Editorial Policy
Editorial Selection and Independence
The Journal(s) appoints Editors and Editorial Board members through a transparent and merit-based process. Most appointments are made by invitation to distinguished researchers with demonstrated expertise, a strong publication record, and recognized academic achievements. The Journal also welcomes applications from qualified researchers interested in joining the Editorial Board. All applications are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and the Executive Editorial Team according to the Journal's selection criteria, and appointments are made based on scientific qualifications, editorial experience, research integrity, and the ability to contribute effectively to the Journal's development.
The handling Editor makes the final decision on each manuscript and we strongly ensure that we keep the editorial decision without the interference of personal, political, or financial interests.
Ethical Considerations
The journals published by Caspian Medical Futurology Ltd. follow the indications provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The Journal also follows the guidelines mentioned in the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals issued by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
Plagiarism
Any form of plagiarism will not be tolerated. If the editorial team or reviewers detect serious evidence of plagiarism at any stage of the article process, it can lead to the rejection of the article.
Retraction
The editorial team will consider retracting a publication if there is clear evidence of unreliable data or findings, plagiarism, redundancy, or duplicate publication.
Authorship
The corresponding author is responsible to confirm that all of the listed authors have read and approved the final version of the submitted manuscript. Also, the corresponding author should ensure that the listed authors have made a substantive contribution to the article. The authors’ contributions must be declared in the “Authors’ contributions” section. All contributors who did not meet the criteria for authorship based on ICMJE recommendation should be listed in the “Acknowledgements” section.
Please note that authors do not permit changing the authorship after acceptance of a manuscript. Any change in authorship after initial submission must be provided by sending a letter to the editorial office describing clearly the reason(s) for any alterations and signed confirmation of all authors. The editorial office may ask authors to confirm their responses directly via email.
Complaints and Appeals
If you disagree with a decision made by the Journals, the author may appeal the decision by providing an email to the handling Editor with a detailed point-by-point response to the reviewer and editor’s comments. The Editor will review the peer review process undertaken for the submission. If the decision was made in line with editorial criteria, the Editor’s decision to reject is final. Journals will acknowledge receipt of an email sent to principal contact within 7 business days. Only one appeal is permitted for each manuscript. Final decisions on appeals will be made within 4–8 weeks by the Editorial Board Member handling the paper or the Editor-in-Chief.
In general, an appeal against a rejection decision on a manuscript will only be considered if:
- (a) The authors can demonstrate that an error that determined the final decision has been made – by a reviewer or the Editors – during the review
- (b) If important additional data can be provided
- (c) If a convincing case of bias in the process can be demonstrated
Complaints
Complaints about our processes or about publication ethics will be in the first instance handled by the Editor responsible for the journal. The author will be notified of the outcome by email. If the author wishes to pursue their complaint further, they may contact COPE directly. Information can be found on the COPE website: https://publicationethics.org/facilitation-and-integrity-subcommittee
Funding
All sources of funding and the role of the sponsor(s) for the research should be declared under a separate heading entitled “Funding”.
Conflicts of Interest
Authors must fully declare any existing or potential conflicts of interest of a financial, personal, or any other nature that could affect or bias their research.
Corrections, Retractions and Editorial Expressions of Concern
The publisher is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record and follows internationally recognized best practices when handling post-publication issues. Requests for corrections, retractions, or editorial expressions of concern may be initiated by authors, readers, reviewers, or editors. All cases are evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the editorial board and the publisher when necessary, following the recommendations of COPE. Minor errors that do not affect the scientific validity of an article are corrected through formal correction notices. Articles containing unreliable findings resulting from major errors, research misconduct, plagiarism, duplicate publication, or unethical research practices may be retracted. When there is credible evidence of potential misconduct but an investigation has not yet reached a conclusion, an Editorial Expression of Concern may be issued to alert readers. All post-publication notices are published transparently, permanently linked to the original article, and remain freely accessible to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the scientific record.
Research ethics and Informed consent policy
All manuscripts concerning clinical investigations with humans or human materials must have been performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and should include a statement confirming that all subjects or subject’s guardian provided written consent before participation after adequate explanation. Also, all studies must include a statement that the project was approved by the local Ethical Committee. Any reasons for waiving to obtain informed consent must be clearly declared.
All manuscripts reporting the results of experimental investigations involving animals are required to give an assurance statement that the animals were cared for in accordance with a standard guide to the care and use of experimental animals and must include a statement that their use of animals and experiments was reviewed and approved by the local Ethical Committee.
If the submitted article reports the results of a healthcare intervention on human participants (a clinical trial study), it is mandatory to have a registration number from a public trials registry that allows free online access to the public.
Peer review policy
All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial assessment to determine their suitability for the journal's scope, scientific quality, and compliance with submission requirements. Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are assigned to at least two independent experts for double-blind peer review, in which the identities of both authors and reviewers remain confidential throughout the review process. Reviewers evaluate the originality, scientific validity, methodological rigor, ethical compliance, clarity of presentation, and relevance of the manuscript. Based on the reviewers' recommendations, the Editor-in-Chief or the assigned Academic Editor makes the final editorial decision, which may include acceptance, minor revision, major revision, or rejection. Editorial decisions are made independently and are based solely on scientific merit, without discrimination or commercial influence. The journal follows the recommendations of COPE and the ICMJE to ensure a fair, transparent, confidential, and unbiased peer review process.