Publication Ethics & Publication Malpractice Statement

Publication Ethics & Publication Malpractice Statement

  1. Ethical Approval for Research
  • All studies involving human participants must secure ethical approval from a recognized Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethical Review Committee (ERC). The approval document must be on institutional letterhead, duly stamped, and signed by the Chairperson, including a reference number.
  • Ethical clearance must be obtained before initiating research involving direct human interaction.
  • For studies without direct human subject involvement, an exemption certificate from the relevant ERC/IRB must be submitted prior to the commencement of the study.
  • Researchers from institutions lacking a formal ERC must acquire ethical approval from a collaborating institution with an established and compliant ERC.
  • Case reports require departmental approval on official letterhead. Informed consent for case report publication must be obtained and documented.
  • When reporting the use of medications or devices, authors must declare any conflict of interest and state whether any financial support was received from manufacturers. Generic names should be used primarily; commercial names may be included in brackets if necessary.
  1. Human and Animal Rights
  • Authors are required to follow national and international ethical standards for human and animal research.
  • Authors must comply with national and international ethical standards, including the Declaration of Helsinki (2008).
  • When in doubt about ethical compliance, authors should provide justification and submit proof of approval for contentious elements.
  • Animal research must adhere to institutional and national guidelines, including the IAVE guidelines, and support the 3Rs: Replacement, Reduction, Refinement.
  • Patient privacy must be safeguarded. Identifiable information should not be published unless absolutely necessary and written informed consent is obtained.
  • The JKCD editorial board reserves the right to reject manuscripts if ethical concerns remain unresolved, even in the presence of ERC approval.
  • The editorial board may also communicate with the Author (s)' ethics committee to address the concerns raised.
  1. Informed Consent
  • Informed consent must be obtained from all study participants. For minors or deceased individuals, consent should be taken from parents or legal guardians.
  • All case reports, clinical images, and adverse event documentation require explicit patient consent, which must be mentioned in the methodology section.
  • Editors may request access to signed consent forms. These must be retained confidentially by the authors.
  • For masked participant studies, signed consent documentation must still be obtained and made available if needed.
  • Case reports should adhere to the CARE guidelines.
  1. Authorship Criteria

JKCD follows the ICMJE authorship guidelines:

    1. Substantial contribution to conception/design/data acquisition or analysis.
    2. Drafting or critical revision of the manuscript.
    3. Final approval of the published version.
    4. Accountability for all aspects of the work.
  • Contributions limited to funding acquisition, data collection, or supervision do not qualify for authorship.
  • Ghost, guest, or honorary authorship will be handled in line with COPE guidelines.
  1. Plagiarism and Similarity Check
  • JKCD checks all submissions through plagiarism detection tools like Turnitin.
  • We adhere to the plagiarism policies defined by HEC and PMDC. A similarity index of more than 17% is not acceptable.
  • Unreferenced duplication or salami slicing will result in rejection and be considered misconduct.
  1. Scientific Misconduct

We follow COPE, WAME, and ICMJE guidelines for managing scientific misconduct including

  • Data falsification or fabrication
  • Plagiarism of text, ideas, or data
  • Improper authorship attribution
  • Misappropriation of research ideas or findings
  • Violation of accepted research practices
  • Non-compliance with regulatory standards
  • Inappropriate handling of misconduct allegations

6.1 Reporting Allegations of Misconduct

  • Allegations of misconduct should be reported to the editorial office of the journal. Reports may be submitted by any individual, including authors, reviewers, readers, or other parties who have concerns regarding the integrity of a submission.
  • Anonymous Reporting: Allegations can be submitted anonymously; however, the journal encourages open communication to facilitate effective investigation and resolution.
  • Initial Review: Upon receipt of a complaint, the Complaints Process Committee will conduct a preliminary review to assess the credibility, validity, and seriousness of the allegation, and determine if further investigation is warranted.

6.2 Investigation Process

  • Preliminary Assessment: The Editor-in-Chief, along with the Complaints Process Committee, will assess the allegation in light of available evidence, the severity of the claim, and relevant guidelines (COPE, ICMJE, WAME).
  • Engagement with Authors: The corresponding author(s) will be contacted for clarification or rebuttal. In cases of suspected plagiarism or duplication, authors must provide evidence of originality and citation.
  • Third-Party Review: The journal may engage external experts (e.g., plagiarism detection services, methodological experts) to support investigation where necessary.

6.3 Consequences of Misconduct

Depending on the outcome of the investigation, the following actions may be taken:

  • Correction or Retraction: The journal may issue a correction or retraction depending on the gravity of the error or misconduct.
  • Formal Warning: Issued in minor misconduct cases, alerting the author(s) to maintain higher ethical standards.
  • Submission Ban: For serious violations like data fabrication or repeated plagiarism, authors may be banned temporarily or permanently from future submissions.
  • Notification to Affiliating Institutions: For grave misconduct, the journal reserves the right to inform the corresponding academic or research institutions.

6.4 Ethical Handling of Investigations

  • Fair and Transparent Process: All allegations are processed confidentially and fairly, with equal rights for both accuser and accused.
  • Collaboration with Relevant Authorities: The journal may collaborate with regulatory agencies, academic institutions, or the publisher to ensure thorough and unbiased investigation.

6.5 Appeals

  • Authors who disagree with the outcome of the investigation may file a written appeal to the editorial board.
  • Appeals must be based on substantial new evidence or a justified rationale for reconsideration.
  • The final decision on appeals lies with the editorial board after a comprehensive reassessment.

6.6 Commitment to Academic Integrity

We are committed to upholding the integrity of scientific research and publication. All parties involved in the publication process must adhere to the principles of honesty, transparency, and respect for intellectual property.

  1. Retraction Guidelines

JKCD will retract published work if:

  • Errors or data fabrication/falsification are discovered.
  • Plagiarism or duplicate publication is confirmed.
  • Research was conducted unethically or without proper permission.
  • Copyright infringement or legal issues exist.
  • Conflict of interest was not disclosed and affects the validity of findings.
  • A compromised peer review process is identified.
  • Retraction notices will be published promptly, will be freely accessible, and will clearly link to the original article, including its title and authors. This will ensure transparency and maintain the integrity of the scholarly record

Guidance is based on COPE Retraction Guidelines.

  1. Use of AI in Manuscripts
  • Authors must disclose any use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, image generators) during manuscript preparation.
  • AI cannot be cited as an author.
  • Authors remain responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of content, even when AI-assisted.
  • Any AI-generated content must be reviewed by human authors to ensure factual accuracy and plagiarism-free content.
  1. Conflict of Interest
  • A conflict of interest exists when an author, reviewer, or editor has competing financial, personal, or professional interests that could influence their work.
  • All authors must declare any potential conflicts, including:
    • Financial relationships
    • Institutional affiliations
    • Personal relationships
  • These declarations must be included in the submission statement and at the end of the manuscript under a “Conflict of Interest” section.
  • If no conflict exists, please write: "None to declare" in the manuscript.