Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how the International Journal of Medicine (IJM) collects, uses, stores, and protects the personal information of authors, reviewers, editors, and readers. IJM is committed to safeguarding privacy and handling all personal data in compliance with applicable laws and ethical publishing standards (COPE, ICMJE, GDPR, and other relevant frameworks).

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following personal information:

• Authors: Full name, email address, affiliation, ORCID ID, postal address, phone number, manuscript submissions, and publication history.

• Reviewers and Editors: Name, email address, institutional affiliation, academic expertise, peer review reports, and editorial decisions.

• Readers and Subscribers: Name, email address, institutional affiliation, subscription/payment details (if applicable).

• Website Visitors: IP address, browser type, cookies, analytics data, and usage statistics.

3. Purpose of Data Collection

IJM collects and processes personal data for:

• Manuscript submission, peer review, and editorial management.

• Communication with authors, reviewers, and editors.

• Publishing and disseminating scholarly articles.

• Maintaining research integrity and transparency.

• Indexing and archiving in scholarly databases (e.g., PubMed, Scopus, CrossRef, DOAJ).

• Providing journal updates, newsletters, and calls for papers (with user consent).

• Improving website functionality and user experience.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Personal data is processed based on:

• Consent (e.g., submission of manuscripts, opting into newsletters).

• Contractual necessity (to deliver publishing services).

• Legal obligations (compliance with academic and publishing regulations).

• Legitimate interests (ensuring journal operations, fraud prevention, academic transparency).

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

Personal data may be shared with:

• Peer reviewers and editors for academic purposes.

• Indexing/abstracting services and archiving platforms.

• Partner publishers, production, and hosting service providers.

• Legal/regulatory authorities when required.

• IJM does not sell or rent personal data to third parties.

6. Data Retention

• Manuscript and peer review records form part of the permanent scholarly record.

• Data is stored securely and retained only as long as necessary for academic and legal purposes.

7. Data Security

The International Journal of Medicine applies technical and organizational measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, misuse, or disclosure.

8. Cookies and Analytics

Our website uses cookies for functionality and analytics. Users may adjust browser settings to manage or block cookies, though this may impact site performance.

9. User Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have rights to:

• Access, correct, or request deletion of personal data.

• Restrict or object to processing.

• Request data portability.

• Withdraw consent at any time (without affecting prior lawful use).
  Requests should be sent to: editor@ijmjournal.org (replace with official journal email).

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may link to external sites. IJM is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites.

11. Policy Updates

This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically. Any revisions will be posted on the IJM website with the effective date.

12. Contact Information

For privacy-related concerns, please contact:

International Journal of Medicine (IJM)
Email: editor@theinternationalmedicine.com