all parties involved in the publication process to adhere to these standards in order to maintain the trustworthiness of scholarly communication.
Key Commitments
  • Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submissions are original, accurate, and appropriately attributed. They must avoid plagiarism, data fabrication, redundant publication, and unethical authorship practices.
  • Editors are committed to making unbiased, fair decisions and ensuring that manuscripts undergo rigorous peer review by qualified experts in the relevant field.
  • Reviewers are expected to provide constructive, confidential, and objective evaluations and to declare any conflicts of interest.
  • The journal will take appropriate corrective actions in case of ethical breaches, including corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern, in accordance with our Corrections and Retractions Policy.
Guidance for Authors
We encourage authors to carefully review and follow the journal’s:
Submissions that do not comply with these ethical standards may not be considered for publication. In instances where ethical violations are identified after publication, the editorial board will act promptly to correct the record in line with our established editorial procedures.
For more information, or to raise concerns about ethical issues related to a manuscript or published article, please contact the editorial office or refer to our Complaints and Appeals Policy.
Authorship Guidelines
This journal follows internationally accepted standards to ensure fair, transparent, and ethical authorship practices. These guidelines are based on the principles established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
Criteria for Authorship
All listed authors must meet all four of the following criteria:
  1. Made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of the work.
  2. Participated in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content.
  3. Provided final approval of the version to be published.
  4. Agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work and to resolve questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of it.
Note: Criteria 2 and 3 are not intended to exclude individuals who made essential contributions to the research. Some journals may also use the CRediT taxonomy to transparently indicate each author’s role.
Author Roles
  • The submitting author is responsible for coordinating manuscript submission, providing accurate author information, and ensuring that all authors meet authorship criteria.
  • The corresponding author acts as the main contact during the peer review and publication process and after publication.
Group Authorship
  • Responsible group members should be listed on the title page and meet full authorship criteria.
  • Other group members who do not meet authorship criteria can be acknowledged separately.
Author Affiliations
  • Authors must list the institution where the majority of the research was conducted as their primary affiliation.
  • If authors have moved institutions during the research period, this can be noted using a footnote in the article.
  • Affiliations cannot be changed after publication.
Changes to Authorship
Any proposed changes (addition, removal, or reordering of authors) after submission must:
  • Be requested by the submitting or corresponding author.
  • Include the authorship change form signed by all listed authors, including any removed or added authors.
  • Be approved by the editorial team.
No authorship changes are allowed after final acceptance of a manuscript.
Deceased or Incapacitated Authors
  • If an author dies prior to publication, the consent of their next of kin or legal representative is required to retain their name.
  • If a sole author passes away, approval for publication must be sought from their legal representative.
  • If an author becomes incapacitated and cannot give final approval, reasonable efforts will be made to contact their next of kin; otherwise contribution may be recognized in Acknowledgements.
Authorship Disputes
  • Any authorship dispute arising during submission or review will pause the manuscript process.
  • Unresolved disputes may be referred to the corresponding author's institution.
  • The journal does not mediate disputes and follows institutional investigation outcomes if post-publication authorship issues arise.
Name and Pronoun Changes Post-Publication
We are committed to respecting author identity and support name and pronoun changes for reasons including (but not limited to) gender affirmation, marriage, divorce, or religious conversion.
To request a name/pronoun change:
  • Complete a confidential request form including: previously published name, updated name/pronouns, relevant article DOIs, and whether co-authors should be notified (optional).
  • Changes will be made without a correction notice and the article will be republished with updated metadata while retaining the original DOI and citations.
  • Requests will be handled confidentially and processed typically within 5–7 business days (older articles may require additional time).
Reporting name errors (misspellings, incorrect initials, incorrect degrees) should be handled through the standard post-publication corrections process and not via the name change request form.
For any questions about authorship, changes to author information, or name/pronoun updates, please contact the editorial office. We aim to handle all authorship matters with transparency, inclusivity, and fairness.
Publication Ethics and Research Integrity Policy for Authors
We are committed to publishing content that meets the highest standards of research and publication integrity. Our ethical framework is informed by COPE, ICMJE, WAME, and other international best practice guidelines.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial interests that may influence the research, including:
  • Financial: Grants, employment, stocks, consulting fees, and family financial interests.
  • Non-financial: Advisory roles, ideological positions, affiliations, activism, legal actions, editorial responsibilities.
This declaration must appear under the heading 'Declaration of conflicting interests' in the manuscript. If no conflicts exist, state: "The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article."
Editors and reviewers must also declare any conflicts and recuse themselves from handling affected manuscripts.
Funding Statements
Every research article must include a 'Funding' statement.
  • If funded: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by [Full Name of Funding Agency] [grant number xxx].
  • If not funded: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Industry-Funded Articles
We require full disclosure of both direct and indirect funding sources, especially from pharmaceutical, tobacco, e-cigarette, and CBD industries. Non-disclosure may result in rejection or retraction of the article.
Ethics Approval and Informed Consent
Studies Involving Humans
Authors must include: name/location of ethics board, approval number/date, and participant consent process.
Sample: This study was approved by the XXXX Ethics Committee (approval no. XYZ123) on Month DD, YYYY. All participants provided written informed consent.
Studies Involving Animals
All animal studies must be approved by an appropriate ethics committee.
Sample: Protocols were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of XXXX University (Approval no. XYZ123) on Month DD, YYYY.
Studies Not Involving Humans or Animals
  • This article does not contain any studies with human or animal participants.
  • There are no human participants in this article and informed consent is not required.
Case Reports
Indicate ethical approval and patient consent. If not required by your institution, state accordingly.
Ethnographic Research
Ethics approval and participant consent should be obtained in advance. Consult communities, ensure understanding, and clearly state any limitations regarding confidentiality.
Global Research Ethics and Inclusion
Authors must follow the TRUST Code and ensure local relevance and collaboration, local ethics review (or valid explanation if not obtained), culturally appropriate consent and risk mitigation, and adherence to global ethical standards.
We encourage authors to familiarize themselves with these policies before submission. Submissions not meeting these ethical requirements will be rejected or corrected in accordance with our correction and retraction policies.