Ethical Approval

With regard to ethical approval of studies involving humans or animals, the following points should be noted:

1. Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval should be sought for all studies involving human subjects. Moreover, the protocol number with date should be clearly mentioned in the manuscript.
2. Clinical trials can be conducted only after regulatory approval that should conform to the USFDA guidelines or its equivalent. The approval details, including the trial ID should be clearly stated in the manuscript.
3. Animal studies require approval from the institutional animal ethics committee of the respective research institutes. These should conform to national and international guidelines on animal care and use. Proof of approval with date should be mentioned in the Methods section of the manuscript.
4. Research involving humans should conform to the Declaration of Helsinki (1964) and its later amendments. This should be clearly mentioned in the manuscript.

 

 

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Conflict of Interest

SJIP is committed to upholding high ethical standards in scholarly publishing. This policy outlines the expectations and procedures regarding the disclosure and management of conflicts of interest involving authors, reviewers, editors, and other individuals, associated with the publication process.

Definition of Conflict of Interest

As per the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), a conflict of interest exists when a participant in the publication process (author, peer reviewer, or editor) has a competing interest that could unduly influence (or be reasonably seen to do so) his or her responsibilities in the publication process. Among those responsibilities are academic honesty, unbiased conduct and reporting of research, and integrity of decisions or judgments.

Types of Conflict of Interest

Financial Ties

Direct or indirect financial interest in the subject matter within last 5 years, including the following:

1. Funding from government agencies, charities, professional, or commercial organizations.
2. Equity holdings or ownership of stock and stock options.
3. Consulting fees, as well as honoraria for advice or public speaking.
4. Payment for research, service on advisory boards or medical education companies.
5. Receipt of patents or pending patents.
6. Gifts and royalties.
7. Services that may influence work related to a specific publication.

 

Academic Commitments

1. Simultaneous involvement in multiple research projects or publications that may compromise impartiality.
2. Competitive research interests with a person involved in the editorial or review process.

 

Personal Relationships

Family, close acquaintances, competitors, or professional relationships with authors, editors or other reviewers that may influence judgment.

 

Political or Religious Ideologies

Strong political or religious convictions that may interfere with the objective assessment of scholarly content.

 

Institutional Affiliations

Affiliation with an institution or organization that may benefit or be harmed by the publication’s outcome.

 

Responsibilities of Authors, Reviewers and Editors

Authors

1. Authors should disclose all potential conflicts of interest upon submission.
2. Authors should declare all academic, financial, institutional, and personal associations, as well as political and religious ideologies, which may influence review of the manuscript.
3. Authors should explicitly state funding sources and whether the organization that funded the research participated in the collection and analyses of data, as well as interpretation and reporting of results.
4. The corresponding author should ensure that co-authors are aware of and agree to all disclosures.

Reviewers

1. Reviewers should withdraw from the review process if they have a conflict of interest.
2. Reviewers should declare any academic, financial, institutional, and personal associations with the authors, as well as political and religious ideologies, which may influence review of the manuscript.
3. Reviewers should evaluate manuscripts fairly and confidentially, regardless of personal beliefs or affiliations.

Editors

1. Editors should avoid handling manuscripts with which they have a conflict of interest.
2. Independent editors should be assigned in case of potential conflict of interest.
3. Unbiased decision-making and maintenance of confidentiality throughout the review process should be ensured.

 

Disclosure and Declaration

1. A conflict of interest disclosure statement must be included in all published articles.
2. Disclosure statement on conflict of interest should be updated if circumstances change during the review and publication process.

 

Management and Resolution of Conflicts

The Editorial Board will review disclosed conflicts on a case-by-case basis. If a significant conflict of interest is identified, the following corrective measures will be taken:

1. Editorial reassignment.
2. Public disclosure in the published article.
3. Rejection of the manuscript or retraction of a published paper.

If undisclosed conflict of interest is discovered post-publication, the following corrective measures will be taken:

1. An investigation will be conducted by impartial observers.
2. Based on the findings of the investigation, an erratum will be incorporated in a subsequent issue of the journal.

