Medical Ethics and Law Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences – International Association of Islamic Bioethics – Institute for Bioethics and Health Law
The Bioethics Journal is committed to scientific integrity, transparency, originality, and the protection of the scholarly record. Any intentional conduct that distorts the research, peer-review, publication, or attribution process may constitute research or publication misconduct. This policy is informed by the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). ICMJE
Research and publication misconduct includes, but is not limited to, fabrication of data or results; falsification or inappropriate manipulation of data or images; plagiarism; redundant or overlapping publication without appropriate disclosure; simultaneous submission to more than one journal; manipulation of the peer-review process; citation manipulation; inappropriate authorship practices, including gift or ghost authorship; failure to disclose major competing interests; false statements regarding ethical approval or informed consent; unauthorized use of data; and infringement of intellectual property rights. Systematic manipulation of the submission or peer-review process is likewise considered a serious threat to publication integrity. ICMJE
The use of artificial intelligence tools is not, in itself, considered research misconduct. However, authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, originality, and appropriate attribution of all submitted content. AI-assisted tools must not be used to fabricate data, falsify references, conceal plagiarism, or transfer scholarly responsibility away from human authors. Where disclosure is required under the Journal's policy, such use must be reported transparently. wame.org
All allegations of research or publication misconduct, whether raised before or after publication, will be taken seriously and handled confidentially, fairly, and without undue prejudice. Following an initial assessment, the Editor or Editorial Board may contact the author(s) concerned and provide an appropriate opportunity to respond and to submit relevant documentation or underlying data. An allegation alone will not be regarded as proof of misconduct. Publication Ethics
Where credible evidence of serious misconduct exists, the Journal may suspend editorial consideration, reject the manuscript, or refer the matter, where appropriate, to the authors' institution, research ethics committee, or funding body for further investigation. The Journal's primary responsibility is to protect the integrity of the scholarly record; formal determinations of professional or institutional misconduct may require investigation by the relevant research institution. Publication Ethics
For published articles, the editorial response will depend on the nature and severity of the problem. Limited and honest errors that do not invalidate the principal findings will normally be addressed through a correction. Where serious concerns exist but an investigation is incomplete, an Expression of Concern may be issued. An article may be retracted when its findings are unreliable because of major error or misconduct, or in cases involving plagiarism, redundant publication, unethical research, manipulated peer review, or other serious breaches of publication integrity. ICMJE
Retraction is intended primarily to correct the scholarly record and alert readers, rather than to punish authors. Retracted articles should remain accessible but must be clearly identified as retracted, and the retraction notice should state the reason for retraction and be linked to the original publication. Publication Ethics
In cases involving authorship disputes, the Journal may request documentation and clarification from the parties involved. Where the dispute requires determination of the actual contributions of individual researchers, the matter may be referred to the relevant institution, since journal editors are generally not positioned to adjudicate complex authorship disputes independently. Publication Ethics
Depending on the seriousness and recurrence of the misconduct, the Journal may also consider notifying the relevant institution, requesting a formal investigation, correcting the publication record, or imposing proportionate temporary restrictions on future submissions in accordance with its formally adopted policies. All decisions should be evidence-based, proportionate, impartial, and subject to an appropriate opportunity for response or appeal.