Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement

The Pakistan Journal of Gastroenterology (PJG) is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics to ensure the integrity and quality of its published content. This statement outlines the ethical guidelines and malpractice policies that must be adhered to by all participants in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers.

1. Duties of Authors

1.1 Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must ensure their work is entirely original. Any use of others' work must be appropriately cited or quoted. Plagiarism in any form is unethical and unacceptable.

1.2 Data Access and Retention
Authors may be asked to provide the raw data from their study for editorial review. They should be prepared to make this data publicly available if feasible and must retain the data for a reasonable time after publication.

1.3 Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication
Authors should not submit the same research to more than one journal simultaneously. Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals is unethical and unacceptable.

1.4 Acknowledgment of Sources
Proper acknowledgment of other works is required. Authors must cite all publications that have influenced their research.

1.5 Authorship of the Paper
Authorship should be limited to those who have made significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study. All contributors should be listed as co-authors. The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors approve the final manuscript and its submission for publication.

1.6 Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Authors should disclose any financial or other conflicts of interest that may influence the results or interpretation of their work. All sources of financial support must also be disclosed.

1.7 Fundamental Errors in Published Works
If an author discovers a significant error in their published work, they are obligated to promptly notify the journal editor and cooperate to retract or correct the paper.

2. Duties of Editors

2.1 Publication Decisions
The editor is responsible for deciding which submitted articles should be published. This decision should be based on the importance of the work to researchers and readers, and must follow the journal's editorial policies. Editors may also be guided by legal requirements related to libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism.

2.2 Fair Play
Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely on their intellectual content, without considering the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy.

2.3 Confidentiality
Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher.

2.4 Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used by editors for their own research without the author's written consent. Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must remain confidential and not be used for personal gain.

3. Duties of Reviewers

3.1 Contribution to Editorial Decisions
Reviewers assist the editor in making publication decisions and can help authors improve their manuscripts through editorial communications.

3.2 Promptness
Any selected reviewer who feels unqualified to review the manuscript or knows they cannot provide a prompt review should notify the editor and withdraw from the review process.

3.3 Confidentiality
Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown or discussed with others except as authorized by the editor.

3.4 Standards of Objectivity
Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate, and reviewers should provide clear, constructive feedback supported by logical arguments.

3.5 Acknowledgment of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. Any observation, derivation, or argument that has been previously published should be accompanied by the relevant citation. Reviewers should also notify the editor of any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under review and other published work.

3.6 Disclosure and Conflict of Interest
Reviewers should not review manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors, institutions, or companies associated with the paper.