Research Publication Ethics Policy
The Pakistan Journal of Pathology (Pak J Pathol) is dedicated to the ethical, thorough, and forward-thinking handling of scientific content, striving not just to uphold but to elevate the quality of its published research. As a quarterly, double-blind peer-reviewed publication, the journal maintains a rigorous review system, strictly enforcing ethical policies and standards in line with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines and its code of conduct.
Ethical Guidelines for Authors
Authors submitting to the Pakistan Journal of Pathology must follow strict ethical guidelines in their research and publication process. This involves guaranteeing the work’s originality, preventing plagiarism, and presenting precise data. Authorship should be based on significant contributions, with proper credit given to sources, funding, and any conflicts of interest. Studies involving human or animal subjects require documented ethical approval. Additionally, authors should engage in peer review, address feedback professionally, and correct any published errors promptly. Following these principles helps maintain the credibility and integrity of medical research.
In summary, Pak J Pathol stresses ethical behavior, transparency, and accountability in research and publishing. Authors are encouraged to uphold these standards to ensure their work remains reliable and trustworthy within the medical community.
Plagiarism and Data Fabrication
Submissions to Pakistan Journal of Pathology (Pak J Pathol) must consist of original data that has not been selectively, artificially, or fraudulently altered. Plagiarism and data falsification are strictly prohibited.
Plagiarism involves using another person’s work—such as ideas, text, images, or data—without proper acknowledgment. If plagiarism is detected at any stage of the review process, the manuscript will be immediately rejected, and the authors will be blacklisted. Additionally, the names of those responsible will be shared with other medical journal editors, the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PM&DC), and the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
Research Involving Human Subjects
All researchers conducting studies involving human subjects or human samples must submit a declaration following the principles outlined in the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki (https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/medical-ethics/declaration-of-helsinki/), as revised in 2013. Additionally, they must obtain approval from an institutional ethics committee, which will issue a certificate. This certificate should include an assigned research number, the study title, the names of all authors, and the approval date. Every member of the Institutional Review Board must sign the ethical approval certificate.
Consent Policy
A signed informed consent form for participation and publication must be acquired from all participants, adhering to ethical guidelines. Patient confidentiality must be strictly maintained by anonymizing personal details, excluding sensitive information from manuscripts, and ensuring all identifying features are removed from images.
Ethical Guidelines for the Use of Animals in Research
Researchers working with animals must consider the ethical implications of their studies and ensure that the potential benefits justify any harm to the animals. They should also be knowledgeable about appropriate animal use in research, including which procedures are allowed and prohibited. Additionally, authors must verify that their work complies with the guidelines set by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). For any original research involving animals, approval from an institutional ethics committee is required. The Methods Section should include the project identification code, approval date, and the name of the ethics committee or review board.
Clinical Trials Registration
Registration
Clinical trials registration is the process of bringing forward the specific details of a study which is carried out on human subjects in order to see the effects of health-related intervention, on a public database. Pakistan Journal of Pathology follows the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines which require and recommend registration of clinical trials in a public trials’ registry at or before the time of first patient enrollment as a condition of consideration for publication.
"Authors are required to register clinical trials in advance with a national or international clinical trial registry and include the registration reference in both the Abstract and Methods sections. Acceptable registries include platforms such as clinicaltrials.gov. This registration must accompany approval from a local or regional ethics committee. The Pakistan Journal of Pathology maintains the authority to reject any submission lacking trial registration prior to peer review."
CONSORT Statement
CONSORT Statement’ stands for Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials. It helps in the validation as well as inclusion and analysis of a trial in meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Pakistan Journal of Pathology requires submission of a completed CONSORT 2010 checklist and flow diagram while reporting a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Templates for these can be found here or on the CONSORT website (http://www.consort-statement.org).
Citation Policies
Citation in medical writing is the process of correctly and adequately referring to the ideas, concepts, results etc., of other researchers. Pakistan Journal of Pathology employs the Vancouver style of referencing.
Pak J Pathol follows Index Medicus style for referencing and abbreviated journal names according to NLM in Index Medicus
Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers
Pakistan Journal of Pathology employs the policy of double-blind peer review and ensures that all manuscripts undergo a clear, transparent and unbiased reviewing process by subject experts. This process is essential for the credibility of any published manuscript as well as the medical journal.
Reviewers are essential in upholding the standards and credibility of academic publications. Pak J Pathol recognizes their ethical contributions and provides the following guidelines to promote a transparent, helpful, and confidential peer review system.
