Plagiarism Policy

Policy on Plagiarism, Similarity Screening, and Duplicate Publication

The Journal of Pharmacovigilance and Drug Research (JPADR) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, originality, transparency, and ethical scholarly publishing. Every manuscript submitted to the journal must represent original scholarly work that has not been plagiarized, fabricated, falsified, or previously published in a substantially similar form.

JPADR strictly prohibits plagiarism, duplicate publication, redundant publication, unauthorized reuse of published material, and any practice that compromises the integrity of the scientific record. The journal follows internationally recognized publication ethics recommendations issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and other recognized scholarly publishing organizations.

This policy outlines the journal's procedures for similarity assessment, plagiarism detection, duplicate publication, self-plagiarism, editorial investigation, and post-publication actions.

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers to the use of another person's words, ideas, data, figures, tables, images, methods, software, intellectual property, or other scholarly content without appropriate acknowledgment, citation, permission, or attribution. Plagiarism constitutes serious publication misconduct regardless of whether it is intentional or unintentional.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

• Verbatim copying without appropriate citation.
• Improper paraphrasing of published work.
• Mosaic or patchwork plagiarism.
• Data plagiarism.
• Figure, image, or table plagiarism.
• Source concealment.
• Unattributed translation of published material.
• Unauthorized use of unpublished manuscripts or confidential information.
• Submission of another person's work as one's own.

2. Similarity Screening Process

Every manuscript submitted to JPADR undergoes plagiarism and similarity screening before external peer review. Similarity assessment assists editors in identifying potential overlap with previously published literature but does not, by itself, determine whether plagiarism has occurred.

Similarity screening may utilize:

• iThenticate.
• Turnitin.
• Crossref Similarity Check.
• Other recognized plagiarism detection systems.

Editorial similarity assessment evaluates:

• Text overlap.
• Duplicate content.
• Improper citation practices.
• Redundant publication.
• Possible copyright infringement.
• Potential publication ethics concerns.

Similarity reports are always interpreted by qualified editors because numerical similarity percentages alone cannot distinguish acceptable overlap from plagiarism. Context, source, location, and nature of overlapping material are carefully evaluated before any editorial decision is made.

3. Similarity Thresholds

JPADR applies general similarity assessment thresholds to assist editorial evaluation. These values serve as guidance only and should not be interpreted as automatic acceptance or rejection criteria. Editorial decisions are always based on qualitative assessment of the overlapping content.

The following may contribute to acceptable similarity:

• Standard scientific terminology.
• Methodological descriptions.
• Properly quoted material.
• Reference lists and bibliographies.
• Institutional affiliations.
• Ethics approval statements.
• Funding acknowledgements.

The following are considered unacceptable regardless of similarity percentage:

• Copied discussion without attribution.
• Copied results or interpretation.
• Uncited duplication of conclusions.
• Misappropriation of figures or tables.
• Substantial unattributed reuse of published content.

4. Handling Process for Suspected Plagiarism

JPADR investigates all suspected cases of plagiarism, duplicate publication, redundant publication, or unethical text overlap in a fair, confidential, transparent, and evidence-based manner. Each case is evaluated individually, considering the extent, context, intent, and potential impact of the suspected misconduct.

When concerns arise, the Editorial Office follows internationally recognized publication ethics guidance, including the recommendations and flowcharts of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

If plagiarism or unethical overlap is suspected, the Editorial Office may:

• Conduct a detailed similarity assessment.
• Review the original source publications.
• Request clarification or explanation from the corresponding author.
• Request revision with appropriate citation and attribution.
• Seek additional editorial or ethical review.
• Consult independent experts when necessary.
• Initiate a formal publication ethics investigation.

Possible editorial actions include:

• Minor revision for appropriate citation.
• Major revision prior to peer review.
• Administrative rejection.
• Immediate rejection for serious misconduct.
• Retraction of published articles.
• Publication of corrections or editorial notices.
• Notification of authors' institutions or funding agencies where appropriate.
• Temporary or permanent restrictions on future submissions in cases of repeated or severe misconduct.

5. Self-Plagiarism Policy

JPADR discourages inappropriate self-plagiarism, also known as text recycling or redundant reuse of previously published material. Authors should ensure that each submission represents a distinct scholarly contribution and appropriately cites all related prior publications.

Self-plagiarism occurs when authors substantially reuse their own previously published text, figures, data, or other material without appropriate disclosure, citation, or scientific justification.

Examples of self-plagiarism include:

• Reusing substantial portions of previously published text without citation.
• Republishing identical or substantially similar datasets.
• Fragmented publication ("salami slicing").
• Submitting substantially similar manuscripts to multiple journals.
• Republishing conference papers without appropriate disclosure.
• Reusing figures, tables, or illustrations without citation or permission.

Limited reuse may be acceptable when appropriately disclosed, including:

• Standard methodological descriptions.
• Previously published protocols with appropriate citation.
• Thesis-derived manuscripts with full disclosure.
• Recognized preprints where permitted by journal policy.
• Conference abstracts accompanied by transparent disclosure.

6. Duplicate and Redundant Publication Policy

Manuscripts submitted to JPADR must not be simultaneously under consideration by another journal or publisher, nor should they substantially duplicate previously published work without appropriate scientific justification and editorial disclosure.

Duplicate and redundant publication can distort the scientific record, waste editorial and reviewer resources, and may mislead readers regarding the strength of available evidence.

