Review of Complaints Regarding Violations of Academic Integrity

Policy Statement

Biomedical Update is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and publication ethics. The journal takes all allegations of research misconduct seriously and investigates complaints fairly, objectively, confidentially, and without bias. Complaints may relate to submitted, accepted, or published manuscripts.

The journal will review all credible concerns regarding potential violations of academic integrity and take appropriate editorial action when necessary.

Types of Complaints

Complaints may include, but are not limited to:

  • Plagiarism or self-plagiarism
  • Duplicate or redundant publication
  • Data fabrication or falsification
  • Image manipulation
  • Citation manipulation
  • Authorship disputes
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest
  • Ethical concerns involving human or animal research
  • Peer-review manipulation
  • Copyright infringement
  • Research misconduct
  • Editorial misconduct or reviewer misconduct

Submission of Complaints

Complaints should be submitted in writing to the Editorial Office and should include:

  • A clear description of the alleged violation.
  • Supporting evidence or relevant documentation, where available.
  • References to the manuscript, article, or publication concerned.
  • Contact information of the complainant (anonymous complaints may be considered if supported by credible evidence).

All complaints are treated confidentially.

Investigation Process

Upon receiving a complaint, the Editorial Office will:

  1. Acknowledge receipt of the complaint.
  2. Conduct a preliminary assessment to determine whether the complaint has sufficient evidence.
  3. Request additional information when necessary.
  4. Consult the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board members, or independent experts as appropriate.
  5. Contact the corresponding author or other involved parties to obtain an explanation where required.
  6. Review all available evidence before reaching a decision.

The investigation will be conducted impartially, confidentially, and in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policies.

Possible Editorial Actions

Depending on the outcome of the investigation, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:

  • No further action where the complaint is unsubstantiated.
  • Request clarification or correction from the authors.
  • Require revision of the manuscript.
  • Reject the submitted manuscript.
  • Publish a correction (Erratum or Corrigendum).
  • Publish an Expression of Concern.
  • Retract the published article.
  • Remove the article in exceptional legal or ethical circumstances.
  • Notify the authors' institution, funding agency, or other relevant authorities when appropriate.

Appeals

Authors or complainants who disagree with the outcome of an investigation may submit a written appeal supported by additional evidence. Appeals will be reviewed independently by the Editor-in-Chief or an appointed Editorial Board member who was not directly involved in the original decision. The decision following the appeal is final.

Confidentiality

The identities of complainants, authors, reviewers, and editors involved in an investigation will be kept confidential to the fullest extent possible. Information will only be shared with individuals directly involved in resolving the complaint or where required by law or institutional policy.

Timeliness

Biomedical Update endeavors to investigate complaints promptly and fairly. The time required to complete an investigation depends on the complexity of the case and the availability of supporting evidence. All parties will be informed of significant developments whenever appropriate.

Commitment to Academic Integrity

Biomedical Update is dedicated to protecting the integrity of the scholarly record through transparent editorial practices, fair investigations, and appropriate corrective actions. The journal is committed to ensuring that all published research meets internationally accepted standards of honesty, accuracy, accountability, and ethical conduct.