The Pakistan Journal of Health Solutions (PJHS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethical publishing, ensuring the integrity and reliability of the research published in the journal. This Publication Ethics policy outlines the ethical responsibilities and guidelines for authors, reviewers, and the editorial team.

1. Ethical Guidelines for Authors

Authors submitting to PJHS must adhere to the following ethical principles:

• Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must submit original work that has not been previously published or is not under consideration elsewhere. Manuscripts should not contain any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism. Authors must properly cite all sources and materials used in their research.

• Data Integrity: Authors are responsible for the accuracy and reliability of the data presented in their manuscripts. Any fabricated or falsified data will result in immediate rejection, and if discovered after publication, the article will be retracted.

• Ethical Approval: Research involving human participants or animals must have obtained approval from the relevant ethics committee or institutional review board. Authors must disclose any ethical approval and provide details of the ethics committee or board that approved the study.

• Authorship: All authors listed on the manuscript must have made significant contributions to the research. Authors should ensure that only those who meet the criteria for authorship are included, and all authors must have reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

• Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that may affect the research or its interpretation. This includes funding sources, commercial relationships, or any potential biases.

• Dual Submission: Authors should not submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously. If the article is accepted elsewhere, it must be withdrawn from PJHS.

2. Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers

Reviewers are essential in maintaining the quality of published research. The following guidelines apply to all reviewers:

• Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential and not share the contents with others without permission. Reviewers should not use the information from the manuscript for personal gain.

• Objectivity: Reviews must be impartial and based on the scientific merit of the manuscript. Reviewers should provide constructive, unbiased feedback and avoid any personal or professional bias.

• Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that may influence their evaluation of the manuscript. If a reviewer has a relationship with the author or a vested interest in the research, they should recuse themselves from reviewing that manuscript.

• Timeliness: Reviewers should complete their review within the specified timeframe. If they are unable to meet the deadline, they should inform the editorial office promptly to allow for alternate arrangements.

• Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should alert the editorial team to any significant similarities or overlaps between the manuscript and other published work that they are aware of.

3. Ethical Guidelines for Editors

Editors play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and quality of the journal. Their responsibilities include:

• Fairness and Impartiality: Editors must treat all manuscripts fairly and impartially, without discrimination based on the author’s race, gender, nationality, institutional affiliation, or personal relationships. Editorial decisions should be based solely on the quality of the manuscript and its relevance to the journal’s scope.

• Confidentiality: Editors must ensure that all manuscripts are treated as confidential during the review process. Manuscript details should not be shared with anyone other than the authors, reviewers, and relevant editorial board members.

• Conflict of Interest: Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest related to the manuscript under review and recuse themselves from making decisions where such conflicts exist.

• Ethical Oversight: Editors are responsible for ensuring that the journal adheres to ethical guidelines. They must take action if ethical violations are detected, such as plagiarism, fabrication, or falsification of data.

• Transparency: Editors should be transparent about the editorial process, providing authors and reviewers with clear guidelines and communicating decisions in a transparent manner.

4. Handling of Misconduct

PJHS takes issues of research misconduct seriously. If any ethical violations or misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, data falsification) are detected, the following actions will be taken:

• Investigation: The editorial team will investigate all allegations of misconduct and make a decision based on the findings.
• Rejection or Retraction: If misconduct is discovered before publication, the manuscript will be rejected. If misconduct is discovered after publication, the article will be retracted, and a retraction notice will be issued to inform the academic community.
• Reporting to Institutions: In cases of severe misconduct, the authors' affiliated institutions or funding bodies may be informed.

5. Retraction and Correction

• Retraction: If an article contains significant errors, plagiarism, or ethical violations, PJHS may retract the article. A formal retraction notice will be published, outlining the reason for the retraction.

• Correction: If an article contains minor errors that do not affect its overall integrity, authors may be asked to submit a correction. The correction will be published alongside the original article.

6. Publication Ethics for Special Issues

PJHS occasionally publishes special issues focused on specific health topics. The same publication ethics apply to articles submitted to special issues as to regular submissions. Guest editors for special issues are responsible for ensuring that the submission and review processes adhere to these ethical standards.

7. Changes to the Publication Ethics Policy

This Publication Ethics policy is subject to periodic review and updates. Authors, reviewers, and editors will be notified of any significant changes to the policy. Updates will be made available on the journal’s website.