Journal Policies
RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION ETHICS POLICY:
The Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) is committed to promoting integrity, transparency, and accountability in research and scholarly publishing. We uphold the principles of responsible research conduct, including objectivity, honesty, openness, fairness, and professional stewardship. Authors submitting to JMASH are expected to adhere strictly to ethical standards in both research and publication.
JMASH endorses the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) core practices and follows COPE guidelines when addressing ethical concerns or suspected misconduct. Additionally, we align with the ethical policies and best practices recommended by the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
Institutional Ethical Review and Approval
Authors must obtain approval or exemption from an accredited Institutional Ethical Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee for all research involving human participants, identifiable data, biological samples, or animals. A copy of the approval or exemption letter should be submitted with the manuscript.
Human studies must comply with the latest version of the Declaration of Helsinki on ethical principles for medical research.
Patient data should be anonymized unless identifiable information is essential for the research and informed consent has been obtained.
Research involving animals must follow established national and international ethical guidelines, including institutional animal care regulations and ethical review board approvals.
Protection of Research Participants
JMASH expects authors to prioritize the rights, dignity, and welfare of research participants. Compliance with national and international ethical standards, including ICMJE guidelines, is mandatory.
Institutional approval is required for studies involving human participants or animals.
The journal reserves the right to decline manuscripts suspected of breaching ethical standards, even if ethics committee approval has been granted.
Informed Consent and Confidentiality
Authors must ensure that informed consent has been obtained from all human participants, including consent from parents or legal guardians for minors (under 18 years of age).
Consent must also be secured for case reports, clinical images, and studies involving sensitive information.
Patient confidentiality must be respected at all times. Identifying information should not be disclosed without explicit written permission.
Studies involving vulnerable populations (such as children, prisoners, or cognitively impaired individuals) require additional ethical safeguards and documentation of consent.
Policy on Human Rights
JMASH follows the ethical guidelines of the ICMJE and the WMA Declaration of Helsinki for human research.
Authors must affirm adherence to both national laws and international ethical standards.
If deviations from the Helsinki principles occur, authors must provide justification and secure clear approval from the institutional ethics board for those aspects of the study.
Animal Rights and Welfare Policy
Research involving animals must comply with recognized national and international standards for animal care and use.
Authors are encouraged to follow guidance from the WMA Statement on Animal Use in Biomedical Research, the International Association of Veterinary Editors’ Consensus Guidelines, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.
JMASH supports the 3Rs Principle (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) to promote humane and responsible use of animals in research.
In cases involving client-owned animals, authors must ensure informed consent is obtained from the owners.
Commitment to Ethical Publishing
JMASH is dedicated to maintaining the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing. We expect all contributors to uphold these principles and understand that violations may result in manuscript rejection, retraction, or reporting to relevant authorities.
For further guidance, please refer to:
COPE Guidelines: https://publicationethics.org/
ICMJE Recommendations: http://www.icmje.org/
Declaration of Helsinki: https://www.wma.net/
OPEN ACCESS POLICY:
The Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) is a fully open-access, peer-reviewed journal, ensuring that all published articles are freely accessible online immediately upon publication. Readers do not require a subscription or make any payment to access content published in JMASH.
Publication Model
JMASH follows an Online-First publication model, allowing accepted manuscripts to be published online ahead of the print issue. Authors have the opportunity to make minor revisions within a specified timeframe after the online posting.
Peer Review and Submission Process
All manuscripts submitted to JMASH undergo a double-blind peer-review process and editorial quality control to ensure academic rigor and integrity.
Submissions must be made through the Open Journal System (OJS) available on the JMASH website.
Each author, or the corresponding author, is required to register and create a user account on the OJS portal before submission.
Open Access Licensing
JMASH publishes under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Authors retain copyright and grant JMASH the right to publish the work with proper attribution.
Articles published under this license can be shared, copied, redistributed, and adapted for non-commercial purposes, provided appropriate credit is given to JMASH as the original source.
No embargo period applies, and readers are not required to register to access content.
PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY:
The Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH), owned and operated from Hyderabad, Pakistan, is committed to safeguarding the privacy and confidentiality of all personal information collected through its website and publication system. JMASH strictly adheres to the guidelines set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) regarding data privacy and confidentiality.
