The Journal of Pharmacology and Drug Development (JPDD) is fully committed to maintaining the integrity of the academic record. We take all allegations of publication and research misconduct seriously and will investigate every claim thoroughly and fairly.
Our policies and procedures for handling such allegations are guided by the flowcharts and best-practice recommendations from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
Plagiarism: Using another's work, words, or ideas without proper attribution.
Data Fabrication/Falsification: Inventing, altering, or deliberately omitting data or results to deceive.
Authorship Disputes: Wrongfully adding, omitting, or misrepresenting the contributions of authors.
Redundant Publication: Submitting or publishing the same study (or substantially similar data) in more than one journal without proper cross-referencing or justification.
Undeclared Conflicts of Interest: Failing to disclose financial or personal relationships that could influence the research or its interpretation.
Ethical Breaches: Violations of standard ethical protocols, such as conducting research on human or animal subjects without appropriate committee approval.
We encourage anyone who suspects misconduct in a manuscript submitted to or published in JPDD to raise their concerns.
All allegations should be sent directly to the Editor-in-Chief or the Editorial Office via email.
Please provide as much specific information and evidence as possible (e.g., manuscript number, details of the allegation, supporting documents) to assist in the investigation.
The identity of the person raising the concern (whistleblower) will be kept confidential to the fullest extent possible.
Upon receiving a credible allegation, JPDD will follow a systematic process:
Initial Assessment: The Editor-in-Chief will first assess the allegation to determine if it is credible and within the journal's purview.
Notification to Author: The corresponding author of the manuscript in question will be confidentially notified of the claim and provided with the details and evidence. They will be given a fair opportunity to respond and provide their own evidence.
Evidence Gathering: The editor will gather all necessary information. This may involve requesting raw data from the authors, consulting with other experts, or seeking advice from the editorial board or the publisher (Al-Nahrain University).
Evaluation: The Editor-in-Chief and relevant editors will evaluate all evidence and the author's response.
Decision and Action: Based on the findings, the editor will make a decision on the appropriate course of action.
If an allegation of misconduct is confirmed, the journal reserves the right to take one or more of the following actions, in accordance with COPE guidelines:
For minor breaches: A warning letter may be sent to the author, or they may be required to publish a correction (erratum).
For serious breaches: The journal may issue an Expression of Concern to alert readers or, in severe cases, formally retract the article.
Notification: The author's institution, ethics committee, or funding body may be formally notified of the findings.
Future Submissions: The journal may impose a ban on the author(s) from submitting to JPDD for a specified period.
All investigations will be conducted with the aim of fairness, objectivity, and confidentiality for all parties involved until a resolution is reached.