Publication Ethics Policy

Introduction

The Journal of Clinical Intensive Care and Medicine (JCICM) is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. Our ethics policy is designed to safeguard the integrity of the academic record and ensure fairness, accountability, and transparency throughout the editorial and publishing process. JCICM strictly follows international standards established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

Principles of Ethical Publishing

JCICM’s ethical framework is built upon four principles:

  • Integrity: Ensure that published work is accurate, transparent, and reproducible.
  • Accountability: Hold authors, editors, and reviewers responsible for their roles.
  • Fairness: Guarantee impartiality in the peer review and editorial decision process.
  • Transparency: Clearly disclose conflicts of interest, funding sources, and ethical approvals.

Author Ethics

  • Authors must submit only original, unpublished work.
  • All data, figures, and text must be properly cited and referenced.
  • Ethical approval and informed consent must be obtained for all research involving humans or animals.
  • Funding sources, institutional affiliations, and conflicts of interest must be disclosed.
  • All listed authors must have made significant contributions and approved the final manuscript.

Reviewer Ethics

  • Provide objective, confidential, and timely reviews.
  • Avoid conflicts of interest and disclose them immediately if present.
  • Report potential ethical breaches, such as plagiarism or data manipulation.
  • Ensure respectful, constructive feedback aimed at improving manuscript quality.

Editor Ethics

  • Make publication decisions solely on scholarly merit, free from bias.
  • Preserve confidentiality of author submissions and reviewer identities.
  • Handle allegations of misconduct with transparency and fairness.
  • Publish corrections, clarifications, or retractions when necessary.

Addressing Misconduct

JCICM addresses research and publishing misconduct—including plagiarism, duplicate publication, falsification, and unethical experimentation—according to COPE guidelines. Depending on severity, actions may include:

  • Requesting clarification or revision from the authors.
  • Rejection of the manuscript.
  • Retraction of the published article with an accompanying notice.
  • Notification to institutions, funders, or relevant authorities.

Corrections and Retractions

JCICM ensures that corrections and retractions are issued in cases of confirmed errors, misconduct, or ethical violations. Retractions remain accessible online and clearly labeled to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Data Transparency

Authors are encouraged to share raw data, code, and supplementary materials in publicly accessible repositories where possible. Transparency supports reproducibility and strengthens trust in published findings.

FAQs

Does JCICM allow preprints? Yes, preprints are allowed but must be declared upon submission.

What if misconduct is suspected? Allegations are investigated confidentially, following COPE procedures.

Are corrections published openly? Yes, corrections and retractions are clearly linked to the original article.