Publication Ethics & Malpractice Policy

The Medical Journal of Internal Medicine (MJIM) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. Our policies are guided by the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) recommendations, and other internationally recognized ethical guidelines.

All parties involved in the publishing process — authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher — are expected to adhere to these ethical standards.

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1. Duties of Authors

Authors submitting to MJIM must:

• Originality and Plagiarism

  • Submit only original works that have not been published elsewhere and are not under consideration by any other journal.

  • Properly cite and acknowledge all sources, ideas, data, and references.

  • Avoid plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication, or falsification.

• Authorship

  • Authorship should be limited to those who have made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study.

  • All contributors who do not meet authorship criteria must be acknowledged.

  • All authors must approve the final version before submission.

• Multiple or Redundant Publication

  • Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously.

  • Redundant or duplicate publication is strictly prohibited.

• Data Accuracy

  • Authors are responsible for the accuracy of data, results, and interpretations.

  • Raw data may be requested by the editors for verification.

• Ethical Approval

  • Research involving human participants must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and must have been approved by an appropriate institutional ethics committee.

  • Studies involving animals must follow internationally accepted standards for animal welfare.

• Conflict of Interest Disclosure

  • Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence the research.

• Reporting Errors

  • If an author discovers a significant error in their published work, they must immediately notify the editor to issue a correction, corrigendum, or retraction.

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2. Duties of Editors

Editors of MJIM are responsible for ensuring a fair, transparent, and timely review process. They must:

• Publication Decisions

  • Base decisions solely on the academic merit, originality, and relevance of the manuscript, without discrimination based on race, gender, nationality, religion, or political beliefs.

• Confidentiality

  • Treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents and not disclose any information beyond the editorial and peer-review process.

• Fairness and Impartiality

  • Ensure unbiased evaluation and avoid handling manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest.

• Peer Review Integrity

  • Ensure that peer review is fair, rigorous, and conducted by qualified experts.

• Ethical Oversight

  • Take appropriate action when ethical concerns are raised regarding a submitted or published manuscript.

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3. Duties of Reviewers

Peer reviewers play a vital role in maintaining the quality of MJIM publications. They must:

• Confidentiality

  • Treat manuscripts as confidential documents and not share or use the information for personal advantage.

• Objectivity

  • Provide constructive, evidence-based, and unbiased feedback.

  • Avoid personal criticism of the author(s).

• Timeliness

  • Complete reviews within the agreed timeframe. If unable, notify the editor promptly.

• Conflict of Interest

  • Decline to review manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest with the authors, institutions, or subject matter.

• Acknowledgement of Sources

  • Identify relevant published work not cited by the authors.

  • Notify editors of any potential plagiarism, overlap, or ethical concern.

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4. Publisher’s Responsibilities

The publisher of MJIM ensures:

• The integrity and permanence of published content through reliable archiving and DOI assignment.

• Adoption of best practices in publication ethics, plagiarism detection, and editorial transparency.

• Collaboration with institutions and COPE when misconduct is suspected or proven.

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5. Misconduct Handling and Malpractice Statement

MJIM takes all allegations of unethical behavior seriously and will investigate all cases of suspected misconduct, including:

• Plagiarism

• Data fabrication or falsification

• Redundant or duplicate publication

• Ghostwriting or guest authorship

• Undisclosed conflicts of interest

• Manipulation of the peer review process

Possible actions include:

• Rejection of the manuscript

• Retraction of the published article with a formal notice

• Notification of the authors’ institution(s) or funding body

• Blacklisting of authors for future submissions

Investigations and decisions will strictly follow COPE flowcharts and guidelines.