Publication ethics and Malpractice Statement

The Journal of Ayurveda and Holistic Medicine (JAHM) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity at all stages of the editorial and publishing process. The journal adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices, ICMJE Recommendations, and WAME guidelines, and complies with the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.

JAHM follows COPE flowcharts and internationally accepted ethical frameworks to ensure transparency, accountability, and research integrity.

  1. Core Ethical Principles

1.1 Integrity and Transparency

JAHM promotes honesty, accuracy, and transparency in research and publication. All stakeholders—authors, reviewers, and editors—are expected to adhere to ethical standards throughout the publication process.

1.2 Fairness and Impartiality

All manuscripts are evaluated solely on scientific merit, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope, without discrimination based on authors’ nationality, institutional affiliation, gender, or personal background.

1.3 Confidentiality

All submitted manuscripts and communications are treated as confidential. Information is disclosed only to individuals directly involved in the editorial and peer review process.

1.4 Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are made independently and are not influenced by sponsors, advertisers, or institutional affiliations. The Editor-in-Chief (or designated handling editor) has full authority over editorial decisions.

  1. Research Integrity and Ethical Compliance

2.1 Human and Animal Research Ethics

  • Studies involving human participants must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and require prior approval from a recognized Ethics Committee/IRB.
  • Informed consent must be obtained and documented.
  • Animal studies must comply with national and institutional ethical guidelines (e.g., CPCSEA/IAEC in India or equivalent international standards).

2.2 Clinical Trial Registration

Prospective clinical trials must be registered in a recognized registry (e.g., CTRI, ClinicalTrials.gov) prior to participant enrollment.

2.3 Data Integrity and Reproducibility

Authors must ensure accuracy and completeness of data. Raw data should be made available upon reasonable request. Where applicable, a Data Availability Statement must be included.

  1. Authorship and Contributions
  • Authorship must meet ICMJE criteria.
  • All contributors must be appropriately acknowledged.
  • Any changes in authorship after submission must be justified and approved by all authors and the editor.
  • Ghost, guest, or honorary authorship is strictly prohibited.
  1. Conflicts of Interest and Funding Disclosure
  • All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest.
  • All sources of funding and sponsorship must be clearly stated in the manuscript.
  • Editorial decisions are independent of funding sources.
  1. Peer Review Process

JAHM follows a double-blind peer review system:

  • Manuscripts are reviewed by independent experts with relevant subject expertise.
  • Reviewers are selected based on expertise and absence of conflicts of interest.
  • Reviewers must provide objective, constructive, and unbiased evaluations.
  • Manuscripts authored by editors or editorial board members are handled independently.
  1. Publication Misconduct

JAHM has a zero-tolerance policy toward publication misconduct, including:

  • Plagiarism
  • Data fabrication or falsification
  • Image manipulation
  • Duplicate or redundant publication
  • Citation manipulation
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest

All allegations are investigated following COPE flowcharts.

Sanctions may include:

  • Manuscript rejection
  • Retraction of published articles
  • Notification to authors’ institutions or funding agencies
  1. Plagiarism and Similarity Screening

All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software. Manuscripts with unacceptable similarity or unethical overlap will be rejected.

  1. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern
  • Retraction: Issued for proven misconduct or major errors affecting conclusions.
  • Correction (Erratum/Corrigendum): Issued for minor errors not affecting conclusions.
  • Expression of Concern: Issued when investigations are ongoing.

All notices are clearly linked to the original article and published transparently.

  1. Data Sharing and Transparency

Authors are encouraged to share data in public repositories where appropriate. Data sharing must comply with ethical standards, particularly regarding patient confidentiality.

  1. Advertising and Commercial Influence
  • Advertisements are clearly distinguished from editorial content.
  • Sponsored supplements undergo the same rigorous peer review as regular issues.
  • Editorial decisions are not influenced by commercial interests.
  1. Archiving and Digital Preservation

JAHM ensures long-term digital preservation through recognized archiving systems (e.g., LOCKSS/CLOCKSS) and assigns DOIs via CrossRef to all published articles.

  1. Responsibilities of Stakeholders

12.1 Authors

  • Ensure originality and ethical conduct of research
  • Avoid plagiarism, duplicate submission, and redundant publication
  • Provide accurate data and disclose conflicts of interest
  • Obtain necessary ethical approvals and informed consent

12.2 Editors

  • Ensure fair, unbiased, and timely decision-making
  • Maintain confidentiality
  • Address ethical concerns promptly
  • Avoid conflicts of interest

12.3 Reviewers

  • Maintain confidentiality
  • Provide objective and constructive feedback
  • Declare conflicts of interest
  • Identify relevant uncited literature
  1. Misconduct Handling and Investigation

All allegations of misconduct are handled in accordance with COPE guidelines:

  • Initial assessment by editorial team
  • Communication with authors
  • Institutional involvement where necessary
  • Transparent documentation of outcomes
  1. Commitment to Ethical Publishing

JAHM is dedicated to promoting responsible research, reproducibility, and ethical scholarly communication, ensuring that all published content meets international standards of scientific integrity.

Ethics Contact:
For concerns related to publication ethics or misconduct, please contact: editor@jahm.co.in , ayurvasant@gmail.com