Appeals and Complaints Policy

Appeals and Complaints Policy

Asian Pacific Journal of Health Sciences [APJHS] is committed to ensuring fairness, transparency, accountability, and integrity throughout its editorial and publication processes.

The journal recognizes the right of authors, reviewers, readers, and other stakeholders to submit appeals or complaints regarding editorial decisions, publication ethics, or journal procedures. All submissions are handled fairly, confidentially, and in accordance with internationally recognized publication ethics standards.

This policy follows the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

  1. Scope of This Policy

This policy applies to:

  • Appeals against editorial decisions.
  • Complaints regarding editorial procedures.
  • Complaints concerning peer review.
  • Allegations of publication misconduct.
  • Complaints regarding ethical issues.
  • Concerns related to editorial behaviour.
  • Complaints regarding conflicts of interest.
  • Allegations of discrimination or inappropriate conduct.
  1. Appeals Against Editorial Decisions

Authors may appeal editorial decisions when they believe that a manuscript has been rejected or evaluated unfairly.

Appeals should be based on scientific or procedural grounds rather than disagreement with reviewer opinions alone.

An appeal should include:

  • Article title.
  • Manuscript identification number.
  • Detailed explanation of the grounds for appeal.
  • Scientific justification.
  • Supporting evidence where appropriate.

The Editor-in-Chief will review the appeal and may:

  • Consult members of the Editorial Board.
  • Invite independent expert reviewers.
  • Request clarification from reviewers.
  • Seek additional information from the authors.

The outcome of the appeal may include:

  • Upholding the original decision.
  • Reopening the editorial evaluation.
  • Sending the manuscript for additional peer review.
  • Reversing the original decision.

The final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board.

  1. Appeals That Will Not Normally Be Considered

The journal will normally not reconsider appeals that are based solely on:

  • Disagreement with reviewers' scientific opinions without supporting evidence.
  • Requests to ignore reviewer comments.
  • Personal opinions unsupported by scientific justification.
  • Dissatisfaction with publication priority or processing time alone.
  1. Complaints

Complaints may relate to any aspect of the journal's editorial or publication activities, including:

  • Editorial conduct.
  • Reviewer conduct.
  • Delays in editorial processing.
  • Peer-review procedures.
  • Confidentiality breaches.
  • Conflicts of interest.
  • Publication ethics.
  • Discrimination.
  • Harassment or inappropriate behaviour.
  • Website or submission system issues.

Complaints should be submitted in writing and include sufficient information to enable investigation.

  1. Complaints Concerning Published Articles

Concerns regarding published articles may include:

  • Plagiarism.
  • Duplicate publication.
  • Data fabrication.
  • Data falsification.
  • Image manipulation.
  • Ethical violations.
  • Authorship disputes.
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest.
  • Other forms of research misconduct.

Such cases are investigated in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics Policy, Corrections Policy, and Retraction Policy.

  1. Investigation Procedure

Upon receiving an appeal or complaint, the Editorial Office will:

  1. Acknowledge receipt.
  2. Conduct an initial assessment.
  3. Request additional information where necessary.
  4. Consult relevant editors or reviewers.
  5. Seek independent expert advice when appropriate.
  6. Evaluate the available evidence.
  7. Reach an editorial decision based on journal policies and internationally recognized ethical guidance.

Investigations are conducted objectively, confidentially, and without prejudice.

  1. Confidentiality

All appeals, complaints, supporting documentation, and correspondence are treated as confidential.

Information is shared only with individuals directly involved in the investigation and resolution of the matter.

The journal respects the privacy of all parties throughout the process.

  1. Protection Against Retaliation

Asian Pacific Journal of Health Sciences [APJHS] is committed to ensuring that individuals who submit appeals or complaints in good faith are treated fairly.

The journal does not tolerate retaliation, discrimination, intimidation, or harassment against individuals who raise legitimate concerns regarding editorial or publication practices.

  1. Outcomes

Depending on the findings of the investigation, the journal may:

  • Maintain the original editorial decision.
  • Reconsider the manuscript.
  • Request additional peer review.
  • Publish a correction.
  • Publish an expression of concern.
  • Retract a published article.
  • Update journal records.
  • Implement editorial process improvements.
  • Take any other action considered appropriate under the circumstances.
  1. Timeliness

The journal aims to acknowledge appeals and complaints promptly and resolve them within a reasonable timeframe.

The duration of the investigation may vary depending on the complexity of the case and the availability of supporting information.

Where appropriate, the complainant will be informed of significant progress during the investigation.

  1. Compliance with International Standards

APJHS follows internationally recognized recommendations for handling appeals, complaints, and publication disputes, including guidance from:

  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
  • International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
  • Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.

The Editorial Board periodically reviews this policy to ensure continued alignment with evolving international best practices.

Contact Information

Appeals and complaints should be submitted to:

Editorial Office
Asian Pacific Journal of Health Sciences

Email: editor@apjhs.com

Website: www.apjhs.com