Refund Policy

Introduction

The Journal of Clinical Intensive Care and Medicine (JCICM) charges Article Processing Charges (APCs) to sustain open access publishing. Our Refund Policy outlines conditions under which authors may request a refund of APCs and circumstances where refunds are not possible. This ensures transparency and fairness in financial transactions.

General Principles

  • APCs are charged only after an article has been accepted for publication.
  • Payments are considered final upon invoice clearance unless exceptional circumstances apply.
  • Refunds are processed only in compliance with COPE, ICMJE, and industry standards.

Eligibility for Refunds

Refunds may be considered in the following cases:

  • Duplicate Payment: If an author is mistakenly charged more than once.
  • System/Processing Error: If payment was processed incorrectly due to technical issues.
  • Journal Error: If JCICM fails to publish the accepted article due to internal technical or editorial reasons.

Non-Refundable Situations

Refunds will not be issued under the following conditions:

  • Article withdrawal after acceptance for reasons unrelated to journal error.
  • Retractions due to ethical breaches such as plagiarism, data falsification, or duplicate submission.
  • Delays in publication due to authors’ failure to respond to revisions, proofs, or queries.
  • Changes in authorship or funding status after payment is made.

Refund Request Process

To request a refund, authors must email the editorial office at [email protected] with:

  • Manuscript ID and title.
  • Date and proof of payment.
  • Reason for the refund request, supported by documentation if applicable.

All refund requests are reviewed by the editorial office and finance department. Decisions are communicated within 30 business days.

Refund Method

Approved refunds are processed through the same payment method used for the original transaction. Processing time may vary depending on the author’s bank or payment provider.

FAQs

Can I request a refund if I withdraw my paper? No, withdrawals after acceptance do not qualify for refunds unless the journal is at fault.

How long does it take to receive a refund? Typically within 30 business days of approval.

Can APCs be transferred to another submission? In rare cases, APCs may be applied as a credit toward a future submission, subject to editorial approval.