Ethical Standards

Medical Letter (Med Ltr) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity, publication ethics, and academic excellence. The journal follows internationally recognized ethical publishing practices and adheres to the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics. Authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers are expected to uphold these ethical standards throughout the publication process.

Research Integrity

Authors must ensure that submitted manuscripts:

• Present original and accurate research findings.
• Contain data that are honestly collected, analyzed, and reported.
• Do not include fabricated, falsified, or manipulated data.
• Accurately represent research methods and results.
• Properly acknowledge the work of others through appropriate citations.

Any form of research misconduct is considered unacceptable and may result in rejection, correction, retraction, or notification of relevant institutions.

Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to:

• Study conception and design.
• Data collection, analysis, or interpretation.
• Drafting or critically revising the manuscript.
• Approval of the final version for publication.

All authors must agree to the submission and publication of the manuscript.

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged appropriately.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must submit only original work.

The following practices are strictly prohibited:

• Plagiarism.
• Self-plagiarism without proper disclosure.
• Duplicate publication.
• Redundant publication.
• Unattributed use of text, figures, tables, or data from other sources.

All submissions may be screened using plagiarism-detection software before peer review.

Data Fabrication and Falsification

Authors must not:

• Fabricate research data.
• Manipulate images or results in a misleading manner.
• Falsify experimental findings.
• Selectively omit data to influence conclusions.

Any evidence of fabrication or falsification may lead to immediate rejection or retraction.

Human Subjects Research

Research involving human participants must:

• Comply with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.
• Obtain approval from an appropriate Ethics Committee or Institutional Review Board (IRB).
• Include a statement of ethical approval within the manuscript.
• Obtain informed consent from participants when required.

Authors may be requested to provide supporting ethical approval documentation.

Animal Research

Studies involving animals must:

• Follow institutional and national regulations governing animal welfare.
• Minimize pain and suffering.
• Include a statement confirming ethical approval and compliance with relevant guidelines.

Informed Consent

Where applicable, authors must obtain informed consent from participants before conducting research or publishing identifiable information, photographs, or clinical details.

Authors are responsible for protecting participant privacy and confidentiality.

Conflict of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any financial, personal, institutional, or professional relationships that could influence the research or publication process.

If no conflicts exist, the following statement should be included:

"The authors declare no conflict of interest."

Funding Disclosure

Authors must disclose all sources of financial support related to the research.

Funding information should be clearly stated within the manuscript.

Peer Review Ethics

Medical Letter follows a Single-Blind Peer Review process.

Reviewers are expected to:

• Maintain confidentiality.
• Provide objective and constructive evaluations.
• Declare conflicts of interest.
• Refrain from using unpublished information for personal benefit.
• Report suspected ethical concerns to the Editor.

Editors are responsible for ensuring a fair, unbiased, and timely review process.

Editorial Responsibilities

Editors shall:

• Evaluate manuscripts solely on academic merit.
• Maintain confidentiality of submissions.
• Avoid conflicts of interest.
• Make decisions independent of commercial considerations.
• Take appropriate action when ethical concerns arise.

Editorial decisions are based on originality, scientific quality, significance, and relevance to the journal's scope.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

When significant errors or ethical concerns are identified, Medical Letter may publish:

• Corrections (Errata)
• Retractions
• Expressions of Concern

Such actions will be undertaken in accordance with accepted international publishing standards and COPE recommendations.

Complaints and Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions or submit complaints regarding the editorial process.

All complaints and appeals will be handled fairly, transparently, and confidentially by the Editorial Office and Editor-in-Chief.

Publication Misconduct

The journal does not tolerate:

• Plagiarism
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Duplicate submission
• Citation manipulation
• Authorship disputes or misconduct
• Peer review manipulation
• Ethical violations involving human or animal subjects

Confirmed cases of misconduct may result in rejection, retraction, publication bans, or notification of relevant institutions.

Ethical Policy Statement

Medical Letter (Med Ltr) is dedicated to promoting ethical research, responsible publishing, and academic integrity. The journal follows internationally accepted ethical standards and the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics to ensure transparency, fairness, and trust in scholarly communication.