Publisher Disclosure

Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (IPS) at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, is dedicated to publishing scholarly journals relevant to the field of advanced medicine and pharmacy practices. Our commitment lies in upholding rigorous peer review standards and editorial excellence to ensure the highest quality publications. With a focus on fostering dialogue and facilitating innovation, IPS stands as a leader in promoting excellence in medicine and pharmacy practices.

Editorial Policies:

Journals published by IPS uphold COPE guidelines for publication ethics while also making independent decisions based on their own existing policies and principles.

Peer Review:

Peer Review involves rigorous evaluation at multiple stages to ensure the quality and integrity of published research. Initially, submissions undergo a pre-check by the Editor-in-Chief to verify compliance with the journal's scope and ethical standards. Following this, the Editorial Board conducts an internal review, with two designated reviewers assessing the manuscript's subject matter, methodology, and findings. This internal evaluation helps determine whether the manuscript warrants further assessment through external peer review.

Subsequently, manuscripts deemed suitable for external review are assigned to external experts in the field. These reviewers, selected by the section editor based on their expertise, meticulously evaluate the manuscript, providing detailed feedback and recommendations regarding its suitability for publication. In cases where both reviewers offer positive evaluations, the manuscript proceeds toward publication under the decision of the Editor-in-Chief. However, if there is disagreement between reviewers, a third expert may be consulted to provide additional insight. Ultimately, a favorable decision from at least two reviewers is required for publication. Peer Review aims to uphold the highest levels of scientific rigor and integrity in the publication of research findings.

To maintain the quality and effectiveness of the peer review process, journals must continually strive for improvement. Publishers and reviewers are encouraged to participate in standardized peer review courses to enhance their skills and understanding of best practices. Courses such as those offered by Nature Masterclasses, such as the "Focus on Peer Review" online course (https://masterclasses.nature.com/focus-on-peer-review-online-course/16605550), provide valuable insights into the principles and techniques of peer review. By equipping themselves with the latest knowledge and techniques, publishers and reviewers can contribute to the enhancement of the peer review process, ultimately ensuring the integrity and reliability of scientific publications. Through ongoing education and training, the scientific community can uphold the highest standards of peer review, fostering trust and confidence in the research literature.

Advertisements:

Regarding advertising policy, we maintain a flexible approach within our journals, allowing them to operate independently in this regard. While we do not impose strict rules, we emphasize that advertisements should align with academic standards and be relevant to the scholarly community. We encourage advertisements that contribute to the academic field, such as announcements for conferences, academic programs, or relevant products and services. Our aim is to provide our readers with valuable and informative content while ensuring that advertisements uphold the integrity and credibility of our publications. We trust our journals to exercise discretion and make informed decisions regarding the acceptance of advertisements, keeping the best interests of the academic community in mind.

Research Ethics Policy:

Research ethics policy for a publisher of an academic journal encompasses a comprehensive set of guidelines and principles that govern the ethical conduct of research, from the initial stages of study design to the publication of research findings. It entails ensuring that all research conducted and published in the journal adheres to ethical standards, including principles of integrity, honesty, transparency, respect for participants, and compliance with regulatory requirements. The policy outlines expectations for authors, reviewers, and editors regarding ethical conduct, data integrity, authorship, conflicts of interest disclosure, and protection of participants' rights and confidentiality. Adhering to research ethics policy is of paramount importance for a publisher as it upholds the credibility, reliability, and integrity of published research, fosters trust within the scholarly community and society at large, and ensures that research contributes positively to knowledge advancement while minimizing potential harm to participants and stakeholders. Additionally, maintaining robust research ethics policies helps safeguard the reputation of the journal and the publisher, enhances accountability, and promotes ethical research practices, ultimately advancing the quality and impact of scholarly publications.

1. Informed Consent: In research involving human participants, obtaining informed consent is essential. For instance, in a clinical trial studying the efficacy of a new medication, researchers must provide participants with detailed information about the study, including its purpose, potential risks and benefits, procedures involved, and alternatives. Participants should understand the voluntary nature of their participation and have the opportunity to ask questions before providing their consent. An example of informed consent might involve a patient signing a consent form after the researcher has explained the study's objectives, potential side effects, and the participant's right to withdraw at any time without repercussions.

All investigations involving human subjects, encompassing individuals, human data, or materials, must align with the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval for all protocols must have been secured from the respective ethics committee (such as an Institutional Review Board, IRB) affiliated with the authors' institution, adhering to national and international guidelines. When submitting an article, comprehensive details of this approval are required, including information on the institution, review board name, and permit number(s). In studies focusing on human attributes like race/ethnicity, age, disease/disabilities, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, or other socially constructed groupings, a rationale for the chosen definitions and categories is necessary. Authors should clarify whether any regulations on human categorization were mandated by relevant funding agencies. Additionally, the description of different groups should employ language that is non-stigmatizing and appropriate.

When reporting experiments on animals, authors should indicate whether the institutional and/or national guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals were followed.

2. Privacy and Confidentiality: Researchers must ensure the privacy and confidentiality of participants' personal information. For example, in a survey investigating sensitive topics such as mental health, researchers should anonymize data and use secure storage methods to protect participants' identities. This ensures that participants' responses remain confidential and cannot be linked back to them personally, thus safeguarding their privacy.

