Publication Policies

Learn about the publication policies of Link Medical Institute as a publisher.

Understand

Welcome to the Policies Page of the LinK Medical Institute, your trusted publisher committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. At the LinK Medical Institute, we have meticulously developed a suite of policies that serve as the bedrock of our publishing activities, ensuring the utmost reliability, quality, and impact of the research we bring to the global scientific community. Our comprehensive policies, spanning editorial management, peer review, advertising, research ethics, and informed consent, are crafted with precision and care to support our authors, reviewers, and editors throughout the publication process. As a distinguished publisher in the medical sciences, the LinK Medical Institute is dedicated to fostering an environment that nurtures trust, academic excellence, and adherence to internationally recognized publishing standards.

Publisher Information

Publisher Name: Link Medical Institute, Lahore

General Information

Organization Address: 8 Commercial Sunny Park, Lahore, Pakistan

Publisher website (URL): https://lmi.education

Business Structure

Business Structure: Corporation

Names and titles of organization owner and executives:
Bilal Umar, PhD* - President and Founder
Umair Ahmed, PhD - Chief Academic Officer

Parent or related companies, and/or subsidiary organizations associated with the organization: None.

Editorial Management

How do you select editors for your journal(s)?

The LinK Medical Institute employs a structured and merit-based Editor Selection Policy for the Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research (JHRR), aiming for transparency, fairness, and excellence. This policy encompasses:

  • Eligibility Criteria: Requiring candidates to have a doctoral degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline, a strong publication record, prior editorial experience, professional standing, and commitment.

  • Selection Process: Involves a call for nominations, comprehensive application submission, review by a selection committee, interviews for shortlisted candidates, and final recommendations for appointment.

  • Term and Responsibilities: Editors serve a fixed term, typically three to five years, and are responsible for managing the peer review process, making editorial decisions, and guiding the journal's strategic direction.

  • Conflict of Interest: Potential conflicts must be disclosed, ensuring the integrity of editorial decisions.

  • Diversity and Inclusion: Committed to promoting diversity within the editorial board.

  • Amendments to the Policy: The policy is periodically reviewed to align with evolving best practices.

Management Team Members

  • Dr. Umair Ahmed, PhD - Chief/Executive Editor: With 13 years of experience, leads the journal's editorial vision and standards.

  • Dr. Bilal Umar, PhD - Publishing Director: With 9 years of experience, manages business strategies and ensures the journal's growth.

  • Prof. Dr. Nazia Mumtaz, PhD - Ethics Editor: With 18 years of experience, ensures adherence to ethical guidelines.

Professional Associations: All management team members are associated with the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Association, Pakistan, and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), UK.

Editorial Policies


The Link Medical Institute is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and academic excellence through its editorial policies. These policies are designed to guide the editorial process, ensuring the publication of high-quality, ethical, and impactful research in the field of medical sciences. Below, we provide a detailed outline of our specific editorial policies:

Editorial Independence

  • Objective: To ensure that editorial decisions are made without influence from the publisher, sponsors, or external entities. Editorial independence is paramount for maintaining the trust of readers, authors, reviewers, and the broader scientific community.

  • Implementation: The Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board have full authority over the editorial content of the journal and the timing of publication of that content. Decisions to edit, publish, or reject papers are based solely on the paper’s importance, originality, clarity, and relevance to the journal's scope, regardless of commercial considerations or potential conflicts of interest.

Editorial Decision-Making

  • Objective: To ensure that all manuscripts are evaluated fairly, impartially, and based solely on their academic merit and alignment with the journal's scope.

  • Implementation: The editorial process employs a rigorous peer review system to assess the quality and integrity of submitted research. The Editor-in-Chief, supported by the Editorial Board, makes the final decision on the publication of manuscripts based on feedback from peer reviewers and the journal's priorities and ethical guidelines.

Peer Review Process

  • Objective: To maintain the quality and credibility of the journal through a rigorous, fair, and confidential peer review process.

