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Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement

JOURNAL POLICIES COPE & ICMJE ALIGNED

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

ICME Journal of Laboratory Medicine (ICMEJLM) • Research Integrity, Editorial Independence & Academic Standards

The ICME Journal of Laboratory Medicine is committed to maintaining high standards of publication ethics, research integrity, editorial independence, scientific accuracy, and transparency.

This statement applies to authors, editors, editorial board members, reviewers, publishers, and all individuals involved in the submission, evaluation, production, and publication of scholarly content. The journal expects all parties to act honestly, fairly, responsibly, and professionally throughout the publication process.

Key Stakeholder Responsibilities

For Editors
  • Evaluate manuscripts strictly on academic and scientific merit
  • Protect reviewer and author confidentiality in a double-blind system
  • Maintain complete independence from financial or publisher influence
  • Investigate credible allegations of misconduct objectively
For Reviewers
  • Provide objective, constructive, and evidence-based reviews
  • Declare any financial, academic, or personal conflicts of interest
  • Maintain strict confidentiality of unpublished manuscript data
  • Report suspected plagiarism, fabrication, or ethical violations
For Authors
  • Submit entirely original research with accurate data and methods
  • Ensure all listed authors meet genuine authorship criteria
  • Disclose all sources of funding and potential conflicts of interest
  • Obtain institutional ethical approvals and patient informed consent
For Publishers
  • Guarantee editorial independence without commercial interference
  • Support long-term digital preservation and persistent indexing (DOIs)
  • Maintain transparent publishing policies and ethical standards
  • Protect whistleblowers and support fair investigations

Zero Tolerance for Misconduct

The journal enforces strict policies against all forms of scientific and publication malpractice, including:

✓ Plagiarism & Text Recycling: Unattributed copying of text, data, or ideas. Manuscripts are screened using similarity-detection software.
✓ Data Fabrication & Falsification: Inventing results, selective data manipulation, or misleading statistical presentation.
✓ Duplicate or Simultaneous Submissions: Submitting or publishing the same manuscript across multiple outlets concurrently.
✓ Deceptive Image Manipulation: Improperly altering diagnostic, microscopic, or laboratory images to distort findings.
✓ Unethical Authorship: Gift, ghost, guest, or purchased authorship arrangements.

Ethics Approval, Consent & AI Directives

Human & Animal Research Ethics

Studies involving human subjects or biological samples must report institutional ethics board (IRB/IEC) approval and voluntary informed consent. Animal studies must report compliance with standard welfare guidelines (e.g., ARRIVE).

Generative AI & Author Accountability

AI tools cannot be credited as authors. Authors retain full responsibility for scientific accuracy and must declare any generative AI assistance. Reviewers and editors are strictly prohibited from uploading confidential manuscripts to external AI systems.

Patient Privacy & Anonymity

Patient identifying details (names, initials, hospital numbers, recognizable photographs) must be removed unless essential for diagnostic validity and explicitly consented to in writing.

Reporting Guidelines Compliance

Authors are encouraged to adhere to established reporting checklists based on study design, including STARD for diagnostic accuracy, PRISMA for systematic reviews, CONSORT for clinical trials, and CARE for case reports.

Corrections, Retractions & Appeals

Corrections & Errata: Published promptly to rectify honest errors that do not invalidate the scientific conclusions of the article.
Retractions: Issued in cases of severe misconduct, data fabrication, major plagiarism, or unresolvable methodological errors.
Expressions of Concern: Published while complex or institutional investigations regarding manuscript integrity are ongoing.
Appeals & Complaints: Authors may submit formal, evidence-backed appeals regarding editorial decisions to be reviewed independently.

Reporting Misconduct: Anyone who suspects ethical violations, plagiarism, or scientific misconduct is encouraged to contact the editorial office with verifiable evidence. Investigations are conducted confidentially and thoroughly in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Ethics Summary
Standards COPE & ICMJE
Plagiarism Check Mandatory Software
Peer Review Double-Blind
AI Policy Disclosure Required
APC Influence ₹0 (Zero Bias)
Submit Paper Online Author Guidelines
Protecting academic integrity & the scientific record.