EPH – International Journal of Medical and Health Science (IJMHS) considers manuscripts that present original work and have not been previously published or simultaneously submitted to another journal. Authors must ensure that their manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere.

Authors are required to disclose any previous publication, submission, conference proceeding, preprint, or other related material that substantially overlaps with the submitted manuscript. Duplicate, redundant, or substantially overlapping publications are not permitted.

Editorial Screening and Peer Review

Initial Editorial Assessment

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial assessment before entering peer review. The Editorial Office evaluates each manuscript for relevance to the journal's scope, originality, academic quality, adherence to submission requirements, and compliance with publication ethics.

Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's requirements may be returned to the authors for revision or declined at the initial assessment stage.

Double-Blind Peer Review

Manuscripts that successfully pass the initial editorial assessment are forwarded for double-blind peer review, in which the identities of both authors and reviewers are kept confidential.

Manuscripts are normally evaluated by at least two independent reviewers. Reviewers assess manuscripts based on originality, scientific or academic contribution, methodology, clarity, validity of results, ethical considerations, and relevance to the journal's scope.

Editorial Decision

The final editorial decision is based on the overall scholarly quality of the manuscript, reviewer recommendations, originality, methodological soundness, ethical compliance, and relevance to the journal.

Editorial decisions are made objectively and without discrimination based on nationality, institutional affiliation, gender, personal beliefs, or other irrelevant personal characteristics.

Author Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for ensuring that:

• The submitted manuscript is original and has not been published elsewhere, except where prior dissemination through an accepted preprint platform is permitted.
• The manuscript is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal.
• All authors have made appropriate contributions to the work and have approved the submitted version.
• All sources, data, figures, tables, clinical information, and other materials are properly acknowledged and cited.
• The manuscript complies with applicable ethical, medical, research, and publication requirements.

Research Integrity and Publication Ethics

Authors are expected to maintain the highest standards of research integrity. Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, fabrication of data, falsification of results, inappropriate manipulation of research findings, and unauthorized use of copyrighted or third-party material are not permitted.

Authors must ensure that the information, clinical findings, research data, and results presented in the manuscript are accurate, appropriately supported, and reported transparently.

Any financial, professional, or personal conflict of interest that could influence the research or its interpretation must be disclosed.

Research involving human participants must comply with applicable ethical standards and relevant institutional, national, or international requirements. Where applicable, manuscripts should provide details of ethics committee or institutional review board approval and informed consent. The journal may request supporting documentation where necessary.

Research involving animals must comply with applicable institutional and national or international ethical standards for the care and use of animals. Appropriate ethical approval should be stated where required.

Editorial and Reviewer Responsibilities

Editors

Editors are responsible for ensuring that manuscripts are handled fairly, objectively, confidentially, and consistently throughout the editorial process.

Editorial decisions are based on scholarly and academic considerations and should remain independent of inappropriate commercial, financial, personal, or external influence.

Editors must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and select appropriate reviewers with relevant expertise while considering potential conflicts of interest.

Reviewers

Reviewers must provide objective, constructive, confidential, and timely evaluations of manuscripts.

Reviewers should:

• Evaluate manuscripts objectively and based on scholarly and scientific merit.
• Maintain confidentiality of all manuscript information.
• Disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest.
• Avoid using unpublished information obtained through peer review for personal or professional advantage.
• Inform the editor of suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, research misconduct, or other ethical concerns.
• Provide clear, constructive, and evidence-based comments that may assist authors in improving their manuscript.

Research Misconduct, Corrections, and Retractions

EPH – International Journal of Medical and Health Science (IJMHS) takes allegations of research and publication misconduct seriously. When credible concerns are identified, the Editorial Office may conduct an appropriate investigation and request clarification, supporting documents, or additional information from the authors or relevant institutions.

Depending on the findings, the journal may take appropriate action, including correction of the published record, publication of an expression of concern, or retraction of an article where necessary.

All corrective actions are taken with the aim of maintaining the accuracy, transparency, reliability, and integrity of the scholarly record.