JPSIM follows recognized publication-ethics principles, including guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), while applying fair process to each case. Prohibited conduct includes plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, duplicate or redundant publication, inappropriate image manipulation, citation manipulation, undisclosed conflicts, unethical research, authorship abuse, peer-review manipulation and paper-mill activity.
Concerns may be raised before or after publication. The journal may seek an explanation and original records, suspend consideration, contact relevant institutions or ethics committees, and issue a correction, retraction or expression of concern when warranted. Allegations are handled confidentially and impartially; whistle-blowers are protected from avoidable disclosure, and persons accused are given an opportunity to respond.
Data sharing. JPSIM encourages authors to make the data behind their findings available, and authors of original research articles are asked to include a short data availability statement saying where the data can be obtained (for example a public repository, the article itself, or on reasonable request to the corresponding author). Data that could identify patients must not be shared. Editors or reviewers may ask authors for raw data during review or after publication to verify the results, and a failure to provide them when asked may delay or stop publication.
Post-publication discussion. Readers may comment on a published article by sending a Letter to the Editor through the journal website or to editor@psimj.com. Letters about a recent article should reach the journal within four weeks of its publication; they are reviewed by the editor, and the authors of the article are invited to reply. Concerns about the reliability or integrity of a published article may be raised at any time and are handled under this policy, which may lead to a correction, an expression of concern or a retraction.
An editorial outcome is based on the reliability and integrity of the scholarly record and is distinct from any employment, disciplinary or legal determination by another body.