Journal of Drugs and Pharmaceutical Science

JOURNAL OF DRUGS AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE
Integrity Research Journals

ISSN: 2705-2222
DOI: 10.31248/JDPS
Email: jdps@integrityresjournals.org

Publication Ethics

Publication ethics are fundamental to ensuring high-quality scientific publications, maintaining public trust in research, and ensuring that individuals receive appropriate credit for their intellectual contributions. The Journal of Drugs and Pharmaceutical Science strictly adheres to internationally accepted standards and principles of publication ethics. Accordingly, the journal shall:
 
  • Not influence the decisions of reviewers, the Editorial Board, or the Editor for personal or institutional gain.
  • Not compromise the integrity of the editorial or peer-review process for any form of benefit.
  • Treat all authors fairly and equally, without discrimination based on region, political affiliation, or religious belief.
  • Maintain transparency in all aspects of its editorial and publishing activities.
 
The journal requires all authors to strictly comply with the ethical standards prescribed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and other relevant professional bodies.
 
Authors’ Contributions
All listed authors must meet the established criteria for authorship. The inclusion of individuals who do not qualify for authorship constitutes a violation of the ethical standards of the Journal of Drugs and Pharmaceutical Science.
 
Plagiarism
Plagiarism refers to the use or close imitation of another author’s language, ideas, or work without proper authorisation or acknowledgement, thereby presenting such work as one’s own. The journal considers plagiarism a serious ethical offence and is committed to publishing only original research that has not been previously published or is not under consideration elsewhere.
 
Manuscripts found to contain an unacceptable level of similarity to other published works will be rejected at the initial stage of the peer-review process.
 
Duplicate Publication
Duplicate or multiple publication refers to the publication of the same intellectual content more than once by the same author or publisher. Duplicate submission also includes submitting the same or substantially similar manuscripts, including translations, to different journals.
 
Authors are prohibited from submitting a manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously, whether within or outside Integrity Research Journals. Authors who build upon their previously published work must clearly cite the earlier publication and explicitly state how the submitted manuscript offers novel contributions.
 
Manuscripts that have been published elsewhere or are currently under review by another journal will not be considered for publication in the Journal of Drugs and Pharmaceutical Science. Authors are therefore required to clearly state in their cover letter that the manuscript is not under consideration by any other journal.
 
Falsification of Data
Falsification, manipulation, or fabrication of data—including experimental results or images—constitutes a serious violation of publication ethics. Any manuscript suspected of containing fabricated or falsified data will be suspended pending a thorough investigation.
 
Reference Manipulation
Reference or citation manipulation occurs when authors include citations that do not meaningfully contribute to the content of the manuscript, solely to increase citation counts or misrepresent the importance of specific works. Such practices are unethical and strongly discouraged.
 
Authors are expected to cite only references that are directly relevant to their work, and irrelevant or excessive citations should be avoided.
 
Retractions
In cases where significant errors affect the reliability of a publication’s conclusions, or where there is evidence of research or publication misconduct, the editors of the Journal of Drugs and Pharmaceutical Science will follow the COPE Retraction Guidelines.
A publication may be retracted if:
 
  • There is clear evidence that the findings are unreliable due to major error (e.g., miscalculation or experimental error) or misconduct (e.g., data fabrication or image manipulation).
  • The work constitutes plagiarism.
  • The findings have been published previously without proper attribution, disclosure, permission to republish, or valid justification (i.e., redundant publication).
  • The manuscript contains material or data used without appropriate authorization.
  • Copyright has been infringed or there is a serious legal issue (e.g., libel or privacy violations).
  • The research reported is unethical.
  • The article was published as a result of a compromised or manipulated peer-review process.
 
Sanctions
Violations of any of the above publication ethics policies will result in serious penalties, which may include:
  • Immediate rejection of the manuscript if it has not yet been published.
  • Immediate retraction of the article from the journal’s website if it has already been published.
  • Temporary or permanent blacklisting of the author(s).
In cases of particularly serious or repeated violations, the journal reserves the right to impose additional sanctions beyond those listed above.
 
References for Further Reading

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