Editorial Policies

The National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology (NJPPP) is committed to maintaining high standards of scholarly publishing, editorial independence, research integrity, transparency, and responsible peer review. These editorial policies provide the framework for manuscript evaluation, peer review, ethical oversight, and publication decisions.

1. Editorial Decision-Making

1.1. Editorial Independence

NJPPP maintains editorial independence in all decisions concerning the evaluation, revision, acceptance, or rejection of manuscripts. Editorial decisions are based on the scientific and scholarly merits of submissions and are not influenced by commercial interests, advertising, sponsorship, institutional affiliations, nationality, race, gender, religion, political considerations, or other non-scientific factors.

Editors are responsible for making independent and objective editorial decisions in accordance with the journal's scope, policies, and ethical standards.

1.2. Fair and Unbiased Evaluation

All manuscripts considered for publication are evaluated fairly and objectively. Editors and reviewers assess submissions according to relevant criteria, including scientific quality, originality, methodological rigor, validity of the results, significance, clarity of presentation, ethical compliance, and relevance to the journal's scope.

NJPPP does not discriminate against authors on the basis of nationality, institutional affiliation, geographic location, gender, or other personal or professional characteristics unrelated to the scientific quality of the manuscript.

2. Peer Review Process

2.1. External Peer Review

NJPPP uses an external peer-review process to assess the scientific quality, validity, originality, and significance of manuscripts submitted for publication.

Manuscripts considered suitable for peer review are evaluated by qualified independent reviewers with appropriate expertise in the relevant subject area. The Editor-in-Chief and/or assigned editors remain responsible for the final editorial decision.

2.2. Double-Blind Peer Review

NJPPP follows a double-blind peer-review model.

Under the double-blind system:

• reviewers are not informed of the identities or affiliations of the authors;

• authors are not informed of the identities of the reviewers;

• manuscripts submitted for review should be prepared to minimize identifying information; and

• reviewers are expected to maintain the confidentiality of the manuscript and the review process.

The journal takes reasonable measures to preserve the anonymity of both authors and reviewers throughout the peer-review process. However, complete anonymity cannot be guaranteed in every case because reviewers may potentially infer authorship from the content, citations, methodology, or other characteristics of a manuscript.

2.3. Reviewer Selection

Reviewers are selected according to their subject expertise, scientific qualifications, research experience, and suitability for evaluating the submitted manuscript.

Editors should avoid selecting reviewers who have conflicts of interest with the authors, institutions, or research described in the manuscript.

2.4. Timeliness and Constructive Review

NJPPP seeks to conduct peer review efficiently while maintaining appropriate standards of scientific and ethical assessment. Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive, and scientifically relevant comments within the requested timeframe.

The journal does not compromise the rigor or integrity of peer review in order to accelerate publication.

3. Ethical and Research Integrity Standards

3.1. Research Integrity

NJPPP expects authors to conduct and report research honestly, accurately, transparently, and responsibly.

Authors must not engage in research misconduct, including fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, manipulation or inappropriate alteration of data, image manipulation, or other practices that may undermine the integrity of the scholarly record.

Where concerns regarding research integrity arise, NJPPP may investigate the matter and take appropriate action in accordance with recognized publication-ethics standards.

3.2. Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship must reflect substantial intellectual contributions to the research and manuscript. All listed authors should have made meaningful contributions to the work, participated in the preparation or critical revision of the manuscript, approved the final version, and accepted responsibility for the integrity of the work.

Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be appropriately acknowledged, where applicable.

Changes to authorship after submission or acceptance require appropriate justification and the agreement of all affected authors.

3.3. Conflict of Interest

Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose any financial, professional, personal, or other relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research, manuscript evaluation, or editorial decision.

Authors are responsible for declaring relevant conflicts of interest at submission and for providing appropriate disclosures within the manuscript where required.

Editors and reviewers must not participate in the evaluation of manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest.

3.4. Plagiarism and Originality

NJPPP requires submitted manuscripts to be original and appropriately acknowledge the work of others.

The journal uses plagiarism-detection and similarity-checking software (iThenticate) as part of its editorial screening process. Manuscripts containing substantial unattributed material, plagiarism, or other serious originality concerns may be rejected or subjected to further investigation.

Similarity scores are not considered in isolation; editorial assessment takes into account the nature, location, context, and source of the detected material.

4. Ethical Approval and Participant Protection

4.1. Research Involving Human Participants

Research involving human participants must comply with applicable ethical standards and regulations. Authors must obtain approval from an appropriate research ethics committee or institutional review board before commencing research, where such approval is required.

Manuscripts should provide sufficient information regarding ethical approval, including the name of the approving body and approval/reference number where applicable.

Research involving human participants should comply with internationally recognized ethical principles, including the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, where applicable.

4.2. Informed Consent

Appropriate informed consent must be obtained from human participants when required by the nature of the research and applicable ethical standards.

When manuscripts contain identifiable information, photographs, clinical details, or other material that could identify an individual, authors must obtain appropriate consent for publication.

4.3. Research Involving Animals

Research involving animals must comply with applicable national and institutional regulations and recognized standards for the ethical treatment and welfare of animals.

Authors must obtain approval from an appropriate institutional or national animal ethics committee when required and should provide relevant ethical approval information in the manuscript.

Authors are expected to use appropriate reporting standards for animal research, including the ARRIVE guidelines, where applicable.

5. Transparency and Open Science

5.1. Data Availability and Reproducibility

NJPPP supports transparency and reproducibility in research. Authors are encouraged, where ethically and legally appropriate, to make relevant datasets, analytical methods, protocols, code, and supplementary materials available to facilitate verification and reproducibility.

Where data cannot be made publicly available because of ethical, privacy, confidentiality, legal, or other legitimate restrictions, authors should provide an appropriate explanation and, where possible, describe the conditions under which data may be accessed.

5.2. Research Reporting Standards

Authors are encouraged to follow appropriate established reporting guidelines relevant to the study design, such as CONSORT, PRISMA, STROBE, CARE, ARRIVE, and other applicable standards.

The specific reporting guideline should be selected according to the type of research being reported.

5.3. Post-Publication Discussion

NJPPP supports responsible post-publication scholarly discussion. Readers and researchers may communicate substantive concerns, comments, or observations regarding published articles.

Post-publication comments and concerns are considered by the editorial team and, where appropriate, may result in a correction, editorial notice, expression of concern, retraction, or other action in accordance with the circumstances and applicable publication-ethics standards.

6. Editorial Board Responsibilities

6.1. Editorial Board Composition and Expertise

NJPPP maintains an editorial board comprising scholars and researchers with appropriate expertise relevant to the journal's subject areas.

Editorial board members are expected to contribute to the academic development of the journal and to uphold its standards of editorial independence, peer review, and research integrity.

6.2. Editorial Board Evaluation

The journal periodically reviews its editorial policies and practices to ensure that they remain consistent with recognized standards and evolving best practices in scholarly publishing.

Editorial board membership may also be periodically reviewed to ensure appropriate subject expertise, geographic representation, active scholarly participation, and effective editorial oversight.

7. Confidentiality

All manuscripts submitted to NJPPP are treated as confidential during the editorial and peer-review process.

Editors, reviewers, and other individuals involved in manuscript evaluation must not disclose manuscript content or use unpublished information for personal or professional advantage.

Reviewers must not share, copy, or distribute submitted manuscripts or disclose their review assignments to others without authorization from the journal.

8. Generative Artificial Intelligence and Editorial Processes

NJPPP recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) tools may be used in scholarly communication. Authors must comply with the journal's separate Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy, including requirements concerning disclosure of AI-assisted content and responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the submitted work.

AI tools must not be used as substitutes for human responsibility in scientific interpretation, research conclusions, authorship, or accountability.

Reviewers and editors must also comply with the journal's requirements concerning the confidential use of AI tools during peer review.

9. Editorial and Commercial Independence

NJPPP maintains a clear distinction between editorial decision-making and commercial activities. Publication fees, advertising, sponsorship, or other financial considerations must not influence decisions concerning the scientific evaluation or publication of manuscripts.

Where article processing charges apply, payment or waiver decisions do not determine whether a manuscript is scientifically acceptable for publication.

10. Continuous Improvement

NJPPP regularly reviews its editorial policies, procedures, and publication practices to promote transparency, fairness, research integrity, and high-quality scholarly communication.

The journal may update its policies when necessary to reflect developments in scholarly publishing, research ethics, publication technology, and recognized international standards.

NJPPP is committed to maintaining a transparent, rigorous, ethical, and academically independent editorial process. All manuscripts are handled according to the journal's stated policies, with double-blind peer review applied to manuscripts proceeding to external peer review and with editorial decisions based on scientific and scholarly merit.