Focus and Scope

The Journal of the Iranian Scientific Association of Medical Ethics is the authorized publication of the Iranian Scientific Association of Medical Ethics. The Journal of the Iranian Scientific Association of Medical Ethics is a top global publication that encompasses all aspects of medical ethics. The journal aims to encourage ethical thinking and behavior in scientific research and medical practice. It includes essays on different moral issues in healthcare that are important for healthcare providers, clinical ethics committee members, medical ethics experts, researchers and bioscientists, policymakers, and patients.

Section Policies

Articles

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

Peer Review Process

This journal employs a double-blind peer review process. The scientific Editor will assess all submissions mainly to ensure they align with the Journal’s guidelines and focus. Submitted manuscripts will typically undergo evaluation by at least two experts who will assess the manuscript for publication, together with ethical and statistical Editors, within two weeks. The entire review process relies on getting feedback from the Reviewers. The Editors in charge will make a decision relying on the feedback from the Reviewers. The writer may also propose suitable reviewers, but ultimately it is the editor's decision to approve the suggestions. The author(s) will be informed of the Editors' ultimate decision.

Providing fake details for potential reviewers, like a phony name or email, will lead to the manuscript being rejected at any publication stage.

Publication Frequency

The Journal frequency is quarterly include Jan-March, April-June, July-Sept, and Oct-Dec.

Open Access Policy

The Iranian Scientific Association of Medical Ethics provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

Editorial Independence

The Editor in charge of the handling process has the ultimate authority over each manuscript, and it is our priority to uphold editorial decisions free from personal, political, or financial influences.

The authorized associates of the Journal of the Iranian Scientific Association of Medical Ethics were formed as a separate organization offering educational, health, and medical assistance to the community. Both partners and their related organizations do not influence the assessment, choice, or revision of specific articles, whether through direct involvement or by creating a situation that heavily impacts editorial decisions.

Ethical considerations

The Journal of the Iranian Scientific Association of Medical Ethics adhered to the guidelines given by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The Journal adheres to the recommendations outlined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) for scholarly work in medical journals.

Publish Policy

You will be notified via email once your proof is available for review in PDF format. Authors are responsible for verifying the accuracy and appropriateness of all text and data in the page proofs before publication. We urge authors to carefully review the names and affiliations of the authors as changes cannot be made post-publication. Returning the proofs by the deadline is necessary for the timely publication of the journal.

Every approved manuscript will be published online right away in the "Ahead of print" section until the official publication date.

Publication ethics and misconduct

The Journal of the Iranian Scientific Association of Medical Ethics supports the guidelines from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) for conducting, reporting, editing, and publishing scholarly work in medical journals, emphasizing the importance of ethical standards in research and scholarly activities. The Editorial Board may take disciplinary action against any person proven to have engaged in intentional 'misconduct' as described.

Definition of research misconduct:

The US Office of Research Integrity defines the following terms concerning research misconduct:

(a) Fabrication is making up data or results and recording or reporting them.

(b) Falsification is manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.

(c) Plagiarism is the appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit.

(d) Research misconduct does not include honest errors or differences of opinion.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism in any form will be dealt with severely. If the editorial team or reviewers find substantial proof of plagiarism at any point in the article process, it may result in the article being rejected. However, should only plagiarism within an acceptable range of 5-30% be identified in the content, the author(s) can request to amend their work.

iThenticate plagiarism detection software is used to check the similarity of all manuscripts submitted to the Journal of the Iranian Scientific Association of Medical Ethics.

Retraction

The editorial team may retract a publication if there is solid proof of unreliable data or findings, plagiarism, redundancy, or duplicate publication.

Complaints and Appeals

If you disagree with a decision made by the Iranian Scientific Association of Medical Ethics, the author may appeal the decision by providing an email to the Editor with a detailed point-by-point response to the reviewer and editor's comments. The Editor will review the peer review process undertaken for the submission. If the decision was made in line with editorial criteria, the Editor’s decision to reject is final. Journal will acknowledge receipt of an email sent to admin@jcbior.com within 7 business days. Only one appeal is permitted for each manuscript. Final decisions on appeals will be made within 4-8 weeks by the Editorial Board Member handling the paper or the Editor-in-Chief.
In general, an appeal against a rejection decision on a manuscript will only be considered if:
(a) the authors can demonstrate that an error that determined the final decision has been made - by a reviewer or the Editors - during the review
or
(b) if important additional data can be provided
or
(c) if a convincing case of bias in the process can be demonstrated

Complaints
Complaints about our processes or publication ethics will in the first instance be handled by the Editor responsible for the article. If the Editor is the subject of the complaint, please contact our principal office, modir@jirme.com.

The author will be notified of the outcome by email. If the author wishes to pursue their complaint further, they may contact COPE directly. Information can be found on the COPE website:

https://publicationethics.org/facilitation-and-integrity-subcommittee

Article processing charge (APC)

Currently, publication in the Journal of the Iranian Scientific Association of Medical Ethics is free of charge, and there are no submission or publication charges. Also, there is no fee for using color images.

Advertising policies

At the moment, the Journal of the Iranian Scientific Association of Medical Ethics does not allow commercial advertising in its publications, website, and other communication channels.