Publication Ethics

Trends in Optimal Medical Outcomes (TOMO) is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in the publication process. We adhere to the principles outlined in the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and expect all authors, reviewers, and editors to adhere to these ethical standards. Below are the ethical considerations and guidelines that govern our publishing process:

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

• Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must submit original works that have not been published elsewhere or are not under consideration for publication in another journal. Any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is strictly prohibited. Authors must ensure that they properly attribute the ideas, data, and text used in their manuscript.
• Data Integrity: Authors should ensure that the data presented in the manuscript is accurate and representative of the study. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data is not acceptable and will result in the rejection of the manuscript.
• Authorship: Authors must ensure that all individuals listed as authors have contributed substantially to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the work. All authors must have agreed to the manuscript's final version and the order of authorship. Anyone who has made a substantial contribution to the research but is not listed as an author should be acknowledged.
• Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the interpretation of the results or conclusions in the manuscript. This includes financial interests, personal relationships, or any other situation that may create a conflict.
• Informed Consent: For studies involving human subjects, authors must ensure that informed consent was obtained from all participants, and that the study was approved by an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB). Ethical standards for animal research must also be followed.
• Redundant or Duplicate Publication: Authors should not submit manuscripts that overlap significantly with their own previous work or that of others without proper citation. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently is not allowed.

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

• Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat all manuscripts received for review as confidential. They should not disclose any details about the manuscript or its contents to anyone outside the review process without permission from the journal.
• Impartiality: Reviewers must provide an unbiased, objective, and constructive evaluation of the manuscript. Personal criticism of authors is not acceptable. Reviews should be based solely on the manuscript's scientific quality and relevance to the journal.
• Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that might affect their ability to evaluate the manuscript impartially. If a conflict of interest is identified, the reviewer should recuse themselves from the review process.
• Timeliness: Reviewers should conduct their reviews in a timely manner and inform the editor if they are unable to complete the review within the given time frame.
• Acknowledgment of Sources: Reviewers should alert the editor to any substantial similarities or overlaps between the manuscript and other published works that are not cited in the manuscript.

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

• Editorial Independence: The editorial team is responsible for making editorial decisions independently, based on the merit of the manuscript and in accordance with the journal's editorial policies. Editorial decisions should be based solely on the quality and significance of the research, without bias toward the authors' nationality, gender, religion, or institutional affiliation.
• Confidentiality: Editors must keep all manuscripts and related materials confidential during the submission and review process. They should not share information about the manuscript with anyone except the reviewers and other editorial staff.
• Fairness: Editors must ensure that all manuscripts are evaluated fairly and equitably. Manuscripts should not be rejected based on personal biases or without proper evaluation by qualified reviewers.
• Timeliness: Editors must ensure that the review process is conducted efficiently and that decisions are communicated promptly to authors and reviewers.
• Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest related to the manuscripts they handle. If an editor has a conflict of interest with a manuscript (e.g., if they have collaborated with the authors), they should recuse themselves from the editorial process for that manuscript.
• Corrections and Retractions: If errors or issues are identified after publication, editors must take appropriate steps to correct the record, which may include publishing a correction, retraction, or erratum. Any serious ethical issues discovered after publication, such as data falsification or plagiarism, will be addressed in accordance with COPE guidelines.

4. Plagiarism and Ethical Violations

• TOMO uses plagiarism detection software to check for potential plagiarism in submitted manuscripts. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarized content will be rejected immediately. The journal follows a zero-tolerance policy towards plagiarism and other unethical practices.
• If any ethical violations are detected after publication, such as data fabrication or improper authorship credit, TOMO will investigate and may retract the article or publish a correction, in line with COPE guidelines.

5. Appeals Process

• If authors believe that their manuscript was unfairly rejected or if they have concerns about the review process, they may submit a formal appeal to the editorial board. The appeal will be reviewed by the editorial team, and the decision may be reconsidered if new evidence or arguments are presented.

6. Transparency and Accountability

• TOMO is committed to maintaining transparency in all aspects of the publication process. We encourage authors, reviewers, and editors to communicate openly and act responsibly to uphold the integrity and quality of the journal’s publications.
• TOMO also ensures that all accepted manuscripts are available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), promoting open access and dissemination of knowledge.

By adhering to these ethical guidelines, TOMO aims to maintain a high standard of academic integrity and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field of optimal medical outcomes.