Allegations of Misconduct
Journal of Biomedicine and Biochemistry (JBB) is firmly committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity and publication ethics. The journal adopts the principles, flowcharts, and best-practice guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when evaluating and resolving allegations of research misconduct.
1. Definition of Research Misconduct
Following international norms and COPE recommendations, research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
- Fabrication: Inventing data, cases, or results.
- Falsification: Manipulating research materials, equipment, procedures, or data.
- Plagiarism: Using ideas, words, or results of others without proper attribution.
- Redundant/duplicate publication without transparency.
- Unethical research practices, including human/animal research violations.
- Improper authorship practices, such as ghost or gift authorship.
Any behavior that undermines scientific integrity may be considered misconduct.
2. Reporting Allegations
Allegations of misconduct may be raised by:
- Reviewers
- Editors
- Readers
- Institutions
- Authors (including whistleblowers)
Reports must be submitted in writing to the Editorial Office and will be handled confidentially.
3. Confidentiality and Protection of Whistleblowers
JBB ensures strict confidentiality throughout the investigation and protects the identity of individuals who report misconduct in good faith.
4. Investigation Procedure
JBB follows COPE’s official investigation flowcharts. The process includes:
1. Initial Assessment :The Editor-in-Chief determines whether the allegation has sufficient basis.
2. Preliminary Inquiry : The editorial team may request clarifications, raw data, ethical approvals, or supporting documents from the authors.
3. Formal Investigation :If concerns persist, the journal may:
- Contact the authors’ affiliated institutions
- Consult external experts
- Suspend peer review or publication
4. Outcome Determination : Decisions are guided by COPE standards and evidence provided.
5. Possible Actions
Depending on the severity of the misconduct, JBB may take one or more of the following actions:
- Reject the manuscript
- Require major corrections
- Issue a Correction, Expression of Concern, or Retraction
- Notify the authors’ institution or funding bodies
- Ban authors from future submission for a defined period
6. Post-Publication Misconduct
If concerns arise after publication, JBB will:
- Open a formal investigation
- Publish an Expression of Concern while the case is assessed
- Issue a Retraction if misconduct is confirmed
- Update indexing services (Crossref, Scopus, Google Scholar, etc.)
7. Reference to COPE Standards
JBB adheres fully to the following COPE guidelines: