Publication Ethics and Malpractices Statement

Global Health Synapse

Global Health Synapse is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics, transparency, research integrity, and responsible scholarly communication in global health, medical sciences, public health, healthcare systems, and interdisciplinary health research.

This policy follows the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and applies to authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher throughout the publication process.

Duties of Authors

  • Submitted manuscripts must be original and unpublished
  • Manuscripts must not be under review elsewhere
  • Proper acknowledgment and citation of sources are required
  • All listed authors must have made significant contributions
  • Research data and findings must be accurate and authentic
  • Conflicts of interest and funding sources must be disclosed

Authors are fully responsible for the integrity and accuracy of their work.

Authorship Criteria

  • Authorship is limited to individuals with substantial scholarly contributions
  • Contributions may include study design, analysis, interpretation, or manuscript preparation
  • Administrative or technical support should be acknowledged appropriately
  • All authors share responsibility for the published work

Plagiarism and Originality

  • Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and duplicate publication are strictly prohibited
  • All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software
  • Manuscripts with unacceptable similarity may be rejected or retracted
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • AI tools cannot be credited as authors
  • Authors must disclose the use of AI-assisted technologies
  • Authors remain responsible for the originality and accuracy of all content

Data Integrity and Transparency

  • Research data must be authentic, reliable, and ethically obtained
  • Data manipulation and falsification are strictly prohibited
  • Methods and findings should be reported transparently
  • Supporting data should be available when requested where applicable

Conflicts of Interest

  • Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any conflicts of interest
  • Financial, institutional, or personal relationships must be declared
  • Funding information must be clearly acknowledged

Duties of Editors

  • Editorial decisions are made fairly and objectively
  • Editors maintain confidentiality throughout the review process
  • Qualified reviewers are selected based on expertise
  • Potential ethical issues are investigated appropriately
  • Editorial independence is preserved at all times

Duties of Reviewers

  • Reviewers must provide objective and constructive feedback
  • All manuscripts must be treated confidentially
  • Reviewers should identify relevant uncited work where appropriate
  • Conflicts of interest must be disclosed immediately
  • Unpublished information must not be used for personal benefit

Peer Review Process

  • Global Health Synapse follows a double-blind peer review system
  • Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent reviewers
  • Reviewer and author identities remain confidential
  • Editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit

Research Ethics

  • Research involving humans or animals must have ethical approval
  • Informed consent must be obtained where applicable
  • Ethics approval details should be included in manuscripts
  • Patient confidentiality and privacy must be protected

Publication Misconduct

  • Plagiarism, falsification, fabrication, and unethical practices are prohibited
  • Suspected misconduct is investigated confidentially
  • Corrective actions may include rejection, correction, or retraction

Corrections and Retractions

  • Errata and corrigenda may be issued for significant errors
  • Retractions are published for invalid or unethical work
  • Expressions of concern may be issued during investigations
  • All corrections remain permanently linked to the original article

Editorial Independence

  • Editorial decisions are based solely on scholarly merit
  • No commercial or institutional influence is permitted
  • Editors maintain full independence in publication decisions
  • The publisher does not interfere with editorial outcomes

Complaints and Appeals

  • Authors may submit appeals against editorial decisions
  • Complaints are handled fairly and confidentially
  • COPE recommendations are followed during investigations

Article Withdrawal Policy

  • Withdrawal requests before publication may be considered with valid justification
  • Published articles may only be removed through formal retraction procedures
  • Retraction notices remain permanently accessible for transparency

Misconduct Reporting

Email: editor@tresearch.ee
All ethical concerns and misconduct reports are handled confidentially in accordance with COPE guidelines.