Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

International Journal of Pharmacy and Life Sciences (ISSN: 0976-7126)

The International Journal of Pharmacy and Life Sciences (IJPLS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. The journal strictly adheres to the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and ensures that all parties involved in the publication process — authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers — maintain ethical conduct throughout the research and publication cycle.

1. Duties of Editors

• Editorial Independence: Editors make publication decisions based solely on the manuscript’s scientific merit, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal’s scope, without regard to the authors’ gender, nationality, institutional affiliation, or political beliefs.

• Fair Play: Manuscripts shall be evaluated purely on intellectual content, and all editorial decisions shall remain free from commercial or personal influence.

• Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff shall maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and shall not disclose any information about a submission to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, or other editorial advisers.

• Conflict of Interest: Editors must avoid handling manuscripts in which they have any conflicts of interest and must recuse themselves from such decisions.

• Handling Misconduct: Editors are responsible for investigating any suspicion of research or publication misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, or unethical experimentation. Appropriate corrective actions will be taken when necessary.

2. Duties of Reviewers

• Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Peer reviewers assist the editorial board in making publication decisions and may also help authors improve their manuscripts.

• Confidentiality: All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents and not shared with others without authorization.

• Objectivity: Reviews should be conducted objectively, and reviewers should express their views clearly with supporting arguments.

• Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by the authors and report any substantial similarity between the manuscript and other published materials.

• Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and decline the review if such conflicts exist.

3. Duties of Authors

• Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original and properly cite or quote the work and ideas of others. All manuscripts undergo plagiarism screening prior to publication.

• Data Integrity: Authors should present accurate data and ensure that their findings are reproducible. Fabrication or falsification of data constitutes unethical behavior.

• Multiple or Redundant Publication: Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously or publish the same research in more than one outlet.

• Authorship of the Paper: Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All contributors should be appropriately acknowledged.

• Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given.

• Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that may influence the results or interpretation of their work.

• Human and Animal Ethics: Research involving human participants or animals must comply with institutional and national ethical guidelines. Evidence of ethics committee approval should be provided when applicable.

• Corrections and Retractions: When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, it is their duty to promptly notify the journal editor and cooperate to retract or correct the paper.

4. Duties of the Publisher

• The publisher ensures that good practice is maintained to the highest possible standards.

• The publisher is committed to supporting editorial independence and ethical standards.

• The publisher works closely with editors to handle ethical complaints and suspected malpractice cases according to COPE flowcharts.

5. Ethical Oversight and Misconduct Handling

In cases of alleged or proven scientific misconduct, fraudulent publication, or plagiarism, the International Journal of Pharmacy and Life Sciences will take all appropriate measures to clarify the situation, including the publication of corrections, clarifications, or retractions. The journal follows COPE guidelines for investigating and resolving such matters.

6. Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in the articles published in the International Journal of Pharmacy and Life Sciences are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of the editorial board or the publisher.