Authors must not:

• Submit the same manuscript simultaneously to multiple journals.
• Republish substantially identical research findings.
• Republish identical datasets without appropriate justification.
• Submit translated versions of published articles without disclosure.
• Artificially divide one study into multiple publications without scientific justification.
• Conceal related manuscripts currently under review elsewhere.

Duplicate publication may include:

• Publication of the same study in more than one journal.
• Submission of overlapping manuscripts to different publishers.
• Duplicate publication in another language without disclosure.
• Reuse of identical analyses presented as new research.
• Multiple publications reporting substantially the same results.

7. Preprint Policy

JPADR supports the responsible dissemination of scientific knowledge through recognized non-commercial preprint servers. Submission of manuscripts previously posted as preprints may be considered, provided that full transparency is maintained throughout the submission and publication process.

Posting a manuscript on an approved preprint server is generally not regarded as prior publication. However, authors must disclose all relevant preprint information during manuscript submission.

Submission of preprinted manuscripts may be permitted when:

• The manuscript has been posted on a recognized non-commercial preprint server.
• The work has not undergone formal peer-reviewed journal publication.
• Authors retain the rights necessary for journal publication.
• Full disclosure is provided during submission.
• The manuscript complies with all journal ethical requirements.

Authors should provide the preprint DOI, accession number, or permanent web link at the time of submission and update the preprint record after publication with a citation and DOI of the final published article where applicable.

8. Image and Figure Plagiarism

JPADR prohibits the unauthorized reuse, manipulation, fabrication, falsification, or misleading alteration of figures, tables, graphs, radiological images, microscopy images, illustrations, photographs, and other visual materials.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all visual content included in submitted manuscripts is original or reproduced with appropriate permission and attribution.

Authors must:

• Obtain copyright permission where required.
• Provide appropriate attribution for reused materials.
• Avoid misleading image enhancement or manipulation.
• Maintain the scientific integrity of all images.
• Retain original image files for editorial verification if requested.

Unacceptable practices include:

• Fabrication of images or figures.
• Selective image editing that alters scientific interpretation.
• Reuse of published figures without permission or citation.
• Manipulation that conceals or exaggerates research findings.
• Duplication of images representing different experiments.

9. Citation Manipulation

JPADR is committed to promoting ethical citation practices and discourages any attempt to artificially influence citation metrics or journal performance through inappropriate referencing.

Unethical citation practices include:

• Excessive self-citation.
• Coercive citation requested without scholarly justification.
• Citation padding using irrelevant references.
• Reciprocal citation arrangements intended to manipulate metrics.
• Intentional omission of important relevant literature.

Editors and reviewers should recommend additional references only when they genuinely improve the scientific quality, completeness, or contextual understanding of the manuscript.

10. Author Responsibilities

By submitting a manuscript to JPADR, all authors affirm that they have complied with accepted standards of publication ethics and academic integrity.

Authors confirm that:

• The submitted work is original.
• Proper citation and acknowledgment have been provided throughout the manuscript.
• Necessary permissions have been obtained for copyrighted material.
• The manuscript is not under simultaneous consideration by another journal.
• Similarity disclosures are complete and accurate.
• Closely related publications have been disclosed.
• Research data and images accurately represent the conducted study.
• All authors have approved the submitted manuscript.
• The manuscript complies with ethical publication standards.

11. Editorial Rights

JPADR reserves the right to investigate any concerns relating to plagiarism, duplicate publication, redundant publication, image manipulation, citation manipulation, or other forms of publication misconduct at any stage of the editorial process, including after publication.

The Editorial Office evaluates each case objectively, confidentially, and in accordance with internationally accepted publication ethics principles and the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The journal reserves the right to:

• Screen all submitted manuscripts using plagiarism detection software.
• Request original files, raw data, or supporting documentation.
• Seek clarification or explanations from authors.
• Request corrections or revisions before peer review.
• Reject manuscripts at any stage of editorial evaluation.
• Suspend editorial processing during ethics investigations.
• Consult independent experts or institutional officials where appropriate.
• Retract published articles if publication misconduct is confirmed.
• Notify authors' institutions, funding agencies, or regulatory authorities when warranted.

12. Post-Publication Discovery of Plagiarism

Allegations of plagiarism or other publication misconduct may occasionally arise after an article has been published. JPADR is committed to preserving the integrity of the scholarly record and investigates all credible concerns regardless of when they are reported.

Investigations are conducted confidentially and in accordance with COPE guidance, taking into account the available evidence, responses from the authors, and any relevant institutional findings.

If plagiarism is confirmed after publication, the journal may:

• Publish a correction.
• Issue an Editorial Expression of Concern.
• Retract the published article.
• Update the online article and associated metadata.
• Notify indexing and abstracting databases.
• Inform the authors' institutions or funding agencies where appropriate.
• Take additional editorial actions necessary to preserve the integrity of the scientific record.

13. Ethical Commitment

JPADR is dedicated to fostering a culture of honesty, transparency, originality, and accountability in scholarly publishing. Authors, reviewers, editors, and all participants in the publication process share responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the scientific record.

The journal promotes:

• Academic honesty.
• Original scientific research.
• Responsible authorship.
• Proper attribution of intellectual property.
• Transparent editorial decision-making.
• Ethical peer review.
• Compliance with international publication ethics standards.
• Continuous improvement of research integrity practices.

References

1. Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Flowcharts and Guidelines on Plagiarism, Redundant Publication, and Publication Ethics.
2. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals.
3. Crossref. Crossref Similarity Check and Guidelines for Similarity Assessment.