Ethics & Policies

The Journal 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; eHealth, mHealth, and EHR; Public Health; Epidemiology; Communicable Diseases; Infection Control; Digital Health; Health Informatics; Health Management; Health Economics and Financial Management; Health Insurance; Health Policy and Planning; Environmental Health and Sustainability; Patient Safety, Health Quality Management, Global Health, Physical Health, Nursing and Patient Care, and Sports Medicine; Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, Agriculture, Fisheries, and Veterinary Sciences. 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.

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.
  • 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:

Key Ethical Pillars for Vulnerable Groups

  • Voluntary Participation & Consent: Informed consent must be obtained without coercion. For children, this involves parent/guardian consent and, whenever possible, the child's assent.
  • Risk-Benefit Assessment: Research must provide prospective benefits that outweigh potential harms. In pregnancy, this includes analyzing risks to both the pregnant person and the fetus.
  • Protection of Privacy: Stringent confidentiality measures must be in place to protect sensitive data. 

Policy Focus: Pregnant Individuals

  • Inclusion over Exclusion: The journal urges the inclusion of pregnant individuals to prevent "therapeutic nihilism"—treating without evidence.
  • Risk-Based Approach: A risk-based approach should be followed by studies rather than blanket exclusion.
  • Ethical Frameworks: Studies should follow the "Protection, Access, and Respect" framework to ensure safety and fair inclusion. 

Policy Focus: Children

  • Assent and Consent: Children should assent to research, while legal guardians provide consent.
  • Developmental Sensitivity: Research methods must be appropriate for the child's age, maturity, and psychological state. 

Policy Focus: Other Vulnerable Populations 

  • Contextual Vulnerability: Vulnerability is recognized as a contextual state (e.g., poverty, illness, or cognitive impairment) rather than just a group label.
  • Special Protection: Research involving populations with limited capacity to consent should use enhanced monitoring and, sometimes, oversight by an independent advocate. 

 CLINICAL TRIALS POLICY (HUMAN SUBJECTS)

Clinical trial policy of the journal ensures that human research complies with ethical principles, primarily the Declaration of Helsinki. 

  • Trial Registration: Prospective registration in a public trials registry (e.g., WHO ICTRP) is mandatory for any study involving prospective assignment to intervention.
  • Informed Consent: Documentation that all participants gave informed consent is mandatory. Vulnerable populations require extra protection.
  • Ethical Review: Approval from an institutional review board (IRB) or independent ethics committee (IEC) must be cited in the manuscript.
  • Data Integrity and Safety: Trials must have a safety monitoring board, especially for phase I/II studies.
  • Privacy: Personal identifiers must be removed from data, images, and videos, unless explicitly consented. 

ANIMAL SUBJECTS POLICY

The journal requires that animal research must adheres to the “3Rs” principles:  Replacement (using non-animal models), Reduction (using minimum necessary numbers), and Refinement (minimizing pain/distress).

  • Ethical Approval: Authors must provide a statement confirming that studies were approved by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or equivalent body.
  • Compliance Standards: Research must follow national or international guidelines (e.g., U.S. Public Health Service Policy, EU Directive 2010/63).
  • Reporting Standards: The journal requires adherence to the ARRIVE guidelines (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) checklist.
  • Methodology Requirements: The manuscript must detail an aesthesia, analgesia, euthanasia methods, and efforts to reduce pain.
  • Client-Owned Animals: Research involving veterinary patients requires informed consent from owners and adherence to high veterinary ethics.