1. Integrity and Objectivity: Maintaining honesty and objectivity in research is crucial to its credibility. Researchers should accurately report their findings, even if they contradict their initial hypotheses or expectations. If a study's results do not support a researcher's hypothesis, it is essential to acknowledge these findings honestly rather than manipulating or selectively reporting data to fit preconceived notions.
2. Respect for Participants: Researchers must treat participants with respect, dignity, and sensitivity throughout the research process. In interviews or focus groups, researchers should create a comfortable and non-threatening environment for participants to share their experiences without feeling coerced or judged. Respecting participants also involves acknowledging their contributions to the research and ensuring that their voices are represented accurately and authentically in publications.
3. Minimization of Harm: Researchers must minimize the risk of harm to participants, both physical and psychological.
4. Compliance with Regulations: Researchers, institutions, and publishers must adhere to relevant laws, regulations, and ethical guidelines governing research conduct. For example, in medical research, researchers must comply with the regulations set forth by institutional review boards (IRBs) or ethics committees. This ensures that research is conducted ethically and in accordance with established standards and guidelines.
5. Authorship and Publication Ethics: Authors must accurately report research findings and acknowledge contributions from all individuals who have made significant contributions to the study. In multi-authored papers, each author should have contributed substantially to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. Additionally, authors should adhere to publication guidelines and standards, including those related to plagiarism, data fabrication, and image manipulation.

All authors should have made a clear contribution to the published article. As a guide, authors should refer to the criteria for authorship that have been developed by The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). 

Individuals who have made contributions that fall outside the criteria for authorship, such as providing solely technical or writing assistance, should be acknowledged in the 'Acknowledgments' section.

Changes in Authorship

Confirmation of alterations to the list of authors requires the consensus of all authors. In situations where an author is unresponsive, the corresponding author assumes the responsibility of facilitating communication. The editorial team is not authorized to intervene in resolving authorship disputes; any disagreements among authors should be resolved within the respective institution(s) of the authors.

1. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: All authors of the journals are required to include a 'Competing Interests' statement as part of their submission. The presence of a competing interest does not automatically result in non-publication, but it ensures transparency for both reviewers and readers. In cases where no competing interests exist, a standard disclosure is made: 'No competing interests were disclosed.'

Competing interests can manifest in various forms, encompassing both financial and non-financial aspects. Instances of competing interests include, but are not restricted to:

· Individuals receiving financial support, salaries, or other forms of compensation from an organization, or holding stocks or shares in a company that may stand to gain or lose financially based on the publication's findings.

· Individuals, their funding entities, or employers holding or seeking related patents.

· Official affiliations or memberships with interest groups relevant to the content of the publication.

· Political, religious, or ideological competing interests.

Authors affiliated with pharmaceutical companies or other commercial entities sponsoring clinical trials, field studies, or other research endeavors should explicitly declare these as competing interests during the submission process. Additionally, the nature of each author's association with such organizations should be detailed in the 'Competing Interests' section.

1. Responsible Data Management: Researchers must responsibly manage and securely store research data to ensure its integrity, confidentiality, and accessibility. In laboratory-based research, researchers should maintain detailed records of experimental procedures, observations, and analyses to facilitate data verification and replication by other researchers. Additionally, researchers should use secure data storage methods and adhere to data retention policies to protect against data loss or unauthorized access.

Plagiarism, if identified during any phase of peer review, publication, or after publication, may lead to various actions such as rejection of the manuscript, requesting corrections from the author, or retracting the published work. For more information, please visit the Web site of the journals.

Required corrections and Retractions:

In cases necessitating corrections or any concerns regarding published works on journals' Web site, the editor is required to notify the publisher and provide detailed explanations of the situation. This proactive communication ensures that the publisher is fully informed of any issues arising with the published content. By sharing comprehensive details, including the nature of the problem, the potential impact, and proposed solutions, the editor enables the publisher's team to collaboratively assess the situation and determine an appropriate course of action. This may involve discussing strategies for addressing errors, issuing corrections, or considering the need for editorial expressions of concern. Through this transparent and collaborative approach, the editor and publisher work together to uphold the integrity and credibility of the published material while maintaining the highest standards of scholarly communication.

Articles may be retracted for various reasons, including unintentional errors acknowledged by the authors (such as errors related to sample mixing or the use of faulty scientific tools), research misconduct like data fabrication, duplicate or overlapping publication, fraudulent manipulation of data, clear instances of plagiarism, and unethical research practices. Retraction notices will explicitly state the reason for retraction and identify the party initiating it. The retracted article will remain accessible on the Web site of the journal, clearly marked as retracted, including the PDF version, with a link to the retraction notice. Retractions generally occur either at the authors' request or at the initiative of the publisher following an institutional investigation, reflecting the gravity of the reasons for retraction, often rendering the study or significant portions thereof unsuitable for inclusion in the scientific literature. In rare cases involving false or inaccurate data posing significant health risks, the original erroneous version(s) may be removed, with a corrected version published and the reason for partial removal explicitly stated.

Open access Journals and Article Processing Charges (APC):

For information regarding our open access policy and article processing charges, we kindly direct authors to refer to the "Instructions for Authors" section of the journal. This section provides comprehensive guidelines and details pertaining to our open access policy, including information on article processing charges, publication fees, and any applicable waivers or discounts.

History

IPS, was established in 2008, since then IPS is offering various professional and postgraduate programs in the field of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences.

Contact: Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore Pakistan

Name of the publisher: Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore Pakistan

Owner: University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences

Email: tahir.khan@uvas.edu.pk

Address and Tel: Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Out fall road, Lahore Pakistan +924299214341

Help and support link or email: tahir.khan@uvas.edu.pk