Research Integrity, Complaints and Appeals
The journal “Bulletin of Problems in Biology and Medicine” adheres to the principles of academic integrity and ensures the proper handling of all concerns related to potential violations of publication ethics, including suspected plagiarism, duplicate or redundant publication, data fabrication or falsification, and other forms of research misconduct. In the event that concerns or complaints are raised by readers, reviewers, or other stakeholders, the editorial board conducts an objective assessment of each case, involving independent experts where appropriate. The author(s) will be contacted and asked to provide explanations and relevant clarifications. If the responses provided by the author(s) are deemed insufficient or raise further concerns, the journal may request an investigation by the author’s affiliated institution or other competent authorities. Where concerns are substantial and may affect the reliability of the published work or its implications for scientific knowledge or practice, the journal may inform readers by issuing an Expression of Concern, followed by the publication of the results of the investigation. If serious breaches of publication ethics are confirmed, the journal reserves the right to reject the manuscript or take other appropriate actions in accordance with international standards of publication ethics.
Procedure for Submission and Handling of Complaints
Complaints should be submitted to the official email address of the journal specified in the Contacts (зробити активним посиланням на https://vpbim.com.ua/contacts/) and are considered by the Editor-in-Chief or the Executive Secretary of the journal. Complaints must be submitted in written form (via email) and should include a clear description of the issue, along with supporting materials where possible.
When submitting a complaint, the applicant should clearly indicate its subject, including but not limited to:
- rejection of a manuscript
- duration of the editorial or peer-review process
- quality or justification of peer review
- possible bias or inappropriate behavior of a reviewer
- other issues related to the editorial process
The initial assessment of a complaint is conducted by the Editor-in-Chief or an authorized editor to determine its validity and relevance to the journal’s competence.
If necessary, the editorial office may:
- involve members of the editorial board or independent experts;
- request explanations from authors, reviewers, or other parties involved;
- conduct additional checks of submitted materials, including plagiarism screening.
Based on the results of the review, the following decisions may be made:
- acceptance of the complaint;
- rejection of the complaint;
- rejection of the manuscript;
- request for revisions from the authors;
- retraction of the article;
- publication of a correction or notice of concern;
- notification of relevant institutions or organizations.
A reasoned decision will be communicated to the complainant.
Complaints are reviewed within a reasonable timeframe, typically up to 30 calendar days, depending on the complexity of the case.
Appeals and Further Escalation
Decisions regarding complaints and appeals are considered final. New submissions are given priority over repeated appeals. If the complainant is not satisfied with the editorial decision, they may contact the Commission on Ethics and Bioethics of Poltava State Medical University
(email: naukoviy@pdmu.edu.ua).