Ethical Publishing Framework
The International Journal of Traditional & Integrative Health Sciences (IJTIHS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. Prevention of scholarly malpractice is the collective responsibility of every author, editor, and peer reviewer. IJTIHS strictly abides by the Core Practices defined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
Core Ethical Responsibilities
Authors' Duties
- Originality & Authenticity: Guarantee that the manuscript is entirely original and has not been published or submitted simultaneously elsewhere.
- Authorship Integrity: Ensure all named authors made substantive intellectual contributions according to ICMJE criteria.
- Data Access & Retention: Be prepared to provide raw data, voucher specimens, or laboratory logs upon editorial request.
- Disclosure of Conflicts: Explicitly disclose all institutional, financial, or personal competing interests.
Reviewers' Duties
- Strict Confidentiality: Treat all submitted manuscripts, data, and communications as privileged and confidential documents.
- Objectivity & Impartiality: Formulate objective, constructive assessments supported by clear scientific arguments without personal bias.
- Conflict Declaration: Immediately decline review invitations in cases of financial, competitive, or collaborative conflicts.
- Plagiarism Awareness: Alert the Editor-in-Chief regarding any significant overlap with previously published works.
Editors' Duties
- Editorial Independence: Make publication decisions based strictly on scholarly validity, originality, and scope alignment without external influence.
- Blind Integrity: Protect the anonymity of both reviewers and authors under the double-blind review system.
- Fair Adjudication: Promptly investigate allegations of misconduct, error, or contested authorship in compliance with COPE flowcharts.
- Accountability: Publish formal errata, corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern whenever scientific errors occur.
Scientific Integrity, Plagiarism & AI Standards
Plagiarism & Data Fabrication (Ceiling: < 10%)
Plagiarism in any manifestation—including direct verbatim copying, paraphrasing without attribution, data falsification, image manipulation, or self-plagiarism/salami slicing—is completely prohibited.
All submissions undergo automated similarity index screening prior to peer review. The total similarity ceiling must remain strictly below 10%. Any manuscript exhibiting intentional manipulation or fabricated data will be immediately rejected and reported to the corresponding author's institutional authority.
Generative AI & LLM Governance
Generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, LLMs) do not meet ICMJE authorship criteria because they cannot assume accountability or sign copyright agreements. Consequently, AI tools cannot be listed as authors.
Text generated or edited by AI technologies must remain below 10%. If generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were utilized in excess of 10% for literature synthesis or syntax polishing, authors must submit a formal Declaration of Generative AI in the manuscript detailing the tool name, version, prompt parameters, and exact sections affected.
Protection of Human Subjects & Animal Welfare
Research involving human participants, patient tissue, clinical data, or experimental animals must strictly comply with national and international bioethical statutes:
- Human Clinical Studies: Must adhere to the Declaration of Helsinki. Authors must state Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) clearance numbers and confirm that informed written consent was secured.
- Animal Experimentation: Must comply with ARRIVE guidelines and demonstrate Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC) or equivalent governmental animal welfare authorization.
- Plant Authentication: Studies evaluating herbal ingredients must cite recognized herbarium voucher numbers to guarantee botanical reproducibility.
Corrections, Retractions & Appeals
IJTIHS maintains transparency through formalized post-publication stewardship:
- Corrigenda / Errata: Issued if minor unintentional factual errors or typographical oversights are identified.
- Retractions: Executed in accordance with COPE Retraction Guidelines in cases of irreproducible findings, pervasive plagiarism, or compromised data.
- Editorial Appeals: Authors may file a formal, evidence-grounded appeal to the Editor-in-Chief at
info@susrutaayurveda.comif they suspect procedural evaluation error.