Confidentiality
Reviewers must uphold confidentiality by keeping all details from submitted manuscripts private. They should immediately report any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from reviewing if they cannot remain unbiased.
Promptness
If a selected referee feels they lack the expertise to evaluate the research in a manuscript or cannot provide a timely review, they should inform the editor and withdraw from the process. Reviewers must respond promptly when assigned a manuscript. Should they feel unqualified or unable to review it quickly for any reason, they must notify the editor and step down from their reviewing duties
Conflict of Interest
We request that reviewers disclose any conflicts of interest—whether positive or negative—that could influence their evaluation. While the Editorial Team conducts preliminary checks before inviting reviewers, we rely on their cooperation in this regard. If a reviewer has previously assessed the same manuscript for another journal, this does not constitute a conflict of interest.
Objectivity and Constructive Feedback
Reviewers should strive for objectivity in their evaluations, offering constructive criticism of the scientific work. They must recognize their own limitations and maintain fairness and impartiality in their assessments.
Timeliness and Communication
Completing reviews on time is encouraged, and any communication must remain private and sent straight to the editors.
Ethical Considerations
Addressing ethical concerns, including research misconduct and authorship issues, is part of reviewers' responsibilities.
Continuous Professional Development
Reviewers are encouraged to stay informed about the latest developments in their field and peer review practices.
Reviewer Recognition
Pak J Pathol values the contributions of reviewers and may acknowledge their efforts, ensuring due credit for their voluntary service.
Compliance with Journal Policies
Reviewers must understand and follow the editorial and ethical guidelines of Pak J Pathol while conducting reviews. If they identify any breaches of the journal's policies, they should immediately notify the editorial team.
Ethical Guidelines for Editors
The Ethical Guidelines for Editors at Pak J Pathol outline the principles guiding editorial conduct to ensure integrity and fairness in scholarly publishing.
Editorial Decision-Making:
Editors must make decisions based on the merit of the manuscript, without influence from commercial interests, personal relationships, or other biases.
Conflicts of Interest
Full disclosure of any conflicts of interest is required, with appropriate delegation of duties if necessary.
Equal Treatment
Manuscripts should be evaluated based on their content, regardless of authors' identity, gender, ethnicity, or other personal characteristics.
Anonymous Peer Review
The peer review process should be conducted anonymously to ensure unbiased evaluation.
Confidentiality
Editors and reviewers are required to handle manuscripts with confidentiality. Details about submitted papers must not be shared with anyone outside the peer-review process. Additionally, editors must protect the privacy of research participants and any personal data included in the manuscripts.
Integrity and Ethical Conduct
Editors play a key role in maintaining research integrity by quickly addressing ethical issues and overseeing corrections or retractions as needed. They must communicate openly with authors, reviewers, and readers, ensuring editorial policies are clearly shared. Additionally, they are responsible for proper attribution, compliance with copyright regulations, and rigorously addressing plagiarism.
Editorial Team Development
Editors should provide opportunities for continuous professional development for themselves and the editorial team. Editors must ensure fair authorship practices, avoiding any favoritism or discrimination.
Conflicts of Interest
All individuals involved in the research process, including authors, reviewers, and editors, are obligated to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that might compromise the objectivity or integrity of the research. It is imperative to adhere to Pak J Pathol conflict of interest policy. Authors are specifically required to submit the ICMJE Conflict of Interest Form as an integral part of the submission process. This practice ensures a transparent and accountable approach to handling conflicts of interest, aligning with established standards in scholarly publishing and contributing to the overall integrity of the research.
Editorial Independence
At Pak J Pathol, editorial independence is a core value that protects the integrity and impartiality of editorial decisions. The journal’s editors work free from external pressures, guaranteeing fair and objective assessments of submissions. Upholding editorial independence is essential, allowing editors to judge manuscripts based on scientific quality, ethical compliance, and relevance to the journal’s focus. This steadfast commitment to autonomy ensures that research is evaluated purely on its academic value, reinforcing the journal’s reputation and the trustworthiness of its publications.
Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern
Corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern are managed in accordance with Pak J Pathol established policy.
The Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies
Pak J Pathol acknowledges the changing trends in research methods, particularly the use of generative AI and AI-assisted tools. While the journal supports the responsible application of these technologies in research, maintaining ethical integrity and transparency remains essential. Authors are required to comply with Pak J Pathol’s AI Disclosure Policy.
