Publishing Ethics and Integrity Statement

The International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Phytopharmacological Research (IJPPR) places the utmost importance on maintaining rigorous ethical standards and integrity throughout every stage of its publishing operations. This commitment draws directly on internationally recognized frameworks, in particular the principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

At its core, the journal's ethical approach is built on openness, accountability, and building confidence among everyone involved in the publishing process — authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher.

1. Basis for Ethical Research and Publication

IJPPR fully complies with the ethical principles governing research on human subjects, as outlined in the World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects.

Reference: The complete text of the Declaration of Helsinki is available at: https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-declaration-of-helsinki/

2. Studies Involving Human Participants, Animals, and Vulnerable Groups

Compliance for Human Studies: Any research submitted that involves human participants, associated data, or biological materials must clearly demonstrate adherence to the Declaration of Helsinki. Authors are obligated to confirm that the study received review and approval from a suitable institutional ethics body, such as an Institutional Review Board or a comparable authority.

Informed Consent Requirement: Written informed consent — obtained from every human participant or, where applicable, their legal guardian — is a mandatory requirement and must be clearly documented within the manuscript.

Safeguards for Vulnerable Groups: The journal acknowledges that some research involves individuals who face a heightened risk of coercion or undue pressure, such as minors, individuals with cognitive impairments, or those in institutional care. When a submission to IJPPR involves such participants, authors are required to include:

• A clear ethical rationale explaining why the vulnerable group was included in the research.

• A thorough description of how assent was obtained from participants (where relevant) and how informed consent was secured from an authorized legal representative.

• An explanation of the specific steps taken to protect the privacy and rights of these individuals.

Animal Research: Studies involving animal subjects must comply with both institutional and national standards for animal welfare. Authors must verify that all procedures were carried out in a way that minimizes pain and distress, and that the relevant ethics committee granted approval.

3. Addressing Misconduct, Issuing Corrections, and Retractions

The journal has established a thorough process for responding to allegations of publishing misconduct, consistent with COPE's Core Practices and Guidelines.

Defining Publication Malpractice (per COPE): This includes, but is not restricted to, fabricating or falsifying data, plagiarism, failing to disclose conflicts of interest, and submitting the same work to multiple outlets.

Approach to Corrections: If a published article is found to contain a notable error that does not undermine the overall scientific validity of its conclusions, the journal will issue an official Correction Notice. This notice will be clearly linked to the original publication and will detail both the nature of the error and how it was corrected.

Approach to Retractions: When research misconduct is confirmed — such as fabrication or plagiarism — or when a serious ethical violation has occurred, the article may be withdrawn from the record through retraction. A formal Retraction Notice will be published, explaining the reasons for the retraction, and this notice will remain permanently accessible on the article's page.

Responsibility During Misconduct Investigations: Investigations into alleged misconduct follow COPE's established guidelines. Both the Publisher and the Editors share responsibility for launching an inquiry, reaching out to the relevant institution of the authors when needed, and determining the appropriate outcome, whether that involves a correction or a retraction.

4. Duties of Each Stakeholder

5. Originality, Authorship, and Integrity of Data

Originality Requirement: Every manuscript submitted must consist of original work that has not been published elsewhere.

Authorship Standards (per ICMJE): Eligibility for authorship must be grounded in meaningful contributions, as defined by ICMJE criteria. Any modification to the list of authors requires written approval from all listed authors.

Data Integrity and Access: Authors are expected to make relevant underlying data available upon reasonable request, supporting the ability of others to reproduce their findings.

Disclosure of AI Tool Usage: Any use of artificial intelligence tools during manuscript preparation must be disclosed by the authors.

Policy Against Harassment

The journal enforces a strict zero-tolerance stance on any form of harassment or discrimination aimed at authors, reviewers, editors, or staff members.