The Journal of Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine (JPSIM) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics, editorial integrity, transparency and scientific quality. The journal follows the relevant principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).
Authorship & Contributorship
Authorship is based on substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work, and to the acquisition, analysis or interpretation of data; drafting or critically revising the manuscript; approval of the final version; and accountability for the integrity of the work. All listed authors must meet the applicable authorship criteria. Individuals who contribute but do not qualify for authorship should be appropriately acknowledged.
Editorial Independence & Peer Review
Editorial decisions are based on the scientific quality, originality, relevance and ethical standards of manuscripts, and are not influenced by commercial, political, personal or institutional interests. Manuscripts are subjected to appropriate peer review, and reviewers are expected to maintain confidentiality, declare conflicts of interest, and provide objective and constructive assessments. Editors and reviewers must not use unpublished information for personal advantage.
For the journal's full step-by-step review workflow, reviewer criteria and decision categories, see Peer Review in Editorial Policies.
Research & Publication Ethics
Authors must ensure that research involving human participants has received appropriate ethical approval and, where applicable, informed consent. Clinical trials should be registered in an appropriate public registry before, or in accordance with, applicable registration requirements. Research involving animals must comply with recognised ethical standards.
Plagiarism, Misconduct & Duplicate Publication
JPSIM does not tolerate plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, manipulation of data, image manipulation, duplicate publication, redundant publication, or other forms of research or publication misconduct. Manuscripts may be screened for plagiarism and investigated where concerns arise. Appropriate editorial action — including correction, rejection, expression of concern, or retraction — may be taken in accordance with established publication-ethics procedures.
Conflicts of Interest & Funding
Authors, editors and reviewers must disclose relevant financial and non-financial conflicts of interest. Sources of funding and the role of the funder in the research and publication process should be declared. Such disclosures are considered during editorial assessment and are made transparently where appropriate.
Corrections & Retractions
JPSIM is committed to maintaining the accuracy of the published scientific record. Significant errors identified after publication will be corrected promptly. Articles may be retracted when the findings are demonstrably unreliable or when serious ethical or publication violations have occurred. Retractions and corrections will be clearly identified and linked to the original article.
Artificial Intelligence
AI tools may assist authors in activities such as language improvement or manuscript preparation where appropriate, but AI cannot be listed as an author. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity and final content of their manuscript, and should disclose substantive use of AI in accordance with the journal's requirements. Confidential manuscript material must not be entered into AI systems in a manner that compromises confidentiality.
Complaints, Appeals & Ethical Concerns
JPSIM provides mechanisms for authors and other stakeholders to raise concerns, appeal editorial decisions, or report suspected ethical misconduct. Such matters will be handled confidentially, fairly, and in accordance with applicable COPE, ICMJE and WAME guidance. To raise a concern, please use the journal's Contact page.
JPSIM is committed to protecting the integrity of the scholarly record and to promoting responsible, transparent and ethical medical publishing.