 

Transparency and Accountability

SJIP promotes transparency and expects all participants in the publishing process to act with integrity. Failure to disclose relevant conflicts will result in sanctions including publication bans or notification of the author’s institution.

 

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Reproduction of Published Materials

Copyright

All articles published in SJIP are protected by copyright. Authors will retain copyright and the publisher will have the right to circulate the journal freely for educational purposes.

 

Instances Where Permission Is Required

Permission for reuse of content must be obtained under the following circumstances:

1. Reuse of full articles or substantial portions (multiple figures, illustrations, charts, tables, photographs) in any commercial or academic publication.
2. Reproduction in print or digital formats such as textbooks, websites, or media content.
3. Use in derivative works, compilations, or translations.

Permission must be obtained in writing from the rights holder, which is usually the publisher. Even if the publisher does not own the copyright, they will hold the exclusive right to grant reuse permissions. All reused material must be properly acknowledged, even if permission is not required.

 

Instances Where Permission is not Required

There is no need to request permission under the following circumstances:

 

Public Domain Content

Material in the public domain, either because copyright has expired, the material is not copyrightable, or it was explicitly released into the public domain, may be reused freely, provided it is properly acknowledged.

 

Open Access Content

Content published under a Creative Commons License may be reused without written permission. However, proper credit should be given to the original authors and journal.

 

Original Figures and Tables Created from Public Data

If a new figure or table is created based on public data or factual information not previously presented in visual form, permission is not needed. However, the source of the data must be cited.

 

Educational and Non-commercial Use

Limited reproduction for non-commercial educational purposes (classroom use, student handouts, thesis) is generally permitted without formal permission, but the original source must be cited.

 

Reuse of Author’s Own Published Work

Authors retain the right to reuse parts of their own previously published work in the following cases:

Journal Articles

1. Authors can share the preprint version anytime, anywhere.
2. Authors can post the accepted manuscript version on personal or institutional websites immediately and to repositories after the journal’s embargo period.
3. Sharing via email or research networks is allowed for non-commercial use.
4. Authors are allowed to reuse figures/tables/excerpts from prior articles in future publications, presentations, or educational materials without written permission, provided the original article is properly acknowledged.

 

Book Chapters

1. Authors of book chapters may reuse up to 10% of their previously published work in new book chapters, without written permission, as long as the original material is acknowledged.

 

Procedure for Requesting Permission

For seeking permission, the rights holder should be identified, which is usually the publisher. The request should include the following information:

1. The title, author(s), and DOI of the article.
2. A detailed description of the intended use (reproduction in a book, website, research work).
3. Where and how it will be used (commercial/non-commercial).

 

Timeline and Challenges

Permission requests can take 6-8 weeks or longer. If no response is received after multiple attempts, consider replacing the material with original content or removing it entirely to avoid delay or copyright risk. In case of deceased rights holders, contact the legal heir or estate for permission. If that is not possible, the material should be removed or replaced.

 

Respecting Copyright

Using material without permission or proper citation may lead to legal consequences or ethical concerns, or retraction of the article, depending on the severity of the violation. We encourage all users to follow copyright guidelines and give credit where it’s due.

 

 

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Patient Consent

All studies involving human participants must obtain informed consent. A statement confirming that consent was secured should be included in the Methods section of the manuscript. Editors may request access to the consent forms if necessary.

 

Informed Consent Policy

SJIP requires that all studies involving human subjects adhere to the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, as well as relevant national, institutional, and local regulations. Researchers must obtain written informed consent from every participant (or their legal guardian) before including them in the study. The consent must cover both participation in the research and, where applicable, the publication of identifiable information.

 

Key Features of the Consent Process

The consent process should ensure the following:

1. Participants should receive clear and accurate information on the purpose, methodology, risks, benefits, and alternatives of the study.
2. Participants should understand this information in the context of their clinical situation or personal interest.
3. Participants should voluntarily participate without coercion or undue influence.

 

Consent for Disclosing Identity

If the manuscript includes photographs, videos, case reports, or any content that might reveal a participant’s identity, authors must obtain specific written consent for publication, even if identifying details are removed.

