The SCICONX Journal of Endocrine and Diabetic Health (JEDH) is dedicated to advancing scientific excellence and ethical integrity in the fields of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolic health. Our editorial policy outlines the standards and principles that govern manuscript handling, peer review, authorship, publication ethics, transparency, and the responsibilities of all stakeholders involved in the editorial and review process.

These policies ensure that JEDH remains a trusted global platform for the dissemination of high-quality research.

1. Editorial Independence

JEDH maintains complete editorial independence. Editorial decisions are made solely based on:

• Scientific merit
• Originality
• Methodological rigor
• Ethical compliance
• Relevance to the journal’s scope

Commercial, institutional, political, or personal factors do not influence the publication process. The Editor-in-Chief has final authority over:

• Acceptance or rejection of manuscripts
• Editorial decisions after revisions
• Resolution of disputes related to publication

2. Manuscript Assessment and Decision-Making

2.1 Initial Editorial Screening

Every submission undergoes:

• Scope evaluation
• Plagiarism and originality check
• Ethical compliance screening
• Basic methodological quality check
• Format and guideline adherence

Manuscripts failing these criteria may be desk-rejected with constructive feedback.

2.2 Double-Blind Peer Review

JEDH follows a double-blind review process to protect reviewer and author identities.
Editorial decisions are based on:

• Reviewer recommendations
• Scientific quality
• Importance of findings
• Clarity and accuracy of reporting

2.3 Editorial Decisions

Possible decisions include:

• Accept
• Minor Revision
• Major Revision
• Revise and Resubmit
• Reject

Decisions are accompanied by clear justification.

3. Ethical Standards and Publication Integrity

JEDH adheres to the globally accepted principles of:

• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
• International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)
• World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)
• CONSORT, ARRIVE, PRISMA, STROBE, and CARE reporting guidelines

3.1 Research Ethics

The journal requires:

• Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee approval
• Informed consent for human participant research
• Transparency in animal research protocols
• Responsible data management and reporting

3.2 Plagiarism and Duplicate Submission

Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable. All submissions undergo plagiarism detection.

JEDH prohibits:

• Duplicate publication
• Simultaneous submission to multiple journals
• Self-plagiarism beyond acceptable thresholds

Violations lead to immediate rejection or retraction.

3.3 Data Integrity

Authors must ensure:

• Accuracy of data
• Availability of raw data upon request
• Transparency in statistical methods
• Disclosure of data manipulation or image editing

Fabricated, falsified, or manipulated data will result in severe action.

4. Authorship and Contributor Transparency

4.1 Authorship Criteria

Authors must meet ICMJE authorship criteria:

• Substantial contribution to research design, analysis, or interpretation
• Involvement in drafting or revising the manuscript
• Approval of final manuscript
• Accountability for the integrity of the work

4.2 Contributor Roles

All authors must specify their individual contributions following the CRediT taxonomy, including:

• Conceptualization
• Data curation
• Methodology
• Formal analysis
• Writing – original draft
• Writing – review & editing
• Funding acquisition
• Supervision

4.3 Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose:

• Financial interests
• Institutional relationships
• Personal or professional conflicts

Transparency is essential for maintaining trust.

5. Handling Allegations of Misconduct

JEDH follows COPE workflows for addressing:

• Plagiarism
• Authorship disputes
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest
• Ethical violations in human/animal research

Possible actions include:

• Manuscript rejection
• Retraction of published articles
• Issuance of corrections or expressions of concern
• Notification of funding bodies or institutions

6. Confidentiality and Data Protection

All manuscripts and peer review reports are treated as confidential documents.
Editors and reviewers must not:

• Share manuscript content
• Use unpublished data for personal research
• Reveal reviewer identities

Data protection policies comply with global privacy regulations.

7. Transparency of Editorial and Peer Review Processes

JEDH ensures transparency through:

• Clear disclosure of editorial roles
• Public listing of the Editorial Board
• Detailed descriptions of review timelines
• Publication of errata, corrections, and retractions when necessary

All editorial operations aim to be fair, traceable, and accountable.

8. Editorial Board Responsibilities

Editorial Board Members are expected to:

• Ensure timely and objective handling of manuscripts
• Select qualified reviewers
• Provide expert guidance to authors
• Promote scientific integrity
• Identify emerging areas for special issues
• Maintain confidentiality and independence

Lack of adherence may lead to reevaluation of board membership.

9. Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers must:

• Provide constructive, unbiased feedback
• Evaluate scientific rigor and originality
• Submit timely and thorough reviews
• Disclose conflicts of interest
• Maintain strict confidentiality

Reviewers play a vital role in maintaining the quality of published content.

10. Appeals and Complaints

Authors may appeal editorial decisions by providing:

• A formal written justification
• Evidence addressing reviewer/editor concerns

The Editor-in-Chief will reassess the manuscript and may:

• Seek an independent opinion
• Review reviewer comments
• Make a final binding decision

Complaints regarding editorial conduct, reviewer bias, or ethical concerns are investigated promptly and fairly.

11. Corrections, Retractions, and Updates

11.1 Corrections

Minor errors that do not affect scientific accuracy are corrected via errata.

11.2 Retractions

Articles may be retracted if:

• Data is fraudulent
• Ethical violations occur
• Major errors invalidate conclusions

11.3 Post-Publication Updates

Authors may request:

• Addendums
• Clarifications
• Follow-up analyses

All updates undergo editorial review.

12. Open Access and Licensing Policy

JEDH is a fully open-access journal, ensuring:

• Immediate global visibility
• Free access to published content
• Author retention of copyright

Articles are published under a suitable Creative Commons license that supports academic reuse while maintaining author rights.

13. Anti-Bias and Diversity Commitment

JEDH is committed to:

• Promoting diverse representation in authorship, reviewers, and the Editorial Board
• Preventing discrimination based on gender, race, nationality, institution, or ideology
• Encouraging global research contributions from varied geographic regions

Editorial decisions are strictly merit-based.

14. Commitment to Excellence

The Editorial Policy of JEDH reflects the journal’s mission to:

• Advance innovation in endocrine and diabetic research
• Maintain the highest publication standards
• Support transparency, ethical practice, and scientific integrity

These principles guide every step of the publication process and uphold the credibility of the journal within the global scientific community.