International ethical standards

COPE Principles

In accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines, the journal ensures transparency at every stage of the editorial process, from manuscript submission to peer review and final publication. Editorial and peer-review decisions are made independently, impartially, and exclusively on academic merit.

The journal places particular emphasis on maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity. This includes strict prevention of plagiarism, data falsification, duplicate publication, and any other forms of unethical research or publishing conduct. Authorship is determined on the basis of each contributor’s actual intellectual and practical involvement in the research. Clearly established procedures are in place for handling ethical concerns, appeals, complaints, and disputes related to publication practices.

WAME Recommendations

In line with WAME (World Association of Medical Editors) recommendations, editorial decisions remain fully independent from any external influence, including financial, institutional, political, or personal interests. Authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that could affect the objectivity of the editorial process.

Peer review is conducted in accordance with the principles of objectivity, fairness, confidentiality, and timeliness. The journal also maintains transparency regarding sources of research funding, including grant support, institutional sponsorship, and other financial contributions.

DORA Principles

The journal also adheres to the principles of DORA (San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment) by rejecting the exclusive reliance on bibliometric indicators—such as the impact factor, citation counts, or h-index—in the assessment of scientific quality. Instead, primary consideration is given to the originality, methodological rigor, scholarly significance, and contribution of the research to the advancement of knowledge.

The journal recognizes and values diverse forms of scholarly output, including software, datasets, algorithms, methodological tools, and technical innovations. Particular support is given to interdisciplinary research and to the implementation of open science practices, including the dissemination of preprints and the provision of open access to research data and source code whenever possible.

Transparency and Final Editorial Decisions: The journal provides open access to its submission guidelines and editorial requirements, which are regularly reviewed, updated, and published on the official website. Once a manuscript has been formally accepted for publication, the editorial decision may not be revised or altered without duly substantiated and ethically justified reasons.