Ethics & Policies

ETHICAL GUIDELINES AND POLICY

The Journal under the auspices of Multidisciplinary Publishing Institute (SMC-Pvt) Limited follows a double-blind peer-reviewed policy. The journal seeks to publish original research articles that provide insight to the research in the fields of Organization, Management, Leadership, and Technology, Medical and Health Sciences, Social Sciences, History, and Politics. The editorial board welcomes high-quality research or review papers focusing on teaching, researching, training and applied work in the field of higher education.

The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal is an essential building block in the development of a coherent and respected network of knowledge. It is a direct reflection of the quality of work of the author and the institutions that support them. Peer-reviewed articles support and embody the scientific method. It is therefore important to agree upon standards of expected ethical behavior.

This journal adheres to international standards, including the Declaration of Helsinki, the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Ethics topics to consider when publishing:

  • Authorship of the paper: Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. Contribution of each authors must be elaborated in a statement.
  • Originality and plagiarism: The authors should ensure that they have written entirely original works, and if the authors have used the work and/or words of others that this has been appropriately cited or quoted.
  • Data access and retention: Authors may be asked to provide the raw data in connection with a paper for editorial review and should be prepared to provide public access to such data.
  • Multiple, redundant or concurrent publication: An author should not in general publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. The Journal does not view the following uses of a work as prior publication: publication in the form of an abstract; publication as an academic thesis; publication as an electronic preprint.
  • Acknowledgement of sources: Proper acknowledgment.
  • Disclosure and conflicts of interest: All submissions must include disclosure of all relationships that could be viewed as presenting a potential conflict of interest.
  • Fundamental errors in published works: When an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her own published work, it is the author's obligation to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor to retract or correct the paper.
  • Reporting standards: Authors of reports of original research should present an accurate account of the work performed as well as an objective discussion of its significance.
  • Hazards and human or animal subjects: Statements of compliance are required if the work involves chemicals, procedures or equipment that have any unusual hazards inherent in their use, or if it involves the use of animal or human subjects.
  • Use of patient images or case details: Studies on patients or volunteers require ethics committee approval and informed consent, which should be documented in the paper.

ETHICS FOR RESEARCH INVOLVING CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN, AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS

The journal follows the ethical policies for children, pregnant women, and vulnerable populations emphasize minimizing risks, ensuring voluntary informed consent, and protecting autonomy while avoiding unnecessary exclusion. The journal requires special protections, such as assessment of maternal-fetal risks, guardian consent with child assent, and addressing power imbalances, ensuring benefits outweigh risks. Ethical policies of the journal strictly require that research involving these populations must be approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee. Following are the main policies:

  1. Introduction & Core Principles

This journal is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of scientific integrity, transparency, and research ethics. All submitted manuscripts reporting studies involving humans, human biological material, primary data collection, or animals must strictly comply with national laws, international agreements, and institutional oversight.

  1. Research Involving Human Participants

For any study involving human participants, authors must state in the Methods section:

  • Institutional Review Board (IRB) / Ethics Committee Approval: The name of the ethics committee and the official approval/reference number must be provided.
  • Informed Consent: Authors must explicitly state that written (or formally witnessed oral) informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to inclusion in the study.
  • Declaration of Helsinki: Studies involving human subjects must conform to the principles outlined in the WMA Declaration of Helsinki.
  1. Special Protections for Vulnerable Populations

Research involving vulnerable groups—individuals whose capacity to give voluntary, fully informed consent may be compromised—requires heightened ethical oversight and explicit scientific justification.

Vulnerable Categories Include:

  • Children and Minors
  • Pregnant Women, Fetuses, and Neonates
  • Individuals with Cognitive, Intellectual, or Mental Impairments
  • Institutionalized Persons (e.g., prisoners, residents of care homes)
  • Socioeconomically Disadvantaged or Marginalized Communities (e.g., refugees, indigenous populations, displaced persons)

Ethical Requirements for Research in Vulnerable Populations:

  1. Scientific Necessity: Authors must demonstrate that the research objective cannot be achieved using a non-vulnerable group.
  2. Direct Benefit vs. Minimal Risk: Research that does not offer direct potential health benefits to the participant must present no more than minimal risk (risk no greater than that encountered in daily life or routine physical/psychological examinations).
  3. Absence of Coercion: Inducements, financial compensation, or institutional pressure must not be used to compel participation.
  1. Specific Guidelines: Women, Children, & Human Subjects
  1. Children and Minors
  • Dual Consent Structure: Research involving minors requires written informed consent from a parent or legally authorized representative (LAR) AND child assent whenever the minor is developmentally capable of understanding the study (typically ages 7–17).
  • Right to Dissent: A child’s refusal or dissent to participate must be respected, even if parental consent has been granted, unless the intervention offers a vital therapeutic benefit unavailable outside the study.
  1. Women and Sex/Gender Equity
  • Sex and Gender Transparency: Research designs must incorporate sex and gender variables in accordance with the SAGER (Sex and Gender Equity in Research) guidelines. Disaggregate data by sex/gender wherever applicable.
  • Pregnant and Lactating Women: Pregnant women must not be arbitrarily excluded from clinical research unless a clear scientific or safety rationale exists. When included, trials must monitor both maternal and fetal/neonatal safety metrics.
  1. Use of Human Specimens, Biological Materials, & Primary Data
  1. Human Biological Materials (Tissues, Blood, Fluids, DNA)
  • Ethical Sourcing: Authors must confirm that all human tissues, primary cell lines, bodily fluids, or genetic samples were collected with approval from an ethics committee and with explicit participant consent.
  • Commercialization & Material Transfer: Authors must declare whether biological specimens were acquired from commercial repositories or biobanks and confirm compliance with relevant Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs).
  • Secondary Use & Biobanks: Re-use of stored historical samples requires documented consent for secondary research or an IRB-approved waiver of consent.
  1. Primary Data Collection & Data Privacy
  • De-identification & Anonymization: Manuscripts must not contain identifiable personal information (e.g., names, facial photos, medical record numbers) unless written consent for publication of identifiable material has been secured.
  • Data Protection Compliance: Data collection procedures must adhere to local and international privacy legislation (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).
  1. Animal Research Ethics (Humane Care & Use)

