ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY
• It is mandatory to upload the ethics committee approval document to the system for all studies requiring ethics approval. For studies that do not require ethics committee approval, a written statement indicating that such approval is not needed must be uploaded to the system.
• In all studies involving the "human" factor, compliance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki (https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/medical-ethics/declaration-of-helsinki/) is mandatory. In such studies, authors must state in the MATERIALS AND METHODS section that the study was conducted in accordance with these principles, that they obtained approval from the ethics committee of their institution, and that they obtained "informed consent" from the participants.
• If the study involves the "animal" factor, authors must state in the MATERIALS AND METHODS section that they protected animal rights in accordance with the principles of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/guide-for-the-care-and-use-of-laboratory-animals.pdf) and that they obtained approval from the ethics committee of their institution.
• In case reports, informed consent must be obtained from the patients. The ethics committee approval information, the name of the committee, the date of approval, and the number must be stated in the MATERIALS AND METHODS section.
• If there is an institution that provides direct or indirect commercial relationships or financial support in the study, the authors must declare in the cover letter to the editor that they have no commercial relationship with the commercial product, drug, company, etc. used, or if there is a relationship, what type of relationship (consultant, other agreements) it is.
• Authors are responsible for disclosing all personal and financial relationships that may be related to the study. It must be clearly stated whether there is any conflict of interest related to the submission and/or evaluation of the article.
• The scientific and ethical compliance of the articles is the responsibility of the authors.
• All authors submitting a study to our journal are deemed to have assumed legal responsibility for the submitted article.
PUBLICATION ETHICS
The publication process in the International Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research is based on the improvement and dissemination of knowledge in an objective and respectful manner. Therefore, the procedures in this process enhance the quality of the studies. Peer-reviewed studies are those that support and embody the scientific method. At this point, it is extremely important for all parties involved in the publication process (authors, readers and researchers, publishers, reviewers, and editors) to comply with ethical evaluation standards. The International Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research expects all parties to assume the following ethical responsibilities. The following ethical duties and responsibilities are written in light of the guidelines and policies prepared by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Ethical Responsibilities of Authors
Authors submitting articles to the International Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research are expected to comply with the following ethical responsibilities:
• Authors must submit original works to the journal. If they use other works, they must properly and completely cite in-text and at the end of the text.
• Individuals who have not contributed intellectually to the study should not be listed as authors.
• If the submitted article includes conflict of interest or relationships, these should be declared.
• During the review process of their articles, authors may be asked to provide raw data. In such a case, authors must be prepared to present such data and information to the editorial and scientific boards.
• Authors must document that they have obtained the consent of the participants and necessary permissions regarding the sharing and analysis of the data used.
• If the authors detect an error in their early version or in the publication process, they are obliged to inform the journal editor or publisher and cooperate in the correction or withdrawal process.
• Authors cannot submit their work to more than one journal at the same time. Each submission can be made only after the previous one is completed. A study published in another journal cannot be submitted to International Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research. Author responsibilities given during the review process (e.g., adding authors, reordering author names) cannot be changed.
Ethical Responsibilities of Editors
The editor and field editors of the International Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research must comply with the following ethical responsibilities based on the COPE Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors and COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors:
General Duties and Responsibilities
Editors are responsible for every publication in the International Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research. Accordingly, editors must:
• Strive to meet the information needs of readers and authors,
• Ensure the continuous development of the journal,
• Manage procedures to improve the quality of published articles,
• Support freedom of expression,
• Ensure academic integrity,
• Follow procedures without compromising intellectual property rights and ethical standards,
• Be transparent and clear in matters requiring correction or explanation.
Relations with Readers
Editors must make decisions by considering the knowledge, skills, and expectations of all readers, researchers, and practitioners. They must ensure that published articles contribute to the literature and are original. Feedback from researchers and practitioners should be considered and informative feedback should be provided.
Relations with Authors
Editors must:
• Decide based on the importance, originality, validity, clarity of expression, and the journal’s aims and scope.
• Accept studies within the scope of publication into the preliminary review process unless there are serious problems.
• Not ignore positive recommendations made by reviewers unless there are serious problems.
• Not change decisions made by the previous editor unless there are serious problems.
• Publish the "Peer Review and Review Process" and prevent deviations from the defined processes.
• Provide informative and explanatory feedback to authors.
