Editorial Policies

Introduction

The International Journal of Clinical Virology (IJCV) upholds the highest editorial and ethical standards in scholarly publishing. These policies ensure that all content is reviewed, edited, and published with fairness, transparency, and academic integrity. The journal’s editorial operations follow recognized international frameworks such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Recommendations, and the DOAJ Best Practice Guidelines.

Editorial Independence

IJCV maintains complete editorial independence. Editorial decisions are based solely on the scholarly merit, originality, methodological rigor, and relevance of submissions, independent of authors’ institutional affiliations, nationality, gender, or funding sources. The publisher does not interfere with editorial judgments or peer-review outcomes.

All publication decisions are made exclusively by qualified editors guided by scientific integrity and peer review quality.

Peer-Review Process

IJCV operates a double-blind peer-review system, ensuring anonymity for both authors and reviewers. Each submission is evaluated by at least two independent experts. Editors may solicit an additional review in case of conflicting recommendations. Reviewers are selected based on expertise, ethical reliability, and absence of conflict of interest.

• Manuscripts failing to meet basic scientific or ethical standards are rejected without external review.
• Reviewers assess originality, methodology, data presentation, interpretation, and ethical compliance.
• Authors receive constructive feedback designed to improve the quality and clarity of their work.
• Editorial decisions—acceptance, minor revision, major revision, or rejection—are communicated transparently with rationale.

Authorship Criteria

IJCV follows the ICMJE criteria for authorship. Each author must have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of the study, drafted or critically revised the manuscript, approved the final version, and agreed to be accountable for the work.

• Contributors not meeting authorship criteria should be acknowledged separately.
• Group authorship must identify the individuals responsible for the work’s integrity.

Conflict of Interest Policy

Transparency regarding potential conflicts of interest (COI) is essential. Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence their work.

Declarations of funding, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or personal beliefs that may bias interpretation must appear within the manuscript. Editors with conflicts are recused from decision-making on the affected paper.

Research and Publication Ethics

• Human Subjects and Animals: Studies must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki and institutional review standards. Animal research must follow recognized ethical guidelines and receive appropriate approval.
• Informed Consent: Authors must confirm that consent was obtained for studies involving human participants or identifiable data.
• Clinical Trials: Must include trial registration numbers and follow CONSORT reporting standards.
• Data Integrity: Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is strictly prohibited. IJCV reserves the right to request raw data during review or after publication.

Editorial Decision-Making and Appeals

Decisions are made after thorough consideration of reviewers’ comments and editorial evaluation. Authors dissatisfied with a decision may submit an appeal within 30 days, providing detailed justification and supporting evidence. Appeals are reviewed by an independent editor not involved in the original assessment, ensuring impartial reconsideration.

Plagiarism and Originality

All manuscripts are screened using advanced similarity-checking tools prior to peer review. Textual overlap exceeding 15 % without proper citation is investigated. Confirmed plagiarism, duplicate publication, or data manipulation results in immediate rejection or retraction according to COPE flowcharts.

Data Availability and Transparency

Authors must make relevant data available upon reasonable request. Datasets should be deposited in recognized repositories where possible, and corresponding accession numbers must be included in the manuscript. This practice reinforces reproducibility and transparency of published research.

Editorial Responsibilities

• Ensure fair, timely, and confidential handling of submissions.
• Prevent conflicts of interest and maintain transparency in review processes.
• Promote ethical conduct among authors and reviewers.
• Safeguard the integrity of the academic record through corrections and retractions when necessary.

Editors are accountable for the content they publish and must ensure accuracy, fairness, and inclusiveness in the journal’s output.

Reviewer Responsibilities

• Provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback.
• Maintain confidentiality of reviewed manuscripts.
• Disclose any conflicts or inability to assess a manuscript impartially.
• Avoid using privileged information obtained during peer review for personal advantage.

Handling of Misconduct

Allegations of ethical breaches such as plagiarism, redundant publication, data fabrication, image manipulation, or authorship disputes are investigated following COPE flowcharts. Depending on the severity, actions may include corrections, retractions, or reporting to institutions. All investigations are documented and retained by the editorial office.

Corrections, Retractions & Expressions of Concern

IJCV is committed to maintaining a reliable scholarly record. When errors or ethical concerns are identified post-publication:

• Corrections: Issued for honest mistakes that do not alter study conclusions.
• Retractions: Issued for major misconduct or invalid findings following COPE guidelines.
• Expressions of Concern: Published while an investigation is pending.

Advertising and Commercial Influence

Advertisements or sponsorships, if any, are clearly distinguished from editorial content. The journal does not allow advertising that may influence editorial independence or compromise reader trust.

Open Access and Copyright

All IJCV content is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (CC BY 4.0). Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right to disseminate their work freely. Readers may reuse, distribute, or reproduce content provided proper citation is given.

Editorial Transparency and Governance

The journal maintains an editorial board of internationally recognized experts. Appointments are based on scholarly merit and adherence to ethical standards. The board meets annually to review policy updates and performance metrics including turnaround time, reviewer responsiveness, and author satisfaction.

Confidentiality Policy

All manuscripts under review are treated as confidential documents. Editors and reviewers must not disclose, discuss, or distribute content prior to official publication. Data privacy and author anonymity are maintained in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Appeal and Complaint Procedure

Authors or reviewers who believe proper editorial procedures were not followed may file a formal complaint to [email protected]. The complaint is acknowledged within 5 business days and evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief or an independent ombudsperson to ensure resolution with due process.

Policy Review and Updates

Editorial policies are reviewed annually to incorporate evolving best practices from COPE, ICMJE, DOAJ, and OASPA. Updates are publicly posted on the journal’s website with the revision date noted in the footer of this page.

Contact Information

Editorial Office – International Journal of Clinical Virology (IJCV)
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.clinvirologyjournal.com/

Meet the Editorial Board