Privacy of Personal Information
The names, email addresses, and other personal details provided by users on the JMASH website will be used solely for the stated purposes of the journal including correspondence, peer review, and publication.
This information will not be shared, sold, or disclosed to any third party or used for any unrelated purpose without the explicit consent of the individuals concerned.
Confidentiality of Manuscripts
The Editorial Board and editorial team members of JMASH are committed to treating all submitted manuscripts with the utmost confidentiality.
In line with ICMJE standards, all manuscripts and associated review materials will be handled confidentially throughout the editorial and peer-review process.
Editors, editorial staff, and peer reviewers are required to respect the confidentiality of submissions and refrain from sharing any manuscript details both during the review process and after its completion—except as officially disclosed by the journal.
JMASH is dedicated to maintaining the integrity of the editorial process and protecting the trust of its authors, reviewers, and readers.
PEER REVIEW POLICY AND PROCESS:
The Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) follows a strict double-blind peer review system designed to maintain the quality, originality, and scientific integrity of all published content.
Initial Screening and Acknowledgment
Upon submission, manuscripts are promptly acknowledged.
The editorial office conducts an initial assessment within one week to check for:
Compliance with author guidelines
Originality and similarity index in line with Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan standards
Submission of mandatory documents, including the Authorship Declaration, ICMJE Disclosure Form, and Ethical Approval Certificate
Manuscripts not meeting these requirements are returned for correction before being sent for peer review.
Peer Review Procedure
Once deemed suitable, the manuscript is forwarded to two external reviewers (national or international) under a double-blind review process, ensuring anonymity between authors and reviewers.
Reviewers are given three weeks to complete their evaluation.
If a reviewer fails to respond within this period, a reminder is sent.
Should there be no response after the reminder, a third reviewer is invited to ensure timely processing.
Reviewer Selection and Confidentiality
The identity of both authors and reviewers remains confidential throughout the process.
The Editor ensures that any identifying information is removed before sharing the manuscript with reviewers.
Reviewer comments are treated with strict confidentiality and shared with the authors solely for revision purposes.
Authors are given ample time to address reviewer feedback and revise their manuscripts accordingly.
Editing and Final Approval
Accepted manuscripts undergo editorial editing for scientific accuracy, clarity, and consistency, including adjustments to text, tables, and figures.
The editorial team formats the manuscript for publication and sends a galley proof to the corresponding author for final review and approval.
All co-authors are responsible for reviewing the proof and ensuring the accuracy of the final version, including any editorial revisions.
Professional Standards and Reviewer Assignments
The editorial team upholds a non-discriminatory and professional review process conducted through the Open Journal System (OJS).
Reviewers are generally assigned one manuscript per issue, though exceptions may apply.
Authors may suggest potential reviewers by providing full contact details and affiliations, but final selection rests with the editorial board. Preference is given to reviewers from JMASH’s own database.
Confidentiality Note
While the details of the peer review process remain confidential, JMASH reserves the right to disclose review information to relevant authorities such as International Indexing Agencies, HEC Pakistan, and the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) if required for journal evaluation or compliance purposes.
MANUSCRIPT WITHDRAWAL POLICY:
As per the Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) copyright policy, the copyright of a manuscript is transferred to the journal upon submission. Authors are also reminded that simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals is considered a serious ethical violation.
Procedure for Withdrawal
If authors wish to withdraw their manuscript while it is under editorial or peer review, they must formally notify the editorial office via email, clearly stating their intention to withdraw.
The editorial office will issue an official confirmation of withdrawal once the request is processed. Only after receiving this confirmation is the manuscript considered formally withdrawn.
Important Considerations
Without formal written confirmation from JMASH, the manuscript remains under consideration by the journal, and submitting it elsewhere will be treated as a breach of publication ethics.
Manuscripts cannot be withdrawn once they have been formally accepted for publication.
COPYRIGHT POLICY:
The Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) maintains a clear and transparent copyright policy to protect the rights of both authors and the journal.
Author Rights and Copyright Ownership
Authors retain the rights to their original work; however, upon submission, they grant JMASH the authority to publish, distribute, and reproduce the manuscript in any form or medium.
Authors are required to confirm that they have the full rights to submit their work and grant publication permissions to JMASH, including the right to display their names and affiliations.
Once the manuscript is published, authors may reuse or share their work, provided proper credit is given to JMASH as the original publisher and the work is cited appropriately.
