• Publication Decision: The editor of a peer-reviewed journal is responsible for deciding which of the articles submitted to the journal should be published. The validation of the work in question and its importance to researchers and readers must always drive such decisions. The editor may be guided by the policies of the journal’s editorial board and constrained by such legal requirements as shall then be in force regarding libel, copyright infringement and plagiarism. The editor may confer with other editors or referees in making this decision.
• Objectivity: The editor should examine the content of manuscripts without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.
• Confidentiality: The editor must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate.
• Conflicts of Interest and Financial Support: Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in an editor’s own study without the express written consent of the author. Privileged information or ideas obtained through submission process must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage.
  The editors should recuse themselves from considering manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.
  The editors should request all contributors to disclose relevant competing interests and publish corrections if competing interests are revealed after publication. If needed, other interventions should be taken like the retraction of a publication or expression of concern.
  It should be ensured that the peer-review process for sponsored supplements is the same as that used for the main journal. Items in sponsored supplements should be accepted solely on the basis of academic merit and interest to readers and not be influenced by commercial considerations.
• Involvement and Cooperation: The editor should take reasonably responsive measures when ethical complaints have been presented concerning a submitted manuscript or published paper. These measures will usually include contacting the author of the manuscript or paper and giving due consideration of the respective complaint or claims made, but may also include further communications to the relevant institutions and research bodies. If the complaint is upheld, the publication of a correction, retraction, expression of concern, or another note, as may be appropriate. Every reported act of unethical publishing behavior must be looked into, even if it is discovered years after publication.
• These guidelines are prepared based on the Committee on Publication Ethics’ (COPE) Best Practice and Guidance

Ethics:

The publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal is an essential building block in the development of a coherent and respected network of knowledge. It is a direct reflection of the quality of the work of the authors and the institutions that support them. Peer-reviewed articles support and embody the scientific method. It is therefore important to agree upon standards of ethical behaviors for all parties involved in the act of publishing: the author, the peer reviewer, the journal editor, the publisher, the sponsor or the society. This becomes more important in the journals that publish papers in the field of medicine.

The Editors of International Medicine, as the publishers of the journal, take its duties of guardianship over all stages of publishing extremely seriously and they recognize the ethical and other responsibilities.

The editors committed to ensuring that advertising, reprint or other commercial income has no impact or influence on editorial decisions. Additionally, the Editorial Board will assist in communications with other journals and/or publishers where this is useful to editors. The Editors work closely with other publishers and industry associations to set standards for best practices on ethical matters, errors and retractions and are prepared to provide specialized legal review and counsel if necessary.