Ethics & Malpractice

 

Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement

Overview

The Journal of Applied Therapeutics (JAT) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing.

The journal follows internationally recognised best practices, including the principles outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics.

All stakeholders—authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher—are expected to adhere to these standards. Academic sponsorship has no influence on editorial decisions, peer review, or publication outcomes.

1. Duties of Authors

Authors submitting to JAT must ensure that:

Originality and Plagiarism

  • Manuscripts are original and have not been published elsewhere
  • All sources are appropriately cited
  • Plagiarism in any form (including self-plagiarism) is unacceptable

Data Integrity

  • Data presented are accurate, not fabricated or manipulated
  • Methods are described sufficiently for reproducibility
  • Any use of AI tools must be transparently disclosed where applicable

Multiple / Redundant Submission

  • Manuscripts are not under consideration elsewhere
  • Duplicate publication is prohibited

Authorship

  • All listed authors have made significant contributions
  • All contributors are appropriately acknowledged
  • No guest, honorary, or ghost authorship

Conflict of Interest

  • All financial or non-financial conflicts must be disclosed
  • Sources of funding must be clearly stated

Ethical Approval and Consent

Where applicable:

  • Studies involving human participants must have appropriate ethical approval
  • Informed consent must be obtained
  • Patient confidentiality must be strictly maintained

2. Duties of Reviewers

Reviewers must:

  • Evaluate manuscripts objectively and constructively
  • Maintain strict confidentiality
  • Avoid use of unpublished material for personal advantage
  • Declare conflicts of interest and decline review where necessary
  • Complete reviews within a reasonable timeframe

3. Duties of Editors

Editors are responsible for:

Fair Decision-Making

  • Evaluating manuscripts based on merit alone
  • Ensuring a fair and unbiased review process

Confidentiality

  • Protecting the confidentiality of authors and reviewers

Conflict of Interest

  • Recusing themselves from handling manuscripts where conflicts exist

Ethical Oversight

  • Addressing ethical concerns, complaints, and allegations of misconduct
  • Taking appropriate action when required

4. Publisher Responsibilities

The publisher ensures:

  • editorial independence
  • protection of the integrity of the scholarly record
  • non-interference in editorial decisions

5. Handling of Misconduct

JAT takes allegations of misconduct seriously.

This includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism
  • data fabrication or falsification
  • unethical research practices
  • undisclosed conflicts of interest

Process

  • Initial assessment by the Editor
  • Communication with authors for clarification
  • Escalation where required
  • Consultation of ethical guidelines and best practices
  • The journal follows a structured editorial workflow with defined timelines.
  • Authors will be informed of the status of their manuscript at each stage of the review and publication process.

6. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

Where necessary, JAT will:

  • publish corrections for minor errors
  • issue retractions for serious violations
  • release expressions of concern where investigation is ongoing

All actions will be transparent and linked to the original article.

7. Complaints and Appeals

Authors, reviewers, or readers may raise concerns regarding:

  • editorial decisions
  • ethical issues
  • publication conduct

All complaints are:

  • reviewed objectively
  • handled in a timely manner
  • resolved through appropriate editorial processes

8. Conflicts of Interest (Editorial and Reviewer)

  • Editors and reviewers must disclose any conflicts
  • Individuals with conflicts are excluded from decision-making
  • Alternative reviewers or editors are assigned as needed

9. Data and Reproducibility

Where applicable:

  • authors may be requested to provide raw data
  • datasets should be retained and available for verification
  • transparency in methodology is expected

10. Ethical Use of AI Tools

If AI tools are used in manuscript preparation:

  • their use must be disclosed
  • authors retain full responsibility for the content
  • AI tools must not be listed as authors