Creative Commons Licensing
All published articles in JMASH are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
This license allows anyone to copy, share, distribute, and adapt the material for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and JMASH.
Users are not permitted to claim exclusive rights or include statements such as “All rights reserved” for works published under this license.
For details on the license, visit: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Use of Third-Party Material
Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission for any third-party content (such as figures, tables, images, questionnaires, or proprietary tools) that is not covered by fair use or open access agreements.
Any such permission must be secured before submission and documented accordingly.
Limited use of short text excerpts for critique or review may be permissible under fair use, but proper acknowledgment is still required.
This policy helps maintain ethical standards and ensures the responsible use of published material.
APPEAL POLICY:
Authors whose manuscripts have been rejected by the Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) have the right to appeal the decision.
Appeal Procedure
Authors must submit a formal appeal letter addressed to the Editor-in-Chief, providing a clear and detailed explanation of the grounds for their appeal.
Upon receipt, the Editor will forward the appeal to the appropriate Section Editor for independent review and recommendation.
The Section Editor will review the authors' arguments, examine the reviewers' reports, and assess the case in accordance with the COPE Core Practices, COPE Guidelines, and WAME Policies.
After thorough evaluation, the Section Editor will submit a report to the Editor-in-Chief, who will make the final decision on whether the rejection should be upheld or reconsidered.
Outcome of Appeal
The decision, along with a brief explanation (if applicable), will be communicated to the author.
The editorial decision after the appeal is considered final.
This policy ensures that authors are given a fair opportunity to have their concerns addressed in an objective and transparent manner.
PLAGIARISM POLICY:
The Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) is committed to promoting ethical publishing practices and maintaining the highest standards of originality and academic integrity. JMASH strictly prohibits plagiarism in any form, including direct copying, improper paraphrasing, or self-plagiarism.
Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism refers to presenting another individual’s work, ideas, or published content whether partially or wholly without proper citation or acknowledgment. This includes:
Direct Copying (Full Plagiarism): Republishing content word-for-word without changes or credit.
Partial Plagiarism: Mixing content from multiple sources with inadequate paraphrasing or improper citation.
Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one’s own previously published work without disclosure or permission from the original publisher.
Authors must reference all sources appropriately, including their previously published work, in compliance with ethical standards.
Plagiarism Detection and Similarity Check
JMASH employs Turnitin® plagiarism detection software in accordance with the guidelines of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
The acceptable similarity index is:
Less than 19% total similarity, and
Not more than 4% from any single source.
Manuscripts exceeding these thresholds will be returned to authors for revision.
If a manuscript repeatedly fails the plagiarism check, it will be rejected without further processing.
Manuscripts showing over 50% similarity will be declined immediately upon detection.
Handling Publication Misconduct
In case of suspected plagiarism, the corresponding author will be contacted for an explanation within two weeks.
If the author provides a satisfactory response, the editorial board may allow resubmission after necessary revisions.
Failure to respond within the given timeframe, or providing an unsatisfactory explanation, may result in actions such as:
Rejection of the manuscript
Retraction of a published article
Issuance of a retraction notice on the JMASH website
Notification to relevant authorities, including the Institutional Head, HEC Pakistan, Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC), and editorial bodies.
HEC Pakistan Plagiarism Policy 2024
This policy ensures the integrity of the scientific record and protects the rights of authors and researchers.
RETRACTION POLICY:
The Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) adheres strictly to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Retraction Guidelines.
COPE Retraction Guidelines
Grounds for Retraction
A published article may be subject to retraction if:
Significant errors or flaws are identified in the results, analysis, or methodology that invalidates the study’s conclusions.
Plagiarism is detected after the article’s publication.
The work is found to be a duplicate or redundant publication without appropriate cross-referencing, permission, or justification.
The research is found to be unethical or violates accepted research ethics standards.
Undisclosed major conflicts of interest are discovered post-publication that could have influenced the study’s outcome or interpretation.
Retraction Process
Retractions are handled transparently and in accordance with COPE recommendations.
A retraction notice will be published, clearly stating the reasons for the retraction and linked to the original article.
Retracted articles will remain accessible online to maintain the integrity of the scientific record but will be clearly marked as “Retracted.”
This policy ensures accountability and upholds the trustworthiness of published research in JMASH.
