The Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiology is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in publishing. We follow the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and adhere to international best practices to ensure the integrity, transparency, and accountability of the research we publish. Our goal is to foster a trusted environment where researchers, authors, editors, and reviewers can engage in ethical scientific discourse while contributing to the advancement of cardiovascular medicine.

This Publication Ethics Statement outlines the responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, and the journal in maintaining these high standards.

1. Responsibilities of Authors

1.1 Originality and Plagiarism

• Authors must ensure that their work is original and has not been previously published. Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited.
• Proper citation of all sources and contributions of others is required, and any use of previously published material must be clearly referenced and properly acknowledged.
• The journal uses plagiarism detection tools to screen all submissions for plagiarism.

1.2 Authorship and Contribution

• Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the research and manuscript preparation. All authors should be appropriately credited.
• Authors are required to list the contributions of each co-author in the manuscript to ensure transparency in collaboration.
• Guest authorship (adding names of individuals who did not contribute to the work) and ghost authorship (excluding individuals who made a significant contribution) are unacceptable.

1.3 Data Integrity and Transparency

• Authors must ensure the accuracy of their data and present results honestly, without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation.
• All data used in the study must be appropriately documented, and raw data should be made available upon request for editorial review. Authors are encouraged to share their data in public repositories.
• Any errors discovered in published work must be promptly reported to the journal for correction or retraction, as applicable.

1.4 Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

• Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the interpretation of their research. This includes financial, personal, or professional relationships with individuals, organizations, or industries that could be perceived as influencing the results or conclusions of the study.
• Any funding sources must be clearly disclosed in the manuscript, including the role of the funder in study design, data collection, interpretation, and publication.

1.5 Ethical Approval and Consent

• For studies involving human participants, authors must confirm that the research was conducted in accordance with ethical standards, including the Declaration of Helsinki, and must provide evidence of ethical approval from an institutional review board (IRB).
• Authors must obtain informed consent from participants, where applicable, and provide details of how consent was obtained in the manuscript.
• For studies involving animals, authors must ensure compliance with institutional and international guidelines for animal care and use, and provide details of the ethical approval for the study.

2. Responsibilities of Reviewers

2.1 Objectivity and Confidentiality

• Reviewers must provide objective, fair, and constructive feedback on the manuscript. Criticism should be based on scholarly merit, and personal biases should be avoided.
• The review process is confidential. Reviewers must not share, discuss, or use the manuscript or its data for their own research or personal gain.

2.2 Conflicts of Interest

• Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that could compromise their objectivity in reviewing the manuscript. If such conflicts exist, reviewers should decline the review request.
• Reviewers should not evaluate manuscripts in which they have a financial, professional, or personal interest.

2.3 Timeliness

• Reviewers are expected to complete reviews within the agreed timeframe. If unable to do so, they should promptly notify the editor.
• Timely and thorough reviews are essential for maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the publication process.

3. Responsibilities of Editors

3.1 Fair and Unbiased Decision-making

• The editorial board of the Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiology ensures that all manuscripts are evaluated solely on the basis of their scholarly merit, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope, without regard to the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnicity, citizenship, or political philosophy.
• The final decision to accept or reject a manuscript is based on the quality of the research, the relevance to the journal's readership, and reviewer feedback.

3.2 Confidentiality

• Editors must maintain the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts, ensuring that information is not disclosed to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, or other editorial staff involved in the review process.
• Editors must not use unpublished information from submitted manuscripts for their own research or personal advantage.

3.3 Conflicts of Interest

• Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from the decision-making process if they have a personal or financial interest in the work under review.
• Editors must take active measures to avoid any conflicts of interest in the selection of reviewers and handling of manuscripts.

3.4 Handling of Ethical Violations

• Editors are responsible for investigating and acting upon any suspected ethical violations related to a manuscript, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or inappropriate authorship.
• In cases of ethical misconduct, the journal will follow COPE guidelines for resolving the issue, which may include retraction of the article, publication of an erratum, or other corrective action.

4. Responsibilities of the Journal

4.1 Adherence to Ethical Guidelines

• The Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiology is committed to following the ethical guidelines established by COPE and other international publishing bodies.
• The journal actively promotes and enforces high ethical standards across all stages of the publication process, from submission to post-publication.

4.2 Retraction and Corrections

• The journal will take appropriate action if errors or ethical misconduct are discovered after publication. This may include publishing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern in accordance with COPE guidelines.
• Any retraction or correction will be clearly communicated and linked to the original article to ensure transparency.

4.3 Publication Integrity

• The journal is committed to preserving the academic record and ensuring the publication of high-quality research. The integrity of the publication process is paramount, and the journal will take measures to prevent the publication of unethical or fraudulent research.
• The journal maintains a rigorous peer-review process to uphold the scholarly integrity of published articles.

4.4 Digital Preservation

• To ensure long-term access to published research, the journal participates in digital archiving and preservation programs, guaranteeing that all content is preserved and accessible for future generations.

Conclusion

The Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiology is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics. We expect all parties involved—authors, reviewers, editors, and the journal itself—to adhere to these ethical guidelines to ensure the integrity, transparency, and fairness of the publication process.

By fostering a culture of ethical publishing, the journal aims to contribute to the advancement of cardiovascular medicine through the dissemination of high-quality, trustworthy research that can benefit the global scientific and medical communities.