  • Implementation: Manuscripts undergo a double-blind peer review, where both reviewers and authors are anonymized to each other to prevent bias. Reviewers are selected based on their expertise in the manuscript’s subject area. The journal commits to a timely review process, providing constructive feedback to authors. Reviewer guidelines emphasize the need for objective, constructive, and unbiased feedback.

Conflicts of Interest

  • Objective: To ensure transparency and integrity by disclosing any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the editorial process.

  • Implementation: Authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose any relationships or interests (financial, personal, or professional) that could be perceived as influencing their objectivity. This policy extends to funding sources and any affiliations that may be seen as a potential conflict of interest. Disclosures are published alongside the content to ensure transparency.

Ethical Considerations

  • Objective: To uphold the highest ethical standards in publishing research, especially studies involving human or animal subjects.

  • Implementation: Compliance with ethical standards for research involving human participants must be in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, including obtaining informed consent from all participants. For animal studies, compliance with institutional and national guidelines for the care and use of animals is mandatory. The journal requires authors to provide evidence of ethical approval and informed consent within their manuscript.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

  • Objective: To preserve the integrity of the scientific record through timely correction of errors or retraction of published work found to be flawed or in violation of ethical guidelines.

  • Implementation: The journal follows COPE guidelines for handling corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern. Corrections are issued for minor errors that do not affect the article's conclusion. Retractions are published in cases of serious errors or ethical breaches. Expressions of concern may be issued if there are significant doubts pending an investigation.

Editorial Board Composition and Roles

  • Objective: To ensure the editorial board reflects a broad spectrum of expertise within the field, contributing to the strategic direction and integrity of the journal.

  • Implementation: The Editorial Board is composed of leading experts from diverse geographical and professional backgrounds, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of medical research. Board members provide guidance on journal policy, contribute to the decision-making process, and help ensure the continuous improvement of the journal.

These editorial policies are foundational to the Link Medical Institute's mission to contribute valuable medical knowledge to the community. Adherence to these policies ensures the publication of research that meets the highest standards of academic rigor and ethical practice.

Peer Review

The Link Medical Institute is dedicated to ensuring the integrity and quality of scientific discourse through its comprehensive peer review policy. This policy outlines the principles and procedures that govern the review process of submissions to ensure that all published research meets the highest standards of academic excellence, originality, and ethical rigor.

  • Aim: To maintain the scientific integrity of our publication, ensuring that all research is thoroughly vetted for accuracy, relevance, and originality before publication.

  • Transparency: The process is designed to be transparent at every stage, with clear guidelines for authors, reviewers, and editors.

  • Confidentiality: Respecting the confidentiality of each submission is paramount. All aspects of the peer review process are conducted in a manner that preserves the anonymity and proprietary information of authors and reviewers.

Scope of Peer Review

  • The peer review process applies to all manuscript types submitted to the Link Medical Institute, including original research, reviews, brief reports, and any other content deemed appropriate for review.

  • The process assesses submissions for their scientific accuracy, novelty, significance to the field, clarity of presentation, and adherence to ethical guidelines.

Process Overview

  1. Initial Manuscript Screening: Upon submission, manuscripts undergo an initial screening by the editorial team to ensure compliance with submission guidelines, scope, and basic quality standards.

  2. Assignment to Reviewers: Manuscripts passing the initial screening are assigned to at least two independent experts in the relevant field for a double-blind review, where both the reviewers' and authors' identities are concealed.

  3. Review and Evaluation: Reviewers are asked to evaluate the manuscript based on its scientific merit, originality, statistical validity, and ethical considerations. They provide a detailed report with recommendations for acceptance, revision, or rejection.

  4. Decision Making: The Editor-in-Chief or an assigned Associate Editor makes the final decision on the manuscript based on reviewer feedback and the journal's standards and priorities.

  5. Feedback to Authors: Authors receive detailed comments from the reviewers and the editorial decision, including requests for revision, if applicable.