LICENSING TERMS:
All content published in the Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited and attributed to the authors and JMASH.
For license details, please visit: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
ETHICAL APPROVAL OF RESEARCH:
All manuscripts submitted to the Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) must include documented approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethical Review Committee (ERC) of the affiliated institution.
The approval letter should be issued on the official letterhead of the respective IRB/ERC, duly signed and stamped by the Chairperson.
Ethical approval should be obtained before the commencement of the study (prospective approval).
For studies that do not involve direct interaction with human subjects, an exemption letter from the IRB/ERC must be provided prior to the project’s initiation.
Special Considerations
If the institution lacks an IRB/ERC, authors must seek ethical approval from another recognized body that upholds accepted ethical standards.
In multicenter studies or when data is sourced from multiple healthcare institutions, permission to access data must be secured separately from each participating facility.
For non-interventional studies, a waiver certificate must be obtained from the IRB/ERC.
Case reports require departmental approval on official letterhead and a statement confirming that informed consent was obtained from the patient(s) for participation and/or publication.
This policy ensures the protection of research participants and adherence to recognized ethical standards in biomedical research.
WAME RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) is committed to upholding research integrity and adheres to the principles of transparency, accountability, and best practices in scholarly publishing, as endorsed by the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).
JMASH follows WAME's guidelines on various aspects of medical publishing, including their latest recommendations on the use of Chatbots, Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), and their role in scholarly manuscripts.
We encourage authors, reviewers, and editors to refer to the WAME Recommendations on Chatbots and Generative AI in Scholarly Publications (Revised May 31, 2023) to ensure ethical use of AI tools in research and publication.
Access WAME Recommendations:
https://wame.org/pdf/Chatbots-Generative-AI-and-Scholarly-Manuscripts.pdf
GUIDELINES ON ETHICAL CONDUCT AND PUBLICATION OF HEALTH RESEARCH:
Research Ethics:
The Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) upholds strict ethical standards for all submitted research, ensuring the protection of human rights and compliance with global ethical norms.
Research Involving Human Subjects
Authors reporting research involving human participants, human tissues, biological materials, or personal data must confirm that their study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (1975), updated in 2013.
Declaration of Helsinki:
Prior approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or an authorized Ethics Committee is mandatory before initiating the research to ensure compliance with both national and international ethical guidelines.
Authors must include the ethics approval details project identification number, date of approval, and the name of the IRB or ethics committee in the ‘Institutional Review Board Statement’ section of their manuscript.
Non-Interventional Studies:
For observational studies such as surveys, questionnaires, or research using social media data:
Participants must be fully informed about the study’s purpose, assured of their anonymity, and made aware of how their data will be used, including any potential risks.
Ethical approval is required even for non-interventional research.
If an exemption applies, authors must submit a formal exemption letter or cite the applicable local/national laws confirming that ethical approval is not required.
The ‘Institutional Review Board Statement’ must clearly state the exemption details and the name of the ethics committee granting it.
Clinical Trial Registration:
JMASH requires that all clinical trials be registered in a recognized clinical trials registry before the trial begins, as a prerequisite for manuscript consideration.
Funding Disclosure:
Authors are required to disclose all sources of funding related to their study within the manuscript, ensuring transparency regarding financial support.
Complaint Policy:
The Journal of Medical and Allied Sciences, Hyderabad (JMASH) values transparency, fairness, and integrity in its editorial processes. We welcome formal complaints related to publication ethics, authorship disputes, peer review conduct, or any editorial malpractice.
COMPLAINT SUBMISSION:
Complaints may be submitted by authors, reviewers, or any concerned individual through the official journal email addresses:
editor@jmash.pk
zulfikar229@hotmail.com
Complaint Handling Process
Upon receiving a complaint, the matter will be forwarded to the Editorial Board for a thorough review and investigation.
The Board will assess the complaint following the guidelines and best practices outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
After deliberation, the Editorial Board will present its recommendation to the Chief Editor for a final decision.
If the Complainant Remains Dissatisfied
If the complainant is not satisfied with how the issue is resolved by JMASH, they may escalate the matter directly to COPE for further review.
Complaints Related to Editorial Processes
Issues such as delays in manuscript handling, peer review timelines, or editorial communication will be addressed by the Editor-in-Chief or the Section Editor responsible for the manuscript.
