Editorial Ethics

Publication Ethics and Editorial Policy

1. General Principles and International Standards

The editorial policy of this journal is grounded in the principles of scientific integrity, objectivity, and professionalism. In its operations, the Editorial Board adheres to the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), including the "Publishing Ethics Resource Kit" by Elsevier, as well as international standards regarding confidentiality, integrity, and the management of conflicts of interest. We are committed to providing information support for the most significant innovative research while maintaining unconditional loyalty to all participants in the scholarly publishing process.

2. Duties and Responsibilities of the Editorial Board

Decision-making: The Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board are responsible for selecting manuscripts for publication. Decisions are based solely on the academic merit of the work, its relevance to the journal’s scope, and the conclusions provided by independent reviewers.

Impartiality and Fair Play: The intellectual content of manuscripts is evaluated regardless of the authors' race, gender, religious beliefs, citizenship, or political philosophy.

Confidentiality: The editorial staff guarantees that no information regarding submitted manuscripts will be disclosed to anyone other than the authors, reviewers, and the publisher. Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in the editors' own research without the express written consent of the authors.

Ethical Oversight: The Editorial Board is committed to responding to ethical complaints concerning submitted manuscripts or published papers and taking all necessary measures to resolve such conflicts.

3. Ethics of Peer Review

The journal employs a double-blind peer review process, involving competent experts to evaluate all submissions.

Objectivity: Reviewers are required to provide an objective and reasoned assessment of the research results, respecting the intellectual independence of the authors.

Confidentiality: Any manuscript received for review is treated as a confidential document.

Ethical Review of Research: For articles involving human participants (interviews, surveys) or confidential archival data, authors must comply with Ukrainian legislation on personal data protection and research ethics standards. Authors may be required (upon request) to provide confirmation of informed consent for the use of such information. Research involving human subjects (interviews), anthropological materials, or confidential data must obtain ethics committee approval or documented proof of consent from the research subjects in accordance with the current legislation of Ukraine.

Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must recuse themselves from considering a manuscript if they have a conflict of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with the authors or institutions associated with the work.

4. Duties of Authors

Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that the submitted manuscript is an entirely original work, has not been published previously, and is not under consideration by any other publication. Any form of plagiarism, self-plagiarism, or data manipulation is strictly unacceptable.

Authorship Criteria: Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant scientific contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study.

Sources and Citations: Authors must properly acknowledge the work of others by providing accurate references to all sources that influenced the research.

Correction of Errors: If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their own published work, they are obliged to promptly notify the journal editors to retract or correct the paper.

5. Conflict Resolution and Retraction Policy

The Editorial Board reserves the right to retract a paper if violations of scientific ethics or third-party rights are identified. In the event of a retraction, the author and their affiliated institution will be notified, and a formal notice of retraction will be published in a subsequent issue of the journal.

Acceptance of a manuscript for publication implies the author's consent to the inclusion of the material in electronic databases, while retaining their copyrights.

Adherence to International Principles and Recommendations: COPE, WAME, DORA, and FAIR

The Editorial Board operates in strict accordance with the international standards and recommendations established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), and the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), among other leading organizations, to ensure the highest level of academic integrity and scientific ethics.

1. Academic Integrity and Publication Ethics (COPE)

The journal strictly implements the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), ensuring transparency and accountability throughout all stages of the publishing cycle.

• Originality Control:Only authentic manuscripts that have not been previously published and are not currently under consideration by other journals are eligible for review. Any form of plagiarism, data falsification, or citation manipulation is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate editorial action.
• Authorship Criteria:Authorship is granted exclusively to individuals who have made a substantial intellectual contribution to the conceptualization or execution of the research. Each participant's contribution must be clearly defined to prevent disputes regarding co-authorship.
• Use of Artificial Intelligence:The use of AI tools in the research process must be transparently disclosed and regulated, with mandatory notification regarding the extent of AI involvement in the preparation of the work.
• Corrections and Retractions:The journal maintains clear procedures for issuing corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions in the event that ethical violations or significant inaccuracies are identified post-publication.

2. Editorial Independence and Objective Assessment (WAME)

The journal’s activities align with the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) recommendations to ensure an impartial and objective editorial process.

• Editorial Independence:Editors make publication decisions based solely on the scientific merit, novelty, and relevance of the material, free from external influence or pressure from stakeholders.
• Conflict of Interest Management:All parties involved in the publication process—authors, reviewers, and editors—are required to declare any potential or actual financial or personal conflicts of interest.
• Peer Review and Confidentiality:The expert evaluation process is conducted through a double-blind peer review system, ensuring fairness, objectivity, and the strict confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.

3. Research Assessment and Open Science (DORA)

The Editorial Board supports the principles of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), aimed at reforming the methods used to evaluate scientific research.

• Prioritizing Content over Metrics:The primary criteria for assessing research quality are its scientific novelty and methodological rigor, rather than journal-based bibliometric indicators such as impact factor or h-index.
• Recognition of Diverse Research Outputs:The journal values not only traditional research articles but also interdisciplinary studies and other significant scientific contributions.
• Support for Open Access:In alignment with the Plan Sinitiative and OASPA standards, the journal provides immediate and free access to publications, encouraging the use of Creative Commons

4. Data Management in Alignment with FAIR Principles

Ensuring the accessibility and transparency of research data is a fundamental priority for the advancement of Open Science.

• FAIR Principles:Research data must be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.
• Author Responsibility:Researchers are expected to provide comprehensive metadata, deposit data in open repositories with persistent identifiers (PIDs), and provide detailed descriptions of research methodologies to ensure the reproducibility of results.

The Editorial Board is dedicated to fostering an ecosystem of trust, where scientific excellence, ethical conduct, and transparency serve as the fundamental pillars for the global academic community.