Reviewer Selection

  • Reviewers are selected based on their expertise, reputation, and previous experience in providing high-quality, constructive peer review feedback.

  • The journal strives for diversity in reviewer selection, including geographical and institutional variety, to avoid potential biases.

Responsibilities and Expectations

  • Reviewers are expected to provide unbiased, constructive, and timely assessments of the submitted work. They must disclose any conflicts of interest and maintain confidentiality about the review process and manuscript content.

  • Authors are expected to respond comprehensively to reviewer comments and questions in any revisions. They must also disclose any potential conflicts of interest and adhere to ethical research practices.

  • Editors oversee the review process, ensuring its integrity, fairness, and timeliness. They make the final decision on manuscripts, taking into account the reviewers’ recommendations and the journal’s standards and ethics.

Handling Conflicts of Interest

  • All participants in the peer review process must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence their judgments. Conflicts of interest are managed according to the guidelines provided, ensuring a fair and unbiased review process.

Appeals Process

  • Authors who wish to appeal a decision may do so by providing a detailed explanation of their disagreement with the decision or reviewer comments. Appeals are considered by the Editor-in-Chief, who may seek additional reviews or uphold the original decision based on the journal’s policies.

Continuous Improvement

  • The Link Medical Institute is committed to the ongoing evaluation and improvement of its peer review process. Feedback from authors, reviewers, and editors is regularly solicited and used to refine and enhance the review procedures.

This peer review policy reflects the Link Medical Institute's commitment to upholding the highest standards of scholarly publishing, ensuring that all content published is rigorously vetted and contributes valuable knowledge to the field of medical research.

Adverstisement Policy

The Link Medical Institute is committed to upholding the integrity and objectivity of its publications while allowing for the inclusion of advertising content that can be of interest and value to its readership. Our advertising policy is designed to clearly separate editorial content from advertisements, ensuring that the presence of ads does not influence editorial decisions or compromise the quality and credibility of our scientific discourse. Below, we detail our comprehensive advertising policies, drawing upon widely accepted standards and ethical guidelines in scholarly publishing.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline the standards and procedures for accepting and displaying advertisements in conjunction with the Link Medical Institute's publications, ensuring that advertising practices are conducted responsibly, ethically, and in a manner that preserves the trust of our readers, authors, and the broader academic community.

Scope

This policy applies to all forms of advertising and sponsored content appearing in the Link Medical Institute's publications, whether online or in print, including but not limited to display ads, classified ads, product announcements, and sponsored supplements.

General Principles

  1. Editorial Independence: Advertisements and sponsored content must not influence editorial decisions or content. The editorial content is kept independent and separate from advertising.

  2. Transparency: All advertisements should be clearly identifiable as such. Sponsored content must be prominently labeled with the sponsor's name, ensuring readers can distinguish between editorial and advertising material.

  3. Content and Placement: Advertisements must be relevant to the medical and scientific community and should not detract from the overall reader experience. Placement of advertisements will be at the discretion of the Link Medical Institute, ensuring they do not interfere with or overshadow editorial content.

  4. Acceptance and Review: The acceptance of any advertisement is subject to review and approval by the Link Medical Institute, which reserves the right to reject or cancel any ad at any time. Advertisements must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and professional standards.

  5. Prohibited Content: Advertisements for tobacco products, firearms, illegal substances, or those making unsubstantiated health claims will not be accepted. The Link Medical Institute also reserves the right to refuse advertisements that are deemed offensive, misleading, or incompatible with the Institute's values and mission.

  6. Conflict of Interest: Advertisers must disclose any conflicts of interest related to the products or services being advertised. Advertisements should not create a conflict of interest with the Link Medical Institute's research, endorsements, or editorial content.

  7. Digital Advertising: For online advertisements, the use of cookies, tracking technologies, and personalized advertising must adhere to privacy laws and regulations. Advertisers are responsible for ensuring their ads are technically compatible with the Link Medical Institute's digital platforms and do not impair website functionality.