 

Anonymization Requirements

In order to safeguard a participant’s privacy, the following steps should be taken:

1. Clinical images must obscure the eyes, using black bars or pixelation.
2. X-rays, CT, MRI scan images and other figures must not include patient names, initials, hospital identifiers, or numbers.
3. Case reports or case series should avoid disclosing the identity of the patient.

 

Statement in Manuscript

The Methods section of the article must explicitly state that informed consent was obtained from all participants. Where applicable, details of the Ethics Committee or Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the approval number should also be provided.

 

Editorial Verification

The journal may request copies of signed consent forms at any stage of the publication process and even post-publication.

 

Non-Compliance

Manuscripts failing to meet these requirements will be rejected prior to publication or retracted post publication.

 

 

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AI Generated Articles

SJIP is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity and transparency in scientific publishing. This policy outlines the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the preparation, review, and editorial handling of manuscripts. These policies have been triggered by the rise of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies, which are increasingly being used. They aim to provide clear guidance and promote transparency among authors, reviewers, and editors.

 

Use of AI by Authors

Acceptable Uses in Scientific Writing

Authors may use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies responsibly for the following tasks:

1. Improving grammar, spelling, and language clarity.
2. Assisting with formatting references or citations.
3. Generating summaries of already published literature.
4. Translating text.
5. Generating figures under human supervision.

These tools should only be used to improve language clarity and overseen and verified by the authors themselves.

 

Disclosure Requirement

Authors should disclose all information on the use of AI tools in the manuscript preparation, including the following:

1. Name and version of the AI tool.
2. Scope and purpose of its use.
3. A clear statement of which aspects of the study, article contents, data, or supporting files were affected/generated by AI tool usage.
4. Confirmation that authors reviewed and approved the AI-assisted content.

The disclosure should be clearly mentioned in the Acknowledgments or Methods section of the published article. This will promote transparency and build trust across the scientific community.

 

Authorship Restrictions

AI tools cannot be credited as authors or co-authors. Authorship implies responsibilities such as accountability, final approval, and ethical integrity, which AI tools cannot fulfill. Only human contributors meeting authorship criteria of ICMJE can be listed.

 

Use in Figures and Images

Authors should not use AI or AI-assisted tools to create, alter, or enhance images in submitted manuscripts. Prohibited practices include introducing or removing features in images.
Permitted adjustments include brightness or contrast enhancement that does not distort or misrepresent original data. AI-assisted image generation is only allowed if it is part of the research methodology, such as biomedical imaging. In such cases, proper attribution and tool details should be provided.

 

Unacceptable Uses

The authors should desist from the following:

1. Using AI tools to generate original scientific content, results, or interpretations without review and proper disclosure.
2. Using AI to fabricate or manipulate data or
3. Submitting AI-generated content without critical human assessment.

 

Use of AI by Reviewers

Peer review is a human responsibility requiring critical judgment that AI tools cannot replicate. Reviewers should treat manuscripts and peer review comments as confidential and should not upload them to AI platforms, even for language improvement. Moreover, reviewers are accountable for the content and accuracy of their reports.

 

Use of AI by Editors

Editors should preserve the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and related communication. These materials should not be uploaded to AI platforms. AI should not be used to evaluate scientific content or make editorial decisions. Editorial decisions require human expertise and responsibility. Editors are accountable for every stage of the editorial process and communication with authors. Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies should not be used by the editors to assist in the evaluation or decision-making process of the manuscript.

 

Publisher Owned AI Technologies

Journal publishers may use in-house or licensed AI tools for plagiarism detection, completeness checks or reviewer selection, in accordance with RELX Responsible AI Principles. These tools ensure confidentiality and comply with bias testing and data protection standards.

 

Compliance and Enforcement

Any violation of this policy will be treated as a breach of publishing ethics and may result in:

1. Rejection of the manuscript.
2. Retraction of published articles.
3. Notification to affiliated institutions or funders.
4. Publication of an editorial notice on the article.
5. Bans from future submissions in case of serious or repeated violations.
6. All cases will be handled according to COPE Core Practices.