At Elmer Press, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the publication of scholarly research. As an international open access medical journals publisher, we recognize our responsibility to authors, editors, reviewers, readers, and the wider scientific community to ensure that the publication process adheres to the strictest ethical practices.
Our publishing ethics are guided by the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and other recognized standards of scholarly publishing.
1. Responsibilities of Authors
Originality and Integrity: Authors must submit only original works that have not been previously published or under consideration elsewhere. Plagiarism, data fabrication, and falsification are strictly prohibited.
Transparency in Authorship: Authorship should accurately reflect individuals’ contributions. All listed authors must have made a significant intellectual contribution to the research and approved the final version.
Acknowledgment of Sources: Proper citation of prior work, data, and methods is required. Use of AI tools must be declared and comply with journal policies.
Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Authors must declare any financial or non-financial conflicts that could influence the research.
Clinical and Ethical Standards: For studies involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data, authors must confirm compliance with institutional ethics approval, international standards (e.g., Declaration of Helsinki), and informed consent procedures.
Data Availability: Authors are encouraged to share supporting data and materials in repositories to promote transparency and reproducibility.
2. Responsibilities of Editors
Editorial Independence: Editors make decisions based solely on scholarly merit, free from commercial or personal influence.
Fair Peer Review: Editors ensure a rigorous, unbiased, and confidential peer review process, selecting reviewers with appropriate expertise.
Conflict of Interest: Editors must recuse themselves from decisions where conflicts exist.
Corrections and Retractions: Editors are responsible for issuing corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions in cases of errors, misconduct, or ethical breaches.
Diversity and Inclusion: Editors promote inclusivity in authorship, peer review, and editorial board membership.
3. Responsibilities of Reviewers
Confidentiality: Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential documents.
Objectivity: Reviews must be conducted constructively, without bias or personal criticism.
Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers must identify relevant published work that has not been cited.
Timeliness: Reviewers should complete assessments within agreed timeframes or notify the editor if unable to do so.
Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must decline assignments where conflicts of interest may affect impartiality.
4. Publisher’s Responsibilities
Ethical Oversight: The publisher ensures that all journals comply with recognized ethical standards, including COPE and ICMJE recommendations.
Open Access Commitment: We support free and universal access to published research under Creative Commons licenses, ensuring transparency and wide dissemination.
Misconduct Handling: Allegations of plagiarism, duplicate publication, authorship disputes, or data manipulation are investigated rigorously in line with COPE guidelines.
Archiving and Preservation: Published content is preserved through digital archiving services to ensure permanent accessibility.
Corrections and Retractions: The publisher works with editors to promptly correct errors or retract articles when necessary.
5. Handling Misconduct and Complaints
We take allegations of research and publication misconduct seriously. Complaints may be raised by authors, reviewers, editors, or readers, and will be investigated fairly and confidentially. Outcomes may include correction, retraction, or sanctions against individuals or institutions.
6. Ethical Principles in Medical Research Publishing
Respect for patient privacy and confidentiality is paramount. Identifiable patient data must not be published without explicit consent.
Clinical trials must be registered in recognized trial registries.
Reporting must follow recognized standards (e.g., CONSORT, PRISMA, STROBE, CARE) to ensure accuracy and transparency.
7. Statement on Artificial Intelligence
The publisher acknowledges the evolving role of AI in research and writing. Authors must disclose the use of AI tools, and such tools may not be listed as authors. Responsibility for the integrity and originality of the work rests solely with the human authors.
8. Commitment to Integrity and Transparency
By adhering to this Publishing Ethics Statement, we strive to foster trust in scientific communication and support the advancement of medical knowledge for the benefit of patients, healthcare providers, and society at large.