  8. Sponsored Supplements: Supplements sponsored by external parties are subject to the same peer review and editorial standards as the Institute's regular content. The sponsorship of such supplements must be transparent and disclosed to readers.

Complaints and Enforcement

  • The Link Medical Institute will investigate any complaints related to advertisements and take appropriate action, which may include the removal of ads, modification of ad content, or termination of agreements with advertisers found to be in violation of these policies.

Amendments to the Policy

  • This advertising policy may be amended at any time to adapt to new ethical standards, legal requirements, or changes in the Institute's publishing practices. Advertisers will be notified of significant changes to the policy.

This advertising policy is crafted to ensure that the Link Medical Institute maintains the trust and respect of the academic and medical communities it serves, fostering a publication environment where scientific integrity and transparency prevail.

Research ethics policy (URL)

The Link Medical Institute is committed to the highest standards of research ethics, ensuring all research conducted and published under its auspices adheres to internationally recognized ethical guidelines and principles. Our Research Ethics Policy is designed to promote integrity, accountability, and transparency in all research activities, safeguarding the dignity, rights, and welfare of all participants involved. This policy outlines the ethical responsibilities of researchers, the ethical review process, and the principles guiding human and animal research.

General Principles

  1. Integrity and Honesty: Researchers must conduct their research with integrity and honesty, ensuring that their findings are reported accurately, without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation.

  2. Transparency and Openness: Researchers should be transparent and open in all aspects of their work, including the disclosure of funding sources, conflicts of interest, and any limitations of their research.

  3. Respect for Participants: All research involving human participants must treat participants with respect, protecting their dignity, privacy, and autonomy. This includes obtaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, and allowing participants to withdraw without penalty.

  4. Beneficence and Non-Maleficence: Researchers must aim to maximize benefits and minimize harm to participants. Risks must be identified and managed appropriately, ensuring they are justified by the potential benefits of the research.

Ethical Review and Approval

  • All research proposals involving human or animal subjects require review and approval by an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB) before commencement.

  • The ethical review process assesses the potential risks and benefits of the research, the adequacy of participant protection measures, and the process for obtaining informed consent.

  • Documentation of ethics approval must be submitted with any publications resulting from the research.

Human Participants Research

  1. Informed Consent: Informed consent must be obtained from all participants or their legal guardians. The consent process should provide clear and comprehensive information about the nature of the research, its risks and benefits, and the rights of participants.

  2. Vulnerability: Special consideration must be given to research involving vulnerable populations, ensuring that participation is voluntary and based on an understanding of the risks involved.

  3. Privacy and Confidentiality: Researchers must protect the privacy and confidentiality of participant data, using data only for the purposes for which it was collected and storing it securely.

Animal Research

  1. Humane Treatment: Research involving animals must ensure humane treatment, minimizing discomfort, distress, and pain according to the highest ethical and scientific standards.

  2. Alternative Methods: Researchers should consider alternative methods to reduce, refine, or replace the use of animals in research whenever possible.

  3. Ethical Review: Proposals for animal research must undergo ethical review to evaluate the necessity of using animals, the appropriateness of the species chosen, and the adequacy of the care and use protocols.

Misconduct and Compliance

  • Allegations of research misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, and unethical research practices, will be investigated thoroughly. Consequences of confirmed misconduct may include retraction of publications, notification to relevant authorities, and exclusion from future publication in Link Medical Institute outlets.

  • Researchers are expected to comply with this policy, relevant laws and regulations, and the ethical guidelines pertinent to their discipline.

Continuous Monitoring and Reporting

  • Researchers are required to report any adverse events or unanticipated problems encountered during the research to the ethics committee or IRB.

  • Ongoing research may be subject to continuous monitoring to ensure compliance with ethical standards.

Corrections, Retractions, and Editorial Expressions of Concern

The Link Medical Institute is committed to the ethical conduct of research, particularly regarding the treatment of human participants. Central to this commitment is our Informed Consent Policy, which ensures that all individuals participating in research associated with the Institute are fully informed about the nature of the research, its potential risks and benefits, and their rights as participants. This policy aligns with international guidelines, including the Declaration of Helsinki, and aims to protect participants' autonomy and dignity.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide clear guidelines for obtaining informed consent from research participants, ensuring that consent is given freely, based on a thorough understanding of the research project and its implications.

