1. Purpose of This Policy

This policy explains how JPADR collects, uses, protects, stores, and manages personal information associated with journal operations and scholarly publishing activities.

This policy explains:

• What information may be collected.
• How personal information is used.
• Confidentiality practices.
• Cookie usage.
• Third-party service involvement.
• User rights regarding personal information.
• Reviewer and author confidentiality protections.

2. Information Collected by the Journal

JPADR may collect information necessary for scholarly publishing, editorial management, website administration, and communication with users.

A. Author Information

• Full name.
• Institutional affiliation.
• Email address.
• ORCID iD, where applicable.
• Contact details.
• Manuscript submission information.
• Funding disclosures.
• Conflict of interest disclosures.

B. Reviewer Information

• Reviewer name.
• Institutional affiliation.
• Email address.
• Subject expertise.
• Peer-review activity records.

C. Website User Information

• IP address.
• Browser information.
• Device information.
• Website usage statistics.
• Cookies and analytics information.

D. Editorial and Administrative Information

• Communication records.
• Editorial decisions.
• Publication history.
• Administrative correspondence.

3. Purpose of Data Processing

Personal information is processed only for legitimate scholarly publishing, editorial administration, and journal management purposes.

Personal information may be used for:

• Manuscript processing.
• Peer-review management.
• Editorial communication.
• Publication administration.
• Reviewer assignment.
• Journal operations.
• Website maintenance.
• Ethical investigations where necessary.
• Metadata registration and indexing.
• Publication of accepted articles.

4. Author Data Processing

Author information is processed to facilitate manuscript submission, editorial evaluation, publication, indexing, and long-term scholarly record management.

Author information may be processed to:

• Evaluate manuscript submissions.
• Communicate editorial decisions.
• Publish accepted articles.
• Register DOI metadata.
• Index published content.
• Maintain publication records.

For accepted and published articles, certain information may become publicly available, including:

• Author names.
• Institutional affiliations.
• Corresponding author contact information.
• ORCID iDs, where provided by the authors.

5. Reviewer Confidentiality Policy

JPADR maintains strict confidentiality standards for all peer-review processes as part of its commitment to double-blind peer review, ethical publishing, and protection of unpublished scholarly work.

Key confidentiality principles include:

• Reviewer identities are generally not disclosed to authors.
• Author identities are not disclosed to reviewers.
• Reviewer reports and evaluations remain confidential editorial records.
• Manuscript content is restricted to authorized editorial use only.

Reviewer confidentiality may only be lifted when:

• Explicit reviewer consent is obtained.
• Required by ethical investigation or misconduct review procedures.
• Required by applicable legal obligations.
• Journal policy transitions to open peer review (if ever implemented).

6. Confidentiality of Manuscripts and Editorial Records

All submitted manuscripts and associated editorial communications are treated as confidential documents throughout the editorial and peer-review process.

Access to confidential materials is restricted to:

• Editors handling the manuscript.
• Assigned peer reviewers.
• Authorized editorial office staff.
• Technical support personnel, where necessary for system maintenance.

Confidential information may only be disclosed when:

• Required by law or regulatory authorities.
• Necessary for investigation of research misconduct or ethical concerns.
• Required to maintain integrity of the scholarly record.

7. Cookie Policy

The JPADR website may use cookies and similar technologies to enhance user experience, ensure secure access, and analyze website performance.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on a user's device that help websites function efficiently and remember user preferences.

Types of cookies used may include:

• Essential Cookies: Required for website operation and secure login.
• Analytics Cookies: Help analyze website traffic and improve performance.
• Preference Cookies: Remember user settings and improve browsing experience.

Managing cookies

• Users may disable cookies via browser settings.
• Users may delete stored cookies at any time.
• Users may restrict cookie permissions.

8. Third-Party Services and Data Sharing

JPADR may use trusted third-party services to support scholarly publishing, metadata management, communication, and website infrastructure.

Third-party services may include:

• DOI registration agencies (e.g., Crossref).
• Website hosting providers.
• Editorial management systems.
• Email communication services.
• Analytics platforms.
• Indexing and metadata distribution services.

Data sharing principles:

• Information is shared only when necessary for journal operations.
• Personal data is never sold to advertisers or unrelated commercial entities.
• Third-party providers are expected to maintain confidentiality and security standards.
• Data sharing is limited to scholarly publishing purposes only.

9. International Data Processing

As an international scholarly journal, JPADR may process, transfer, or store data across different countries and jurisdictions for legitimate publishing, editorial, indexing, and technical purposes.

International processing may occur for:

• Editorial workflow management systems hosted globally.
• DOI registration and metadata dissemination.
• Indexing and archiving services.
• Email and communication infrastructure.
• Website hosting and analytics services.

10. Data Retention

JPADR retains personal and editorial data only for as long as necessary to fulfill scholarly publishing, archival, ethical, and legal requirements.

Data that may be retained includes:

• Manuscript submission records.
• Peer-review reports and communications.
• Editorial decision history.
• Publication metadata and records.
• Author and reviewer correspondence.

Retention duration depends on:

• Archival and indexing requirements.
• Publication and citation integrity needs.
• Ethical publishing obligations.
• Legal and administrative requirements.

11. User Rights

JPADR recognizes user rights related to personal data protection and strives to ensure transparency and fairness in data handling practices.

Where applicable, users may request:

• Access to their personal information.
• Correction of inaccurate data.
• Clarification of data usage.
• Deletion or restriction of non-essential data, where feasible.

12. Data Security Measures

JPADR implements reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures to protect personal information, editorial records, and manuscript data against unauthorized access, misuse, or loss.

Security measures may include:

• Restricted access to editorial systems.
• Secure submission and review platforms.
• Password-protected user accounts.
• Data encryption and secure transmission protocols (where applicable).
• Role-based access control for editorial staff.

13. Children’s Privacy

The JPADR website and its services are intended for researchers, academicians, healthcare professionals, reviewers, and individuals involved in scholarly publishing and scientific communication.

The journal does not knowingly collect personal information from children. If such information is inadvertently collected, it will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection principles and removed where appropriate.

14. External Links

The JPADR website may contain links to external websites, third-party tools, or scholarly resources for informational and operational purposes.

Important considerations:

• External websites operate independently of JPADR.
• The journal is not responsible for third-party privacy practices.
• Users should review external privacy policies separately.
• External links are provided for convenience and scholarly reference only.

15. Policy Updates

JPADR may update or revise this Privacy and Data Protection Policy periodically to reflect changes in legal requirements, publishing practices, technological developments, or operational needs.

Updates may be made to:

• Improve transparency and clarity.
• Reflect changes in data protection standards.
• Enhance privacy and security measures.
• Update journal operations or systems.

16. Commitment to Privacy and Ethical Publishing

JPADR is fully committed to protecting user privacy, ensuring confidentiality, and maintaining ethical standards in the handling of all personal and scholarly data.

The journal is committed to:

• Protecting personal data and user privacy.
• Maintaining reviewer and author confidentiality.
• Ensuring ethical and responsible data processing.
• Supporting transparent scholarly communication.
• Maintaining international publishing standards.
• Strengthening digital security and data governance.

References

1. Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Ethical Guidelines for Peer Review and Editorial Confidentiality.
2. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Recommendations for Confidentiality and Scholarly Publishing.
3. European Union. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Principles.
4. World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). Editorial Confidentiality and Ethical Publishing Guidance.