Relations with Reviewers
Editors must:
• Select reviewers according to the subject of the study,
• Provide the necessary information and guidance during the review process,
• Observe whether there is any conflict of interest between reviewers and authors,
• Keep the identities of reviewers confidential in blind review,
• Encourage reviewers to evaluate articles objectively and scientifically,
• Develop practices and policies to enhance reviewer performance,
• Take necessary steps to dynamically update the reviewer pool,
• Prevent poor and unscientific reviews,
• Ensure that the reviewer pool has a broad spectrum.
Relations with the Editorial Board
Editors must:
• Ensure that editorial board members follow procedures in line with publication policies and guidelines, and inform them about updates,
• Ensure that editorial board members review articles independently and impartially,
• Select new editorial board members from those who can contribute to the journal and have adequate qualifications,
• Assign articles for review based on editorial board members’ expertise,
• Maintain regular communication with the editorial board and organize regular meetings to improve the journal and publication policies.
Relations with the Publisher and Owner
The relationship between editors and the publisher is based on the principle of editorial independence. All decisions made by editors are independent of the publisher and owner, as per the agreement between editors and publisher.
Editorial and Peer Review Processes
Editors must comply with the "Blind Review and Evaluation Process" policies stated in the journal’s publication policy. Therefore, they ensure each manuscript is reviewed impartially, fairly, and promptly.
Quality Assurance
Editors must ensure that the articles in the journal are published in line with the journal's publication policy and international standards.
Protection of Personal Data
Editors are obliged to protect personal information of subjects and visual materials in reviewed studies, and must reject studies without documented consent. Editors must also protect personal data of authors, reviewers, and readers.
Promotion of Ethical Rules and Protection of Human and Animal Rights
Editors must ensure protection of human and animal rights in studies under review, and reject experimental studies without ethics committee approval.
Measures Against Possible Abuse and Misconduct
Editors must take measures against possible abuse and misconduct. They must handle complaints with care and impartiality and share the outcomes of investigations.
Ensuring Academic Integrity
Editors must ensure quick correction of errors, inconsistencies, or misdirection in published studies.
Protection of Intellectual Property Rights
Editors are responsible for protecting the intellectual property rights of all articles published in the journal. They must take necessary precautions to prevent violation of these rights.
Constructiveness and Openness to Discussion
Editors must:
• Consider persuasive criticisms of articles published in the journal and adopt a constructive attitude,
• Allow the author(s) of criticized articles the right to reply,
• Not ignore or exclude studies with negative results.
Complaints
Editors must review complaints from authors, reviewers, or readers and respond clearly and informatively.
Political and Economic Concerns
No political or economic factor, including the journal’s owner or publisher, may affect the independent decisions of editors.
Conflict of Interest
Editors acknowledge potential conflicts of interest among reviewers and editors and guarantee that the publication process will be completed independently and impartially.
Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers
The quality of publication is directly affected by double-blind peer review. This process ensures objectivity, independence, and confidentiality. In the International Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research, the review process is conducted according to the double-blind principle. Reviewers do not communicate directly with authors; reviews and comments are conveyed via the journal management system. Therefore, reviewers are expected to fulfill the following ethical responsibilities:
Reviewers must:
• Accept to review only within their area of expertise,
• Evaluate impartially and confidentially,
• Inform the editor if they face any conflict of interest and decline the review,
• Dispose of reviewed manuscripts in accordance with confidentiality principles after the review process. Reviewers may use the final version only after publication,
• Evaluate the manuscript objectively and only based on its content, ensuring that factors like nationality, gender, religion, political views, or economic concerns do not influence their assessment,
• Provide constructive and polite feedback, avoiding hostility, defamation, and personal attacks,
• Complete the review in a timely manner and in accordance with the ethical rules mentioned above.
Ethical Responsibilities of Publisher, Editors-in-Chief and Editorial Board
They act with the following ethical awareness:
• Editors are responsible for the entire process of manuscripts submitted to the International Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research. Editors make decisions independently of economic or political interests.
• The publisher commits to ensuring independent editorial decisions.
• The publisher is responsible for protecting the intellectual property rights of all articles published in the journal and keeping records of unpublished articles.
• The publisher is responsible for taking necessary measures against scientific misconduct, fraud, and plagiarism.
Unethical Behavior
If you encounter any unethical action or content that is not in accordance with the ethical responsibilities mentioned above, please contact the editorial office at ijtcmr@duzce.edu.tr.
April 27, 2026
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