Scope

This policy applies to all research involving human participants conducted, funded, or otherwise associated with the Link Medical Institute, regardless of the location of the study.

Principles of Informed Consent

  1. Voluntary Participation: Consent must be voluntarily given, without coercion or undue influence. Participants should understand they have the right to withdraw from the study at any time without penalty.

  2. Informed Decision: Participants must be provided with all relevant information regarding the research in a language and manner they can easily understand. This includes the study's purpose, procedures, potential risks and benefits, alternatives to participation, and the confidentiality of their data.

  3. Documentation: Informed consent must be documented through a written consent form signed by the participant or their legal representative. In cases where written consent is not feasible, alternative methods of documenting consent must be justified and approved by an ethics committee.

Process of Obtaining Informed Consent

  1. Preparation: Researchers must prepare a consent form that includes all necessary information about the study. This form should be clear and concise, avoiding technical jargon.

  2. Presentation: The informed consent form should be presented to potential participants or their legal representatives in a neutral setting, where questions can be asked and answered.

  3. Clarification and Questions: Researchers must provide ample opportunity for participants to ask questions and must answer these questions honestly and completely.

  4. Consent Form: Upon agreement to participate, the consent form must be signed and dated by the participant and the researcher. Participants should receive a copy of the consent form for their records.

Special Considerations

  1. Vulnerable Populations: Special care must be taken when the research involves vulnerable populations, such as children, individuals with cognitive impairments, or economically disadvantaged individuals. In such cases, consent must also be obtained from a legal guardian or representative, and assent from the participant when appropriate.

  2. Cultural Sensitivity: The informed consent process should be sensitive to the cultural and linguistic needs of participants, employing translators or culturally relevant materials when necessary.

  3. Waiver of Consent: In rare instances where the research could not practicably be carried out without a waiver or alteration of the informed consent process, such a waiver must be specifically approved by an ethics committee, justifying why the waiver will not adversely affect the rights and welfare of the participants.

Confidentiality

Information about research participants obtained during the consent process must be kept confidential and used only for the purposes outlined in the consent form, except as required by law.

Compliance and Monitoring

Researchers are responsible for ensuring that the informed consent process complies with this policy, relevant laws, and ethical guidelines. The Link Medical Institute's ethics committee or IRB is responsible for overseeing compliance with this policy, including reviewing consent procedures and materials.

By adhering to this Informed Consent Policy, the Link Medical Institute reaffirms its commitment to ethical research practices, respecting the autonomy, rights, and welfare of all research participants.

References

1. Committee on Publication Ethics. COPE: Committee on Publication Ethics [Internet]. 2020 Dec [cited 2024 Mar 19]. Available from: https://publicationethics.org/
2. Committee on Publication Ethics. COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers [Internet]. 2020 Dec [cited 2024 Mar 19]. Available from: https://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines-new/cope-ethical-guidelines-peer-reviewers
3. World Association of Medical Editors. Policy Statements [Internet]. 2020 Dec [cited 2024 Mar 19]. Available from: http://www.wame.org/policy-statements
4. Office for Human Research Protections. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services [Internet]. 2020 Dec [cited 2024 Mar 19]. Available from: https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/
5. World Medical Association. WMA Declaration of Helsinki – Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects [Internet]. 2020 Dec [cited 2024 Mar 19]. Available from: https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/medical-ethics/declaration-of-helsinki/
6. Committee on Publication Ethics. COPE Retraction Guidelines [Internet]. 2020 Dec [cited 2024 Mar 19]. Available from: https://publicationethics.org/retraction-guidelines
7. Creative Commons. About The Licenses [Internet]. 2020 Dec [cited 2024 Mar 19]. Available from: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/

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