Studies involving live vertebrate animals or higher invertebrates must comply with international standards for animal welfare (e.g., the EU Directive 2010/63/EU or the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals).

The 3Rs Principle

All animal research protocols submitted to this journal must adhere to the 3Rs:

  • Replacement: Replacing live animals with non-animal alternatives (e.g., in vitro models, computer simulations) where possible.
  • Reduction: Minimizing the number of animals used to obtain statistically valid data.
  • Refinement: Refining experimental procedures, housing, and care to minimize pain, suffering, distress, or lasting harm.

Authorship Requirements for Animal Studies:

  1. IACUC / Ethics Approval: Authors must provide the name of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or equivalent body and the official protocol approval number.
  2. ARRIVE Guidelines: Manuscripts reporting animal experiments should follow the ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) guidelines.
  3. Anesthesia & Euthanasia: Authors must state the specific anesthetics, analgesics, and humane methods of euthanasia used.
  1. Summary Checklist for Authors

When submitting a manuscript reporting primary empirical or laboratory data, ensure the following statements are included prior to the Reference section:

ETHICS DECLARATION & INFORMED CONSENT STATEMENT FORM

Part 1: Ethics Approval & Declarations

(To be completed by the Corresponding Author on behalf of all authors)

  1. General Information
  • Manuscript Title: _____________________________________________________
  • Corresponding Author: _______________________________________________
  • Affiliation: __________________________________________________________
  • Email: ______________________________________________________________
  • Target Journal: ______________________________________________________
  1. Research Involving Human Participants, Animals, or Biohazards

Does this study involve human participants, human biological tissue, animals, or hazardous agents?

  • [     ] Yes
  • [     ] No (If No, skip to Section 4)
  1. Institutional Review Board (IRB) / Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
  • Approval Status:
    • [     ] Approved
    • [     ] Exempt
    • [     ] Not Applicable
  • Approving Ethics Committee / Institutional Review Board Name:_____________________________________________________________________
  • IRB / Approval Reference Number:________________________________________
  • Approval Date: [------ / ------- / -------]

Note: If exempt or not applicable, provide a brief statement explaining why according to your institution’s or country’s guidelines:

  1. Ethical Compliance Declarations
  • Declaration of Helsinki: For research involving human subjects, I confirm that the study was conducted in full compliance with the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki.
  • Animal Welfare: For research involving animals, I confirm that all procedures complied with national and institutional guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals.
  • Informed Consent: I confirm that written informed consent was obtained from all individual participants (or their legally authorized representatives) prior to inclusion in the study.
  • Conflict of Interest:
    • [       ] I declare no competing financial or non-financial interests.
    • [       ] I disclose the following potential conflicts of interest _______________________________________________________________________

Author’s Signature: __________________________________

Date: [------- / ------- / -------]

Part 2: Participant Informed Consent Form

 

(Template for participants enrolled in the research project)

Project Information

  • Study Title:______________________________________________________________
  • Principal Investigator (PI):__________________________________________________
  • Institution / Department:___________________________________________________
  • Contact Email / Phone:____________________________________________________

Participant Information Statement

You are invited to participate in a research study. Before you decide whether to participate, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please read the following information carefully.

  • Purpose of the Study:___________________________________________________
  • Procedures: If you agree to participate, you will be asked to:

1.

2.

  • Duration: Participation will take approximately [Time / Duration].
  • Risks and Discomforts: [Describe any potential risks, discomforts, or state "There are no known risks associated with this study."]
  • Benefits: [Describe direct benefits to the participant or wider societal benefits.]
  • Confidentiality: All collected data will remain strictly confidential. Your name and personal identifiers will be removed or anonymized in all published journal articles and datasets.
  • Voluntary Participation: Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You may withdraw at any time without penalty or loss of benefits.

Participant Statement of Consent

Please check the boxes below to indicate your agreement:

  • [       ] I confirm that I have read and understood the information sheet for the above study.
  • [       ] I have had the opportunity to ask questions, and any questions asked have been answered to my satisfaction.
  • [       ] I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw at any time without giving a reason.
  • [       ] I agree to the processing and publishing of anonymized data collected during this study for research and journal publication purposes.
  • [       ] Audio/Video Recording (if applicable): I consent to being audio/video recorded during the study.
    • [      ] Yes
    • [      ] No

Signatures

Participant Name (Printed):________________________________________________

Participant Signature:_____________________________________________________

Date: [------- / ------- / -------]

Researcher/Person Obtaining Consent (Printed):_____________________________

Researcher Signature:_____________________________________________________

Date: [------- / ------- / -------]